CFNA 1940-43 devoncop (Axis) vs warspite1 (CW) - no devoncop please

[warspite1]

Turn 46 - Axis Turn
22nd February 1941

No attacks, just a lot of positioning by the Italians who appear to have got wind of my rather desperate situation and have started to move forward more offensively with the units in the Jebel now heading south. The fact that the Germans are soon to arrive no doubt fills them with additional courage.

[warspite1]

Turn 46
22nd February 1941

I should simply turn tail and run but I don't. [:D][8|] Instead I try and engage in a fighting withdrawal. I call the RN up to assist the Australians on the coast road, and send the British infantry in support of the armour.

2nd Armoured destroys a weak Libyan Tank battalion as they continue their journey east from Agedabia.

[warspite1]

Turn 46 (cont)
22nd February 1941

Prior to commencing Round 3 I order a battalion (1st Essex) to gauge the odds against a tank unit that has tried to cut off 2nd Armoured's retreat north of Ben Gania. To my surprise the Italians retreated before combat - and continued to do so until finally destroyed.

I am aware that my forces could face a force proficiency test and so am concerned about attacking before getting my units retreated - but.....

...another round of bombardments is launched (although I also suffer half a dozen air strikes by the Regia Aeronautica).... and I manage to make it to the next round. 2nd Armoured's chances are also slightly improved as the 2nd Support Group and the tanks of the 3rd Hussars force an Italian cavalry battalion into retreat at Maaten el-Grara.

Round 5

Southeast of Mechili the 11th Hussars destroy a Machine Gun battalion. I would love to make one last attempt at Mechili itself but the 11th Hussars move north into the space left by the Italian infantry is key to allowing the rest of the division to escape. I have to take that opportunity. Note: the terrain here makes the movement off-road impossible in places - hence the importance of Mechili - that my opponent has cleverly spotted (that is no doubt why he used this as the anchor for his right flank).


Post this picture: Sadly for a company of the 2nd Rifle Brigade, the escape route did not work. The terrain does not show it, but the units off road had to still pass by Mechili and they were shot up - to be destroyed next turn.

[warspite1]

Turn 46 (cont)
22nd February 1941

Round 5 (cont)

The Australians on the coast at Tmimi attack Italian infantry on the coast road. These Italians have been softened up by the RN but manage to hold their ground. A costly attack to the west by the Australians sees an infantry and tank force also hold their ground and inflict heavy losses on the Aussies. But in better news, 2nd Armoured's escape is looking more likely as they destroy the cavalry at Maaten el-Grara - still not completely out of the woods yet though....

Round 7

Undeterred by the losses the Australians continue to attack north from Tmimi and to the west - although again suffer heavy losses. However a couple of Italian units are destroyed and pre the 9th round the Australian cavalry line up an attack against the Italian infantry that held their ground. A number of Italian units were destroyed before the Australians ran out of steam.

Round 9

The Australians try and keep up the pressure west of Tmimi, although all units are either out of moves or close to it. The RN continue their bombardment of the recently retreated units (hoping at least one will evaporate) and the remaining infantry attack a lone infantry battalion.

Pleasingly two infantry units did evaporate under the weight of shell. The Australian position looks precarious, but I am happy that they at least gave the Italians food for thought.

[warspite1]

Turn 46 (cont)
22nd February 1941

The butchers bill

[warspite1]

Turn 47 - Axis Turn
26th February 1941

The 2nd Armoured lose an anti-tank unit that was stuck on its own through lack of movement points. The Germans have arrived to.... great.

[warspite1]

Turn 47
26th February 1941

Mmmm.... lots of units will be destroyed this turn as once again the Australians prove alarmingly brittle and go into reorganisation. I intended to give them a fighting chance by pounding the Italians with the RN, but sadly after just one round the CW fail a proficiency check. Ho hum....

[warspite1]

Turn 48
1st March 1941

Well I expected to suffer that turn, my opponent didn't disappoint.....

[warspite1]

Turn 48
1st March 1941

The Australian Prime Minister, Robert Menzies, addresses the nation:

"It is my solemn duty to report that the 6th Australian Division will soon cease to exist....".

[Zorch]

ORIGINAL: warspite1

Turn 48
1st March 1941

The Australian Prime Minister, Robert Menzies, addresses the nation:

"It is my solemn duty to report that the 6th Australian Division will soon cease to exist....".

"Due entirely to the reasonable and cowardly acts of one Warspite".

[warspite1]

Turn 49 - Axis Turn
5th March 1941

My what a long Axis turn!! The Australians get a severe mauling as expected and there are tons of Axis units on their way....

[warspite1]

Turn 49
5th March 1941

I don't really have a scoobie what to do now. So I think first off I need to do a stock take of what exactly I have, what I am going to get and what I am going to lose. To anyone still reading this tripe, sorry if that is all a bit boring but I really don't have much to play with (story of my life [:D]).....

Tobruk Garrison

The obvious thing to note here is the distinct lack of artillery and limited anti-tank and anti-aircraft weaponry. The division is also a battalion light....

The field artillery (3 Regiments) and a light AA regiment do not arrive until turn 61 and the missing infantry battalion and the machine gun battalion arrive on turn 63. The Australians are going to need help...

The good news is that I have the right man for the job in Tobruk - Lt-General Leslie "Ming the Merciless" Morshead:

"There will be no Dunkirk here. If we should have to get out, we'll fight our way out. There is to be no surrender and no retreat".

[warspite1]

Turn 49 (cont)
5th March 1941

The final preparations have been made. All units set to dig-in and ignore losses.

Uncomfortably there are no reserves.... Each of the 3 front-line strong points has a reinforced brigade worth of troops (2 brigades in the case of the southwestern strong point) including an anti-tank regiment. The eastern strong point contains the artillery - 5 regiments of field artillery plus two AA regiments. There is just two cavalry regiments in reserve (note: there should be a Polish cavalry regiment in Tobruk itself). There are no more units that can be spared - and even this level may leave the Egyptian border too unguarded.


Does anyone know, am I better putting an artillery regiment in the front-line and having 3 battalions of reserve infantry in the eastern strong point or am I better having the artillery set away from the front line?

[warspite1]

Turn 49 (cont)
5th March 1941

This means that in order to guard the Egyptian border I have:
- two weak armoured "divisions"*
- the 22nd Guards Brigade (missing all AA and artillery and containing only 2 infantry battalions)
- the 70th Infantry Division (effectively 2 brigades of infantry but devoid of any artillery, AA or anti-tank units except 1 field artillery regiment)
- the 3rd Indian Motor Brigade (effectively 3 battalions and no artillery, AA or AT).
- a battalion of Czech infantry
- a company of Free French marines.
- Corps assets amount to:
1 tank battalion (which I am considering placing in Tobruk)
2 infantry battalions
1 heavy AA regiment
2 light AA regiments
1 artillery regiment

* The current ahem...strength... of these divisions is:

2nd Armoured Division
3rd Armoured Brigade consisting of just 2 battalions
2nd Support Group consisting of 2 battalions of infantry and a reconnaissance battalion.
1 field artillery regiment but no AA or AT units

7th Armoured Division
4th and 7th Armoured Brigades with 1 and 3 tank battalions respectively
7th Support Group consisting of 1 battalion and 1 company of infantry
2 batteries of anti-tank and 1 field artillery regiment

[warspite1]

Turn 49
5th March 1941

Damn - forgot to take a picture - I'll show the position when I get the turn back. In the meantime there is nothing more to report. The armoured units are near Bardia recovering (supply is good here).


The big picture post the Axis turn 50. Obviously with FOW, there will be a good deal more enemy than can be seen here....

[warspite1]

Turn 50 - Axis Turn
8th March 1941

The Axis forces break through the thin crust at Gazala....

[warspite1]

Turn 50
8th March 1941

West of Tobruk the Cheshire Machine Gun Battalion fails to get away and so will be carved up next turn. Otherwise there is little to report. The 7th Armoured remain inactive awaiting re-supply and the 2nd Armoured pull back to cover the Italian units in the desert who are seemingly looking to outflank the CW forces - although I can't cover every possibility....

[Zorch]

You should play the Axis next time...it might help your understanding of strengths/weaknesses.

[warspite1]

I definitely intend to do that. Plenty more mileage in this scenario - so much to explore [:)]

[warspite1]

Turn 51 - Axis Turn
12th March 1941

The men from Cheshire know how to die gallantly, holding back far superior forces not once, but twice (with the aid of the artillery in Tobruk).