Allied Set Up

The scenario starts with the Allied player planning his amphibious landings and airdrops. Technically, each unit involved is considered a separate plan and may be individually canceled later. Next the Allied player starts setting up.

Ground and Sea

(The chart on page 32 summarizes naval movement.)

Tunis

The first British naval group: CG- 1, five LCs, two 2xNT units, and five single NTs.

Embarked: the breakdown brigades of British 5th and 50th Divisions, 22nd Engineer brigade, 5th Division HQ, 231st Infantry Brigade, 4th Armor Brigade, and 12 supply points.

Sousse

The second British group:

WNTF-1, five LCs, two 2xNT units, and four single NTs.

Embarked: Breakdown brigades of Canadian 1st and British 78th Divisions, 2nd Royal Marine Commando Brigade, 16th Engineer Brigade, 1st Canadian HQ, 1st Dragoon Guards recon battalion, 23rd Armor Brigade, and four supply points.

The two US groups:

1) WNTF-1, five LCs, a 2xNT unit, and six single NTs. Aboard are the breakdown regiments of the US 3rd and 9th Divisions, 4th Ranger battalion, 6th Amphibious Assault Engineers, the 9th Division HQ, 40th Engineer Regiment, 36th Artillery Regiment, an armor breakdown regiment (again, from 2nd Armored), and four supply points.

2) ENTF-1, five LCs, two 2xNT units, and five single NTs. Embarked are the breakdown regiments of US 1st and 45th Divisions, 19th and 36th Engineer Regiments, 1st and 3rd Ranger Battalions, 1st Division HQ, 17th artillery regiment, an armor breakdown regiment (from 2nd Armored Division), and eight supply points.

Recording on paper what each NT and LC is carrying can make keeping track of losses easier. If required to lose an NT, for example, the Allied player would toss all the NTs of the group into a cup and randomly select one. Its recorded cargo is then also lost. Note that using a single 2xNT unit to carry the armor brigade reduces the chances of it being lost. Players are not allowed, however, to assign excess capacity to carry a unit, e.g. a 3xNT unit to carry an armor brigade. There would be little historical justification for such a practice. Likewise it's not a good idea to pad a multiple NT unit with small items of cargo, a 3xNT unit carrying an an-nor brigade and four supply steps, for example. If this NT unit takes a hit, its cargo must be thrown into a cup and randomly reduced by one RE. Chances are you would lose three supply steps before inevitably drawing out and losing the armor brigade as well.

There are some general characteristics to all four naval groups. The initial landing will, in most cases, include two breakdown regiments of the stronger division and three regiments of the second division. The stronger division is the one the Allied player hopes to assemble by the end of his turn. The second division is along to provide cannon fodder for any exchanges or a DH. The NTs carry just enough units for everything to be disembarked if no LC damage occurs, including two units without heavy equipment that can use the same LC. The remaining NTs carry supply points in case regular supply is not established and also to dilute the chances of more important cargo being lost.

Air

Because Allied cooperation does not effect the use of aircraft the Allied player can be color-blind as be deploys his assets:

Three Beaufighters and the Hurricane 2D at Bizerte; three B-25Ds at 27:3311; the nine inoperative bombers at 3211, 3411 and 3412; three P- 38Fs at 3310; three A-36s, one P-38F, the A-20B and A-30A at Tunis; three P-40Ks at 3409; two P-40Ns, one P-40F at 3509; three Spit 5s at 3508; three Hurricane 2Cs at 3611; three A-20Cs at 3711; three P-39Ns at Pantelleria; the P-40L, the P-40M, and the P-39L at 3911; the A-30 at Sousse; the P-51, the P-400, one P-38G at Lampedusa; three P-38Gs at Gozo; six P-40F's at 26:4631 and four Spit 9s, eight Spit 5s at Valletta. The Albemarle, five C-47s, and four gliders are placed at hex 4211 with the two US airdroppable regiments and the two British airdroppable brigades.

The British drop zone is hex 26:3930 and the Americans are slated to drop on 26:4026.

Also placed at hex 27:4211 is 61't RPC (0-1-4) construction unit. Two C-47s along with a 3-8 and a 2-8 engineer regiment are placed at hex 4013.

Others:

2nd (2-3-10) AA, the two (2-10) AA, and 1st Canadian Armor Brigade at Tunis. A resource point and the 2"' (0-1-5) Construction Brigade are placed at hex 3407 to begin constructing a permanent airfield, while another resource point and 18 th Construction Brigade is placed at hex 3508 to augment the airfield there. At Sousse deploy MNDBDO (0-2-6) Heavy AA Brigade, 1051 Port (1-3-6) Construction Brigade, and a resource point. At Sfax go the remaining 3-10 armor breakdown regiment, 4" (3-10) Motorized AA Brigade, the 5th (2-3-10) Motorized Artillery, 70" (2-1-10) Light Tank, and the 601st (1-2-10) Motorized AT.

Axis Setup

Now the Axis player sets up. The Allies will likely target one or more of the port areas on Sicily, which are Palermo, the island's western tip, the southwestern coast, the southeastern comer, and Catania. Gaining ports is critical to the Allies for establishing regular supply and bringing in follow up-units.

The Allies can attack Palermo itself with a strength of 37 points (two 4-8 breakdown regiments, quartered for the amphibious landing and halved for a partial city hex to I point; four 3-8 engineer regiments, quartered for the amphibious landing to 3 points; both WNTFs, 24 points; and six air units, each with a tactical bombing strength of 3, halved for a partial city hex to 9 points), and they get a +1 die roll modifier for the engineers. Note that there is no - I modifier for partial city hexes.

So the Axis player garrisons the city with a coastal division, the 6RR Police (1-2-8), the XII Alarm (1-2-4), and a construction unit for a total of 8 strength points. To get to the 13 points he really wants, the Axis deploys the 5-10 motorized infantry in hex 3531 (Partinico) and hopes it can react into the city. On either side of Palermo he places coastal divisions to prevent Allied stacks landing there from joining in the attack on Palermo. Likewise he places the Lehr rocket unit (3-1-8) and the 30 Pal Cavalry (1-8) in hex 3630 to prevent an airdrop in this hex from joining in an attack on Palermo. Finally, he places the K 2-1- 10 Pz battalion (a breakdown of 15th PzG Division) on top of the 5-10 motorized regiment in hex 3531.

The Axis regard the western tip the least important area defensively and places only 26th Assietta (3-4-6) Division in Trapani. He hopes to react the 2-1-10 and 5-10 from hex 3531 into Trapani for a total defense strength of 10 with -1 for AECD. To defend the southwestern coast he places 28th Aosta (3-4-6) Division and a coastal division at Licata.

Into Agrigento goes a 2-3-8 artillery and 1-6 infantry regiment. In hex 3730 he places the 131st Tank Regiment (4-2-8) and the 382nd PzG Regiment (2-10) so he can react them either to the northern coast or to the southwestern coast towns, Licata for -1 AECD or Agrigento for -2 AECD. The Axis defend the southeastern comer with two coastal divisions in Syracusa and a 2-3-8 artillery and 929 (1-2-4) fortress regiment in Augusta. In hex 4226 he places the Hermann Goering (7-5- 10) Pz Regiment to react into either town.

Catania looks to be the most critical defensive area. By gaining it the Allies can seriously impede either of the two Axis options in the scenario, holding the island or withdrawing to the mainland. First the Axis player places the 1st Hermann Goering (4-10) PzG Regiment in hex 4126 to prevent an Allied amphibious landing there from joining an attack on Catania. In hex 4026 he places the 10th A (5-3-6) Artillery and the 10th (2-1-8) Assault Gun Brigade and in hex 3926 the second 5-10 regiment from 15 PzG. These units can either prevent units airdropped in their hexes from joining an attack on Catania or react themselves to various coastal hexes.

Unfortunately there is no AECD in Catania, but it does gain a -1 for terrain. The Allies can attack this hex with a total of 47.5 points (two 4-8 and two 3-8 breakdown regiments, quartered for the amphibious landing to 3.5 points; three Rangers and the amphibious assault engineers, halved for the amphibious landing to 2 points; the two WNTFs, 24 points; and six air units each with a tactical strength of 3, 18 points).

The best the Axis can do is place the 4 Livorno (4-6) Division, a 1-6 infantry, 1-6 construction, 1-8 AA regiment, and two points of positional AA in Catania. This is only 7 points, but he plans to react the 5-10 into the city for the 12 points he really wants. With its intrinsic AA, the total AA in Catania is now 5, and the two points of positional flak, a total of 1 RE, now gives Catania a level -2 CD.

To cover the north coast, the 54 Napoli (3-6) Division and the third point of positional AA are in hex 3727. On Mt. Etna stand 11 G (1 -8) Assault Engineers and 2 ADRA (1-5) commandos. Finally Messina is garrisoned by XII (2-3-5) Alarm Group and HG (2-3-10) AA Regiment.

Of his mainland air units the Axis player places the SM.79, the Z.1007, and four Ju 88s in Naples, all assigned to naval patrol. In Foggia he places the BR.20, also assigned to naval patrol. The remaining pair of Ju 88s, including the code-S unit, the SM.84, and the Fw 190A base in Reggio, all assigned to naval patrol. Covering this stack are the German and Italian Me 109s in hex 3720. Of the air units in Sicily the MC.202 and Re.2001 are placed in hex 4026, and the G.50bis in Catania.

The Germans get a fortuitous roll on the pregame airfield destruction. Palermo's untouched. So the Axis station the Ju 88, the Fw 190A, the Fw 190F, and the Z.506, all assigned to naval patrol, and the three Me 109s for cover, in this one hex. Note that the Z.506, a code-F unit, can use the coastal hex as its airbase.

After the Axis player has finished setting up, the Allied player has his first chance to cancel any of his planned amphibious landings or airdrops. Noticing that their drop zone is occupied, the Allied player cancels the planned drop of the 82nd Airborne. Then he plans his operations for the next turn, something the Allies should do every turn in advance. There will be only two LC available, but, provided they are lost in combat, two REs of intrinsically amphibious units can be rebuilt and become available, and now the two US airdroppable regiments plus two battalions are available. This is enough to seize a port or block an Axis withdrawal route.

Quick Start Rules for Operation HUSKY

This scenario can be played with little over half the rules: 3A, B, D, G, 4 through 13, 14A, B, D, E2, H, 15A, B, C, 16 through 22, 23A, B, C, D, G, 1:, 24, 25A, B, D, 27, 28, 28B, C, 29, 29A, B, B2, B3, 30A, A 1, A2, A4, A6, A9, B, 31 through 33, 34A4, B, C, E, G, 40131a, B4, DI,

Of the advanced rules only Allied Co-operation, Rule 43E, should be included for someone trying to learn the system. Note that parts of rules 3 OB, 3 1 B, and 3 2 have been officially changed in the "Official Amphibious Recap" appearing in TEM #40, and that the rail ferries into Messina are now considered narrow strait hexsides (+2 MP to cross) for Axis units.

Map Strategy

In this version of Operation HUSKY, the Allies have selected four landing hexes (shown by white arrows), at three general oiteo, each roughly at; the midpoint of one side of the triangular island.

Showing considerably more daring than the historical Allied plan, if successful the landings seize a standard port and position forces that will completely compromise the Axis defense of the island.

As it turns out, the Palermo beach is "a beach 'too far" and the Allied player pays a price for his daring ploy.

More Operation Husky

Operation Husky 1943: Introduction
Operation Husky 1943: Allied and Axis Set Up
Operation Husky 1943: Movement Phase
Operation Husky 1943: Combat and Exploitation Phases
Operation Husky 1943: Allied Naval Movement Table: Jumbo (111K)