An AAR for a Hearts of Iron 2 MP game I had with Hunter, playing as the Allies in the Operation Husky scenario.
Me - US
HunterICX - UK
July, 1943 - With the Tunisia campaign won, the Allies must now invade and push Italy out of the war. The British have a very large fleet and land army in Malta while the Americans have a slightly smaller force in Tunisia. Opposing them are the German and Italian armies controlling Sardinia, Sicily and Italy itself.
The Allies' first move is to invade and take Sicily. In a combined amphibious assault, almost 20 divisions invade Catana, which is garrisoned by 2 divisions.
With the British continuing the Sicily campaign, the American divisions retire back to Tunisia in order to invade Sardinia, which could be useful as an airbase. The attack is repulsed by the 4-division garrison, and 2 subsequent attacks with British support at odds of up to 3:1 fail. Seeing no way to take Sardinia, the Allies decide to strangle supply to the island from the air.
Meanwhile, the British in Sicily take over Palermo and arrive at a standoff over 10 divisions across the Straits of Messina.
The Allies then turn to execute their plan. A combined British-American naval invasion in weakly defended Anzio, just south of Rome, places an Allied beachead in Central Italy.
Soon enough, the highly mechanized American divisions reach the eastern coast of Italy at Pescara. After several minor and failed counter-attacks by the Axis, 27 divisions are caught in Southern Italy by the thin Allied line.
With the Axis trapped, their only source of supply can come from the sea. The Allies massively step up convoy hunting. British carriers and battleships mercillesly hunt the western and southern coasts of Italy while the American fleet steams up and down the Adriatic, bombers are sent everywhere to find and sink any ship flying an Axis flag. Soon enough, the Axis naval transport capacity is completely gone.
By October, 11th, Allied Intelligence suggests that the major supply dump in Naples has run out.
12 British divisions charge across the straits into Calabria, but seeing that Axis resistance is still strong, the attack is called off and the standoff continues.
In order to break the stalemate, 4 freshly arrived American divisions (With 2x HQ units) invade Taranto with the help of massive British naval support. After a fierce battle, which was largely decided by the vast amount of Allied air thrown into it, the Americans establish a beachead in Taranto.
With the Americans reorganized (While cursing the inefficient Italian infrastructure), the British cross the straits again. This time, with the Americans attacking Calabria from behind, the battle is easily won. Several Axis divisions surrender while the rest retreat to Naples.
A counterattack briefly manages to advance into Calabria, but as more British divisions cross the straits, Calabria is fairly secure.
With another American armored division and a Marine brigade landed in Taranto, the Allies begin mopping up the hungry, demoralized troops in the pocket. Foggia falls to an American attack from Taranto and Pescara, soon followed by Naples to a British attacs, Potenza soon falls to the American troops. 27 divisions in the pocket surrender in a decisive victory for the Allies.
Most of the troops now redeploy to the frontlines while several American divisions are put back into their ships. 3 divisions (And an HQ, and a Marine brigade) under General Patton invade Sardinia again. Now, completely without supplies for weeks, the 4 divisions on Sardinia surrender after a couple of hours with only minor resistance.
With another Free French mountain division and brigade, the American force heads out from Sardinia to invade Florence, to the north of Rome.
With only 1 weakened division defending it, Florence quickly succumbs to the invasion. Simulatanously, the British attack Perugi, trapping 8 divisions in Rome. The American forces in Florence and Pescara attack the 4 divisions in Rimini and quickly make them retreat.
With Rome completely sorrounded, the Allies attack. 18 divisions from all sides charge into Rome, quickly capturing it and the 8 Axis divisions trapped within.
With Rome fallen and only a handful of Axis divisions left on the front, the Allies order a general attack. Northern Italy quickly falls as Allied troops march in then turn to thrust deep into Austria and France.
The Italian campaign is officialy over on January 9th, 1944, a decisive Allied victory.
