(5/18/18) The Scorched Earth Campaign Brings a Familiar Feeling

The retreat to Sicily was seen as a victory by Italian leaders as they entered formerly Resistance held territory. Their delight in seeing the Resistance retreat faded into horror as Communist troops turned from Sicily and charged back towards the loyalist Italians, with entire cities stripped of supplies and burned, the Communists made short work pushing through the Copper-black cross troops in battles of attrition. Battles that the rebels held an advantage in, with Communitarian convoys.

With Agent Orange, scorched earth, and a more fierce fighting spirit, the Resistance quickly pushed East into Puglim then North into Abruzzo. Rome was re-captured after the city had been shelled by sea by the CRS Davis and CRS Richmond, giving the Resistance all teritories South of the Lucio-Abruzzo line.

Both vessels headed back to Sicily to resupply following the assault with no further contact with the RMS Vittoria and RMS Littorio. With the Communitarian admiral, Jefferson Longstreet, emphasizing utmost caution to all naval units.

Just as before, the Resistance burn down the newly obtained Eastern provinces and establish a new convoy route at Basilicata.

The gains were not without sacrifice, relations with the Socialist Templars became strained following the dumping of Agent Orange on Rome and the head of the Resistance, Alfredo Pizzoni, was killed in the seizure of Abruzzo due to heavy contact with the chemical.

During a conference the Communitarian General Secretary, Thomas Jackson, made a move to outlaw chemical weapons following the attack though it may just be too late as manufacturers in Palmero are making their own chemical weapons under the command of a new Resistance leader Piero Gobetti.

Also on Gobetti’s orders a web of trenches are to be dug on the Lucio-Abruzzo line and are to be at least two meters wide and three meters deep, further tightening the Resistance grip on the region and prolonging the agonizing conflict.

Rome following its re-capture by Communists.

A colored image shows the skillful use of camouflage in the Resistance’s trenches.