159 Monte Cassino

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Written by: Mate Szabo
Category: Mediterranean Front
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On the 12th of January 1944, the Allies wanted to break the Gustav Line in Italy. On the right wing of the Allies, the French Expedition Corps crossed River Rapido, then it turned south to encircle Monte Cassino. At the same time, the British 10th Corps on the left wing could cross River Garigliano, but in the middle the American 2nd Corps, which was near Monte Cassino, was stopped by heavy German resistance. Then two attacks were launched against the town.
The first attack was the attack of the 34th American Division, on the right reinforced with a battalion from the 36th Am. Division and the French, reached the 1400-year-old church about 350 meters, but there the attack stopped. They were replaced with the 2nd New Zealandish and the 4th Indian Division.
The second attack was the attack of the Indians from the back, and the New Zealandish from the front, after a heavy bombardment of the church. Both attacks stopped.
Then, on the 15th of March, 2.00 AM, after the bombardment of Cassino, the 2nd NZ Division, the 4th NZ Armcorps, and the Indians attacked Cassino, with the aim of destroying the German Fallschirm battalion, then climbing the eastern part of the mountain, and then capture the church and other wellreinforced peaks. Three squads of the 25th NZ Battalion moved into the city, and a fourth squad went to attack the Castle Hill, which was guarding the eastern road leading to the church.

"There were no Germans in the church."
Gregorio Diamare, Priest of Monte

  American German
Division 1

6 Squad Bases
- 13 Regular Infantry
- 5 Elite Infantry
- 2 Officer
- 1 Mortar Crew
- 1 Machine Gun Crew

1 Bren Gun Carrier

2x Alpha Unit

3 Squad Bases
- 6 Regular Infantry
- 3 Elite Infantry
- 1 Officer
- 1 Machine Gun Crew

2x Bravo Unit
Division 2

6 Sherman Tank

2 Squad Bases
- 6 Regular Infantry (snipers)

Snipers abilities:
MV:4
Range vs inf.: 12 hexes
Firepower vs inf.: 1
They can't attack vehicles.
Strategy Decks American Air Support 1
American Reinforcements 1
Artillery 1		 -
Starting Strategy Cards - -
Operations Cards - -
Deployment Zone

Any hexes on map 5A.

 Any hexes on maps 1A, 11A, and 3B.
Starting Initiative Initiative Token  
Objective Allies win if they control the victory hex on map 12B.  If it isn't achieved 'till the last round (guess what) the Germans win.
Rounds 10
Actions per turn 3 3
Reinforcements - -
Special Rules - -
Terrain Features Victory hex is on level 1 terrain and is reachable from the left.

 

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Posts in discussion: 159 Monte Cassino
alecrespi replied the topic:
#1180
7 months 2 weeks ago
Agreed about keeping the two right-most map boards (for flanking maneuver).

But if we replace the VO marker on 4B might with a Command Objective marker (value 1 ore 2) perhaps we risk giving too much advantage to the Americans (on CP side).
All other CP are neutral and Germans could only use available CP on Initiative (As they don't have Strategy decks assigned).

On the other hand US player have 3 Strategy decks!

Where can American reinforcements enter from? (they can enter with cards from American Reinforcements 1 deck)
There are no "R" hexes indicated on the map.
I guess the road hex on the far right of the map?
JVHillegas-Elting replied the topic:
#1171
7 months 2 weeks ago
Having not yet played this one myself, I wonder if retaining the two right-most map boards allows the Allies to try some kind of flanking maneuver from that direction, rather than being limited to just the frontal assault? With this in mind, I'm wondering if 10 rounds was the designer's intention to allow the Allies enough time to attempt this type of approach? In the historical battle, it was really only a matter of time before the Allies took Monte Cassino, so from the German side they were just trying to delay it as long as possible for the build-out of the Gustav Line.

Thinking along these lines a bit further, I'm wondering if the VO marker on 4B might be replaced by a Command Objective marker (1 or 2) to entice the Allies to go that direction?
alecrespi replied the topic:
#1167
7 months 2 weeks ago
  1. If we ignore the VO on map 4B I presume we could narrow the map to 4 boards (removing 2 rightmost boards) and allow the US units to enter the map with an "Advance" or a "Fire and Move" action.
  2. I agree about considering the Abbey on a Lev 2 Hill. In addition to being geographically accurate, gives meaning to the rule describing "access from the left".
  3. How about making the "rough" terrain impassable? Otherwise "10 rounds" seem really too many to me.
JVHillegas-Elting replied the topic:
#1161
7 months 2 weeks ago
Good catch on the Victory Objective markers. I would interpret the scenario-as-written as saying that the VO in 12B is what the Allies need to capture to win the scenario, but what the VO in 4B signifies I have no idea.

Interpreting the VO hex on 12B as being the abbey itself, my read--having actually visited the location--is that it should be on a Level 2 Hill hex. One of the shortcomings of officially-published ToI content is that there are very few terrain features that are combined with roads, rivers, bridges, and buildings, and this scenario illustrates this shortcoming.
alecrespi replied the topic:
#1154
7 months 2 weeks ago
The definition of the objective is a bit dubious.

Allies win if they control the victory hex on map 12B.

Unfortunately there are 2 objective tokens on the map...


And what do you think about the listed terrain feature?

Victory hex is on level 1 terrain and is reachable from the left.

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