Campaign For North Africa 40D-43

[warspite1]

Turn 70
9th August 1941

Wavell is concerned that Crusader already shows signs of stalling. He is also concerned, with 7th Armoured having been sucked into helping the Australians, at the position of the New Zealand Division. He therefore feels he has no choice but to bring his reserves up at this early stage. The 1st Army Tank Brigade are positioned at 'Knightsbridge' to anchor the Kiwis left flank and XIII Corps provides additional artillery to support the Kiwi infantry. The 7th RTR are also called in to support this left flank.

There is not much else that Wavell can do this turn. A force of two cruisers and two destroyers (Dido (F), Euryalus, Marne and Airedale) take up position off Tobruk and the Barham group remain for a short while longer to surpress the German forces on the coast road. Otherwise its very much a case of allowing the artillery to recover before pressing ahead again. The only other point to note is that Morshead has successfully requested further reinforcement and the 'Buffs' battalion has reinforced Tobruk.

[warspite1]

Turn 70 - Round 1
9th August 1941

Barrages at Siwa (3%) and Tobruk (6%) do some damage but the biggest loss rate is courtesy of Barham and Valiant's 15-inch guns. No tanks were destroyed but interestingly the Loss Report shows only 7 panzers in the entire regiment. Wavell's divisional commanders look at the possibility here of an attack...

Round 3

The Oasis infantry incur more punishment (15%), but then so do the other targets - German armour (16%) and 17% against the besieging forces.

Round 5

More of the same, but at Siwa the Indians attack, pushing the Germans defenders into a southerly retreat.

Round 7

The Indians continue to apply pressure at Siwa, while the New Zealand 4th Brigade, with support from two Indian battalions, attempt to get rid of the fortified engineer at Bir Hacheim. Ahead of the round, the 5th Royal Tank Regiment attack the German/Italian units on the coast road and force them back with heavy loss. However I see that most of these are HQ units and I call off the attack for reasons pertaining to HQ's previously stated. The bombardment against the perimeter proves hugely effective - 32% losses and both the 3rd Battalion, 5th Panzer Regiment and the HQ of the 7th Bersaglieri are evaporated. The Axis get their own back as the Italian engineer on steroids continues to hold at Bir Hacheim. Furthemore the British lose all Albacores committed to the attack and no less than 25 Blenheims. At Siwa most German units retreat but one heroically continues to maintain position.

The turn ends.

[Zorch]

The great and mighty Lord Warspite visits the Siwah Oasis.

[Zorch]

ORIGINAL: Zorch

The great and mighty Lord Warspite visits the Siwah Oasis, having added slightly to the ruins.

[warspite1]

Turn 70 - Axis Turn
9th August 1941

Well that's handy! British aircraft attack and hurt the German units at Siwa. Less friendly is that German units are looking to engage the Crusader forces, while Italian units are on their way to Bir Hacheim....

Damage to a battleship! What will Cunningham say?.... Otherwise the attack in and around Tobruk are pretty unsuccessful.

The AI seems confused about where the priorities lie here. Attacks on Tobruk are desultory but continue, meaning only limited action is taken against the Crusader forces. As expected the Kiwis are singled out for attention...

More, largely ineffectual, bombardment of both Tobruk and the Kiwi infantry grimly defending south of Tobruk. The latter is of more concern for General Freyberg as the casualties mount....

The AI continues to liberally lay down a barrage without concentrating on any single point.

The NZ 21st Battalion and supporting anti-tank unit take serious punishment (13%). Freyberg knows an attack in imminent here.... The southern strong point is targeted and is suffering steady - if unspectacular - losses.

Axis attention switches to the New Zealand left flank northeast of Knightsbridge and the 18th Battalion fall under a deadly blanket of shells from the 155th Artillery Regt. 21st Panzer Division. Tobruk's southern strong point takes another 5% losses.

In the last three rounds a massive barrage is laid down along much of the Allied front line - and this time the British armour is the target.

[Zorch]

Is there an option to see losses as real numbers of troops/vehicles, not %s? It would be more meaningful.

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Zorch

Is there an option to see losses as real numbers of troops/vehicles, not %s? It would be more meaningful.

warspite1

From time to time I mention tanks, trucks, field guns and aircraft. I draw the line at nos. of rifle squads as I'm afraid that type of detail is not something that floats my boat. Having said that of course it is important to know if losses are outstripping replacements so maybe I'll put some detail in on that - although that could be quite a bit of work - I don't know.

[Zorch]

ORIGINAL: warspite1

ORIGINAL: Zorch

Is there an option to see losses as real numbers of troops/vehicles, not %s? It would be more meaningful.

warspite1

From time to time I mention tanks, trucks, field guns and aircraft. I draw the line at nos. of rifle squads as I'm afraid that type of detail is not something that floats my boat. Having said that of course it is important to know if losses are outstripping replacements so maybe I'll put some detail in on that - although that could be quite a bit of work - I don't know.

I'm thinking about losses relative to the enemy...if you are outnumbered 2:1, 2% of enemy forced = 4% of your own.
for planes and vehicles, yes. Not so much for foot sloggers.

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Zorch

ORIGINAL: warspite1

ORIGINAL: Zorch

Is there an option to see losses as real numbers of troops/vehicles, not %s? It would be more meaningful.

warspite1

From time to time I mention tanks, trucks, field guns and aircraft. I draw the line at nos. of rifle squads as I'm afraid that type of detail is not something that floats my boat. Having said that of course it is important to know if losses are outstripping replacements so maybe I'll put some detail in on that - although that could be quite a bit of work - I don't know.

I'm thinking about losses relative to the enemy...if you are outnumbered 2:1, 2% of enemy forced = 4% of your own.
for planes and vehicles, yes. Not so much for foot sloggers.

warspite1

Mmmm... sounds like an awful lot of work. Some of these pictures take long enough as it is. But I'll see what is possible/worthwhile.

[warspite1]

Turn 71
13th August 1941

The attack on the Kiwis never materialised and they appear to have stood their ground. The Australian 9th Division however are all reorganising - including the units in Tobruk.

The Axis have left a couple of exposed units on the Kiwis left flank and Wavell points out that there removal is priority and is perhaps a job for the 1st Army Tank Brigade. There are a number of Axis armour units that appear tempting targets - but Creagh doen't know exactly what they contain and the various artillery batteries available to the army are not in the best of shapes. Wavell determines to keep a potential attack in mind depending on how things pan out elsewhere.

[warspite1]

Turn 71
13th August 1941

Meanwhile, behind the 1st Army Tank Brigade the Italians are starting to move units towards Bir el Gubi. The AI has chosen to go with HQ units but I can't simply ignore these - especially as one is stacked with other units.

Two orders are given. Firstly Merservy's 4th Indian are to move up to Bir Hacheim in strength (they will leave just the 3rd Motor Brigade as the screen). Secondly the 1st Army Tank Brigade (with support from the 7th RTR and a regiment of Indian artillery) will attempt to remove the Axis from the Knightsbridge-Bir Hacheim gap.

Wavell bangs his fist in frustration. Why aren't the South Africans ready!!!!???!!!

[warspite1]

Turn 71 - Round 1
13th August 1941

The turn gets underway with the usual bombardment at Tobruk and also one of the German columns east of the port. There are also barrages against the Oasis battalions at Siwa and the Italians in the Bir Hacheim/Knightsbridge Gap.

Round 3

More of the same is ordered ahead of assaults against at least three enemy stacks. One of the barrages proves devastating and the 2nd Battalion, 5th Panzer Regiment evaporates.

Round 5

Ahead of round 5 the 8th RTR removes the threat from the lone German unit seeking to infiltrate the Kiwi left flank. The Germans (and Italian AA with it) retreat toward the perimeter and the British tankers wisely do not follow into that hornets nest.

Round 5 lasts a little longer than I'd hoped but is a successful round.

Siwa is taken by two battalions of the 29th Indian Brigade and the German forces are now left in one pocket and out of supply.

The 4th and 42nd RTR destroy the Italian HQ near Rotunda Segnali, leaving one HQ still to be dealt with.

Round 8

The goal for the rest of the turn is to remove the two remaining Axis units from Bir Hacheim/Knightsbridge. The 1st Army Tank Brigade achieves their objective and destroys the XXI Corps HQ, as do the Indian/New Zealand force further south. The Savona Division's 55th Engineer Battalion proved a particularly tough nut to crack.

With the time left remaining the Indians do not have time to reach Rotunda Segnali, but this is the objective for the future to stop Axis reinforcement.


Situation hopefully stabilised; the Kiwis can head back to the divisional line, the Indians will look to concentrate on Rotunda Segnali (although ideally the South Africans should do this) and the big goal remains Gazala and cutting off the Axis units investing Tobruk.

[warspite1]

Turn 71 - Axis Turn
13th August 1941

How do the Axis respond? Well it looks like they are not giving up on Tobruk, but equally are singling out the New Zealanders for punishment. Every Tobruk hex and naval group is targeted and they even do some damage to a cruiser, but the overall effect is the same.

Aircraft are flown from Crete for the first time in ages but there is no different outcome. Tobruk receives continued pressure but without real purpose i.e. a determined attack.

Better news for the Germans as they bombard the British and the 2nd Rifle Brigade southwest of Tobruk (18%). The Kiwis continue to take punishment (9% being the highest).

Tobruk's losses remain relatively low as the Germans make more effort on the would-be Tobruk rescuers.

Over halfway and Moore is a little more than slightly concerned at the pounding his frontline units are taking - it will be interesting to see if the Axis decide to follow this up with an assault.

As the turn draws to a close Wavell wonders what the state of his front line divisions will be....


I see the old furball nonsense returns - the Wellington squadrons have evaporated....

[warspite1]

Turn 72
16th August 1941

The Kiwis (and the British) held but their status is looking none too healthy. The AI continues to throw Italian reinforcements in piecemeal and these will need to be attended to. Wavell can choose to meet the Germans/Italians south of Tobruk head on, or perhaps send the 1st Army Tank Brigade to Gazala. The latter is more risky but....

Two South African Hurricane Squadrons are deployed closer to the front line at Sidi Azeiz and Gambut. The Allied air forces are down to 22 Squadrons (18 operational - 2 fighters sqns are resting and 2 Bomber sqns are reorganising).

Round 1

Wavell orders limited bombardments in order to conserve stocks and allow re-supply. Units from 21st Panzer just south of the coast road are bombarded by the 2nd Royal Horse Artillery Regt. and suffer a modest 3% losses. To the southwest the 90th Light are hit harder by the 146th Field Artillery Regt. (13%). Meanwhile, west of Bir Hacheim the Indians, with support from a battalion of the Royal Tank Regiment and their 49 Matilda II's set about a battalion of Sabratha infantry that has stuck its head in the noose. It takes 18% losses for its trouble.

[warspite1]

Turn 72
16th August 1941

Round 3

Well that was unexpected. The Italian infantry were attacked by a mixed infantry and tank force, but despite suffering 50% losses the Italians held.

Round 6

Further barrages are carried out, with mixed success, ahead of a second assault by the Indians and also an attempt to finally clear the German Oasis battalions east of Siwa.

Round 8

The Italians are destroyed and the 44th RTR advances alone.... At Siwa the Germans continue to hold but take 64% losses and 4 units are totally destroyed.

[warspite1]

Turn 72 - Axis Turn
16th August 1941

Rommel starts to pull units out of the Tobruk perimeter towards Rotunda Segnali, but there are still enough artillery units to continue the barrage against Tobruk.

Artillery barrages are generally unsuccessful and then the Italian infantry on the road to Rotunda Segnali charges the British Matildas! Needless to say a battalion of the Savona Division is utterly destroyed in the suicidal mission.

The Germans destroy the commando unit at Rotunda and then their units head back to Tobruk, leaving a force of Italians northwest of the New Zealand position at Knightsbridge.

The western strong point is hit quite hard this turn but there is no sign of an assault.

The turn peters out with the Axis not really looking to achieve anything decisive - not taking Tobruk, nor attacking those units trying to relieve the port.


Note there is one barrage not showing but this was a nil return anyway.

[Orm]

What is furball if you do not mind me asking? Axis furball?

Edit: I suppose that I missed a previous explanation.

[warspite1]

A furball is where you lose all your units and is not infrequent. And yet as far as I can tell its not in the manual....

[SpeedyCM]

ORIGINAL: warspite1

Turn 65
23rd July 1941

Well that is more than a little disappointing....The various units I expected to be withdrawn have been (including the 9th Indian Bde - so that brings the Battle of Siwa to a close!), but so too have the 18th Australian Brigade and they were not earmarked to be withdrawn.

So without any notice I've just lost 3 Infantry Battalions, a Cavalry Regiment and a Field Artillery Regiment from Tobruk????

So just catching up on this thread and found the above curious as the 18th Brigade wasn't withdrawn from Tobruk until mid-late August where it then went to rejoin the rest of the 7th Division who had been of killing Frenchies up in Syria and Lebanon.

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: SpeedyCM

ORIGINAL: warspite1

Turn 65
23rd July 1941

Well that is more than a little disappointing....The various units I expected to be withdrawn have been (including the 9th Indian Bde - so that brings the Battle of Siwa to a close!), but so too have the 18th Australian Brigade and they were not earmarked to be withdrawn.

So without any notice I've just lost 3 Infantry Battalions, a Cavalry Regiment and a Field Artillery Regiment from Tobruk????

So just catching up on this thread and found the above curious as the 18th Brigade wasn't withdrawn from Tobruk until mid-late August where it then went to rejoin the rest of the 7th Division who had been of killing Frenchies up in Syria and Lebanon.

warspite1

I wouldn't look at it too closely. There are a number of things from an historical perspective that would need changing to make the OOB's correct.

However, I look at it this way. I've been desperate to play a War in the Med game since forever and this game gives me that opportunity, the OOB are sufficiently realistic to allow the makers to get away with the errors/play balance decisions, and finally, its just a really fun game!

I just wish I could mod this to bring in the Regia Marina, and make my own modifications to the OOB's. But I can't so I put up with what I've got to play with - and so far - Ill take that [:)]