Hello commanders!
As promised, we return with a brand-new
Nemesis option. In this week’s DevBlog, we’ll propose
Nemesis #7.2 codenamed
“Dodecanese”.
This particular offering is a slightly different beast as we highlight two divisions not from the summer or late 1944 -
Steel Division 2’s de facto timeline - but one at least from a bit earlier, from 1943.
Let’s welcome to the stage the Allied Italian-British
Egeomil (Italian high command in the Dodecanese islands) versus the Axis German
Sturmdivision Rhodos.
[h2]Nemesis 7 DLC Vote[/h2]The
Nemesis DLC is back with
Nemesis #7. What does that mean? In the coming weeks, we’ll be detailing two new battlegroups, one from the Axis and one from the Allied side. They are typically thematically or historically linked, often based on special or unsung battles of World War II. Once we have finished previewing each set of options, we will open the vote, and you can decide which
Nemesis DLC should be developed next.
- Nemesis #7 kicked off with the Italian-themed Nemesis #7.1 featuring the Allied US 1st Armored Division “Old Ironsides” versus German Axis 71. Infanterie-Division. Check out all the information in this dedicated DevBlog.
[h2]Nemesis 7.2’s Setting[/h2]The who? The what? The Dodecanese Islands? An often overlooked minor theatre of war during World War II, the Greek Axis-held Dodecanese Islands are tucked away on the far periphery of the Mediterranean, close to Turkish shores. One of the most famous of its many islands is Rhodes.
Inhabited by a Greek-speaking majority, the islands during World War II were, in fact, Italian, wrestled from Ottoman rule during the short Italo-Turkish War of 1912 and given to the Kingdom of Italy afterward. By 1941, the island group had been turned into a heavily fortified aeronautical base thwarting British sea domination over the eastern Mediterranean (together with recently conquered Crete). This was deeply frustrating to Winston Churchill, who was constantly looking for ways to remove these pesky Italians.
Fate seemed to smile on the Allies when Italy was negotiating its surrender in late August 1943. Anticipating the official declaration, Churchill prepared to occupy the islands before the Germans could intervene. A race to be first developed across Italian territories, from southern Italy to occupied Greece. The fictional “Guns of Navarone” movie takes place within the historical context of this campaign.
In September 1943, British special forces and infantry landed in Kos, Kalymnos, Samos, Leros, Symi, Castellorizo, and Astypalaia. The swift reaction from the German garrison on Rhodes prevented any further advance, as they managed to secure the largest island in the Dodecanese before the Allies could arrive. The capitulation of Rhodes doomed the British-led operation, as the superiority of Axis forces was great, with each of the smaller islands being returned to the occupiers one by one.
The main Allied focal point was on Leros, where the
134th Infantry Brigade from Malta Command merged with the Italian garrison, with former enemies now turned ad-hoc allies. Leros was finally attacked and forced to surrender by November 1943.
As mentioned before, with this option, we are stepping away from the “Summer of 1944” rule that guided our divisions and weapon choices. One of the two divisions on offer - the Allied
Egeomil - in
Nemesis 7.2 ceased to exist by this time. We opted to rewind this particular formation until 1943, while the Axis
Sturmdivision Rhodos is closer to how it looked in summer 1944. They could have survived into our timeframe without changes to their equipment.
[h2]The fight for Rhodes and Leros[/h2]The Dodecanese Islands, separated from mainland Italy, were a separate Axis-Italian command encompassing all local naval, ground, and air forces. The core of the defense lay on the shoulders of the
50o Divisione di Fanteria “Regina” and various naval and air force personnel, as well as Blackshirts paramilitary forces. Having been assigned to the Dodecanese in 1940, the division so far had lived a not-so-disagreeable war on the Aaegan beaches. Its brief timeline included a short combat bout against Greek sailors for Agathonisi island in November 1940 and sending a regimental battlegroup to Crete in 1941 (but not seeing much combat).
This changed in 1943. After Italy’s capitulation was made public on the radio, the Italian governor of the Dodecanese was as surprised as anyone as the private plane carrying the official news had been delayed. So, too, were the German commanders. Both sides maintained cordial relations for two days.
This uneasy truce lasted until
Sturmdivision Rhodos suddenly attacked the superior Italian garrison on Rhodes. Left alone and under threat of a massive aerial bombardment, the Italian governor capitulated. Some other Italian forces held out, and in some local battles, they even got the best of the better-equipped and more experienced but fewer-numbered German adversaries. After the surrender, many Italian soldiers destroyed their equipment, with some deserting to join the Greek resistance. The Nicolas Cage’s film “Captain Corelli’s Mandolin” takes place on a completely different island but still dramatizes a similar chain of events. The same goes for the epic “Guns of Navarone,” a war movie taking place within the historical context of this campaign, but dealing with a fictional gun battery.
With Rhodes secure, the British plans were in shambles. Not to be fazed, Churchill still diverted British light infantry and special forces to Leros. There, after some initial ego clashes, the British took the lead of the combined Anglo-Italian force made up of the
134th Infantry Brigade from Malta Command and the original Italian forces on Leros reinforced by survivors from other islands, including Rhodes.
However, while the British were building up their forces, the Germans were reinforcing too. As
Sturmdivision Rhodos was reducing the smaller islands’ garrisons one by one, Leros was bombarded by the locally still-strong Luftwaffe on September 26th, 1943. The Axis invaded the island on November 12th with troops from Crete. Pushed inland, the British-Italian defenders were forced to surrender four days later.
[h2]Allied Italian Egeomil[/h2]The Italian troops fighting during the Dodecanese campaign alongside the British weren’t even “co-belligerent” at this time. For the main part, the Italians tried to remain neutral and enter into Allied captivity peacefully; however, with their former German allies attacking en masse, the Italians threw in their lot with the British.
As such, all Italian units will be new and organized along pre-Armistice Italian organization and equipment. This means no British gear! Furthermore,
Egeomil will be a phased-locked division, mixing Italians, British, and a handful of Greek ones. Phase A will represent the Battle of Rhodes itself between the sole
50a Divisione Fanteria "
Regina" &
Sturmdivision Rhodos. This results in the availability of only Italian forces with some Greek partisans and sneaky British SBS (
Special Boat Squadron, the “SAS of the Royal Navy”) commandos. From Combat Phase B, only British (and some Greek) units will be available, while only those Italian units that are still at large can be deployed. As a result, equipment specific to the Rhodes garrison will no longer be featured the longer the combat continues.
[h2]The Egeomil Detailed[/h2]Let’s detail each category in turn. Note that units
bolded and
italic are new! Some units don’t feature a proper name and currently use a placeholder title.
- RECO - somewhat limited in slots but with some interesting choices. The ”Regina” as a fixed division was deprived of a specific Bersaglieri recon battalion. That’s why it can only count on ESPLORATORI and TRIALCE squads.
- Some GREEK PARTISANS and a few daring British SBS are present on Rhodes prior to the German attack. They provide the Allies with eyes on the ground in Phase A.
- From Phase B onward, the regular recon units of a British infantry brigade can deploy: WILLYS HMG, RECCE, SCOUTS and SNIPER.
- Also from B will be more “hard-hitting” special forces with the LRDG (Long Range Desert Group), who traded in their desert-focused heavy jeeps for mountain infantry training. However, they hadn’t lost their habit of blowing up everything they could while engaged in deep reconnaissance missions behind enemy lines.
- INF - is a pretty good category, as can be expected from a static infantry division reinforced with an extra brigade and a smattering of special forces.
- New (although “old style”) Italian FUCILIERI will be available in vanilla, LMG, and leader variants, organized along pre-Armistice TO&E. Another new unit is the GUASTATORI squad.
- Italian AIR FORCE and NAVY ground personnel (but not MARO).
- GREEK PARTISANS, with a mix of early war’s Greek Army weapons and captured ones.
- From Phase B onward, British troops can deploy, including DEFENCE GROUP, RIFLES, RIFLES (PIAT) (scarce, for it was just entering service), RIFLES LEADER and ASSAULT PIONIERS.
- From Phase C only: the Greek commando battalion THE SACRED BAND, which was partly air-dropped, part sea-landed in October 1943, to assist in the fighting on Leros. These famous special forces fought alongside the SAS and Free French Forces in Tunisia.
- TANK - as you might expect, not that good, but with some fun options. Italian infantry divisions weren’t supposed to have armored units, but the “Regina” could count on some, even though all were obsolete when they arrived… in 1940!
- Available for deployment is the diminutive (and new unit) L3/33 tankette plus command variant. This is the same as the support vehicle L3/35 but featured here in a “tank role.”
- Another new unit is the L5/30, a light 1920s tank inspired by the venerable FT-17, although faster and armed with a longer 37mm tank gun.
- SUPP - very reasonable with the usable complement of HMGs, light mortars, supply trucks, flamethrower, and commanders divided into Italian units in Phase A, and British from Phase B.
- New units include:
- BREDA M31 13,2mm (a Hotckiss variant built under license).
- And even a SOLOTHURN S-18/1000 20mm HMG (described in last week’s DevBlog).
- CANNONE DA 76/17 S 75mm, a naval fire support gun. Better than the OBICE DA 65/13 65mm in a HE role, but lacking HEAT rounds.
- CARABINERI, military policemen with the Discipline trait.
- AT - Egeomil’s anti-tank options are not very powerful. Though there are plenty of choices and options, all of them light.
- The Italian SOLOTHURN S-18/100 (same as the one featured in the Hungarian Army) and CANNONE DA 47/32 47mm can deploy from Phase A.
- From B, the British bring the new 2-PDR and 6-PDR towed anti-tank guns, as well as a single card of PIAT.
- AA - the divisional anti-air defenses are very very good, both in terms of number of slots and cost. Besides, several guns are dual purpose and can be used as direct fire support or even anti-tank guns.
- The division itself only had 20mm guns: the CANNONE 20/65 and the SCOTTI. Some are mounted as the DOVUNQUE CA 20MM.
- The various AA units posted on the Dodecanese Islands are available as the new CANNONE DA 76/40 76mm and CANNONE DA 90/53 90mm guns, both potent anti-tank weapons.
- The more original weapon system used is the new AUTOCANNONE DA 102/35, a 102mm AA gun mounted on the back of a heavy-duty truck. There are no sources showing it mounted, but it was well-documented to have been used like this in North Africa as part of the DAK by the MILMART (coastal artillery militia). Considering that a few would have been converted this way, it gives us the opportunity to introduce a very original piece of Italian equipment.
- From Phase B onward, the British can deploy the ubiquitous BOFORS 40mm.
- ART - A pretty good category, with the divisional’s artillery being reinforced by several heavy battalions.
- The “Regina” only fields 81mm mortars but can count on an impressive range of towed guns, from the OBICE 75/27 75mm to the OBICE 105/28 105mm and OBICE 149/12 149mm.
- Off-map artillery will come as OSSERVATORI units calling in 210mm coastal mortars, but also as large (and new) CANT Z.50 floatplane calling in coastal 152mm guns.
- As for the British, they will only contribute some puny 3-INCH MORTARS from B onwards.
- AIR - is pretty good across the board. From Phase A, the Italians are limited to;
- a few old C.202 and G.50 fighters, previously only seen in Finnish use!
- they can also call on a full squadron of SM.79 light bombers (so far, only featured with the Axis RSI), plus some CR.42 light and CANT Z.501 (heavy) recon planes.
- Of the above, only the C.202 and the CANT will make it to Phase B, but no further. From that point onwards, the British and Allies take over the sky, bringing a powerful arsenal of fighters, fighter-bombers, and bombers. These include:
- British SPITFIRE MK.Vb and South African SPITFIRE MK.Vc.
- British reco fighter SPITFIRE PR MK.V.
- British heavy CAS fighter, the BEAUFIGHTER, as well as BALTIMORE bombers.
- The new British HUDSON heavy recon and light bomber.
- And the new American B-25H “gunship,” which is a pretty cool B-25 with a 75mm howitzer in the nose used as a direct-fire ship killer. We originally wanted to include this unit in our Tribute to Italy expansion, but we wrongfully thought it was a “Pacific-only” variant. Thanks to the Steel Division 2’s Strike Team efforts, it was demonstrated this particular B-25 variant also served in the Mediterranean, chiefly in the Aegean sector!
It should be noted that some of the equipment above will find its way into the Axis
Sturmdivision Rhodes and auxiliaries hands, as detailed further below!
[h2]Sturmdivision Rhodos on the island[/h2]The
Sturmdivision Rhodos has a convoluted combat history. At its core were elements of the German
22. Infanterie-Division garrisoned on Crete. However, additional detachments found their way into the formation. These include surviving forces from units destroyed in North Africa (mainly the
164. Leichte-Division).
Our battlegroup was moved to Rhodes in March 1943 and designated
Sturmbrigade Rhodos, only to be quickly upgraded to division status soon after. Other
Deutsches Afrika Korps survivors, such as the penal troops from the
999. Leichte-Division were also added to the Greek island’s formation.
With the Armistice,
Sturmdivision Rhodos was initially inclined to collaborate with the Italians as long as they showed no intention of surrendering - or worse - joining the British. The island’s commander, General Kleeman, attacked his former allies on his own initiative by surprise on the night of September 9th after the Italian commander refused the German division freedom of movement to repel a potential British invasion.
Some troops based in Crete and involved in the battle for Leros were kept in the Dodecanese island group, further bolstering
Sturmdivision Rhodos. Fascist Italian Blackshirts who chose to side with the Germans also found their way alongside the formation.
After the campaign's successful conclusion at the end of 1943, the division remained on garrison duty until mid-September 1944. Afterward, most of the infantry, with the heavy equipment left behind, was recalled to mainland Greece and incorporated in the newly created
Panzergrenadier-Division Brandenburg. Those troops remaining on Rhodes ended the war as
Panzergrenadier-Brigade Rhodos and surrendered to the British on May 8th, 1945.
[h2]Sturmdivision Rhodos in Steel Division 2[/h2]Made up of various detachments,
Sturmdivision Rhodos had an unusual TO&E, to say the least. By August 1944, in our timeframe, it was organized roughly as a small Panzergrenadier-Division, with many types of armored vehicles regrouped around a makeshift Panzer-Abteilung. The divisional’s arsenal featured a wide range of foreign weapons, from captured Italian equipment to British small arms seized after the capitulation of Leros.
The division features less infantry (four instead of the regular six) and artillery (one compared to standard four) battalions, as well as fewer tanks. On the other hand, it both has an armored Panzer-Aufklärung and a Füsilier (infantry) recon battalion, making it unusually strong in these departments. These would have been used to hunt partisans, with several Italian RSI Blackshirt formations. These, plus fortress troops garrisoning the smaller islands, make up auxiliary forces attached to the division. While its organic artillery and AA forces were very limited,
Sturmdivision Rhodos can count on the island’s strong AA and coastal defenses.
[h2]Sturmdivision Rhodos Detailed[/h2]Note that the following division is a work in progress. While exact units and values are still to be determined, overall strengths and weaknesses for this battlegroup will probably remain. As before, new units are
bolded and
italic.
- RECO - As indicated before, this category is pretty strong with the usual array of SPÄHTRUPP, BMW, SDKFZ. 222 and SPW.233 armored cars. Bolstered by some new units:
- FUSILIER RHODOS, organized along the same lines as the rest of the infantry (SCHÜTZEN) featuring 2x l.MG42.
- A single Phase A-only card of MOT. FUSILIER, equipped with numerous captured Italian automatic weapons. Historically, these squads were formed into ad-hoc “armored recon platoons,” although only featuring motorized transports.
- Lastly, some BRANDENBÜRGER KUSTENJÄGER special forces. Originally based on Crete, they remained on the Dodecanese after the Battle of Leros to hunt for Allied special forces and other infiltrators.
- INF - another strong category, though maybe not as powerful as a pure infantry division.
- The battlegroup’s bread-and-butter infantry will be the well-armed SCHÜTZEN and SCHÜTZEN FÜH much like the other Steel Division 2’s 78. Sturmdivision.
- The new SCHÜTZEN (PzF) will be available too.
- Standard PIONIER and STURMPIONIER can be deployed, as well as ERSATZTRUPPEN. One of the latter companies was organized as mountain troops featured as GEB. ERSATZ., fitted out with captured small arms.
- Sturmdivision Rhodos can also count on some more exotic attachments.
- Italian Blackshirts, as the new SQUADRISTI can be deployed. These will not be the same as those described in the Nemesis #7.1 DevBlog with the 71. Infanterie-Division. Rather, the ones who remained on the Dodecanese were closer to second-rate security troops armed with whatever was left over. They’ll come in different flavors with old Italian and captured British small arms, lacking experience but featuring the Security trait (for standard soldiers) and Discipline (for Leaders).
- Several FESTUNG. GRENADIER cards will provide a large number of cheap troops, though afflicted with the Disheartened trait.
- And some disembarked Kriegsmarine personnel.
- TANK - an average category with one Combat Phase A and B card each of PANZER IV G and STUG III G, plus their respective command variants.
- SUPP - moderately powerful with the usual arsenal of infantry guns, HMGs, supply, etc. Additionally, you’ll be able to find BEF. PANZER III K and a few STUH 42. Extra Italian Blackshirt equipment includes:
- BREDA M37 and the new BREDA-SAFAT 12,7mm HMG.
- BRIXIA 45mm mortar.
- OBICE 65/17 65mm and CANNONE 76/17 75mm fire support guns.
- L3/35 tankettes under Blackshirts management.
- AT - you wouldn’t have guessed it, but this is one of the division’s strong points. Sturmdivision Rhodos had no less than 54 PaK 40 in its ranks. And this is without counting all the guns located around the various islands in an anti-landing role. That’s why in-game:
- Lots of PAK 40!
- Some PANZERSCHRECK.
- Italian CANNONE DA 47/32 47mm, both captured or in the hands of Italian Blackshirt troops.
- A few British captured 2-pdr (hence new unit) and 6-pdr guns now fielded by the Blackshirts.
- And a handful of PAK 97/38 served by a Kriegsmarine crew.
- AA - another good category. The divisional anti-air units are pretty limited in the form of a dozen single-barreled OPEL FLAK 20mm and captured Italian BREDA 20mm. However, the islands were brimming with additional AA guns to keep Allied planes away, which bolsters the battlegroup’s anti-air defenses.
- This includes FLAK 88mm and even FLAK 105mm guns.
- Some Italian (new) CANNONE DA 75/46 C.A.
- And captured British BOFORS 40mm.
- ART - artillery forces available to the division are pretty decent.
- The formation could count on a few le.FH 18M 105mm, s.FH 18 150mm and KH 433/1(r) 152mm. Italian Blackshirt support includes CANNONE DA 75/27 and the (new unit) CANNONE DA 105/27.
- Unlike most German divisions, the Sturmdivision Rhodos only has access to smaller 81mm mortars, not the bigger 120mm ones.
- AIR - is one of the weakest categories. Rhodes was home to only a few Luftwaffe bomber squadrons but seldom had any fighters. This will be detailed later, but expect a few slots, all expensive and bombers only.
[h2]See you on the battlefield[/h2]That’s it for this week’s
Nemesis 7# offering. We’ll be back next week with the final option.
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See you on the battlefield, commander.
