The Mod Section.

Ortona

The Canadians during Operation Encroach.

A Bloody December.

Operation Encroach

 

After the invasion of the Italian mainland in September 1943, the British Eigth Army attacked north-west along the Adriatic coast. The Germans delayed the Allied advance enough to be able to build a defensive line that ran from the Adriatic to the Mediterranean coast. They called it the "Gustav Line".

In November, Eigth Army found itself in front of the river Sangro and was eyeing the city of Pescara, some 60 kilometers further up the coast. By the end of November,  operation Encroach had already been postponed twice, owing to the poor weather.

Finally, on the 27th November, Encroach was underway and several days later, on the 30th November, the German 65th Infantry Division at the Sangro had been defeated. Armored support of 86 tanks of the British 4th Armoured Brigade and 1200 bomber sorties proved too much for the defenders.

The Moro River and Ortona:

The Situation

Fresh forces forward.

 

As a consequence, the Germans were forced to rush in reserves sooner than they had expected. The veteran 26th Panzer Division was first at the scene on 30th November and elements of 90th Panzergrenadier Division were identified on 2nd December.

Already on the 4th of December the Germans withdrew over the river Moro. A sensible decision, because although the Moro barely deserves to be called a 'river', in winter it can turn into a vicious torrent and form a nasty obstacle.

With the 1st Canadian Infantry Division brought up, 8th Indian Division still on the front line, left of the Canadians, the 90. Pz.Gren.Div. entrenched behind the river Moro and the 1. FsJ. Div. underway we are set up to commence the Moro offensive and the battle of Ortona.

Download for CC5

About the mod.

Key take aways:

 

  • Italy, December 1943.

  • Allied forces: Canadian, Indian.

  • Axis forces: German.

  • 41 Awesome maps.

  • Compact maps guarantee ferocious fighting.

  • Includes Campaigns, Operations and Battles.

  • Infantry battle groups with armour support on either side.

  • Fallschirm battle groups on German side.

  • The only mod about the Italian campaign to date!

Canadian Infantry Defeat Fallschirmjäger.

 

The mod focuses on the Canadian contribution to operation Encroach. Eigth Indian Division battle groups are also included because their historical sector is represented on some of the maps. Both divisions were supported by armour and artillery support.

The Germans put the 90. Pz.Gren.Div. opposite both divisions. Although they were supported by the 26. Pz.Div. they were outnumbered. Halfway through the campaign the 1st Fallschirm Division entered the scene to prevent the front from collapsing completely.

All-in all this is a mod with fairly balanced forces.

The maps are a creation of PT11070, uniquely styled and of superb quality. The mod was his idea and he finished most of the maps before he abandoned the project. With his permission we took over, redid the data, stratmap and all that comes with making a mod. Buck_Compton created a few additional maps to top it off.

We are grateful for PT allowing us to finish it as our own mod and regret that he did not create new maps after 'Ortona'.

The strategic area is unusually compact for a Close Combat mod. From the river Moro to the village of San Tomasso it is around 7 kilometers as the crow flies and at its widest it is around 5 kilometers.This allows for most of the topographical features of significance to be pictured on the maps.

These features are the Moro river and Moro river valley, the plateau behind it,  the first unnamed ravine behind the plateau, a narrow second plateau, bordered by a gully in the north, which was aptly called "The Gully" by the Canadians.

This gully cuts further into the country and posed a true obstacle for the Canadians since they chose to attack it head-on. It is overlooked by the lateral road between Orsogna and Ortona, an important supply line for the Germans.

Beyond this road the terrain was less of an obstacle but that may be a matter of appearance since rather than bypassing Ortona altogether, the Canadians took a right turn at "Cider" straight for the town. Ortona sits on a steep promontory and realistically can only be attacked from the Orsogna direction.

The town is quite small, measuring under 1 kilometer in length from Piazza Vittoria in the southern part to the Castello overlooking the Adriatic sea. It makes up for its size with its density. It is a proper densely packed Italian town with narrow alleys and only a few roads that were suitable for tanks. Ferocious city fighting is guaranteed.

 

Ortona mod Strategic Map

Ortona mod Axis Forces

 

  • I./ 200. Inf. Rgt. / 90. Pz.Gr.Div.

  • II./ 200. Inf. Rgt. / 90. Pz.Gr.Div.

  • III./ 200. Inf. Rgt. / 90. Pz.Gr.Div.

  • I./ 361. Inf. Rgt. / 90. Pz.Gr.Div.

  • II./ 361. Inf. Rgt. / 90. Pz.Gr.Div.

  • III./ 361. Inf. Rgt. / 90. Pz.Gr.Div.

  • III / 6. FJ.Rgt. (Regiment Liebach)

  • I / 3. FJ. Rgt. / 1. FJ.Div.

  • II / 3. FJ. Rgt. / 1. FJ.Div.

  • III / 3. FJ. Rgt. / 1. FJ.Div.

  • I / 1. FJ. Rgt. / 1. FJ.Div.

  • II / 1. FJ. Rgt. / 1. FJ.Div.

  • III / 1. FJ. Rgt. / 1. FJ.Div.

  • I / 4. FJ. Rgt. / 1. FJ.Div.

  • II / 4. FJ. Rgt. / 1. FJ.Div.

  • III / 4. FJ. Rgt. / 1. FJ.Div.

  • 5. / II / 3. FJ Rgt. / 1. FJ. Div.

  • 6. / II / 3. FJ Rgt. / 1. FJ. Div.

  • 7. / II / 3. FJ Rgt. / 1. FJ. Div.

  • 1. / I / 361. Gr.Rgt. / 90. Pz.Gr.Div.

  • 2. / I / 361. Gr.Rgt. / 90. Pz.Gr.Div.

  • 9. / III / 361. Gr.Rgt. / 90. Pz.Gr.Div.

  • 10. / III / 361. Gr.Rgt. / 90. Pz.Gr.Div.

  • 7. / 26. Panzer Regiment

  • 5. / II / 4. FJ Rgt. / 1. FJ. Div.

  • 6. / II / 4. FJ Rgt. / 1. FJ. Div.

  • 7. / II / 4. FJ Rgt. / 1. FJ. Div.

Ortona mod Allied Forces

 

  • A Coy / Seaforth w. C sq. Ontario Tanks

  • 1st CIB / The Royal Canadian Rgt.

  • 1st CIB / The Hastings and Prince Edward Rgt.

  • 1st CIB / 48th Highlanders of Canada Rgt.

  • 2nd CIB / Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Inf.

  • 2nd CIB / The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada Rgt.

  • 2nd CIB / The Loyal Edmonton Rgt.

  • 3rd CIB / Royal 22e Rgt.

  • 3rd CIB / The Carleton and York Rgt.

  • 3rd CIB / The West Nova Scotia Rgt.

  • 19th IIB / 1st/5th Essex Rgt.

  • 19th IIB / 3rd/8th Punjab Rgt.

  • 19th IIB / 6th/13th Frontier Force Rifles

  • 19th IIB / 1st /  Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders

  • 21st IIB / 5th/The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Rgt.

  • 21st IIB / 3rd/ 15th Punjab Rgt.

  • A and B Coy / Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Inf.

  • C and D Coy / Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Inf.

  • A and B Coy / The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada

  • C and D Coy / The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada

  • A and B Coy / The Loyal Edmonton Rgt. / 1 CID

  • C and D Coy / The Loyal Edmonton Rgt. / 1 CID

  • A and B Coy / Royal 22e Rgt. /1 CID

  • C and D Coy / Royal 22e Rgt. / 1 CID

  • A and B Coy / The Carleton and York Rgt. / 1 CID

  • C and D Coy / The Carleton and York Rgt. / 1 CID

  • B Coy / W.Nova Scotia Rgt. w.B sq. Ontario Tanks

Ortona Map previews:

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The Mod Section

 

We are "Buck_Compton" and "Pete" in the Close Combat community, mod creators since 2007.

Special contributor: Schnellemeyer.

Our logo depicts a brush and a pen that represent the creativity and research that go into making a Close Combat mod.

The Mod Section

 

We are known as "Buck_Compton" and "Pete" in the Close Combat community, mod creators since 2007.

Special contributor: Schnellemeyer.

Copyright:

 

We do not own or claim any copyrights pertaining to the Close Combat games.

To play a mod for the Close Combat series you must own a legal copy of the game.

Textures used in The Dieppe Raid mod are copyright © of Koen Bekkema.

 

Permission to use anything from this website - Creative Common licensed images excepted -  only in writing from the website owner. Our email: info@themodsection.net.

Last edited: August 2024