Campaign For North Africa 40D-43

[warspite1]

Turn 11
15th January 1941

That was a decent set of results. O'Connor surveys the situation with mounting satisfaction and discusses progress with General Wavell. The list of names of the destroyed - or almost destroyed Italian divisions are recounted with grim satisfaction....

Sirte
Cirene
Sabratha
Marmarcia
Catanzaro
1st Libyan
2nd Libyan
4th Libyan
1st CCNN
2nd CCNN
4th CCNN
Plus a Bersaglieri Regiment and a number of tank battalions

[John B.]

Thanks for posting what you could find for the overall losses!

[Curtis Lemay]

ORIGINAL: warspite1

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

The "Lost" column on the Inventory and Replacements screen shows cumulative losses. Thanks for showing it. One item is a bit troubling: You've lost 9 of 51 18 Pounders, or 17% of them. You shouldn't be losing any. Those guns should never be in the front lines. Artillery husbandry is critical to this scenario. Safeguard your own, and decimate the enemy's. If, when Rommel arrives, he finds lots of 10th Army artillery left about, while you've frittered yours away, you will be hard pressed to stop him short of the Pyramids.

I also worry about the screenshots you're posting: They are always in "Movement Remaining" mode. I hope that you do cycle to the Strengths mode regularly, and just aren't posting those views.

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Curtis Lemay

ORIGINAL: warspite1

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

The "Lost" column on the Inventory and Replacements screen shows cumulative losses. Thanks for showing it. One item is a bit troubling: You've lost 9 of 51 18 Pounders, or 17% of them. You shouldn't be losing any. Those guns should never be in the front lines. Artillery husbandry is critical to this scenario. Safeguard your own, and decimate the enemy's. If, when Rommel arrives, he finds lots of 10th Army artillery left about, while you've frittered yours away, you will be hard pressed to stop him short of the Pyramids.

I also worry about the screenshots you're posting: They are always in "Movement Remaining" mode. I hope that you do cycle to the Strengths mode regularly, and just aren't posting those views.

warspite1

The losses of artillery may be from 1 (or more) of three sources:

1. Early (mistakes?) in not using artillery as artillery but using them in attacks.
2. Sometimes when I bombard I get losses for the CW as well as the Italians. In which case presumably not a mistake but a function of the game?
3. The Italians love to use their artillery - allegedly one of the better arms of the Italian military in WWII. Presumably there will be loss from this source. But if so then not much I can do other than keep out of range?

Yes the 'Movement Remaining' mode is my weapon of choice. Because of the 10 rounds aspect I find it useful. The strength of a unit I tend to get from the unit box top right.

[warspite1]

Turn 12
18th January 1941

My loss penalty seems to have gone down by one, although as I can see no definition of this I don't know why....

[juntoalmar]

ORIGINAL: warspite1

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.

I remember this game for the Spectrum!

I loved to play Crete 1941 on my 48K. Is there a Crete scenario in TOAW IV?

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: juntoalmar

ORIGINAL: warspite1

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.

I remember this game for the Spectrum!

I loved to play Crete 1941 on my 48K. Is there a Crete scenario in TOAW IV?

warspite1

There is indeed - and it can be played vs the AI [:)]

[warspite1]

Turn 12
18th January 1941

Further to Curtis Lemay's earlier post I will have a look and see what happens to my artillery during this turn.

[warspite1]

Turn 12
18th January 1941

I am not sure if I am being a bozo or if the Air Assistant keeps overriding. I will need to keep an eye on that as my orders keep changing....

Meanwhile the Italian air force seems to be numerous - striking my units on the move via truck or rail!

[warspite1]

Turn 12
18th January 1941

The 2nd New Zealand Division is ordered to Menastir. As one of the least mobile units, this division will attempt to take the coast road to Tobruk.

Meanwhile the Australians and Polish seal the pocket around the Italians at Sidi Azeiz.

To the south, more pockets are sealed and an artillery barrage prepared against the Sabratha Division.

[warspite1]

Turn 12 - Round 1
18th January 1941

The following units bombard the Italians:

XIII Corps
104th Royal Horse Artillery (RHA) – 18 25-pdrs
1st RHA – 20 25-pdrs
51st Field Artillery – 18 25-pdrs

2nd Armoured Division
2nd RHA – 19 25-pdrs

NoteL all units are slightly under establishment (each regiment should have 24 25-pounders).

[warspite1]

Turn 12 - Rounds 1&2
18th January 1941

There are no losses to the British artillery as they whittle away at the enemy formations.

[warspite1]

Turn 12 - Round 3
18th January 1941

O'Connor has promised Wavell that the coup de grace will be delivered in the next few days... Four attacks are ordered to try and eliminate the remaining pockets once and for all.

[DanNeely]

ORIGINAL: warspite1

Turn 12
18th January 1941

My loss penalty seems to have gone down by one, although as I can see no definition of this I don't know why....

I believe loss penalty is adjusted downward as replacements fill damaged units back up.

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: DanNeely

ORIGINAL: warspite1

Turn 12
18th January 1941

My loss penalty seems to have gone down by one, although as I can see no definition of this I don't know why....

I believe loss penalty is adjusted downward as replacements fill damaged units back up.

warspite1

Thanks. Do you know where that is explained?

[warspite1]

Turn 12 - Axis Turn
18th January 1941

That is hugely annoying. I thought I had saved the Italian combat results for Turn 12. However I can't see them [:@]

[warspite1]

Turn 13
22nd January 1941

There is little happening this turn. The New Zealanders have been tasked with taking out the remaining 10th Army units on the coast road, while the Australians and Poles head to Gambut and Sidi Rezegh on the approaches to Tobruk. The British armour is stationary, hoping to recover some strength for the push to Tobruk.

[warspite1]

Turn 13 - Axis Turn
22nd January 1941

The Regia Aeronautica continues to attack at will. The RAF Gladiators are put out of their misery - all 11 destroyed or damaged this turn....

[warspite1]

Turn 14
25th January 1941

Again, a limited turn from the Commonwealth forces. I am pretty sure this is not the right tactic but supply for some units is desperate and needs to recover. Operations are limited to:

2nd New Zealand Division attacking the 10th Army HQ

6th and 9th Australian Divisions attacking retreating artillery to the west of the HQ and an infantry battalion blocking the coast road.

The Polish Brigade attacking the airfield at El Adem southwest of Tobruk

The 3rd Royal Tank Regiment from the 2nd Armoured Division racing to Bir el Gubi to capture the airfield.

As ever, the attacks start with a bombardment that helps reduce the defenders in body and spirit for no loss.

[warspite1]

Turn 14 - Rounds 1-10
22nd January 1941

The attacks are largely successful - particularly that by the Polish Brigade. The airfield is taken and the aircraft and support units destroyed. The majority of the brigade take up position at the airfield, with three battalions posted to the north and east to block any Italian advance south.