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

[warspite1]

Okay so here is my 4th and final AAR for this scenario. I'm doing two as the Commonwealth and so here is my second as the Axis.

Same rules apply as before.

The Italians need to take three specific objectives by turns 3, 4 and 5 or the game ends embarrassingly early.....

[warspite1]

Turn 1
18th September 1940

This time I went for something a little different. I bombarded the Halfaya Pass but never attacked. I am hoping that the units there will be reorganising as a result. Just two units directly east of Sidi Omar survive, but there are a few units in the south that got away and I don't know how much damage they can do. We'll see.

The picture is not brilliant as you can't get the shot you want at the end of the turn but here is a rough idea. The British at Halfaya in the north remain in place.

[warspite1]

Turn 1
18th September 1940

That's interesting I got no playback of the turn. It went straight to Combat results. Is that normal when playing the Axis?

Anyway I'll keep a check on this next turn. In the meantime the British seek to disengage

[warspite1]

Turn 2
21st September 1940

Okay so I'm talking cobleaux. The playback screen now arrives - I've never seen the combat results first before though....

The British did withdraw from the Halfaya Pass...

Well the Italians are a challenge aren't they? The Cirene Division has had too much exertion and needs to reorganise.

Round 1

I think I've got a little over excited and rushed forward to Sidi Barani with too few units....

Anyway, lets ignore that potential debacle for the moment. I surround the remaining British units I can see and try and bombard them to extinction. Two barrages have absolutely no effect however....

Round 3

I can't use barrages with my forward units as they've used up too much movement... I can only bombard a couple of the surrounded units.

Round 5

One of the surrounded units is finally taken out but the other retreats. Meanwhile I can at last get to pound the infantry defending west of Sidi Barani

Round 7

I wasn't to know it but the turn ends at the end of this round....

I manage to destroy the remaining trapped units (just) and then set about Sidi Barani and the units to the west protecting the town. Sadly, just one weak tank battalion advances and I see the CW have an anti tank regiment in Sidi Barani....

My tank forces are unable to destroy a Free French Marine detachment, but at least force it off the road.

Another of my tank units has ventured too far east and has met two British tank regiments!!

I can confirm that playing the Italians is very different to playing the CW!

[warspite1]

Turn 2
21st September 1940

The butcher's bill.

[devoncop]

All I will say to your comment that playing the Italians is very different.............."Welcome to my world"

Marshalling Italian units is like trying to herd particularly unco-operative and feeble cats.[;)]

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: devoncop

All I will say to your comment that playing the Italians is very different.............."Welcome to my world"

Marshalling Italian units is like trying to herd particularly unco-operative and feeble cats.[;)]

warspite1

[:)]

[warspite1]

Turn 3 - Commonwealth Turn
25th September 1940

Interesting tactics from my opponent. He has not sought to counter-attack at Sidi Barani..... nor has he taken out the tank battalion that stumbled into two tank regiments....

I smell something fishy, and its not the contents of Baldrick's apple crumble....

[warspite1]

Turn 3
25th September 1940

I order forward a battalion of the Sibille Division as far as Zawyet Shammus. There it comes across an anti-tank regiment and a battalion of motorised infantry.

I send forward a battalion from the Pescatori Division toward Bir el Qatrani but can see nothing.

[warspite1]

Turn 3
25th September 1940

Unsurprisingly I take Sidi Barani. All I can do now is await to see what devious, despicable plan stelel has in store for my troops....

[devoncop]

There is a possibly valid approach to pull back CW forces a long way and draw the 10th Army into Egypt which are then frozen in place, widely dispersed when the ceasefire hits ready for crushing when OConnors raid starts....

Maybe this is his plan?

[warspite1]

Indeed but I've found an even more valid plan and I've just walked right into it.....

Note to self:

RTFM!!!!!!

The ceasefire does not begin on Turn 5 - it begins immediately after the 3 objectives are taken. What a total and utter 24-carat moron I am....

[devoncop]

[:)] [:)]

Just call me Mystic Meg..

Do I win a prize?

If you aren't impressed with the Italians now.....wait til the ceasefire ends

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: devoncop

[:)] [:)]

Just call me Mystic Meg..

Do I win a prize?

If you aren't impressed with the Italians now.....wait til the ceasefire ends

warspite1

But I purposely didn't chase after his units - but still managed to shoot myself in the foot through my own stupidity.

Mussolini: That warspito1 is a total arsehead.

[warspite1]

Turn 3 - Commonwealth Turn
25th September 1940

The Commonwealth move forces west as the cease-fire kicks in. My reconnaissance is 0% so can only actually see an Indian infantry battalion at Zawyet Shammus.

[warspite1]

Turn 4
28th September 1940

The cease-fire begins. my eleven leading formations are now locked in place.

- The cease-fire automatically ends on turn 25. The following turn any Italian units still alive can then start moving again.

- The Commonwealth can end the cease-fire early. This option is available from Turn 9.

- If they do begin O'Connor's raid before turn 25 then the following applies:

~ Italian forces are un-frozen the following turn
~ The Italians still receive the increased shock penalties for the four turns following the break
~ The Italians no longer have to hold the three objective hexes until turn 25
~ The Italian rear area forces are released

I think that pretty much covers it.

[warspite1]

Turn 4
28th September 1940

I will spend the next 5 turns going through the Italian army formations (plus any changes to the air force).

XXVI Corps HQ

XXVI Corps Artillery Regt. - 35/36 75mm guns

Proficiency circa 60% but supply and readiness is very poor

XXI Corps HQ

XXI Corps Artillery Regt. - 23/24 10mm Howitzers, 12/12 75mm guns

Proficiency circa 63% but supply and readiness is very poor

Sibille Division HQ

This unit consists of two regiments of infantry:

1st Libyan HQ
VIII Bn. - 34/40 rifle squads
IX Bn. - 38/40
X Bn. - 40/40

2nd Libyan HQ
XI Bn. - 40/40
XII Bn. - 38/40
XIII Bn. - 39/40

The division also contains:

1st Libyan Artillery Regiment - 22/48 75mm guns
1st Libyan Anti-Tank company - 8/8 47mm anti-tank guns

Proficiency for all units is circa 40% (mostly significantly less). Readiness and supply are good.

4th CCNN Division HQ

This unit consists of two regiments of infantry:

240th Legion HQ
70th Bn. - 39/40 Rifle Squads
119th Bn. - 37/40
176th Bn. - 35/40

270th Legion HQ
3rd Bn. - 39/40
17th Bn. - 34/40
170th Bn. - 39/40

The division also contains:

204th Machine Gun Bn. - 40/44 machine guns
204th Artillery Regt. - 21/24 75mm Howitzer and 10/12 105mm guns
204th Engineer Bn. - 33/33 Engineer Squads

Proficiency is circa 60%, supply and readiness healthy but artillery is almost out of supplies

Pescatori Division HQ

The unit consists of two regiments of infantry:

3rd Libyan Regt. HQ
II Bn. - 40/40 Lt Rifle Squads
VI Bn. - 39/40
VII Bn. - 39/40

4th Libyan Regt. HQ
XIV Bn. - 40/40
XV Bn. - Eliminated
XVI Bn. - 38/40

The division also contains:

2nd Libyan Artillery Regt. - 35/36 75mm guns and 11/12 100mm Howitzers

The proficiency is circa 40% but supply and readiness generally (artillery excluded) is pretty good.

[warspite1]

Turn 5
2nd October 1940

Cirene Division HQ

This unit consists of two regiments of infantry:

157th Infantry HQ
I Bn. - 59/60 Light Rifle Squads
II Bn. - 59/60
III Bn. - 56/60

158th Infantry HQ
I Bn. - 60/60
II Bn. - 58/60
III Bn. - 53/60

The division also contains:

63rd Machine-Gun Bn. - 43/44 Machine-guns
63rd Anti-Tank Batt. - 7/8 47mm AT guns
45th Artillery Regt. - 20/24 75mm guns, 6/12 100mm Howitzers
63rd Engineer Bn. - 33/33 Engineer Squads
63rd Bersaglieri Motorcycle - 10/10 M/cycle Squads

Proficiency roughly 50%, readiness and supply generally good

1st CCNN Division HQ

This unit consists of two regiments of infantry:

219th Legion HQ
129 Bn. - 37/40 Lt Rifle Squads
133 Bn. - 39/40
146 Bn. - 37/40

233rd Legion HQ
114 Bn. - 39/40
116 Bn. - 39/40
118 Bn. - 38/40

The division also contains:

201st Machine Gun Bn. - 39/44 Machine-guns
201st Artillery Regt. - 24/24 75mm guns and 12/12 100mm Howitzers
201st Engineer Bn. - 33/33 Engineer Squads
201st Bersaglieri Motorcycle - 9/10 M/cycle Squads

Proficiency circa 65% and supply and readiness both pretty good

Libyan Tank Command HQ

This unit consists of:

Aresca Regt. HQ
XXI(L) Bn. - 44/45 L3/35
LXII(L) Bn. - 43/45
LXIII(L) Bn. - 45/45
I(M) Bn. - 35/35 M11/39

Trivoli Regt. HQ
IX(L) Bn. - 45/45 L3/35
XX(L) Bn. - 44/45
LX(L) Bn. - 45/45
LXI(L) Bn. - 43/45
II(M) Bn. - 34/35 M11/39

Proficiency is circa 60% and supply and readiness generally good.

[warspite1]

Turn 6
5th October 1940

Marmarcia Division HQ

This unit consists of two regiments of infantry:

115th Infantry HQ
I Bn. - 57/60 Lt Rifle Squads
II Bn. - 58/60
III Bn. - 57/60

116th Infantry HQ
I Bn. - 57/60
II Bn. - 53/60
III Bn. - 59/60

The division also contains:

62nd Machine Gun Bn. - 35/44 machine guns
62nd Anti-Tank Batt. - 7/8 47mm AT Guns
44th Artillery Regt. - 23/24 75mm Howitzer and 12/12 105mm guns
62nd Engineer Bn. - 32/33 Engineer Squads

Proficiency is circa 50%, supply and readiness variable within the division

Maletti Group HQ

Thus unit consists of three regiments:

I LMR HQ
I ILM Bn. - 37/40 Lt Rifle Squads
III ILM Bn. - 38/40
V ILM Bn. - 38/40

5th Libyan HQ
XVII Bn. - 39/40
XIX Bn. - 39/40

Sahariano HQ
1 Sah Camel Bn. - 37/45 Mounted Rifle Squads
2 Sah Camel Bn. - 30/45
3 Sah Camel Bn. - 41/45

The group also contains:

1st Maletti Artillery Bn. - 12/16 75mm guns
2nd Maletti Artillery Bn. - 10/16 75mm Howitzers

Proficiency circa 40%, supply and readiness variable but artillery very poor

[warspite1]

Turn 7
9th October 1940

Catanzaro Division HQ

This unit consists of two regiments of infantry:

141st Infantry HQ
I Bn. - 60/60 Lt Rifle Squads
II Bn. - 60/60
III Bn. - 60/60

142nd Infantry HQ
I Bn. - 60/60
II Bn. - 60/60
III Bn. - 60/60

The division also contains:

64th Machine Gun Bn. - 44/44 machine guns
64th Anti-Tank Batt. - 8/8 47mm AT Guns
203rd Artillery Regt. - 24/24 75mm Howitzer and 12/12 105mm guns
64th Engineer Bn. - 33/33 Engineer Squads

Proficiency is circa 50%, supply and readiness excellent (as they haven't moved yet!).

We'll leave the Garrison units until they come into play

Axis Saharan Detachment HQ

1st Saharan Bn. - 40/40 Lt Rifle Squads
2nd Saharan Bn. - 40/40 Lt Rifle Squads
Saharan Machine Gun Bn. - 46/46 Machine guns
Saharan Motorised MG Bn. - 22/22 Machine guns
Saharan Artillery Bn. - 12/8(?) 65mm Lt guns
Meharisiti Cavalry Bn. - 26/45 Mounted Rifle Squads

Proficiency circa 70% and supply and readiness are good.

The final non-garrison unit that appears (all the way back to the rear (and not frozen) is:

3rd CCNN Division HQ

This unit consists of one regiment of infantry:

250th Legion HQ
81st Bn. - 37/40 Lt Rifle Squads
156th Bn. - 33/40
158th Bn. - 38/40

The division also contains:

203rd Machine Gun Bn. - 39/44 Machine-guns
214th Artillery Regt. - 17/24 75mm guns and 10/12 100mm Howitzers
203rd Engineer Bn. - 32/33 Engineer Squads
201st Bersaglieri Motorcycle - 9/10 M/cycle Squads
140th Bn. - 35/40 Lt Rifle Squads

Proficiency circa 65% and supply and readiness both pretty good