Nick Forte, Virginia

I would like to express my appreciation for the "Viva Italiano!!" issue of TEM. I particularly liked the article on Italian aircraft, but was a little disappointed that you didn't include an Air OB as you did with the article on the French airforce a few issues back. Has the Italian Air OB been completed and if so is there any chance that it will appear in a future issue of TEM? The last complete Italian air OB that I have seen for pre-Second Front was an article in a now very dated Europa Nuts & Bolts which used the old Group Allowance system. The same question for the GE Italian ground OB.

Why I am asking is that while I enjoy gaming the historical WWII, I also have used Europa to develop ahistorical games such as a purely Franco-Italian war or Italy and Greece vs. Turkey. Updated Italian OBs would help me in developing these ahistorical (idiotic?) scenarios. Keep up the good work.

[The Italian OB was part of the SF designer's notes while David Hughes presented the French as an example of how he researches and develops a Europa air OB. A complete Italian OB will probably appear as part of The Blitzkrieg. - FEW]

Alan Tibbetts, Maine

After reading the Axis setup by David Tinny in TEM #56 I believe there's a fatal flaw. It is one which I took advantage of in a previous game against Jim Broshot, when first playing HUSKY.

Both Jim and David failed to garrison Milazzo (3724), a minor port adjacent to Messina, and hex 3825, also adjacent to Messina. By landing in these hexes, and airdropping into 3924, the Allied player can put all Axis forces outside Messina in a very precarious situation.

If the Axis fail their reaction roll Allied forces will be sitting on Mt. Etna, astride Axis lines of retreat and supply. Axis forces will be both isolated and out of supply. Additionally, the weak garrison at Messina can't hope to hold out for long. It may well fall on the first turn. In the Axis turn Allied air power will be used to harass the Axis and provide DAS, Allied naval forces will be there for NGS, making it unlikely that any significant Axis counter attack will develop. Allied troops will also land in other places along the coast to further delay and canalize Axis movement.

Any Axis defense plan that does not place significant forces in the immediate vicinity of Messina courts an Axis disaster on Sicily. In this case, few, if any, Axis troops will ever leave Sicily (except as POWs), and there will be no Axis special replacements. The Allies can expect a very short and highly successful campaign in Sicily. There aren't enough Axis forces in this scenario to make Sicily a tough fight. Trying to hold Palermo, Catania, and Messina in strength while garrisoning all the other minor ports is probably beyond Axis capabilities. The Allies, on the other hand, can plan their landings almost anywhere without great worry of Axis aircraft.

More Boring Stuff From the Editors

Last issue we promised an Eastern Front theme for this issue. So what's with all the Balkan stuff? Since we're now trying to rotate editing duties, everything is still a little bit up in the air and file transfer problems between myself and Peter Robbins looked like it would slow down his work on the eastern front articles. So we bumped the Balkans up one notch. That gives us three Mediterranean theater issues in a row, a little much, but Peter's East Front work for TEM #58, the final issue of the year, is in full swing now and the feature scenario "Lost Victories" is completing some final playtesting. Don't forget to resub for 1998. Tentatively, plans are to start 1998 with a double issue devoted to Normandy, including a hex-by-hex historical setup for the Axis for Jun I 44, accompanied by several (count 'em) scenarios and a "Europa as History" for D-Day itself. If Winston works it out, there might be some physical changes in the magazine, too.

How will rotating duties work? Well, we'll just have to wait and see. An editorial staff spread over three countries is just asking for problems, but at least we have more calories to expend now.