After the 1st Canadian Corps' breach of the Green Line, the Allies pushed forward to the inevitable next German defensive position, the Rimini Line. In order to secure its left flank while making the drive to the Rimini Line, the 1st Canadian Corps had to clear the Coriano ridge and the town of Coriano below that ridge to the west. The attack began in the early morning hours of 13 September under skies full of dark clouds. With the Perth Regiment on the ridge south of Coriano, the Cape Breton Highlanders to the north, and brigade artillery raining down on the defenders, the Irish Regiment of Canada began their assault.
Attacker: Canadian (Irish Regiment of Canada, 11th Canadian Infantry Brigade and Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians) Regiment)
Defender: German (Bataillon 1, Panzergrenadier-Regiment 71, Panzergrenadier-Division 29 and Panzer-Division 26)
Canadians have a lot of weapons in this one. They started out dropping smoke from their mortar on a key approach spot, and also on what turned out to be the Panther (one of four concealed 5/8 hexes). Next was the Barrage and, since the Germans decided to line column EE with multiple bodies. the Canadians immediately sent down the doom on their pre-registered hex here. Unfortunately it was a bit off target and ended up doing no damage in GG, other than cutting off possible retreats for the Germans who decided to try their hands at an upfront defense. The four stacks directly across the road turned out to be half dummies and half HS, and these were easily dealt with by the end of the turn. But not before a Sherman was fried by a faust trying to push its way up the road. The other Sherman was immobilized in an AT minefield in the olive groves to the west. So all-in-all a relatively mixed bag of results for the Canadians so far. The OBA was repositioned next turn a column back, doing no damage to the Panther and what turned out to be a dummy AFV, but being in position to be converted to smoke the next turn. The last straggling German front line defenders were dealt with next turn, as the rest of the Canadians moved forward through smoke to begin their assault on the first quadrant. The Germans retreated a bit to desperately try and hold off what looked to be a formidable Canadian press. Turn 3 saw them storm the big stone building and capture the 9-1 and squad who had unfortunately had to rout to the woods just outside. Meanwhile a Canadian 8-1 and AE stormed the other German position manned by a squad and MMG. The leader was turned berserk by the incoming fire, converting the AE who had broken to join his cause in entering the German's position. A melee ensued going into German Turn 3, and the German squad survived all kinds of Canadian fire, only to be busted by the sniper. The German 8-1 and squad (having lost their broken HMG for good at the start of the turn) reinforced the melee, but when they rolled boxcars they decided to throw in the towel as it looked almost certain like an early Canadian victory. I think, with their limited troops and fair amount of ground to protect, the German have to concede the Canadian approach and just hope that their fortifications slow them down just enough to buy them enough time to hold out.
2020-11-15
(D) Eric Topp
vs
Ron Oxford
German win
AP82 has "sudden death" Victory Conditions - a favourite of mine. The Canadians can win on turn 4 if they capture one block of the town, on turn 5 if they capture two blocks, and so on.
The Canadian attack was heaviest in the east. I had some of my mines and most of my wire there but the Canadian sappers moved easily through these obstacles.
By turn 3, the Canadians had a strong foothold in the southern part of the town. Their OBA had KIA-ed a German HS and FT. A German leader was wounded. The return fire from the Germans had created a Canadian Hero and Battle Hardened an Assault Engineer squad. Things were not looking good the Germans!
Then the rain started. This caused LOS issues for the Offboard Observer and an extra +1 DRM helped the Germans withstand the Canadian FP. The Melee Phase went against the Canadians as well with them losing valuable infantry units. The Shermans met a fiery end from a Pz IV and a PF.
The Germans counterattacked with their panzers and reoccupied the previously cleared VC areas. The Canadians tried DC and CC attacks against them to no avail. With no chance of taking the final block, Ron conceded.
2020-05-14
(A) Eric Topp
vs
John Fedirow
Canadian win
On turn 4, the Germans fell back keeping out of LOS of the Canadian OBA Observer. Only a small pocket of defenders were left in the 21CC2 building. The Canadians massed an assault. They broke most of the Germans but snakes on a MC created a Hero. The Hero had a short unhappy life when he rolled boxcars on the next MC resulting in a sudden death victory for the Canadians.