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Newest Scenarios |
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Kampfgruppe Richter in Budel. Dilemma, fight the allies or retreat?
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A Very British Civil War Note: this is clearly a “what-if” scenario, loosely based on the bustling miniatures war gaming off-shoot of the same name. Outstanding work has been done by Solway Crafts and Miniatures, and I credit them with the brilliance of this war gaming theme. Background England, May 1938 (designer note: note the in-game calendar notes “1944”; this is only to create the optics of lush green environment of the British Isles) Weather: overcast, mild, dry The very social fabric of Great Britain was torn during the apocalypse that was The Great War. The mightiest empire on the globe ended victorious, but at what cost? The rigid social hierarchy was shaken, and the world wide waves of social change did not stop at the English Channel. Class structure, worker’s rights, regional animosities have all brewed in the decades following the Great War. This has all been exacerbated by the crippling economic crisis of the 1930s, to which the ever cautious government responded to by constricting public spending ever more. In May 1937, King Edward VIII of the United Kingdom married Wallis Simpson. The marriage to Wallis was not supported by Stanley Baldwin, the British Prime Minister; and King Edward refused to abdicate. This marriage left the British government, and most of the people, alienated; and public hatred for King Edward and Queen Wallis rose. Parliament was torn, and in the general election of 1937, Baldwin was defeated. The Conservative party, ripped by the issue of King Edward’s marriage, as well as economic and regional tensions, broke apart, and a large segment of the Tory support went to the British Union of Fascists. Oswald Mosley’s promise to ensure public order, and shore up the Empire, resonated with a public tired of public disturbances, strikes in essential services, and the economic malaise. The Labour party too split, with the more radical sections forming their own splinter parties which ran their own candidates. The 1937 election results saw a fractured parliament, and although only winning slightly over 200 seats, and less than 30% of the vote, the BUF formed the largest caucus in the House of Commons. King Edward VIII asked Oswald Mosely to form a government. Mosley did so and almost immediately issued “Orders of Council”, outlawing strikes, restricting collective bargaining, and establishing new offences for unauthorized public gatherings, and publishing “any article intended to alarm the public”. Any opposition was swiftly responded to, if not by the police, then by Mosely’s own BUF Blackshirts, the BUF’s paramilitary wing. In January 1938, a protest by Dockyard workers in Liverpool was brutally crushed by the BUF and elements of the Regular Army; and violent clashes began across the country; between the Kings troops and those of several other factions. The British Civil War has begun!
Factions: The outbreak of conflict led several groups to attempt to seize the country or their own personal goals. Major factions included: On the Right (Axis in this scenario * The Edwardian Army – elements of the professional Army, bound to King Edward VIII. * The Royal Navy and Royal Marines – bound by tradition and culture to remain loyal to the reigning monarch, and the majority have done so. * The British Union of Fascists (or “BUF”) – the dominant political party, led by Oswald MOSLEY and heavily backed by German and Italian interests. Mosley has garnered considerable support in his efforts to restore order internally and restore the status of Britain’s Empire * The Mosley Youth – a “social club” of young men, who have been drilled and armed by unknown sources, and have formed para-military units to push the BUF agenda. * Foreign Volunteer Units: after the recruiting of numerous foreign elements to fight in the Spanish Civil War, similar detachments have been formed to back those with similar agendas in the British Civil War. Contingents from other fascist and imperialist sympathizers have been formed. Here we will see the presence of the “Hanoverian Legion”, volunteers from Germany, who are backing the Edwardian and BUF efforts On the Left (Allied in this scenario) * The Albertine Army – elements of the regular forces, plus most of the “Territorial Army”, backing the young Prince Albert’s claim to the throne. * The Anglican League - A large army led by a group of bishops and archbishops, they were aligned with the Albertine Army. Many are veterans of the Great War. * The People’s Party Army - Made up of disillusioned Labour party supporters, disgruntled workers and Spanish Civil War veterans, they are seeking to turn Britain into a Socialist state based upon Lenin's Russia. * The Farmer’s Union: radical small plot farmers and farm working hands, seeking better pay, price subsidies, and land redistribution. They are heavily influenced by Marxist doctrine. * The Student’s Union: like students before and after them, the university students have ramparts to thwart whomever they view as authoritarian, * Foreign Volunteer Units: after the recruiting of numerous foreign elements to fight in the Spanish Civil War, similar detachments have been formed to back those with similar agendas in the British Civil War. Groups of Americans, Canadians, and ANZAC units have been formed; here we will see the Lafayette Battalion, formed of French volunteers, many fresh from the savage fighting in Spain. This scenario occurs in the West Coast port town of Twaddlemore. Twaddlemore is the home base for a small Royal Navy destroyer flotilla, as well as being a mid-sized port for international commerce. Given that the United Kingdom lives or dies based on this freedom to trade overseas, the port is vital to all in this conflict. The Royal Navy, which for the most part has remained loyal to King Edward VIII, dispatched the flotilla two days ago to join the rest of the fleet, tasked with stemming the flow of foreign volunteers coming to fight for their faction of choice. Many of these foreigners have come directly from fighting for the Nationalists or the Republicans in Spain, who have endured two years of their own brutal Civil War already. Yesterday the dock workers, who are heavily influenced by communist agents and are affiliated with the People’s Party, refused to move armaments stored in the dock warehouses. Instead, they armed themselves and fighting broke out when security staff sought to control the situation. Who opened fire first is both in dispute and a moot point at this juncture. A company of the Army’s Provost Corps was rushed to Twaddlemore by train, but a bomb was used to derail the trail just outside of town. Multiple factions are either in town currently or rumoured to be headed this way. The Telephone Exchange is the key to communicating with the rest of the country, and is clearly a goal to secure. Likewise, the docks and the armaments stored there in are also of immense value. Lastly, the mysterious new Wireless Tower being built on the south shore is of unknown value, as the work crews are from “away” and appear to be quite Teutonic in manner. This battle will surely prove that the term “Civil War” is clearly a misnomer.
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A historically fictional 'what if' look at the events leading up to the Deutsche Afrika Korps capture of Tobruk in June 1942.
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SCENARIO DESCRIPTION A meeting engagement played out in the wooded terrain of the Ardennes at the beginning of the Bulge. 60+ turns.
The Germans are trying to seize important territory: bridges, cross-roads, and towns to allow breakthrough armored thrusts. Central to this map is the village of L’Shone and its surrounding road network.
The Americans are trying to occupy the same terrain to prevent its use by the Germans.
Best played as: H2H Second Best played as: H2H (Not designed for vs. AI play due to mounted units)
Map edge friendly to Axis: East. Map edge friendly to Allies: West.
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It is hard to believe that it was only a week ago when we first heard of “The Outbreak”. Initially it was thought to be a terrorist biological attack, with outbreaks in large cities overwhelming medical facilities. But soon it was apparent it was much more… the more we hear, the more we realize that we know very little – the cause – the prognosis – or the scale of this crisis. All remain unknown – at least to the general populace. What the “government” knows may be something else again. You are Jack McCann, police chief in the small coastal tourist town of Shady Acres, Maine. Normally by this time of the year, your town is overrun with loud tourists from the cities of the East Coast. If only that were the case. Four days ago a large staff of the Center for Disease Control showed up at the Town Hall, and brusquely informed the Mayor, Chuck Zeto, that the Federal Government was immediately taking control of “Shady Island”, a favourite picnic spot in the bay. This was all one-way communication, you don’t know much more other than soon thereafter a convoy of sealed trucks arrived and barbed wire was being strung across the access bridge to the island. The National Guard has been mobilized, and your own police force has been placed under the command of the governor’s office. And yet even now, you are not sure why. A strange illness has swept the globe, but what little news was initially released was like something from a bad movie. Now that trickle of news has stopped altogether. The official story is that a Chinese cyber attack has shut down the Internet, but this being Small Town America, there are a lot of conspiracy theories floating about. The Mayor, Chuck Zeto, who also is the local bank manager, has asked that citizens assist in securing the town from whatever threats may arise. Given that the local National Rifle Association sponsored Chuck’s last campaign, their members were eager to show their affinity for the 2nd amendment and reaffirm their ownership of large capacity magazines and assault rifles. With some hesitation, you agreed to deputize these men, but have asked them to stay at home until they may actually be required. Their training and experience doesn’t necessarily match their enthusiasm. You were at your office all night. You had a call from Doctor Jacobie at the hospital. Dr. Jacobie, a Vietnam war draft dodger who only returned from Canada in the 1990s, is determined to ignore what he considers a “fascist edict” that all patients in suspected cases of the “outbreak” be turned over to the C.D.C. immediately and quarantined on the Island. “It reminds me of the interment of the Japanese in 1942!” Jacobie ranted, and he said he would treat all patients as “patients, not criminals”. At that, you sent two teams of part time deputies to the hospital to deal with any issues that may arise. The town is an important transportation hub, in that the coastal railway runs through the town. The Railway has deployed their own security at the train station, as if there is an epidemic, it is important to prevent those infected from traveling. Hopefully they have enough staff to do the job. You remained in your office all night, and it seemed that things may be calming down, but then with a complete news black out, and the mute C.D.C. guards by the island Park, who knows? You did receive several calls from citizens overnight, reporting screams and other noises from the areas near cemeteries last night; typically the local teens will go there to drink and smoke up. Although you usually will send a Deputy to put the run on them, there are more important things to do now. The sun is coming up, but a heavy thick fog has blankets the town. A convoy of C.D.C. relieve staff are expected in from Bangor any minute; hopefully they have some news. To allow your exhausted staff get some needed rest, two detachments of National Guard troops will be arriving, one is about 5 minutes away and a second convoy from the east in another 5 minutes after that. It will be good to get home and hit the sheets. You are so tired you feel like the walking dead. Your phone rings. It is the security detail from the train station. Old man Codger, a elderly farmer who lives north east of town, has just shown up at the Rail station, out of breath and terrified. He is rambling about being attacked at his home, and that the only way he could escape is by setting the buildings on fire. You had better send a Deputy to go interview him. It sounds bizarre. The phone rings again… it is Deputy Boomhauer at the hospital. He sounds quite distraught. Apparently the hospital was overwhelmed with patients overnight, and now he reports the motion detector alarms in the morgue have gone off. At that second the switch board lights up, and several simultaneous “10-78” calls are received – “officer need assistance!”… What the?????”
This scenario is 1) Meant strictly for play against the AI. Although it one player wants to try playing the Axis/Zombies, please feel free. 2) The scenario is meant to be strictly for fun. 3) Watch you ammo loads. Shoot for the head. You only have the ammo you brought into the fight.
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August 12,1944. France. SE of Argentan. Married platoons of U.S. 5th Armored Division night out-posts.
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France, 1940 - Case Red.
Heavy Tanks of the 4th DCR must smash a hole in the advancing German line - but there are complications.
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At Dornot, the U.S. Third Army's XX Corps' first attempt to establish a bridgehead on the Moselle River south of Metz met bloody failure. Two and a half miles south of Dornot the XX Corps' 10 Infantry Regiment is trying once more to establish a permanent bridgehead across the Moselle at Arnaville. Since the first U.S. troops crossed at Arnaville on the night of 8/9 September, the Germans have been launching increasingly vicious counterattacks in an effort to destroy the bridgehead and repeat what happened at Dornot.
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This is an Aug 44 meeting engagement between Brit and German mech forces in Belgium. The map is based on a satellite photo of Neubruck just southeast of St. Vith.
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Cassino town was destroyed by Allied Airforces on Wednesday, March 15th, along with the abby known as Monte Cassino. "The town was blown assunder and beaten into heaps of rubble, the official British history reported. Yet hundreds of bombs and thousands of shells failed to pound the town to powder, contrary to Allied expectations, nor were the surviving defenders 'rendered comatose', as planned." --The Day of Battle
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The Axis launch a major attack on the Allied defenses.
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Soviet vs. German Meeting Engagement. 60+ turns. Best played as: H2H (Not recommended for vs. AI play due to mounted infantry.)
In recent weeks, this industrial center has been the scene of increasingly sharp clashes between recon units and regular forces. Both sides have traded jabs over this important airplane fabrication city. Both have moved into the town and then been forced out again. No one seems to be able to hold it. The landing gear assembly plant on the edge of town was occupied by the Red Army a few days ago and then burned and destroyed as the Wehrmacht forced them out. Much of the town lies untouched, but the workers and residents know it is just a matter of time before a major battle rages through the streets of their city…
After another bloody engagement, both sides have backed off. Again, in the still of a Sunday morning under the cover of a pounding rainstorm, both sides push forces forward to gain possession of the city.
No one is sure where the front lines lie. Is the enemy in front of you? Or is he gone?
Push forward, as so many before you have tried, and hold this town once and for all!
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This is a CMBB scenario, modelling Plan Yellow in France in May 1940. It is a "dynamic flag" scenario, on a large map that will provide many options in attack and defence.
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July 1941, a german advance detachment, composed of motorized infantry with Stug support, attempts to cut off retreating russian forces.
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Russians attack three German-held villages in an attempt to secure the flank of a future offensive.
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July, 1944. Operation Bagration already going on since one month. The german north front runs danger to be cut off. Setting down of german troops in western direction runs among constant attacks of soviet armoured shock forces...
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43-02-01, South. SS commandos save Kleist's troops from encirclement. Fictional.
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42-07-10, South. Axis forces in Group A cross the Donits to secure northern flank in the beggining of Fall Blau Operation. Semi-fictional.
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October, 1942 In the northern Caucaus, along the Terek river line, the battle has been raging brutally for nearly two months. Germany's 13.Panzer-Division tasked with taking the key junction city of Vladikavkaz (Ordzhonikidze) has been stymied in it's every attempt to breakthrough.
But now, at the end of October a break has been achieved through the first mountain range and panzers are rolling along the valley near Ardon, on a back route to Vladikavkaz.
The Russians, somewhat disorganized, are withdrawing to new positions. A desperate stand is ordered to slow the German advance and buy time to set-up the new defensive positions.
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Russian breakout from a Kessel against a German blocking force.
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German infantry dawn attack during the Battle of the Bulge. American infantry caught off-guard whilst lining up for chow.
VPs for casualties and German exit points only.
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Before dawn on D-Day the British airbourne must destroy the gun batteries at Vierville.
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Koen - A Town to conquer *****************************************
a Couple of weeks ago the Allies have conquered one of the major towns in France.
Now the Germans broke through the American line of defense in the Ardennes and are advancing rapidly towards this town.
Can the Allied commander hold this town?
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November 1944, the French 2nd Armored Division is tasked to breach the German fortified line of the Vosges mountains. This battle takes place on the second days of the attack. The different French Task forces are competing with each other in order to be the first to reach the plain of Alsace. The company team Minjonnet (part of the Task Force Massu) blocked close to Voyer in a narrow valley by German remnants of the 708. ID has to bypass quickly this resistance. The French can be sure that their old enemy is not about to ease their action !
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An American WWII GI's dream come true- a "what if" American assault on Berlin AND a chance to personally bag the ol'Führer himself!
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Arnhem Bridge battle. British airborne against armoured SS.
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Updated Scenarios |
CMAK |
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A Very British Civil War Note: this is clearly a “what-if” scenario, loosely based on the bustling miniatures war gaming off-shoot of the same name. Outstanding work has been done by Solway Crafts and Miniatures, and I credit them with the brilliance of this war gaming theme. Background England, May 1938 (designer note: note the in-game calendar notes “1944”; this is only to create the optics of lush green environment of the British Isles) Weather: overcast, mild, dry The very social fabric of Great Britain was torn during the apocalypse that was The Great War. The mightiest empire on the globe ended victorious, but at what cost? The rigid social hierarchy was shaken, and the world wide waves of social change did not stop at the English Channel. Class structure, worker’s rights, regional animosities have all brewed in the decades following the Great War. This has all been exacerbated by the crippling economic crisis of the 1930s, to which the ever cautious government responded to by constricting public spending ever more. In May 1937, King Edward VIII of the United Kingdom married Wallis Simpson. The marriage to Wallis was not supported by Stanley Baldwin, the British Prime Minister; and King Edward refused to abdicate. This marriage left the British government, and most of the people, alienated; and public hatred for King Edward and Queen Wallis rose. Parliament was torn, and in the general election of 1937, Baldwin was defeated. The Conservative party, ripped by the issue of King Edward’s marriage, as well as economic and regional tensions, broke apart, and a large segment of the Tory support went to the British Union of Fascists. Oswald Mosley’s promise to ensure public order, and shore up the Empire, resonated with a public tired of public disturbances, strikes in essential services, and the economic malaise. The Labour party too split, with the more radical sections forming their own splinter parties which ran their own candidates. The 1937 election results saw a fractured parliament, and although only winning slightly over 200 seats, and less than 30% of the vote, the BUF formed the largest caucus in the House of Commons. King Edward VIII asked Oswald Mosely to form a government. Mosley did so and almost immediately issued “Orders of Council”, outlawing strikes, restricting collective bargaining, and establishing new offences for unauthorized public gatherings, and publishing “any article intended to alarm the public”. Any opposition was swiftly responded to, if not by the police, then by Mosely’s own BUF Blackshirts, the BUF’s paramilitary wing. In January 1938, a protest by Dockyard workers in Liverpool was brutally crushed by the BUF and elements of the Regular Army; and violent clashes began across the country; between the Kings troops and those of several other factions. The British Civil War has begun!
Factions: The outbreak of conflict led several groups to attempt to seize the country or their own personal goals. Major factions included: On the Right (Axis in this scenario * The Edwardian Army – elements of the professional Army, bound to King Edward VIII. * The Royal Navy and Royal Marines – bound by tradition and culture to remain loyal to the reigning monarch, and the majority have done so. * The British Union of Fascists (or “BUF”) – the dominant political party, led by Oswald MOSLEY and heavily backed by German and Italian interests. Mosley has garnered considerable support in his efforts to restore order internally and restore the status of Britain’s Empire * The Mosley Youth – a “social club” of young men, who have been drilled and armed by unknown sources, and have formed para-military units to push the BUF agenda. * Foreign Volunteer Units: after the recruiting of numerous foreign elements to fight in the Spanish Civil War, similar detachments have been formed to back those with similar agendas in the British Civil War. Contingents from other fascist and imperialist sympathizers have been formed. Here we will see the presence of the “Hanoverian Legion”, volunteers from Germany, who are backing the Edwardian and BUF efforts On the Left (Allied in this scenario) * The Albertine Army – elements of the regular forces, plus most of the “Territorial Army”, backing the young Prince Albert’s claim to the throne. * The Anglican League - A large army led by a group of bishops and archbishops, they were aligned with the Albertine Army. Many are veterans of the Great War. * The People’s Party Army - Made up of disillusioned Labour party supporters, disgruntled workers and Spanish Civil War veterans, they are seeking to turn Britain into a Socialist state based upon Lenin's Russia. * The Farmer’s Union: radical small plot farmers and farm working hands, seeking better pay, price subsidies, and land redistribution. They are heavily influenced by Marxist doctrine. * The Student’s Union: like students before and after them, the university students have ramparts to thwart whomever they view as authoritarian, * Foreign Volunteer Units: after the recruiting of numerous foreign elements to fight in the Spanish Civil War, similar detachments have been formed to back those with similar agendas in the British Civil War. Groups of Americans, Canadians, and ANZAC units have been formed; here we will see the Lafayette Battalion, formed of French volunteers, many fresh from the savage fighting in Spain. This scenario occurs in the West Coast port town of Twaddlemore. Twaddlemore is the home base for a small Royal Navy destroyer flotilla, as well as being a mid-sized port for international commerce. Given that the United Kingdom lives or dies based on this freedom to trade overseas, the port is vital to all in this conflict. The Royal Navy, which for the most part has remained loyal to King Edward VIII, dispatched the flotilla two days ago to join the rest of the fleet, tasked with stemming the flow of foreign volunteers coming to fight for their faction of choice. Many of these foreigners have come directly from fighting for the Nationalists or the Republicans in Spain, who have endured two years of their own brutal Civil War already. Yesterday the dock workers, who are heavily influenced by communist agents and are affiliated with the People’s Party, refused to move armaments stored in the dock warehouses. Instead, they armed themselves and fighting broke out when security staff sought to control the situation. Who opened fire first is both in dispute and a moot point at this juncture. A company of the Army’s Provost Corps was rushed to Twaddlemore by train, but a bomb was used to derail the trail just outside of town. Multiple factions are either in town currently or rumoured to be headed this way. The Telephone Exchange is the key to communicating with the rest of the country, and is clearly a goal to secure. Likewise, the docks and the armaments stored there in are also of immense value. Lastly, the mysterious new Wireless Tower being built on the south shore is of unknown value, as the work crews are from “away” and appear to be quite Teutonic in manner. This battle will surely prove that the term “Civil War” is clearly a misnomer.
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A historically fictional 'what if' look at the events leading up to the Deutsche Afrika Korps capture of Tobruk in June 1942.
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France, 1940 - Case Red.
Heavy Tanks of the 4th DCR must smash a hole in the advancing German line - but there are complications.
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Axis and Allied forces clash for a town and large hill.
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This is an Aug 44 meeting engagement between Brit and German mech forces in Belgium. The map is based on a satellite photo of Neubruck just southeast of St. Vith.
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At Dornot, the U.S. Third Army's XX Corps' first attempt to establish a bridgehead on the Moselle River south of Metz met bloody failure. Two and a half miles south of Dornot the XX Corps' 10 Infantry Regiment is trying once more to establish a permanent bridgehead across the Moselle at Arnaville. Since the first U.S. troops crossed at Arnaville on the night of 8/9 September, the Germans have been launching increasingly vicious counterattacks in an effort to destroy the bridgehead and repeat what happened at Dornot.
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Normandy - known for its rolling fields, orchards, stud farms and a good glass of cider. Sheltered from the elements which can pound the coastline this is a landscape is carpeted in apple blossom. It is here, at the heart of one of the best designated cider producing areas that you will find the Chateau les Bruyîres, an Empire period residence and 18th century manor house - run by the Wehrmacht. It is your task to put an end to this inappropriate ownership.
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US Army invades an island defended by Italian Troops.
Map is 1200x1200. Non-Historical. 20 Battles 10 Turns each.
Play HtH (Preferred), or Allied vs. Axis AI. Allow AI to setup units, there is no pre-planned setup for the defender yet.
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Two Reinforced Infantry Companies with Armor Support clash in this typical Meeting Engagement.
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engineering company attacks dug in german positions somewhere near monte cassino to capture wine stash for captain hosehead
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Soviet vs. German Meeting Engagement. 60+ turns. Best played as: H2H (Not recommended for vs. AI play due to mounted infantry.)
In recent weeks, this industrial center has been the scene of increasingly sharp clashes between recon units and regular forces. Both sides have traded jabs over this important airplane fabrication city. Both have moved into the town and then been forced out again. No one seems to be able to hold it. The landing gear assembly plant on the edge of town was occupied by the Red Army a few days ago and then burned and destroyed as the Wehrmacht forced them out. Much of the town lies untouched, but the workers and residents know it is just a matter of time before a major battle rages through the streets of their city…
After another bloody engagement, both sides have backed off. Again, in the still of a Sunday morning under the cover of a pounding rainstorm, both sides push forces forward to gain possession of the city.
No one is sure where the front lines lie. Is the enemy in front of you? Or is he gone?
Push forward, as so many before you have tried, and hold this town once and for all!
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The Axis launch a major attack on the Allied defenses.
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Russians attack three German-held villages in an attempt to secure the flank of a future offensive.
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Russian breakout from a Kessel against a German blocking force.
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43-02-01, South. SS commandos save Kleist's troops from encirclement. Fictional.
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42-07-10, South. Axis forces in Group A cross the Donits to secure northern flank in the beggining of Fall Blau Operation. Semi-fictional.
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October, 1942 In the northern Caucaus, along the Terek river line, the battle has been raging brutally for nearly two months. Germany's 13.Panzer-Division tasked with taking the key junction city of Vladikavkaz (Ordzhonikidze) has been stymied in it's every attempt to breakthrough.
But now, at the end of October a break has been achieved through the first mountain range and panzers are rolling along the valley near Ardon, on a back route to Vladikavkaz.
The Russians, somewhat disorganized, are withdrawing to new positions. A desperate stand is ordered to slow the German advance and buy time to set-up the new defensive positions.
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a product of HDCS
3rd SS Totenkopf arrives back at the front after its Hiatus from the front in France and is immediately thrown back into action.
Follow the swift Donet's campaign the IInd SS panzer Korps stands poised for the final push too retake Kharkov and restore the pride of the Waffen SS, but they have too cross the Mzha river first.
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Alternative History : Moskow Decision This the first of a series of fictional scenarios based on the hipotetic decision by Hitler to attack Moskow instead of Kiev during the august 1941. The german offensive to Moskow is starting, the first task is to take the bridge over the Dnjepr between Smolensk and Viazma.
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Alternative History : Moskow Decision This the first of a series of fictional scenarios based on the hipotetic decision by Hitler to attack Moskow instead of Kiev during the august 1941. The german offensive to Moskow is starting, the first task is to take the bridge over the Dnjepr between Smolensk and Viazma.
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German infantry dawn attack during the Battle of the Bulge. American infantry caught off-guard whilst lining up for chow.
VPs for casualties and German exit points only.
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An American WWII GI's dream come true- a "what if" American assault on Berlin AND a chance to personally bag the ol'Führer himself!
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Newest Maps |
CMAK |
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a fictional Town in North Africa.
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Fictional City in North Africa. Best played as a meeting engagement.
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Fictional City in North Africa. Best played as a meeting engagement.
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Version 2, church size and orientation adjusted to be in village center. Minor adjustments such as villages, small hills and ridges around the wheat fields.
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Mixed terrain, woods, open fields, villages, church, river, bridges.
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This is a huge (actually 5 x 4 km) map representing a piece of French countryside west of the town of Arras. It is flat (gentle slopes) and moderately populated with villages, forests, orchards and the like. It is suitable for a massive battle of regiment-sized forces (15,000 points or more).
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Fictional Map, Crete, An almost compleatly dried up river bed with a ruined bridge across, 2 small hamlets on either side
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The axis forces have captured the ridge east of Lieso. It´s been quiet over a month, so they have had enough time to dig deep in the ridge.
Allied forces are attacking with brutal force from east. Tuomari-Laurila has already been taken.
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The axis forces are about to assault a little town called Lieso in aim to capture a road that leads through a ridge to deeper east. The allied forces are dug in somewhere around the old elementary school.
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A small river splits a large map, with lots of roads and 6 bridges to control and a town also to control. This map is for meeting engagements and no side has a terrain advantage. Hopefully this will boil down to your choice of units and your game play.
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Beautiful and challenging map perfect for direct or flank approach. Fight in the woods, the streets, the buildings or inside a small factory! Great for infantery with some armor and artillerie support and IDEAL for a quick motorized assault in the middle of a foggy night.
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This was a work in progress for the cancelled CM Campaigns. Maps are both operations and battles. Four maps included. One is large version (75% accurate scale) of the entire fortress of Brest Litovsk and immediate area. Others are 2 km x 2 km maps of the north and south portions of the fortress. You are welcome to use these maps as long as your credit "Bannon DC" for map creation.
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1600x1600m, middle eastern front, 3 big victory locations in the middle of the map, 4 additional small flags, medium settlement with surrounding rural areas, some hills, woods and farmland, a small river crossing from N to S, prepared setup-zones for both sides, therefor I call it battlefield-map.
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Germans advance easily untill they find... A speed bump on the road to Leningrad
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This Map is designed for Meeting engagements, it is set in a fictional City.
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A medium town lying crosswisely to the advance direction. In and around the town gardens and fields, some bush and tree rows. 2 small rivers with some fords. Only 1 large victory location. Best used for meeting engagements.
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Damaged large town/small city divided by a river. Contains several bridges, an old fortress, stadium, factories, railway station, and an old manor. Flags spread pretty evenly out on the map, made for a QB axis attack. IMPORTANT: ONLY FOR USE WITH UMLAUTS STALINGRAD MODS. You most use the scenario with these three mods found at www.cmmods.com:
FULL_telephonepole_umlaut rubble_spray_umlaut stalingrad_buildings_umlaut
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Stalingrad-ish map made for Umlaut´s Stalingrad-mods.
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29 2x2km maps. Various terrain; city, village, farmland, deep forests ...
They all quite beatuful ;)
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I know it was UK and not USSR! but i didnt own CMAK when i made the level and i dont want to do everything over again so USSR must equal UK! its a fun level with the FJ troops in the greatest air invasion prior to D-Day.
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This CMBO map is built from a topographical map of the little town of Seville, NE of Melbourne, Australia. My idea was to lauch a Brit brigade (3 btns) across it at a German static defence screening mobile reserves.
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Desiliens is an ancient Roman town. The map features the ruins of the town, an aquaduct, and the ruins of a villa on a low central hill.
The eastern side of the map is mostly woods, the west is hills and farms. It is most suitable for an assault on the town, but if the focus is shifted to the ruined villa it would be good for a meeting engagement.
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Updated Maps |
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Ideal for a QB ME
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This Map is designed for Meeting engagements, it is set in a fictional City.
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axis winterattack on a Russian City
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Please feel free to download, use or edit the map.
Screenshots can be found here:
http://worldatwar.eu/index.php?entity_sess=512x00db4fede3b24a34db2c5e9d283f162c&lang=3&location=boardshownode&boardid=51
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A town with a river and lake surrounded by grainfields
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Map is based on a sketch in the book > Die guten Glaubens waren< the history of the SS Polizei Division and shows a hard-fought area south of Leningrad. The Observatory was not reached by the Germans although they really tried it This is part of a series of maps on the so-called Ladoga Front
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forseti007 |
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Bee Goode |
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Coyote1945 |
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fungf |
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frankf |
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NAME |
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Italian Armored Units |
MAD RUSSIAN
Senior Tester
Member #468
Joined: Oct 2003
Ratings: 14 / 1 / 0
Discussions: 138
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Post #373
6217 days, 10 hours, 52 minutes, 20 seconds ago
Nomenclature of Italian Tanks
The Italian system of designating tanks, self-propelled guns, and armored cars followed a basic pattern, but there were variations. Italian tank designation consisted of three elements - a letter denoting the type of tank (light, medium or heavy), a number expressing the approximate weight in tons of the tank, and two digits denoting the year of design, adoption or introduction of the tank. The M13/40 nomenclature signified a Medium tank of 13 tons introduced in 1940. Sometimes, tanks were referred to simply by the letter and tonnage nomenclature, such as "M.13", or simply by letter and date, as in "M.42". In the case of the P.40 (heavy tank), the reference to tonnage was dropped completely in the official designation. The CV 3/33 and CV 3/35 are another special example. The CV designation referred to a special class of tank - in actual fact a tankette and both types of CV were later classified together as the L.3 and often referred to simply as the "Carro L". A final nuance was the use of either an oblique or a period between the letter and the number when using either of the abbreviated forms, as for instance, reference to the M/13 or M.13.
The Italian designation of weight categories did not equate to either Allied or German categories. The P.40 "heavy" (P is short for Pesante) tank compared to German and Allied mediums in weight, Italian medium tanks were in the same weight range as U.S. and German light tanks, and their light tanks were, with respect to both weight and armament, what other nations classified as reconnaissance vehicles.
Self-propelled guns were identified by reference to the type of tank chassis they were built upon, followed by reference to the type of gun mounted on the vehicle. The "Semovente M40 da 75/18" was a 75/18 gun/howitzer mounted on the chassis of an M.40 (M 13/40). The period or oblique was omitted in the self-propelled designations. In the case of the M42M da 75/34 and M42L da 105/25, the letters following the hull designation denoted a gun of medium length (M) and a long-barreled gun (L), respectively. Self-propelled guns were most frequently referred to by gun type alone, however; hence, references to the Semovente da 47 or da 47/32.
Armored cars that were produced in series were identified very simply by the abbreviation AB (autoblinda) followed by the last two digits of the year of introduction, as with the AB 40. An exception to this system was the designation of the Lince armored car, identified by name, and the experimental Vespa armored car, identified by name only.
Development of Armored Vehicles
Italian interest in tracked laying armored vehicles dates back to September 1916, when the first British appeared. The Italians succeeded in obtaining a Schneider tank from France shortly afterwards, and tests of the tank sparked Italian imagination. Due to military requirements on the Western Front, requests for more tanks from France met with negative results until 1918, when another Schneider and three Renault FT tanks were delivered to Italy. In the interval between the acquisition of the Schneider and the second delivery, however, Fiat had undertaken the building of a tank of its own design, known as the Fiat 2000, of which 2 (some sources state 6) were built. The 2000 weighed 40 tons and was armed with a 65mm gun in a turret and seven machine guns in the hull. It was powered by a 240hp engine (high for it’s day) which moved it along at 6 mph.
In 1918, Fiat received an order for series production of a modified version of the French Renault FT17. Designated as the Fiat 3000, one hundred were delivered to the Italian Army. After their delivery in 1921 and up to 1929, when Italy acquired a British Carden Loyd tankette, all development seems to have halted. From 1929 to 1935, development centered around the carro veloce, as the Italian-produced version of the Carden Loyd was known. The Italo-Ethiopian war of 1935 - 36 pointed out a need for a heavier tank, and the Italian Army General Staff called for development of a new medium tank. An eight-ton turretless carro di rottura (breakthrough tank) armed with a short-barreled 37mm gun was built in prototype, but the design was not accepted. In 1939 the M 11/39 was adopted followed shortly by the L 6/40 light tank.
During WW2, Italian tank development suffered from a variety of causes, ranging from a critical lack of raw materials to a gross miscalculation by Mussolini as to when the war would begin. The main problem was that at the Italians had little experience in designing their own armored vehicles. The Italian automotive industry was continually pressured by the war effort to provide the major components that were needed. An example is though the Italian Army realized the need for a tank heavier than the M.13, no priority given to the development of such a vehicle. As a result, when the P.40 was finally projected, the engine as well as the vehicle itself had to be designed from the ground up. The time lag between design and production stages was long. Another plan to manufacture of German tanks in Italy seemed to offer a solution but plans to build the PzKpfw III in Italy came to naught.
During the course of the war, Italian industry showed its ability to improvise with what was at hand in order to effect more rapid production of armored vehicles. The self-propelled guns built upon tank hulls clearly illustrate that, given something basic to work with (the tank chassis), the Italians were capable of making effective modifications on short order. By far the greatest part of all combat vehicles built or projected in Italy during the war were built by the Fiat/SPA and Ansaldo-Fossati combination, with other manufacturers being Breda, Lancia and Alfa Romeo. Virtually all tracked armored vehicles were Fiat/Ansaido products. Fiat (Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino) or SPA (Societa Ligure Piemontese Automobili), which was a wholly-owned subsidiary of Fiat, provided the engine, transmission and all other running gear for the vehicles, whereas Ansaldo-Fossati provided the armor and armament for the vehicles.
The two principal areas in which Italian armored vehicles fell short of their German and Allied counterparts were in the quality of their armor plate (steel) and in their horsepower-to-weight ratio. The armor plate was prone to crack or split when hit, and generally speaking, the deficiency in the quality of the steel was not compensated for by added thickness. This was probably due to a high sulfur content in the steel. Brittle steel was the same problem that plagued the ocean liner Titanic. Italian tank crews tried sandbagging and affixing track links to vital areas in order to improve their chances of survival, but to infer that this practice was an Italian monopoly would be totally misleading. Both Allied and German tankers resorted to the same type of field expedients. The principal difference was that Italian tanks, without improvised protection, would not stand up against those weapons which most Allied and German armor could withstand.
Production models of Italian tracked vehicles suffered from an unfavorable horsepower-to-weight ratio throughout the war. Efforts to increase horsepower, as in the case of the M.15, did not significantly enhance the speed or mobility of the vehicles, and parity with Allied or German vehicles was never achieved in this respect. Another factor was increasing power and speed caused failures in the suspension and tracks thereby negating any gains. What good was it to have a powerful motor when the track links broke. Italy desperately needed new designs, improved steel, experience, and time – and she had none of them.
Italy did enjoy some bright spots. The armament mounted on Italian vehicles was quite another story! The 47mm gun of the M.13 was a good weapon. The 75/18 gun/howitzer of the self-propelled gun was a reliable and accurate weapon which, although not designed as an anti-tank weapon, was used as such with excellent results. The 90/53 gun on a self-propelled gun is another example of a first-rate weapon.
Organization of Armored Units
The organization of Italian armored units and of self-propelled gun units was modified continuously throughout the war. This was due to a variety of reasons, among them the destruction or disbanding of some armored units, and the introduction of new types of armored vehicles in operational units. As an example, in June 1940 there were 326 light tanks in Libya assigned to three corps. One corps of three divisions had 142 tanks, and the other two corps, each of two divisions, had 138 and 46 tanks respectively. About three months later, at the end of August (by which time 70 M 11/39 tanks had also arrived in Libya), all tank units there were consolidated under a single armored command composed of two raggruppamenti, one composite battalion, and one independent light tank battalion. In this case, each raggruppamento was equivalent to about a reinforced regiment, with one battalion of medium and three battalions of light tanks each. One raggruppamento was assigned to the XXIII Corps and the other to the Gruppo Divisioni Libiche (Group of Libyan Divisions). The composite battalion, with one company of light and one company of medium tanks, was assigned to the Raggruppamento Maletti, and the independent light tank battalion, minus one company, was assigned to the XXI Corps.
Italian armored divisions were not armor-heavy, but rather, were an almost equal mix of armor, artillery and infantry. At the outset of the war in June 1940, Italian armored divisions consisted of one Bersaglieri regiment, a tank regiment (four battalions of L.3 tanks totaling 164 tanks), and an artillery regiment. In early 1941, the armored division that was sent to Libya consisted of a tank regiment with three battalions of L.3 tanks, a Bersaglieri regiment, an artillery regiment with two groups, and an engineer company. The strength of the division was approximately 5700 men, with II 7 light tanks. By the end of 1941, organization of the divisions had changed to a tank regiment (equipped with M.13s), a Bersaglieri regiment, an artillery regiment with six groups (two of which were self-propelled), an engineer battalion, and supporting service units. Now strength had increased to 8600 men and 189 medium tanks. Further organization of the divisions and actual composition of the regiments varied from time to time, depending on the availability of issue equipment and the phasing in of new equipment.
The 75/18 self-propelled gun groups were incorporated into the artillery regiments of the armored divisions, and initially consisted of two batteries with a total of eight gun vehicles and four command vehicles per group. The signing of the armistice put an end to plans for replacing the 75/18 with the 75/34 self-propelled gun in the armored divisions and reassigning the 75/18's to infantry divisions. The 47/32 self-propelled guns were organized in independent battalions and were assigned to both the armored and motorized divisions in North Africa.
At the beginning of the war, each of the three Italian cavalry divisions (divisioni celere) had a support group (a battalion equivalent) of four light tank squadrons having three platoons of four L tanks each. Later in the war the armored groups of the defunct cavalry divisions were equipped with armored cars or L 6/40 tanks and assigned to the armored divisions in Africa.
Italian Armored Divisions
Of Italy's more than 70 combat-effective divisions during the war, only four were armored - the 13Ist Centauro, 132nd Ariete, and 133rd Littorio. A resurrected Ariete was organized in April 1943 and designated as the 135th Ariete Armored Cavalry Division. Plans to convert a cavalry division, the 2nd Emanuele Filiberto Testa di Ferro, to an armored division designated as the 134th Freccia Division were never implemented. The 136th Giovani Fascisti Division was at times referred to as an armored division, but it was nothing more than an infantry division with some of its artillery mounted on trucks.
Centauro was stationed in Albania in 1940 and took part in the Italian actions against Greece, Yugoslavia, and North Africa. The division was being resurrected in Italy in mid 1943, with German equipment and SS instructors, when the armistice between Italy and the Allies was announced. German equipment assigned to Centauro included the Sturmgeschutz III assault gun and the PzKpfw V Panther. The division was disbanded on 12 September, and the Germans put the equipment to their own use.
Littorio participated in action on the Alpine front during the short campaign waged, by Italy against France in June 1940. In 1941, along with Centauro, it campaigned in Yugoslavia. From 1942 to 1943 it was engaged in North Africa, operating with Ariete and the German armored elements of Afrika Korps (15th and 21st Panzer Divisions). In November 1942, after having been nearly destroyed at the battle of El Alamein, what was left of the division was absorbed into the Ariete Tactical Group.
Ariete was probably the most notable of all Italian armored divisions. Ariete fought in North Africa from January 1941 until November 1942, at which time its remaining elements, along with remnants of Littorio and of the Trieste Motorized Division, were formed into the Ariete Tactical Group, which fought into Tunisia. Throughout the period of its activity in North Africa, Ariete fought in conjunction with, or subordinate to, the German forces in the desert and was praised by Field Marshal Rommel himself, who recognized the division as, having outstanding fighting qualities. A resurrected Ariete division was constituted in Italy in 1943, and fought against the Germans on the outskirts of Rome immediately after the declaration of the armistice in September. It was disbanded by the Germans after its surrender.
After the armistice between Italy and the Allies, no Italian armored units were authorized by the Allies to operate with the co-belligerent Italian combat units. Original planning had envisaged the use of a limited number of L.3 tanks, in the flame-thrower version, in support of the 1st Raggruppamento Motorizzato Italiano. The army of the RSI, however, had two armored groups, the Gruppo Corazzato Leoncello and the Gruppo Corazzato Leonessa.
Italian armored units fought on all fronts - from Russia to Tunisia, with most of their activity was conducted in North Africa. The performance of Italian tank and armored artillery crews was superior to the end, especially when one considers the relatively inferior equipment that the Italians were forced to work with.
Main References:
Italian Armored Units
(modified 11/14/2007 22:43:50 by Mad Russian)
(modified 11/14/2007 22:45:22 by Mad Russian)
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