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

[Curtis Lemay]

ORIGINAL: warspite1

ORIGINAL: Cfant

ORIGINAL: warspite1


warspite1

I think as always there are two sides to every story. Not saying you are wrong or that my tactics are right, however the British are suffering from a number of handicaps;

- They simply have very few units. These are precious and can't be frittered away.
- The Axis completely have the initiative as the CW has no intelligence (and I'm not just referring to the bozo they have in charge)
- Put those two facts together and you get the situation where the Axis can pounce on individual units acting as a screen and wipe them out. Bigger stacks are - like with the attack at Buq Buq and Sofafi - designed to give the CW time, even when in danger of envelopment.

This are good reasons. On the other hand, I played this scenario 2 times in a pbem. The problem is: units have very high movement points here. they can bypass you either way. If your units are stacked, ONE attack is enough then to wipe them all out. Even more, the axis only have to bypass ONE hex. It costs them much more time if they have to bypass 3 or 4 hexes. And there are more fights to reduce the encircled units, having more chances for turn-burn.

warspite1

I have certainly taken on board the point and in the last few turns have been utilising the dividing of units more to allow for reconnaissance (without losing too many precious units if they get found).

I think in that last turn I was guilty of taking the Italian approach and having too big a gap between defending units - and these gaps were cleverly exploited by my opponent.

It's the classic Desert War problem: Bunch up and they'll flank you. Spread too thin and they'll punch right through.

There's no easy solution. You have to find a happy medium. Keeps everybody on pins and needles the entire campaign.

[Zorch]

Happy Medium = seance on Prozac?

[warspite1]

Turn 81
25th June 1941

A busy turn for the Axis.

1. There was an attack on the airfield at Maaten Baggush, Heinkels from Crete escorted by Italian fighters attack the Hurricanes there. 1 Hurricane destroyed and 11 disabled, compared to 1 and 9 for the Axis.

2. A second attack - all Italian this time - against Gerawla airfield sees 2 Hurricanes destroyed and 5 disabled against 5 and 9 for the enemy.

3. A 3rd attack is launched - back to Maaten Baggush again. 2 Hurricanes destroyed and 3 disabled, but the Axis air forces come off worse - 9 destroyed and 10 disabled.

4. The final airfield attack is directed at Gerawla once more and sees 2 more Hurricanes destroyed and 1 disabled for the loss of 1 Italian bomber and a further 9 disabled.

The two British infantry companies were, as expected, surrounded and destroyed.

Tobruk comes under continuous barrage too. No units evaporated but another big drain on the defenders......

[warspite1]

Turn 81
25th June 1941

Nothing much to be done this turn. Same problem as before, I don't know where the panzers are... However, the Italian infantry at Zawyet Shammus at least allow my artillery to get some shooting practice in.

[warspite1]

Turn 82
28th June 1942

The Axis continue to pound away at the defenders of Tobruk from the air as well as using their artillery. There was plenty of movement that turn but as ever I can't see what is happening. What I can detect is that there is more of a German presence around Tobruk now.......

[warspite1]

Turn 82
28th June 1941

I order a machine gun battalion to Tobruk. This gets to its destination without incident.

With Tobruk coming under intolerable pressure I feel the need to do something. I decide to launch an armoured probe along the coast road west of Zawyet Shammus.

For this I order a task force to sea. Unfortunately the task force is found by enemy bombers. HM Ships Barham and Arethusa are caught out; the battleship receives 13% damage and the cruiser 1%. The accompanying fighters lose 8 aircraft (2 destroyed) for the loss of 17 aircraft (6 destroyed).

The RN crack on regardless, the senior service put themselves in harm's way to try and assist the army.....

[warspite1]

Turn 82
28th June 1941

Of the 13 operational squadrons, all are ordered to action stations. The limited probe is to be launched by the 7th Armoured Division (the 1st Army Tank Brigade and 2nd Armoured remain in reserve).

[warspite1]

Turn 82
28th June 1941

The turn starts with two rounds of bombardments, during the second of which the 7th Armoured send enemy forces scurrying into retreat. An Italian regiment fills the gap but the enemy are ripe for defeat in the follow-up attacks....

Unbelievable... I suffer a force proficiency check..... That is a problem.

[warspite1]

Turn 83 - Axis Turn
2nd July 1941

That is incredible. That stirred up a hornets next - 4,665 enemy moves - imagine if I hadn't failed a proficiency check?!?!

I lose my Wellingtons to a furball, Tobruk gets an absolute hammering again - an attack can't be long in coming now as there is much movement around Tobruk.

The RN take another hit - Dido 25% and Ajax 21% - and they can't retreat because they are all reorganising... good grief.

Worse of all, my surprise attack fails as the enemy has now been able to move away. All in all I am feeling a little sorry for myself...

But am I downhearted? Yes! er... I mean NO!

[warspite1]

Turn 83
2nd July 1941

I try to exploit my initial attack before the enemy has a chance to prepare new defences. It looks like he has left a number of battalion and detachment-sized obstacles in the way. I am running a huge risk that the turn will end but I couldn't be that unlucky could I?


7th Armoured attempt to secure the coast road to limit Axis re-supply to units in the south

[warspite1]

Turn 83
2nd July 1941

After 6 rounds (2 attacks) Sidi Barrani falls to the 7th Armoured Division but the Axis aircraft are attacking everything that moves - and everything that doesn't....and that's despite having 8 squadrons on air superiority missions and supposedly having air superiority... strange.


Hussars hope to take Buq Buq on the march but find it occupied.... Elements from 70th Division, 22nd Guards Brigade and whatever I can find aim to clear the track to the south

[warspite1]

Turn 83
2nd July 1941

The turn ends without me being able to clear the remaining Axis forces at Piccadilly Circus. All now depends on what the Germans have to counter my strung out forces with.....


I have to hope that all that attacking with aircraft has taken its toll - one SM.79 squadron was furballed and Axis losses were over 50 aircraft allegedly

[warspite1]

Turn 84 - Axis Turn
5th July 1941

Sadly I lost the Combat results for this turn. From memory the Axis pounded the RN, damaging two of the cruisers, and they also bombarded the tanks northeast of Buq Buq in addition to the obligatory punishment meted out to Tobruk......

[warspite1]

Turn 84
5th July 1941

The RN beat a retreat and are harassed by the Axis air forces on the way back to Egypt. The first attack launched was bad news for the Luftwaffe - losing 11 bombers (3 destroyed)

[warspite1]

Turn 84
5th July 1941

As the wounded task force moves northeast so they are caught again, but once again the attack fails. The RAF lose 4 Hurricanes (2 destroyed) but the Axis air forces lose 12 aircraft (5 destroyed).

[warspite1]

Turn 84
5th July 1941

The forces in Tobruk are bolstered with the arrival of the Free French Marines and a battalion of Australians.

The big question though is what to do about the Buq Buq - Sofafi region?

First things first though and the remaining Axis units that were surrounded are destroyed.

I then decide to try and follow on from the initial aborted operation....

[warspite1]

Turn 84
5th July 1941

While bombarding the Italian units on the road, the tank of the 7th Armoured try and penetrate the southern flank of the Italian position. The unwelcome site of the 8th Panzer Regiment (at least one battalion) then comes into view as the Axis panzer and motorised forces stop the British in their tracks.

[warspite1]

Turn 84
5th July 1941

To the south, southwest of Sofafi the tanks of 2nd Armoured, supported by the 2nd RTR from the 7th Armoured, force the Italian motorised infantry back.

[warspite1]

Turn 84
5th July 1941

These actions take a large part of the turn, but was a necessary evil.

The presence of the Germans largely brings operations at Buq Buq to a halt, and I instead concentrate on trying to bombard the German tanks.

The action continues southwest of Sofafi however.

[warspite1]

Turn 84
5th July 1941

The turn ends with an attack against a single battalion of infantry which, amazingly, manages to hold the line.....