Italian v. Americans - 1943

Another attempt at Flames of War 4th Edition.  This time a friendly "grudge match" between Paul's mid-war Americans and my Italians.  Using the mid-war point system and new Avanti book for the Italians, we agreed upon 150 points.  I came up short with my Italians.  Probably could have made it but between things I own but not included in the book and things needing rebasing (yuck!) I had to incorporate a small platoon of Afrika Korps panzers.

Italians had two formations, one of "tanks" and one a Bersaglieri Weapons company.  The Americans had everything in one armor formation.  Shermans, Lees, Wolverines, Priests and armored infantry.  Oh boy!

Initial deployment with "Spearhead" moves made.

American halftracks with 75mm guns, Wolverines with 76mm guns,
mortar halftracks and the command Shermans.  And that's just in
the foreground!

Italians put the Bersaglieri and Panzers on the left, "tanks" on
the right.

Italians win the roll-off and have the first move.  Hits and kills
are exchanged.  The Italian 88s continue their reputation as killers.

The village/town annoyingly split the field so my two 88s, in which I depended upon so much, were limited in their field of fire.  Most of my other weapons couldn't kill American tanks.

On my left a cat and mouse game between Lees and Priests and
the Axis forces.

The mission is Annihilation, so the Italians are very aggressive.

This is a fight we will lose, but it will hopefully take a long time.

A vicious firefight develops in town, that with the 100mm
artillery, the Italians are winning.

On the left the panzers are dead or run off but the Italians have
given their licks and hold on.

Sadly, we had to declare it a draw.  The Americans could/would not advance in the face of the 88s and the Italians had shot their offensive bolt.  Losses on both sides were heavy.  Aircraft weren't particularly effective.  Italian AA helped hold off the P-40s and the Falco isn't much of a ground-attack plane.  Maybe next time I'll pay to upgrade to a Stuka.