Campaign For North Africa 40D-43

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warspite1
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RE: Campaign For North Africa 40D-43

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Turn 73
20th August 1941


The turn begins with half a dozen bombardments - at Siwa and south and east of Tobruk against the armour threatening the CW lines.

This continues into Round 3 and a hail of artillery evaporates a battalion of German infantry in front of the Kiwi right flank. Annoyingly an unauthorised attack was carried out southwest of Rotunda Segnali. Messervy gets a rollicking from Wavell for his subordinate's impetuosity....

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RE: Campaign For North Africa 40D-43

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Turn 73 - Round 5
20th August 1941


The Germans at Siwa are at last destroyed, freeing up the incomplete 5th Indian Division to move west to assist the equally incomplete 4th Division.

However two attack - one by the 1st Army Tank Brigade on the left flank, and the other in the middle by British armour were highly disappointing given the bombardment the enemy had previously been subjected to...

Round 7

Another equally disappointing attack against the German/Italian force north of El Adem.... But at least the Italian unit in the south west has been destroyed. The question now is what can the Italians coming from the west and those Italian and German units that can be spared from Tobruk, do about it?....

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RE: Campaign For North Africa 40D-43

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Turn 73 - Axis Turn
20th August 1941


Goodness! I am sitting watching the AI turn and they have a whole load of reinforcements heading east....

Rommel reacts to the Indian occupation of Rotunda Segnali with a large-scale move of units to that area. Worse, is that the German/Italian armour that Creagh's troops failed to hurt last turn is sufficiently strong to retreat his forces...

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RE: Campaign For North Africa 40D-43

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Turn 73 - Axis Turn (cont)
20th August 1941


The Axis make an attack against the 20th New Zealand Infantry Battalion on the extreme left flank of the line. The Kiwis hold off the assault. At Knightsbridge to the southeast a sister battalion comes under fierce artillery assault and suffers heavy losses.

To the west the Central Indian Horse also beat off an attack by a panzer battalion. The whole left flank looks under threat here....

Sure enough as we approach the halfway mark, the Central Indian Horse are ejected from Rotunda Segnali and the NZ's 19th Battalion and 4th Brigade headquarters retreat from Knightsbridge courtesy of an attack by infantry of the Bologna Division.

Despite the split of forces the Germans are able to continue the bombardments of Tobruk as usual, with the usual results and a steady, constant drain on Allied numbers in the fortress....

Under intense pressure the Central Indian Horse is destroyed..... This allows most of the German armour to head back to Tobruk.

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RE: Campaign For North Africa 40D-43

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Turn 74
23rd August 1941


In a shocking development the South Africans are still not available.....

However another Tomahawk Squadron is (and I have to say how jolly splended 136 Squadron's insignia is [:)]... now where have I seen that before?:

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RE: Campaign For North Africa 40D-43

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Turn 74
23rd August 1941


The key tasks this turn is to eliminate the Italian armour that encroached in the line east of Tobruk (easily carried out) and then to try and remove Axis units from the Knightsbridge area - not so easy with the Kiwi's in less than ideal shape. The Axis forces are too powerful to eject which will make for an interesting next turn.....

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RE: Campaign For North Africa 40D-43

Post by Olorin »

I have to say, I was expecting the AI to easily lose Tobruk once your offensive begun, but it seems the DAK is strong still.
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RE: Campaign For North Africa 40D-43

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ORIGINAL: Olorin

I have to say, I was expecting the AI to easily lose Tobruk once your offensive begun, but it seems the DAK is strong still.
warspite1

I think there are a couple of things in play. One I have taken some steps not to exploit the AI's lack of judgement i.e. putting HQ in harms way for no reason, plus the withdrawal (or partial withdrawal) of the battleships and making destroyers have to escort any sea lift.

But I think the biggest reason for the Germans not losing Tobruk is the numpty in charge of the Allied forces.....
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RE: Campaign For North Africa 40D-43

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Turn 74 - Axis Turn
24th August 1941


The German panzers slice through the British lines at the junction of the 7th Armoured and 2nd New Zealand Division positions, while at Knightsbridge the Italians apply pressure, threatening to surround the Indian troops to the west.

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RE: Campaign For North Africa 40D-43

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Turn 75
27th August 1941


The German encroachment into the line southeast of Tobruk is cleared up, but the position to the southwest is altogether more serious....

Turn 75 - Axis Turn
27th August 1941


The Axis turn was one of concentrated bombardment across the board. I will need to check closely on the position of the troops...


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RE: Campaign For North Africa 40D-43

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Turn 76
30th August 1941


Merservy (4th Indian) and Watkins (1st Army Tank Brigade) extract their troops south of Rotunda Segnali and Knightsbridge as best they can, but it is clear that additional troops are required here - and the South Africans remain rooted firmly to the flesh pots of.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovXrOZq49TE

...and so aren't providing much in the way of assistance.

It is tempting to try and take out the Italian and German armour that have placed themselves in harms way. Both the Kiwis and 2nd Armoured have an anti-tank regiment.

However, I've noticed that the Australians seem a little light in numbers and it looks like there are just a couple of brigades left and no divisional HQ or supporting arms [&:] I can't say for certain if I've missed their withdrawal or if there is another problem with the reinforcement and withdrawal schedule. However I may know soon enough. The 20th and 26th Brigades are still on map and there is no sign of their withdrawal on the table. In real life the division was withdrawn during September and October and so my guess is that this is another problem with the table. If so this really needs looking at please because this is spoiling the game.

The British/Kiwis and Aussies content themselves with sorting out the line and pushing the enemy back toward the Tobruk perimeter. It is really tempting to try and follow the initial success up but Wavell is conscious that he is not exactly overloaded with troops and so plays the cautious game. Still that was not too bad a turn - even if Tobruk remains firmly besieged....

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RE: Campaign For North Africa 40D-43

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Turn 76 (cont)
30th August 1941


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RE: Campaign For North Africa 40D-43

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Turn 76 - Axis Turn
30th August 1941


This is distinctly uncomfortable.... The Kiwis anti-tank regiment and a battalion of infantry are destroyed and the Axis appear to have units galore all of a sudden....

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RE: Campaign For North Africa 40D-43

Post by Zorch »

ORIGINAL: warspite1

Turn 76
30th August 1941


Merservy (4th Indian) and Watkins (1st Army Tank Brigade) extract their troops south of Rotunda Segnali and Knightsbridge as best they can, but it is clear that additional troops are required here - and the South Africans remain rooted firmly to the flesh pots of.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovXrOZq49TE

...and so aren't providing much in the way of assistance.
Joel Cairo?


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RE: Campaign For North Africa 40D-43

Post by warspite1 »

ORIGINAL: Zorch

ORIGINAL: warspite1

Turn 76
30th August 1941


Merservy (4th Indian) and Watkins (1st Army Tank Brigade) extract their troops south of Rotunda Segnali and Knightsbridge as best they can, but it is clear that additional troops are required here - and the South Africans remain rooted firmly to the flesh pots of.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovXrOZq49TE

...and so aren't providing much in the way of assistance.
Joel Cairo?


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warspite1

No, Cairo, Cairo - of Pyramids fame....


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RE: Campaign For North Africa 40D-43

Post by Zorch »

ORIGINAL: warspite1

ORIGINAL: Zorch

ORIGINAL: warspite1

Turn 76
30th August 1941


Merservy (4th Indian) and Watkins (1st Army Tank Brigade) extract their troops south of Rotunda Segnali and Knightsbridge as best they can, but it is clear that additional troops are required here - and the South Africans remain rooted firmly to the flesh pots of.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovXrOZq49TE

...and so aren't providing much in the way of assistance.
Joel Cairo?


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warspite1

No, Cairo, Cairo - of Pyramids fame....


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Try an inspiring speech to motivate your army.

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RE: Campaign For North Africa 40D-43

Post by warspite1 »

ORIGINAL: Zorch

ORIGINAL: warspite1

ORIGINAL: Zorch



Joel Cairo?


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warspite1

No, Cairo, Cairo - of Pyramids fame....


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Try an inspiring speech to motivate your army.

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warspite1

...or more accurately


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RE: Campaign For North Africa 40D-43

Post by Zorch »

ORIGINAL: warspite1

ORIGINAL: Zorch

ORIGINAL: warspite1


warspite1

No, Cairo, Cairo - of Pyramids fame....


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Try an inspiring speech to motivate your army.

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warspite1

...or more accurately

Image
How did he get past the Royal Navy? Nelson should have caught him en route.
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RE: Campaign For North Africa 40D-43

Post by warspite1 »

ORIGINAL: Zorch

ORIGINAL: warspite1

ORIGINAL: Zorch



Try an inspiring speech to motivate your army.

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warspite1

...or more accurately

Image
How did he get past the Royal Navy? Nelson should have caught him en route.
warspite1

Maybe they were having a big **** up to celebrate the victory at Aboukir and so missed his little boaty thing sailing back to France?
Now Maitland, now's your time!

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RE: Campaign For North Africa 40D-43

Post by Zorch »

ORIGINAL: warspite1

ORIGINAL: Zorch

ORIGINAL: warspite1


warspite1

...or more accurately

Image
How did he get past the Royal Navy? Nelson should have caught him en route.
warspite1

Maybe they were having a big **** up to celebrate the victory at Aboukir and so missed his little boaty thing sailing back to France?
According to Boney, he was 'summoned back to France by the Directory to save France'. [:D]
Just a coincidence that he had failed at Acre and had nowhere else to go.

I work with an Egyptian from Cairo; he says there's a town where the people are descended from French soldiers.
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