Background
The Battle of Cisterna took place during World War II, on 30 January–2 February 1944, near Cisterna, Italy, as part of the Battle of Anzio, part of the Italian Campaign. The battle was a clear German victory which also had repercussions on the employment of U.S. Army Rangers that went beyond the immediate tactical and strategic results of the battle.
During this battle, the 1st, 3rd, and 4th U.S. Army Ranger battalions, the 83rd Chemical Mortar Battalion, and the 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion, which had been brigaded as the 6615th Ranger Force (Provisional) commanded by Colonel William O. Darby, were assigned to support the renewal of an attack by Major General Lucian Truscott’s 3rd Infantry Division, which had previously failed to take Cisterna from 25–27 January. The 3rd Division’s attack was part of a large offensive by Major General John Lucas’s U.S. VI Corps to break out of the Anzio beachhead before German reinforcements could arrive and concentrate for a counterattack.
The Allies are slowly advancing up the Italian boot and need to take yet another mountain top village. Rangers have been sent to take the village and the river crossings so the rest of the army can continue the drive towards Rome. Defending are depleted companies of Gebirgsjager. The Americans most advance quickly because the Panzers of the Herman Goring Division are racing to the rescue of the beleaguered mountain troops.
On 31 January, Lucas launched a two-pronged attack. The main attack, by British 1st Infantry Division, was to advance northeast up the Via Anziate toward Campoleone and the Alban Hills. In a secondary simultaneous attack, a Ranger force was to infiltrate Cisterna and clear the Conca – Cisterna road during the night preparatory to an attack in the morning by 15th Infantry Regiment on the town and supporting attacks by 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment on their right and 7th Infantry Regiment on their left. 7th Infantry was to cut Route 7, the main supply line to the German Tenth Army on the Gustav Line, at Cassino.
However the plan had been based on the misinterpretation of reconnaissance intelligence, which concluded the main line of German resistance was behind Cisterna. However the Wehrmacht had designated Cisterna as an assembly area for its reserve divisions and had begun moving units into the area. Although a Polish conscript in the German Army had deserted to the U.S. lines immediately before the attack, warning of the buildup, the message was not relayed promptly and the attack proceeded as planned. The Rangers, who expected to encounter a line of thinly-held outposts advanced unknowingly towards a large enemy force
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Monte_Cassino
The Game
Set Up: The table is 10′ by 5′. The US Forces were deployed on one 10′ side (East) and the Germans were deployed in the town and at the river crossings. There was a river running the width of the table cutting off approximately 3 feet of table from the South. There were two roads crossing the river via bridges about 18″ and 28″ from the West side of the table. The Germans were allowed to deploy in the town and in a bubble 6″ west of the river crossings and 6″ east of the furthermost bridge. The Mountain is about 3.5′ by 2.5′. It is a little over 6″ tall.
Scenario: In order to claim victory, the US forces must capture a bridge and the town. If the US forces controlled either of the bridges it would be a minor tactical victory. If they controlled a bridge and the town it would be a major strategic victory. If the US forces didn’t capture a bridge it would be a German victory. Even if the US forces took the town and not the bridge it would count as a German victory as US forces wouldn’t be able to reinforce the Rangers as the Herman Goring Division counter-attacked. Control of the town would be based on no German troops on the central tier of the mountain.
Terrain Rules: Terrain followed standard Flames of War rules with the following exceptions for the mountain. The sides of the mountain were impassable for anything but Mountain Troops. Mountain troops could only scale the sides of the mountain if they could reach a flat portion with one regular move. This made it impossible for even Mountain Troops to traverse from the bottom of the mountain to the top as it was over 8″ tall. All other troops could move up and down the mountain path at terrain dash speed.
Order of Battle, US: Three Ranger Battalions with 2 Ranger Companies and a Ranger Mortar Platoon, 800 points each. Two Ranger Platoons set up North of the River while one was to randomly deploy on a 1 to the south of the river, 2-5 with the other platoons and on a 6 come in from North of the mountain. The Rangers received two Ranger Cannon Platoons in immediate Reserve. The first was to come on North of the River, the second South. The US would also receive a 1200 point company of Armor once the Germans brought on any Panzers from reserve. The US had air support. Finally, the US could call in 2 successful light cruiser strikes and on any other turn could call in destroyer support.
Order of Battle, Germans: Two Gebirgsjager Companies and one Grenadier Company built from Combat and Weapons platoons only, all to 800 points. One Grenadier company started in the town and one guarding the bridges. The second Gebirgsjager company came in on Delayed Reserves as did an 800 point company of Herman Goring panzers. The Germans had air support and off board 10.5 cm artillery. (Originally the plan was to have both Gebirgsjager on board and the Grenadiers in reserve but one of the Gebirgsjager commanders was late due to traffic. I had wanted to make it harder for the German reserves to re-take the village if the Americans took it early.)
The Battle: The US Ranger Battalion that managed to come in from the North of the board pressed hard against the village while the two Battalions to the east of the village stood in placed and attempted to soften it up with mortar fire. The southernmost Ranger commander send one company towards the bridges but it was strung out along the river and was shot up piecemeal by the heavy German fire on the hills and bridges. The cannon platoons came on board and added to the fire against the German defenders
The German players opted to delay their Panzer support so that they could delay the US armor from rolling on board. The Gebirgsjager in reserve slowly rolled on and added their weight to the defenders on the mountain which were on the verge of being overwhelmed, however even with their help the Grenadiers were destroyed and the Rangers took the mountain top. Through the remainder of the battle the Gebirgsjager attempted to retake the town through repeated counter attacks, however they were thrown back by the depleted north Ranger Battalion and the relatively fresh central Ranger Battalion. The southern Ranger Battalion was destroyed by attacking piecemeal into the teeth of the German Defenders at and around the bridge
With the off board artillery and the first Herman Goring Panzer platoon to come in off reserve the Germans managed to destroy the Ranger Cannon platoon to the south of the river. With the panzers finally on board the US armor rolled their first reserve roll and despite rolling 5 dice only got one platoon on board. (This actually equaled the German Panzer commanders roll of one platoon for 5 dice.) The Sherman’s were able to roll a blitz and knock out a PzIII at long range. This caused the Panzer platoon to redeploy in the face of superior firepower. The US forces got on a second platoon of Sherman’s and advanced towards the central bridge. With the Germans deployed behind the bridge the Americans were in good position to destroy the defenders. However, with dark falling they moved too slowly and were unable to contest the bridge, ending the game 6″ away from the central bridge.
While the US Rangers had managed to destroy the Grenadiers defending the mountain and put a serious hurting on the Gebirgsjager reserves and handily taking control of the town they lost a Ranger Battalion in the process. Despite this, victory in this scenario required control of the bridges and being unable to do so victory went to the German defenders. Looks like the Road to Rome ended up getting just a little bit longer!
-Wachmeister Jensen