The Best From 'The Boot'

The Best From 'The Boot' The recent release of the Italy Compilations gives us an opportunity to take a retrospective look back at some of the Italy themed content on the Flames Of War website. Below you’ll find some of our favourite scenarios, rules and articles from the Italy campaign. Enjoy! Learn more about the Italy Compilations here...

British Infantry Tanks in Italy As a result of the relative success of the six Churchill IIIs that saw action during the Second Battle of Alamein, under the title “Kingforce”, the decision was made to dispatch two Army Tank Brigades to Tunisia to support the First Army there. British Infantry Tanks in Italy...

British Tank Units & Markings in Italy The following article is an attempt to gather together the available information on the British, commonwealth, and British supplied tank formations that served in Italy and 1944 and 1945. Included are the tactical marking, unit signs and arm of service flashes (the numbered coloured squares). British Tank Units & Markings Italy...

100th Infantry Battalion After the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 an air of distrust arose regarding people of Japanese ancestry in the United States. By mid 1942 most Japanese-Americans in the continental U.S. were put into internment camps by the government. 100th Infantry Battalion...

The 442nd Regimental Combat Team The 100th Battalion continued to fight in Italy into 1944. They fought bravely, but suffered heavy casualties. The Nisei of the 100th Battalion joined other US forces defending the Anzio beachhead, and remained fighting in the area until May 1944 when they took part in the push for Rome. The 442nd Regimental Combat Team...

Kiwis in Armour: New Zealand 4th Armoured Brigade in Italy 1944-45 Alun Gallie presents a brief history of Kiwi armour during the remainder of the Italian campaign in 1944 and 1945. I will examine the organization, equipment, camouflage and markings of the three NZ armoured regiments together with information on fielding a unit from this Brigade in Flames Of War throughout the closing years of the War. Kiwis in Armour...

The 1st Special Service Force Popularly known as the Devil’s Brigade, the 1st Special Service Force (FSSF) was a joint American-Canadian commando-style unit originally raised to operate in Norway in an attempt to prevent the Germans from obtaining that country’s critical raw materials and to knockout strategic targets such as hydroelectric power plants. The 1st Special Service Force...

Point Of the Sword: Valmontone When General Clark, Commander US 5th Army, changed the direction of the breakout spearhead towards the Alban Hills and Rome, the original objective of Operation Buffalo, the taking of Highway 6 was left to the 3rd Infantry Division and Task Force Howze. Point Of the Sword: Valmontone...

Polish Forces, Italy 1944 General Wladislaw Sikorski, the head of the Polish government in exile in London negotiated with the Soviet government to free the Poles detained in the USSR to form a new army. After the agreement was signed in 1941 two new Polish infantry divisions were formed. Major General Wladislaw Anders, a former prisoner, was appointed to command the new army. Polish Forces, Italy 1944...

On Patrol with The Devil's Brigade The joint Canadian-American First Special Service Force better known as the Devil’s Brigade occupied their beachfront property across from the Pioniers of the Hermann Göring Fallschrimjägerdivision for 98 consecutive days. Quite a remarkable feat for a light force nearly half the size of a normal infantry division. On Patrol with The Devil's Brigade...

Axis Forces in Italy We take a look at the German and Italian forces fighting in Italy in 1944. Axis Forces in Italy...

Battle of Cassino: January - May 1944 An Axis of Attack Campaign Scott Elaurent presents an Axis of Attack campaign based the the Battle of Cassino, January - May 1944. Battle of Cassino: January - May 1944...

A Brief History of the Cassino Campaign From the Sangro River on the eastern (Adriatic) coast, through the Appenine Mountains to the Garrigliano River on the western (Tyrrhenian Sea) coast, the Gustav Line was a combination of concrete bunkers set into rugged terrain. There was no way to outflank the Gustav Line, and the most direct route of attack was up Route Six to Rome, via the town of Cassino. A Brief History of the Cassino Campaign...

Operation Fischfang The initial hectic days after the Allied landings at Anzio saw the Germans under Fieldmarschall Kesselring initiate a well-timed defensive strategy. Though appearing somewhat haphazard due to the location of the dwindling German reserves, the now operational 14th Army began accumulating its forces within three days of the landings. Operation Fischfang...

Scenario: Operation Fischfang The capture of the Factory provided the Germans with the key positions from which they could launch a full-scale attack on the Anzio beachhead. The network of roads leading south and southeast offered the opportunity for the employment of heavy tanks to effect a breakthrough to the coast. In addition the German infantry used infiltration tactics to get up close to the Allied defenders. Scenario: Operation Fischfang...

The Cobra is Smokin': T Brazilian Expeditionary Force in Italy, 1944 to 1945 The Brazilian Army went from a regional militia force to the Forca expeditionária Brasiliera (FEB) in a little over a year. This expansion left little time for training and the few officers available were quickly promoted above their experience. Some were lucky enough to have had additional training in the US prior to being deployed to Italy. The Cobra is Smokin'...

The Italian Campaign By January 1944 only 70 miles of advance had been made since the Salerno landings in September. It was decided to land another out-flanking force behind the formidable Gustav Line. The new target would be Anzio, with attacks on the Gustav Line and Monte Cassino to coincide with the landings to keep German forces pinned down. The Italian Campaign...

US Army rangers in Africa and Italy 1942 - 1944 On January 30, 1944 the 1st, 3rd and 4th Ranger battalions attempted to infiltrate the German held town of Cisterna di Latina to take what was meant to be a lightly held position occupied by second rate troops. US Army rangers in Africa and Italy 1942 - 1944...