Part 3: Turn 1: 0700 20th May (Part 2)

Game Turn 1: 0700, 20th of May (Part 2)

Near the town of Ropaniana, shots ring out, as locals fire on the german paratroopers of the 6th Company, 2nd Battalion LLSR, but the sporadic fire has little effect on the Germans. Reports of German parachutists start flooding into the HQ of the 2nd NZ Division, and Brigadier Puttick is hard-pressed to make heads or tail of them, slowing down the Allied response considerably.

In the Kastelli sector, Detachment Meurbe attempts to attack the nearby Greek infantry, but confusion due to the recent landing prevents them from attacking, and the assault is called off. Detachment Gentz, however, is much more prepared, and they attempt to storm the AA positions south of them. A firefight ensues, in which both sides take light casualties, followed by a charge by the detachment, which forces the AA crews to surrender. Det. Gentz quickly sets to sabotaging the AA guns.



The LLSR gears up for an attack: the first to make a move are the artillery pieces, targeting the AA guns at both ends of the airfield. The western most AA is left unscathed, and the fire is ineffective. On the eastern edge, the guns come under heavy fire but remain relatively unscathed. Mortars soon join the thump of the artillery, and the fire is now deadly accurate, and the western AA crews are forced to flee for their life, with the guns bent and broken. With the coast clear of enemy fire, the German infantry leaves column, and approaches both the airfield and Hill 107 in earnest. On the other side of the airfield, the stranded Fallschirmjager charge the last remaining AA battery, taking it out easily as the crew surrender. The remaining two stranded parachute companies randezvous on the coast, dodging bullets from the Commonwealth troops as they attempt to disengage. Lastly, mortars and dual purpose guns shell Company D of the 22nd Battalion, but the Commonwealth troops hold fast.



Some confusion on the part of the 3rd Fallschirmjager Regiment means that their planned attack is held for now, and the troops await until 0900 before launching any sort of aggressive movement towards the enemies.