Infantry Aces Battle Report: Part One Build-up To The Battle. In this Cassino themed battle report, we present an Infantry Aces game with a twist. Rather than using a pair of Infantry Aces that have been created from scratch, we decided to field Hauptmann Siegfried Jamrowski leading 1. Fallschirmjägerdivision against the 442nd Regimental Combat Team that included Lieutenant Daniel Inouye. In part one, we begin the build-up to the battle.

These Infantry Aces featured in the article Heroes of Cassino: Infantry Aces of the Italian Campaign by Mike Haught in Wargames Illustrated issue 284. Learn more about Wargames Illustrated issue 284 here... Read part two of the Infantry Aces Battle Report here... Read part three of the Infantry Aces Battle Report here...

The Army Lists (900 points)

1. Fallschirmjägerdivision Fallschirmjägerkompanie (Fearless Veteran) Infantry Company Fallschirmjägerkompanie HQ

Higher Command Team Hauptmann Siegfried Jamrowski 70 points.

Headquarters Company HQ with upgrade Command Panzerknacker SMG team:  60 points. with one Panzerschreck team: 30 points.

Combat Platoons

Fallschirmjäger Platoon with upgrade to Command Panzerknacker SMG team: 5 points. with two Fallschirmjäger Squads: 185 points.

Fallschirmjäger Platoon with upgrade to Command Panzerknacker SMG team: 5 points. with two Fallschirmjäger Squads: 185 points.

Weapons Platoons

Fallschirmjäger Machine-gun Platoon with one Machine-gun section: 80 points.

Fallschirmjäger Anti-tank Gun Platoon with two 7.5cm PaK40: 120 points.

Divisional Support Platoon

Fallschirmjäger Tank-hunter Platoon with two Marder II: 155 points.

Total Points: 895 points.

100th Infantry Battalion / 442nd Regimental Combat Team Nisei Rifle Company (Fearless Veteran) Infantry Company Headquarters

Nisei Rifle Company HQ Company HQ: 20 points. with one Bazooka team: 20 points

Combat Platoons

Nisei Rifle Platoon with Lt. Inouye with Lieutenant Daniel Inouye: 15 points. with two Rifle Squads: 180 points with Sharpshooter: 10 points.

Nisei Rifle Platoon with two Rifle Squads: 180 points

Weapons Platoons

Nisei Weapons Platoon with Mortar section and one Machine-gun section: 145 points.

Nisei Mortar Platoon with two Mortar sections: 135 points.

US Fifth Army Support Platoon (Confident Veteran)

Light Tank Platoon with three M5A1 Stuart: 190 points.

Total Points: 895 points.

The Heroes Hauptmann Siegfried Jamrowski Siegfried Jamrowski started as a platoon commander with 8th (MG) Company, II Battalion, 3rd Fallschirmjäger Regiment in September 1940, too late for the fighting in Holland. Jamrowski earned the Iron Cross, Second Class, in bitter fighting at Leningrad on the Russian Front, and during 1942 added the Iron Cross, First Class. Joining 1. Fallschirmjägerdivision in France in early 1943, he was sent to Sicily and Italy with the division. He commanded the 6th Parachute Company of his regiment during the Allied aerial bombardment of Cassino, spending twelve hours buried under the rubble in a basement. Upon being dug out, he rallied the remains of the 6th and 8th companies and held the town against repeated New Zealand attacks. Jamrowski received the Knight’s Cross for his actions after being wounded and evacuated from Cassino on 19 March 1944. Jamrowski recovered and fought on with 1. Fallschirmjägerdivision for the rest of the Italian campaign. Left: Hauptmann Siegfried Jamrowski.

Hauptmann Siegfried Jamrowski in Flames Of War Hauptmann Siegfried Jamrowski is a Warrior and a Higher Command SMG team rated Fearless Veteran. Jamrowski is anIndependent Team. Hauptmann Siegfried Jamrowski may join a Fallschirmjägerkompanie (found in Cassino) for +70 points. Right: The Flames Of War miniature of Hauptmann Siegfried Jamrowski. This model can be found in the blister Infantry Aces (XX880). Learn more about the Infantry Aces (XX880) miniatures here...

Special Rules I’m Already Here! Hauptman Jamrowki would never ask his men to do something he wasn’t prepared to do himself. As such he was always in the thick of the battle and made sure that he was where his objective was. Unlike normal Independent teams, Jamrowski may take and contest an objective. Unshakeable Jamrowski and many other veteran officers of the 1.Fallschirmjägerdivision inspired their men with heroic actions in combat, compelling them to do the same for their brothers in arms. Your Combat and Weapons Platoons fight to the last and may re-roll any failed Platoon Morale Checks. Jamrowski may re-roll Company Morale Checks. Stick It To ‘Em! Even being buried in rubble after an Allied bombing attack did not stop Jamrowski from digging himself out and getting his men ready to counterattack. In the Starting Step, when Jamrowski joins a platoon that is Pinned Down, that platoon automatically rallies from being Pinned Down.

Lieutenant Daniel Inouye On 21 April 1945, Lieutenant Daniel Inouye, of the US 442nd Regimental Combat Team, was leading his platoon on an assault against a heavily fortified ridge line when his platoon came under fire from three machine-gun nests. Inouye ordered his men to take cover while he climbed the hill to take on the nests alone. When Inouye charged the first machine-gun he was suddenly knocked down, hit in the stomach by machine-gun fire. Ignoring the hit, he got up and destroyed the bunker with a grenade before moving on to the next. After the second was knocked out, Inouye collapsed from blood loss, unable to stand, but there was still one more machine-gun nest. While his platoon distracted the third machine-gun, Daniel crawled up to the nest. He stood up and drew his arm back to throw a grenade. But a rifle grenade struck him in his right elbow and all but completely severed his arm. He pried the grenade from his severed hand and tossed it into the machine-gun bunker. He then took his Thompson submachine-gun into his left hand and raked the German survivors. Left: Lieutenant Daniel Inouye.

Just then another bullet hit Daniel in the right leg and he fell down the hill. Some of his men rushed down the hill to help him, but he shouted to them, “Get back up that hill! Nobody called off the war!” For knocking out the three machine-gun bunkers, Lieutenant Daniel Inouye was awarded a Distinguished Service Cross, which was later upgraded to a Medal of Honor by President Bill Clinton in 1991.

Lieutenant Daniel Inouye in Flames Of War Lieutenant Daniel Inouye is a Warrior and replaces the Command team of one of your Nisei Rifle Platoons. He is a Command Pioneer SMG team and is rated Fearless Veteran. Lieutenant Daniel Inouye may join a Nisei Rifle Company (found in Cassino) for +15 points. Right: The Flames Of War miniature of Lieutenant Daniel Inouye. This model can be found in the blister Infantry Aces (XX880). Learn more about the Infantry Aces (XX880) miniatures here...

Special Rules Heavy Assault Lieutenant Inouye grabbed a handful of grenades and his Thompson submachine-gun and with cold determination destroyed several German machine-gun pillboxes. Inouye may re-roll his failed skill checks to Hit in Assault Combat. Hit ‘Em Hard Inouye’s bold attack on the machine-gun nests inspired his men forward. The platoon successfully pressed home the assault in spite of Inouye being severely wounded. When Inouye joins one of your Combat or Weapons platoons that launches an Assault, the first hit on the platoon does not count towards Pinning Down the platoon.

The Battlefield (Mission: Free-For-All)

Click on the magnifying glass to see a larger photo of the battlefield.

Deployment (Attacker: Nisei; Defender: Fallschirmjäger)

Click on the magnifying glass to see a larger photo of the deployment.

1. Fallschirmjägerdivision Deployment

1. Fallschirmjäger Platoon; Company Command team and Panzeschreck team and Hauptmann Siegfried Jamrowski.

2. Fallschirmjäger Machine-gun Platoon.

3. Fallschirmjäger Anti-tank Gun Platoon and Fallschirmjäger Tank-hunter Platoon.

4. Fallschirmjäger Platoon and Command 2iC team.

100th Infantry Battalion / 442nd Regimental Combat Team Deployment

1. Nisei Rifle Platoon with Lt. Inouye, Company Command team with Bazooka team and Nisei Weapons Platoon LMGs.

2. Nisei Mortar Platoon.

3. Nisei Rifle Platoon and Light Tank Platoon...

4. ...with Nisei Weapons Platoon M2 60mm mortars and Company Command 2iC team. Read part two of the Infantry Aces Battle Report here...