Campaign For North Africa 40D-43

[warspite1]

Turn 10 - Overview
11th January 1941

The Commonwealth forces have made some progress in the last week - particularly in the south. It is to these forces that O'Connor must look to get the advance back on track. The 6th Australian Division need something of a breather but should be able to hold their ground while the 2nd Armoured Division, the 2nd New Zealand Division and the Polish Brigade start to arrive.

[warspite1]

Turn 10 - RAF and RAAF (well just the RAF actually.....)
11th January 1941

Well that's a bit of a shocker! As usual I check the air situation, only to see I have just four units and two of those are reorganising.

The RAAF Hurricanes have been eliminated. I hadn't realised but presumably the airfield bombardment and/or the air superiority mission whittled the unit to nothing.

This means I have no fighters around. I switch the Gladiators to air superiority and my only other operational unit - my Blenheim I's - to combat support. Both units are on 'limit losses' mode now.

A check of the reinforcements track shows an RAAF unit of Hurricanes will be available next turn.

[warspite1]

Turn 10 - Royal Navy
11th January 1941

The task force stationed off Bardia is looking okay at present. HMS Valiant and HMS York have supply of 59% and 54% and readiness of 79% and 74% respectively.

These units will remain on station.

[warspite1]

Turn 10 - Fort Maddelenna
11th January 1941

The key in the coming days is to destroy the final Italian resistance and engage the Sabratha Division.

The AI has annoyingly put an HQ on its own between the CW and Italian units. When the AI does these things I don't want to take advantage - but in this instance I don't see how I can avoid attacking and still get at the enemy. I'll see what I can do.

[gabeeg]

Warspite1 I want to voice my appreciation as well for these extremely helpful AAR. Well done!

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: gabeeg

Warspite1 I want to voice my appreciation as well for these extremely helpful AAR. Well done!

warspite1

Thank-you and you're welcome! It's a fun game [:)].

[warspite1]

Turn 10 - Round 1
11th January 1941

The turn begins once again with a massed bombardment of enemy positions (see crossed swords on the four hexes under attack). This uses up rounds - but as per Olerin's previous post, I set to limit losses to reduce the number of rounds 'lost'. I believe it will be only two with this setting.

[warspite1]

Turn 10 - Round 1
11th January 1941

Sure enough the bombardment took two rounds. The RN's 15-inch and 6-inch shells were particularly effective. The bombardment in the south proved devastating through the sheer weight of attack - three artillery regiments were ordered to unleash hell and the Italian 44th Artillery Regiment has ceased to exist.

[warspite1]

Turn 10 - Rounds 3 - 10
11th January 1941

The turn is purposely short - although a little shorter than intended [;)]

Just two attacks were ordered by Major-General Creagh - designed to destroy the final resistance in the south - and which achieved their purpose.

Prior to this the lead elements of the 2nd New Zealand Division made their presence felt against the enemy units that had occupied Sollum. Totally demoralised from the Royal Navy bombardment, the remnants of the Italian force that had marched bravely to the coast, were swiftly mopped up.

[warspite1]

Turn 10 - Axis Turn
11th January 1941

The Italians launch their aircraft against the Royal Navy task force - but with little to show for it. The only success was the forcing back of an Australian battalion at Menastir.

[warspite1]

Turn 11
15th January 1941

The Italians seem to have assisted the O'Connor unknowingly. The Sabratha Division has piled forward toward Sidi Omar. But with their southern force now eliminated, the Sabratha Division could end up surrounded. What have the 7th Armoured got left in the tank?

Royal Navy

After another successful sortie, Cunningham's Flagship HMS Valiant lies at anchor back in Egypt. The Royal Navy will now rest and refit before sailing for the attack on Tobruk..... hopefully.

[John B.]

Warspite1, I suspect you'd whale on me if we faced off. It's usually more fun against a live player but playing the AI has it's high points such as it doesn't "know" that it's the Italian army in December 1940 so it should run away. Therefore, it fights a more historical battle.

Do you have a loss screen? I'm curious as to how much overall damage has been done to the British by this aggressive defense.

[OxfordGuy3]

Subscribed! I haven't bought TOAW IV yet, but if I was to buy it, it would be almost entirely for the North Africa Campaigns and Scenarios, so I'd be very interested to see what you think of how it works out with these.

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: John B.

Warspite1, I suspect you'd whale on me if we faced off. It's usually more fun against a live player but playing the AI has it's high points such as it doesn't "know" that it's the Italian army in December 1940 so it should run away. Therefore, it fights a more historical battle.

Do you have a loss screen? I'm curious as to how much overall damage has been done to the British by this aggressive defense.

warspite1

John B. If you think I would beat anybody at a war game then I you haven't seen enough AAR of mine - I am pretty useless - although did manage to win a PBEM of Decisive Campaigns: Barbarossa once [;)]

I agree about playing a human opponent - but not for a first game [:)]

As for losses, I cannot see an overall loss screen:

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: OxfordGuy3

Subscribed! I haven't bought TOAW IV yet, but if I was to buy it, it would be almost entirely for the North Africa Campaigns and Scenarios, so I'd be very interested to see what you think of how it works out with these.

warspite1

This is the main reason I bought it to be honest (although am keen to play the Pacific War too - but found this is for PBEM).

It's great to be reacquainting myself with the units I first fought with/against in Desert Rats on the old Spectrum back in the day.

[warspite1]

Turn 11 - RAF and RAAF
15th January 1941

The air force are back up to 5 units and the Hurricanes of the RAAF are immediately placed on Air Superiority missions.

Proficiency, Readiness and Supply are all looking okay, with the Blenheim a perhaps needing a rest in the next turn or two.

[warspite1]

Turn 11 - Round 1
15th January 1941

There are many units in the south needing re-supply at present. But in order to keep the momentum up, those in any fit state to move are ordered to push west and try and surround the southern-most enemy formations of the Sabratha Division.

The 2nd Armoured Division moves southwest to try and do the same to the Sabratha units between Gabr Saleh and Sidi Omar.

In the north the Poles have begun the same process - positioning themselves to the south of the Sirte Division while the Australians recover and the 2nd New Zealand arrive.

Six artillery bombardments are ordered in order to try and soften up the defenders (see crossed swords below). Again, a limit losses order goes out in order to limit the number of rounds this bombardment will use up.

[warspite1]

Turn 11 - Rounds 1-3
15th January 1941

Mmmmm - not impressed.

The Wellington bombers, that Collishaw ordered on interdiction, have decided to attack Italian airfields behind the lines. This has proven an expensive mission....

This is the first time a CW unit has carried out such an attack this game. Maybe there are too few units elsewhere to interdict?

This phase actually took up 30% of the turn too...

[warspite1]

Turn 11 - Round 4
15th January 1941

Time to exploit the artillery's work. The Polish cavalry are able to exploit the confusion amongst the Italian infantry and push them back toward Sidi Azeiz

[warspite1]

Turn 11 - Rounds 4-7
15th January 1941

There is little likelihood of taking Tobruk in line with the real-life timescale, but the destruction of the Sabratha, Sirte and 4th Libyan divisions is now close at hand. The Polish and Kiwi cavalry have almost completed the envelopment of the units in the north.

The turn will finish with further artillery bombardments (see crossed swords).