Hi everyone, and Merry X-mas.
It's time for the start of my. hopefully fairly long, AAR series for Desert Fox.
As some of you may recall, I've in the past said that I'm not fully happy with the way in which my current style of AAR reads, so, given the semi-rpg nature of MCNA, I'm trying something different.
These AARs will be post war interrogations carried out by the Americans, on the Kampfgruppe leader, as part of the series of such that the US actually did conduct.
I hope the format is somewhat realistic, and want to give Kudo's to our own Warrior, Steve Avery, who has agreed to play Major Avery, intel officer, in these AARs.
Alex
Desert Fox AAR
Moderator: MOD_SPWaW
Desert Fox AAR
"Tonight a dynasty is born." Ricky Proehl, then of the Saint Louis Rams. He was right! Go Pats! Winners of Super Bowls 36, 38 and 39.
Battle #1 - Match 23, 1941.
El Aghela
January 3, 1946
HQ, USAEUR
Office of the G-2
Nurnburg, Germany
Intelligence Report Series 3: Operations of Kampfgruppe Eisbar, North Africa, 1941, Section 1.
Subject: General Alexandra Weiss (for Biography and Service Record see Appendix, Annex A). At the time of the operations of Gruppe Eisbar, General Weiss was the Colonel in command of the Gruppe. General Weiss is the sole, known, female General Officer of the German Army. Her husband, Colonel General Weiss, was killed in action in 1944 in the Ukraine, during an operation codenamed "Watchword Freedom." General Weiss' gruppe surrendered on April 22, 1945, to General Patton's 3rd Army. Subject is of ethnic Russian origin, believed to have emigrated with her family during the 1918 uprising againzt the Czarist regime. Subject speaks fluent Russian, German, English, and Italian, has a passable knowledge of Ukrainian, and has cooperated with all interrogations. Subject is well regarded by her surviving command, a hodepodge of German, Austrian and Ukraining soliders, with a mix of German and Soviet equipment at the time of surrender.
Interviewer: Maj. Avery, US Army Intelligence.
<The following is the verbatim transcript of the session>
"Good Morning, General. Are you ready to continue?"
"Yes. We left off, as I recall, with your asking about the shift of Eisbar from Norway to Africa."
"That is correct. According to Gereral Rommel's War Diary, he was not expecting you or your command. He was expecting a different oberst, a Colonel Dietsl."
"Yes. Hans Dietsl served in the Ghost Division in France, although I don't know in what capacity. I was, as you are aware, in Norway at the time. However, Dietsl was injured in some sort of accident, and OKH, acting on behalf of the Chancellor, decided that a Panzer Gruppe was not needed in Norway, so we were tasked to take over his job. The gruppe flew via Condor to Bremerhaven, then by train to Italy, then once more via Condor to Africa.
"We arrived on March 20th, 1941. We were met at the airport by General Garibaldi, and Colonel Westphal. General Garibaldi commanded the Italian forces, and I knew him. We had met in 1937 during a trip my husband and I made to Italy that year. Westphal was Rommel's Ia, which is our version of your G-3. He, and later on von Mellinthin, played a major role in the DaKs success. I only knew Paul by reputation."
"What was Africa like, and when did you meet General Rommel?"
"It was hot. I was not pleased, at first, to be there. I liked Norway, and wanted to be in Poland, with my husband's division. I knew they were in training, however, I did not know for what. Barbarossa was a suprise to me. I met Rommel on the 21st, formally. We spoke, each taking the others measure. He asked when the Gruppe would be ready. I asked for two weeks, to get the men acclimated. He gave me three days."
"Only three days? Why?"
"To test me. We were ready, so I must have passed. I also tested him, though."
"How?"
"In Norway, our tanks didn't have the normal German markings. Instead, we painted a polar bear - an eisbar - centred inside the Maltese cross on the sides of the tanks. We did so, as well, in the desert, and later. In the desert, though, it was for two reasons. One, to let the British know we were there, and to see how Rommel would react."
"How did he react?"
<subject laughed> "I'm not exactly sure. He let it stay, though, so I believe he approved."
"What did Eisbar consist of?"
"At that time, it was myself and my staff, a security platoon of panzergrenadiers under Lt Schafer, a scout platoon equipped with SdKfz 222s under Lt Schweitzer, and the panzer company under Captain Schurtz. His command section, and the first three platoons, under Lt's Hoffman, Steiner, and Bauer, were using Mk III's. The 4th Platoon, under Lt Heidrich, was in Mk IVs."
"Your initial action was fought at El Aghela, correct?"
"Yes. We were attached to the recon battalaion of General Steich's 5th Light Division. We were tasked with cracking the enemy line and taking the base at El Aghela. After consulting with General's Rommel and Streich, and Colonel's Westphal and Engel - the battaltion commander - I decided on a night attack."
"Why?"
"I was not yes used to the desert, and the British were. Until I understood it better, I did not want to give them the advantage Night would take away the long range fire of AT guns, and allow my forces to try and bypass the initial defenses."
"Could you describe the battle."
"Indeed. The battle group was divided into three forces. TF North, TF South, and the main body. North was small. It consisted of a single platoon of SdKfz 231 armored cars, 2 Italian tank platoons equipped with M13/40 tanks, and a pair of flak vehicles. It was to move forward, try to skirt into the town, and, basically, be a worry for the enemy commander.
"South was larger, and under the command of Col Engel. He had his command section, a reinforced platoon of engineers and tracks, my own Scout, 1st and 2nd Platoons, a section of Sig 33 assault guns, a mortar track, 3 AA tracks, and an ammo carrier. His job was to get into the camp from the south, and take as much as it as possible.
"The main body was under my own command, with the assitance of General Streich. In addition to the rest of Eisbar, and the two command sections, it had an engineer platoon, a scout platoon of 231s, 1 Mk II platoon, 3 more AA vehicles, 1 mortar track, an independent mortar team, 2 platoons of Mk IVs, 2 platoons of Stugs, additial ammo supply, and a FO and a panzergrenadier platoon. General Sterich was forward, near the front of the column. My own CP was along the Via Balbia, secured by my security platoon, to direct traffic, including follow on forces.
"We left the LoD at 2200, and the first 15 minutes went smooth. South was undetected, the main body had brushed aside an outpost, though a Mk II had a gun failure. I ordered them to withdraw if it was still down by the time the column had passed.
"North was in contact. It had a vehicle immobized by mines, another by an ATR team. Both were 231s. They'd killed an enemy MG team, and an AT vehicle.
"At roughly 2215, additional forces arrived. They consisted of a full platoon of Sig 33s, escorted by 2 Mk IIIs. By then, both sides were hitting the other with artillery just to try and harrass the opposite side.
"Over the next 15 minutes we kept advancing. North repaired one of it's armored cars, but had another destroyed by the ATR team. That team was in turn destroyed by the tanks. They bypassed an ATG position. They were hit by enemy aircraft which destroyed one car and killed the crew of another, as well as an enemy MG nest. After the strike, they were confused, but got sorted out, and advanced, knocking out another At vehicle.
"South and the main body advanced, for over ten minutes, unimpeded by the enemy. The main body then reached the outskirts of the city, losing a 231 to an AT team ambush. In addition, a Mk IV was knocked out, but the enemy lost a Cruiser tank and a large bore howitzer.
"At this point, TF South was still unknown to the enemy.
"We were reinforced by an addional PzGren squad, as well as a command track for my CP. After they linked up, we joined the main column. Slightly after that, two more platoons of panzer grenadiers arrived. They were ordered to move across country and reinforce TF North."
"Why were you sending more men to the diversionary force to the north? That doesn't seem to make sense to me."
"Why? It was logical. First, they needed some infantry to clear small obstacles like that ATR team. Next, even though it was a diversion, it had to be beliveable, and the British would expect us to have infantry support with all of our elements."
"Ahh, I understand. Please continue."
"It was about 2230, now, and we had made contact, in the center, with the main enemy line. While North slowly advanced, the main body pushed aside a squad and entered the camp, through the gap made with the loss of the enemy tank and howitzer. Infantry - a squad - were assigned to deal with the ATR team, and General Streich set up his forward CP. TF South also made contact - and Eisbar took it's first African losses - as one of my own 222s was destroyed. Ironically, it was a captured Italian tank, manned by the enemy, that made the kill. Next, that tank knocked out Sgt Becker's Mk III, though there were survivoirs. We reacted well, supressing it with tank and AA fire, then engineers raced in and killed it. South was blooded but active.
"The enemy's next line knocked out a 231 with an AT gun, and a lone tank probed forward, a minor counterattack. The RAF made another nighttime appearance, damaging another armored car. We pushed on, the enemy center having a 400 meter hole ripped in it's center. The second line slowed us though. A Mk IV exploded as we hit a series of guns, dug in behind a wall. TF South swept north, knocking out a howitzer. The engineers found two more Italian tanks, and killed one, as well as an enemy ATR team. The enemy also had infantry behind the wall, and we lost a 231 and an AA track.
"However, at 45 minutes into the attack, we were inside the wire, and the assault was going well. The enemy was already back to his inner defense line and we had that under fire. North was sorted out, and once more advancing in mass, with it's new infantry component. Soon, they were in position to sweep around the enemy's north flank.
"South was advancing as well, against moderate opposition. It lost another of my 222s, and a track, but knocked out enemy infantry, 2 more tanks, 2 AT vehicle, and a mortar pit. By 2255, they felt that they had an open enemy flank, and Col Engel was preparing to set up a CP, and that was up and running by 2300.
"The main body, though, had the hardest fight. They were up to the task, though, as they knocked out 2 ATGs, an AA gun, a tank, and some infantry at the cost of a lone AA track destroyed and, 2 tanks, and 1 half track damaged. Enemy artillery was falling heavily on the main body. The enemy launched a two tank attack against the main body, but both were destroyed without causing us any damage."
"So, it is now around 2300? What was the situation?"
"Correct. TF North was about to turn the enemy's right. TF South and the main main body had taken 60 percent of the first line, and had cracked into the second. South claimed it was moving into open space on the enemy left. We estimated 10 to 15 more minutes to crack the enemy center, then we'd just have to mop up with any luck."
"Thank you, General. Please continue."
"Thank you. As I said, at this point I was confident. All three of the tanks the enemy had counter attacked with had come from the north, against the main body, and I was hoping that they'd denuded that part of thier defense, with TF North getting ready to hit them. North swung around, and killed a scout car and a tank, and located an AT position. They dismouted infantry to deal with the AT guns, and the vehicles skirted it, once more proving that this night attack was a good idea.
"In the meantime, TF South was advancing to the east, intending to sweep around the town and take the airfield beyond it. They rolled over a small hill, knocking out four trucks, a mortar postion, infantry, a howitzer position and a MG position as they went. They came down, off the hill, near an intersection. There was a road here running north to the town, and a trail running northeast, towards the airfield. They went northeast.
"The main body pushed past the wall, into the town, and also started to clear out what was still in British hands of the main line. It knocked out a tank, a truck, an infantry carrier, an AT position and destroyed 2 mortar positions, as well as a number of infantry. However, in the town itself, we were short on infantry, so, after my group rolled into town, I dismounted my staff, and my reinforced security platoon, and headed for the wall with them. We also lost a Mk IV and a Stug to another of the enemy's howitzer's. At around 2320, we got the first message I was waiting for. 'South exit secure' That told me that the town was half isolated."
"Wait, you were going in yourself? With an infantry element?"
"Yes, I was not walking point, but I did go forward, to lead the last phase of the assault in person, and that phase was commencing. We were inside the town, and the entire first enemy line of resistance was gone. I felt it was safe for me to enter the tactical environment, and allow General Streich to run the overall attack.
"TF North's infantry force knocked out 2 AT positions, allowing the vehicles to safely move forward. They did advance, knocking out a mortar team and infantry, though they lost a halftrack to a daring close range enemy infantry attack. They kept moving, though, and overran a mortar position, and knocked out yet another ATG. At 2330, they reported 'North exit secure'. We now held three quarters of the access points to the town. If TF South could take the field, we could halt, and let the remaining enemy surrender in the morning.
"TF South remounted it's infantry, and knocked out an enemy squad, then dashed along the trail. After 300 or 400 meters, they came under AT fire, and called for arty support, which was granted. With help from the main body, they knocked out the AT gun, 3 trucks, and a Bren carrier. They also dispersed some infantry, but not before losing one of my Mark IIIs, from 3rd platoon.
"The main body knocked out the howitzer, a mortar and another AT gun, but lost a Mk IV to an AA gun. We also took the center of the town even as I walked through the gate. We held slightly over a third of it at this point.
"Suddenly, we all looked up in shock! A Luftwaffe aircraft, not called in by us, appeared, and attacked near the airfield, and then flew off. No one knew how - or why - it had appeared.
"After it vanished. South darted in. They knocked out another track, and more infantry. They lost another Mk III, but took the west gate at 2340. The town was now completely isolated. Realizing this, the senior surviving enemy officer, the Supply Officer, surrendered the town at 2400 hours.
"General Rommel was pleased with the sucess of the attack. He awarded me the 'Infantry Assault Badge' for my leading my platoon into the town. The loss of El Aghela opened the way for us to advance, and the enemy dug in, once more, at a place called Mersa el Braga."
"How would you characterize the British defense of El Aghela?"
"Tenacious, but unimaginative. They only counterattacked with three tanks, right into my main body, and those were destroyed. The mines were an inconvenice, but the fixed defenses were quite limited at night, and that hurt them immesurably. The men, though, fought very well as did our own."
<Scen Result, German DV. Campaign Points: 4>
El Aghela
January 3, 1946
HQ, USAEUR
Office of the G-2
Nurnburg, Germany
Intelligence Report Series 3: Operations of Kampfgruppe Eisbar, North Africa, 1941, Section 1.
Subject: General Alexandra Weiss (for Biography and Service Record see Appendix, Annex A). At the time of the operations of Gruppe Eisbar, General Weiss was the Colonel in command of the Gruppe. General Weiss is the sole, known, female General Officer of the German Army. Her husband, Colonel General Weiss, was killed in action in 1944 in the Ukraine, during an operation codenamed "Watchword Freedom." General Weiss' gruppe surrendered on April 22, 1945, to General Patton's 3rd Army. Subject is of ethnic Russian origin, believed to have emigrated with her family during the 1918 uprising againzt the Czarist regime. Subject speaks fluent Russian, German, English, and Italian, has a passable knowledge of Ukrainian, and has cooperated with all interrogations. Subject is well regarded by her surviving command, a hodepodge of German, Austrian and Ukraining soliders, with a mix of German and Soviet equipment at the time of surrender.
Interviewer: Maj. Avery, US Army Intelligence.
<The following is the verbatim transcript of the session>
"Good Morning, General. Are you ready to continue?"
"Yes. We left off, as I recall, with your asking about the shift of Eisbar from Norway to Africa."
"That is correct. According to Gereral Rommel's War Diary, he was not expecting you or your command. He was expecting a different oberst, a Colonel Dietsl."
"Yes. Hans Dietsl served in the Ghost Division in France, although I don't know in what capacity. I was, as you are aware, in Norway at the time. However, Dietsl was injured in some sort of accident, and OKH, acting on behalf of the Chancellor, decided that a Panzer Gruppe was not needed in Norway, so we were tasked to take over his job. The gruppe flew via Condor to Bremerhaven, then by train to Italy, then once more via Condor to Africa.
"We arrived on March 20th, 1941. We were met at the airport by General Garibaldi, and Colonel Westphal. General Garibaldi commanded the Italian forces, and I knew him. We had met in 1937 during a trip my husband and I made to Italy that year. Westphal was Rommel's Ia, which is our version of your G-3. He, and later on von Mellinthin, played a major role in the DaKs success. I only knew Paul by reputation."
"What was Africa like, and when did you meet General Rommel?"
"It was hot. I was not pleased, at first, to be there. I liked Norway, and wanted to be in Poland, with my husband's division. I knew they were in training, however, I did not know for what. Barbarossa was a suprise to me. I met Rommel on the 21st, formally. We spoke, each taking the others measure. He asked when the Gruppe would be ready. I asked for two weeks, to get the men acclimated. He gave me three days."
"Only three days? Why?"
"To test me. We were ready, so I must have passed. I also tested him, though."
"How?"
"In Norway, our tanks didn't have the normal German markings. Instead, we painted a polar bear - an eisbar - centred inside the Maltese cross on the sides of the tanks. We did so, as well, in the desert, and later. In the desert, though, it was for two reasons. One, to let the British know we were there, and to see how Rommel would react."
"How did he react?"
<subject laughed> "I'm not exactly sure. He let it stay, though, so I believe he approved."
"What did Eisbar consist of?"
"At that time, it was myself and my staff, a security platoon of panzergrenadiers under Lt Schafer, a scout platoon equipped with SdKfz 222s under Lt Schweitzer, and the panzer company under Captain Schurtz. His command section, and the first three platoons, under Lt's Hoffman, Steiner, and Bauer, were using Mk III's. The 4th Platoon, under Lt Heidrich, was in Mk IVs."
"Your initial action was fought at El Aghela, correct?"
"Yes. We were attached to the recon battalaion of General Steich's 5th Light Division. We were tasked with cracking the enemy line and taking the base at El Aghela. After consulting with General's Rommel and Streich, and Colonel's Westphal and Engel - the battaltion commander - I decided on a night attack."
"Why?"
"I was not yes used to the desert, and the British were. Until I understood it better, I did not want to give them the advantage Night would take away the long range fire of AT guns, and allow my forces to try and bypass the initial defenses."
"Could you describe the battle."
"Indeed. The battle group was divided into three forces. TF North, TF South, and the main body. North was small. It consisted of a single platoon of SdKfz 231 armored cars, 2 Italian tank platoons equipped with M13/40 tanks, and a pair of flak vehicles. It was to move forward, try to skirt into the town, and, basically, be a worry for the enemy commander.
"South was larger, and under the command of Col Engel. He had his command section, a reinforced platoon of engineers and tracks, my own Scout, 1st and 2nd Platoons, a section of Sig 33 assault guns, a mortar track, 3 AA tracks, and an ammo carrier. His job was to get into the camp from the south, and take as much as it as possible.
"The main body was under my own command, with the assitance of General Streich. In addition to the rest of Eisbar, and the two command sections, it had an engineer platoon, a scout platoon of 231s, 1 Mk II platoon, 3 more AA vehicles, 1 mortar track, an independent mortar team, 2 platoons of Mk IVs, 2 platoons of Stugs, additial ammo supply, and a FO and a panzergrenadier platoon. General Sterich was forward, near the front of the column. My own CP was along the Via Balbia, secured by my security platoon, to direct traffic, including follow on forces.
"We left the LoD at 2200, and the first 15 minutes went smooth. South was undetected, the main body had brushed aside an outpost, though a Mk II had a gun failure. I ordered them to withdraw if it was still down by the time the column had passed.
"North was in contact. It had a vehicle immobized by mines, another by an ATR team. Both were 231s. They'd killed an enemy MG team, and an AT vehicle.
"At roughly 2215, additional forces arrived. They consisted of a full platoon of Sig 33s, escorted by 2 Mk IIIs. By then, both sides were hitting the other with artillery just to try and harrass the opposite side.
"Over the next 15 minutes we kept advancing. North repaired one of it's armored cars, but had another destroyed by the ATR team. That team was in turn destroyed by the tanks. They bypassed an ATG position. They were hit by enemy aircraft which destroyed one car and killed the crew of another, as well as an enemy MG nest. After the strike, they were confused, but got sorted out, and advanced, knocking out another At vehicle.
"South and the main body advanced, for over ten minutes, unimpeded by the enemy. The main body then reached the outskirts of the city, losing a 231 to an AT team ambush. In addition, a Mk IV was knocked out, but the enemy lost a Cruiser tank and a large bore howitzer.
"At this point, TF South was still unknown to the enemy.
"We were reinforced by an addional PzGren squad, as well as a command track for my CP. After they linked up, we joined the main column. Slightly after that, two more platoons of panzer grenadiers arrived. They were ordered to move across country and reinforce TF North."
"Why were you sending more men to the diversionary force to the north? That doesn't seem to make sense to me."
"Why? It was logical. First, they needed some infantry to clear small obstacles like that ATR team. Next, even though it was a diversion, it had to be beliveable, and the British would expect us to have infantry support with all of our elements."
"Ahh, I understand. Please continue."
"It was about 2230, now, and we had made contact, in the center, with the main enemy line. While North slowly advanced, the main body pushed aside a squad and entered the camp, through the gap made with the loss of the enemy tank and howitzer. Infantry - a squad - were assigned to deal with the ATR team, and General Streich set up his forward CP. TF South also made contact - and Eisbar took it's first African losses - as one of my own 222s was destroyed. Ironically, it was a captured Italian tank, manned by the enemy, that made the kill. Next, that tank knocked out Sgt Becker's Mk III, though there were survivoirs. We reacted well, supressing it with tank and AA fire, then engineers raced in and killed it. South was blooded but active.
"The enemy's next line knocked out a 231 with an AT gun, and a lone tank probed forward, a minor counterattack. The RAF made another nighttime appearance, damaging another armored car. We pushed on, the enemy center having a 400 meter hole ripped in it's center. The second line slowed us though. A Mk IV exploded as we hit a series of guns, dug in behind a wall. TF South swept north, knocking out a howitzer. The engineers found two more Italian tanks, and killed one, as well as an enemy ATR team. The enemy also had infantry behind the wall, and we lost a 231 and an AA track.
"However, at 45 minutes into the attack, we were inside the wire, and the assault was going well. The enemy was already back to his inner defense line and we had that under fire. North was sorted out, and once more advancing in mass, with it's new infantry component. Soon, they were in position to sweep around the enemy's north flank.
"South was advancing as well, against moderate opposition. It lost another of my 222s, and a track, but knocked out enemy infantry, 2 more tanks, 2 AT vehicle, and a mortar pit. By 2255, they felt that they had an open enemy flank, and Col Engel was preparing to set up a CP, and that was up and running by 2300.
"The main body, though, had the hardest fight. They were up to the task, though, as they knocked out 2 ATGs, an AA gun, a tank, and some infantry at the cost of a lone AA track destroyed and, 2 tanks, and 1 half track damaged. Enemy artillery was falling heavily on the main body. The enemy launched a two tank attack against the main body, but both were destroyed without causing us any damage."
"So, it is now around 2300? What was the situation?"
"Correct. TF North was about to turn the enemy's right. TF South and the main main body had taken 60 percent of the first line, and had cracked into the second. South claimed it was moving into open space on the enemy left. We estimated 10 to 15 more minutes to crack the enemy center, then we'd just have to mop up with any luck."
"Thank you, General. Please continue."
"Thank you. As I said, at this point I was confident. All three of the tanks the enemy had counter attacked with had come from the north, against the main body, and I was hoping that they'd denuded that part of thier defense, with TF North getting ready to hit them. North swung around, and killed a scout car and a tank, and located an AT position. They dismouted infantry to deal with the AT guns, and the vehicles skirted it, once more proving that this night attack was a good idea.
"In the meantime, TF South was advancing to the east, intending to sweep around the town and take the airfield beyond it. They rolled over a small hill, knocking out four trucks, a mortar postion, infantry, a howitzer position and a MG position as they went. They came down, off the hill, near an intersection. There was a road here running north to the town, and a trail running northeast, towards the airfield. They went northeast.
"The main body pushed past the wall, into the town, and also started to clear out what was still in British hands of the main line. It knocked out a tank, a truck, an infantry carrier, an AT position and destroyed 2 mortar positions, as well as a number of infantry. However, in the town itself, we were short on infantry, so, after my group rolled into town, I dismounted my staff, and my reinforced security platoon, and headed for the wall with them. We also lost a Mk IV and a Stug to another of the enemy's howitzer's. At around 2320, we got the first message I was waiting for. 'South exit secure' That told me that the town was half isolated."
"Wait, you were going in yourself? With an infantry element?"
"Yes, I was not walking point, but I did go forward, to lead the last phase of the assault in person, and that phase was commencing. We were inside the town, and the entire first enemy line of resistance was gone. I felt it was safe for me to enter the tactical environment, and allow General Streich to run the overall attack.
"TF North's infantry force knocked out 2 AT positions, allowing the vehicles to safely move forward. They did advance, knocking out a mortar team and infantry, though they lost a halftrack to a daring close range enemy infantry attack. They kept moving, though, and overran a mortar position, and knocked out yet another ATG. At 2330, they reported 'North exit secure'. We now held three quarters of the access points to the town. If TF South could take the field, we could halt, and let the remaining enemy surrender in the morning.
"TF South remounted it's infantry, and knocked out an enemy squad, then dashed along the trail. After 300 or 400 meters, they came under AT fire, and called for arty support, which was granted. With help from the main body, they knocked out the AT gun, 3 trucks, and a Bren carrier. They also dispersed some infantry, but not before losing one of my Mark IIIs, from 3rd platoon.
"The main body knocked out the howitzer, a mortar and another AT gun, but lost a Mk IV to an AA gun. We also took the center of the town even as I walked through the gate. We held slightly over a third of it at this point.
"Suddenly, we all looked up in shock! A Luftwaffe aircraft, not called in by us, appeared, and attacked near the airfield, and then flew off. No one knew how - or why - it had appeared.
"After it vanished. South darted in. They knocked out another track, and more infantry. They lost another Mk III, but took the west gate at 2340. The town was now completely isolated. Realizing this, the senior surviving enemy officer, the Supply Officer, surrendered the town at 2400 hours.
"General Rommel was pleased with the sucess of the attack. He awarded me the 'Infantry Assault Badge' for my leading my platoon into the town. The loss of El Aghela opened the way for us to advance, and the enemy dug in, once more, at a place called Mersa el Braga."
"How would you characterize the British defense of El Aghela?"
"Tenacious, but unimaginative. They only counterattacked with three tanks, right into my main body, and those were destroyed. The mines were an inconvenice, but the fixed defenses were quite limited at night, and that hurt them immesurably. The men, though, fought very well as did our own."
<Scen Result, German DV. Campaign Points: 4>
"Tonight a dynasty is born." Ricky Proehl, then of the Saint Louis Rams. He was right! Go Pats! Winners of Super Bowls 36, 38 and 39.
Excellent job, Alexandra. This is a very easy-to-read and entertaining format for an AAR. AAR's can too often be dry and boring. (Not yours, of course!) <img src="biggrin.gif" border="0"> Major Avery is obviously a real sharp guy.
[ December 25, 2001: Message edited by: Warrior ]</p>
[ December 25, 2001: Message edited by: Warrior ]</p>
Retreat is NOT an option.
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January 11, 1946
HQ, USAEUR
Office of the G-2
Nurnburg, Germany
Intelligence Report Series 3: Operations of Kampfgruppe Eisbar, North Africa, 1941, Section 2.
Subject: General Alexandra Weiss
Interviewer: Maj. Avery, US Army Intelligence.
<The following is the verbatim transcript of the session>
"Good Morning, General. Let us continue. After the operations at El Aghela what did Eisbar do next?"
"We were refitted. General Rommel sent the DAK forward, at Mersa el Braga, the next town on the coastal road. The British defended it better than they had defended El Aghela, however, the repelled the first assault. The second asssault ended with our 5th Machinegun Battalion gaining a lodgement, as being used as the basis for the third assault."
"Was Eisbar involved at all."
"Not initially. However, as the third attack got under way, we recieved a mission. It was 31 March, and as I finished breakfast with my officers, Colonel Westphal's command vehicle arrived. I walked over, expecting to be sent to el Braga, and asked when we were going in.
"To my suprise, he told me we weren't. Before I could ask why, he said 'A luftwaffe recon flight spotted an enemy convoy moving towards Mersa el Braga. We belive it to be infantry of the 1st Indian Division, escorted by armor of the 1st British Armor division. You are to loop, and attack that convoy. A small scout element, consistng of 2 panzers, and an infantry platoon, will guide you in. You'll have no other support. Good luck Oh, you may have my command vehicle as well. I'll use of the cars here to get back to HQ.' I saluted, and we moved out a few minutes later.
"We arrvied at the area around noon and moved to attack, guided towards the road by smoke plumes."
"Plumes? From what?"
"The Luftwaffe, I imagine. Tactically, it was a simple operation. Move in, find the convoy, kill it. We didn't have the force, or time, for a complex assault, so we moved in directly.
"We quickly spotted them, and good and bad luck hit us. Sgt Peteriet opened the firing, getting his second kill of the campaign with his shot, then his gun failed, and he started, as per my own SOP, to fall back. However, the initial shock was on our side. They lost 11 tanks, and 2 trucks and had three more damaged, we lost a scout car, and had one tank and one halftrack, damaged. The enemy armor swung towards us, and there was a lot of it, but we kept them under fire as they advanced, the panzers of both sides belching fire. I watched clamly, having hopped down from the command truck as the shots rang out. They lost 4 tanks, and we had a track explode and a tank get damaged. They were manuevering agressively, and that was throwing our aim off. Our men kept firing, and the next exchanges again scored. The enemy lost 3 tanks and 2 trucks and we lost 2 tanks. They also had a mortar team destroyed by my security platoon. It seemed that they had just three left, 2 Cruisers and a Matilda. The Matilda took two nasty looking hits to it's turret from the 75s on my Mk IVs.
"We were now 15 minutes into the assault. We'd lost 2 tanks, a scout car and a track. We also had one immobilized tank, and two vehicles - a tank and a track - withdraw from combat damage. The enemy had lost 18 tanks and 4 trucks, as well as a mortar team.
"We pushed on. Infantry was starting to mop up points of resistance along the road, in the process eliminating an Indian squad. The armor duel went the enemy's way, however. We damaged all three enemy tanks, but lost a Mk III and a Mk IV. We perservered, however, clearing more of the road, and damaging both Crusiers further. The 'tilda moved alone, daring us to stop it, moving like a dragon - then bad luck hit them. First one of the cruisers died, the other one was stopped, perhaps dead, and moments later, a Mk IV scored a hit, on the tracks of the 'tilda, and the monster shuddered to a halt. The crew of the 'tilda fled it's vehicle, and, for all intents and puroses the battle was over then. We took time to mop up, but the fight was over, the convoy stopped.
"The ambush, coupled with the attack of the 5th MG Battalion, caused the fall of Mersa el Braga. It also had the effect of both opening the road to Agebadia - the next objective - and showing the Italians that the Britsh could be beat. Overall, it was a very satisfying hour."
<Result - German DV. Campaign score - 8>
HQ, USAEUR
Office of the G-2
Nurnburg, Germany
Intelligence Report Series 3: Operations of Kampfgruppe Eisbar, North Africa, 1941, Section 2.
Subject: General Alexandra Weiss
Interviewer: Maj. Avery, US Army Intelligence.
<The following is the verbatim transcript of the session>
"Good Morning, General. Let us continue. After the operations at El Aghela what did Eisbar do next?"
"We were refitted. General Rommel sent the DAK forward, at Mersa el Braga, the next town on the coastal road. The British defended it better than they had defended El Aghela, however, the repelled the first assault. The second asssault ended with our 5th Machinegun Battalion gaining a lodgement, as being used as the basis for the third assault."
"Was Eisbar involved at all."
"Not initially. However, as the third attack got under way, we recieved a mission. It was 31 March, and as I finished breakfast with my officers, Colonel Westphal's command vehicle arrived. I walked over, expecting to be sent to el Braga, and asked when we were going in.
"To my suprise, he told me we weren't. Before I could ask why, he said 'A luftwaffe recon flight spotted an enemy convoy moving towards Mersa el Braga. We belive it to be infantry of the 1st Indian Division, escorted by armor of the 1st British Armor division. You are to loop, and attack that convoy. A small scout element, consistng of 2 panzers, and an infantry platoon, will guide you in. You'll have no other support. Good luck Oh, you may have my command vehicle as well. I'll use of the cars here to get back to HQ.' I saluted, and we moved out a few minutes later.
"We arrvied at the area around noon and moved to attack, guided towards the road by smoke plumes."
"Plumes? From what?"
"The Luftwaffe, I imagine. Tactically, it was a simple operation. Move in, find the convoy, kill it. We didn't have the force, or time, for a complex assault, so we moved in directly.
"We quickly spotted them, and good and bad luck hit us. Sgt Peteriet opened the firing, getting his second kill of the campaign with his shot, then his gun failed, and he started, as per my own SOP, to fall back. However, the initial shock was on our side. They lost 11 tanks, and 2 trucks and had three more damaged, we lost a scout car, and had one tank and one halftrack, damaged. The enemy armor swung towards us, and there was a lot of it, but we kept them under fire as they advanced, the panzers of both sides belching fire. I watched clamly, having hopped down from the command truck as the shots rang out. They lost 4 tanks, and we had a track explode and a tank get damaged. They were manuevering agressively, and that was throwing our aim off. Our men kept firing, and the next exchanges again scored. The enemy lost 3 tanks and 2 trucks and we lost 2 tanks. They also had a mortar team destroyed by my security platoon. It seemed that they had just three left, 2 Cruisers and a Matilda. The Matilda took two nasty looking hits to it's turret from the 75s on my Mk IVs.
"We were now 15 minutes into the assault. We'd lost 2 tanks, a scout car and a track. We also had one immobilized tank, and two vehicles - a tank and a track - withdraw from combat damage. The enemy had lost 18 tanks and 4 trucks, as well as a mortar team.
"We pushed on. Infantry was starting to mop up points of resistance along the road, in the process eliminating an Indian squad. The armor duel went the enemy's way, however. We damaged all three enemy tanks, but lost a Mk III and a Mk IV. We perservered, however, clearing more of the road, and damaging both Crusiers further. The 'tilda moved alone, daring us to stop it, moving like a dragon - then bad luck hit them. First one of the cruisers died, the other one was stopped, perhaps dead, and moments later, a Mk IV scored a hit, on the tracks of the 'tilda, and the monster shuddered to a halt. The crew of the 'tilda fled it's vehicle, and, for all intents and puroses the battle was over then. We took time to mop up, but the fight was over, the convoy stopped.
"The ambush, coupled with the attack of the 5th MG Battalion, caused the fall of Mersa el Braga. It also had the effect of both opening the road to Agebadia - the next objective - and showing the Italians that the Britsh could be beat. Overall, it was a very satisfying hour."
<Result - German DV. Campaign score - 8>
"Tonight a dynasty is born." Ricky Proehl, then of the Saint Louis Rams. He was right! Go Pats! Winners of Super Bowls 36, 38 and 39.
-
Jeff_Ewing
- Posts: 34
- Joined: Mon Jul 16, 2001 8:00 am
- Location: Staten Island, NY, wargame captial of the US
- Contact:
These are simply a great recreation of your battle exerience, Alexandra! It is very good writing and highly entertaining.
It brings clearly back to mind working on this one and fighting these battles.
I truly hope you will continue to write these. I would also like a copy of each one. I don't know why we could not use them for some interesting reading as a document on the Military Gamer Site.
Wild Bill
It brings clearly back to mind working on this one and fighting these battles.
I truly hope you will continue to write these. I would also like a copy of each one. I don't know why we could not use them for some interesting reading as a document on the Military Gamer Site.
Wild Bill
In Arduis Fidelis
Wild Bill Wilder
Independent Game Consultant
-
Neil Stalker
- Posts: 89
- Joined: Thu Aug 10, 2000 8:00 am
- Location: Brisbane Qld Australia
- Contact:
Thanks Bill and Neil. You have my permission to put them up on the site.
I'm just happy to nail two DVs in a row, though that sole Matilda refused to easily die <img src="smile.gif" border="0">
By the time the crew vacated, it had taken at least a dozen non damaging hits, plus it had lost main gun optics, radio mast, and track. All from Pz IVs...hmmm...maybe that's the tilda killer <img src="smile.gif" border="0">
I hope to get a chance to play the next one soon - I'm using the 'More Eyes to See' option.
Alex
I'm just happy to nail two DVs in a row, though that sole Matilda refused to easily die <img src="smile.gif" border="0">
By the time the crew vacated, it had taken at least a dozen non damaging hits, plus it had lost main gun optics, radio mast, and track. All from Pz IVs...hmmm...maybe that's the tilda killer <img src="smile.gif" border="0">
I hope to get a chance to play the next one soon - I'm using the 'More Eyes to See' option.
Alex
"Tonight a dynasty is born." Ricky Proehl, then of the Saint Louis Rams. He was right! Go Pats! Winners of Super Bowls 36, 38 and 39.
January 17, 1946
HQ, USAEUR
Office of the G-2
Nurnburg, Germany
Intelligence Report Series 3: Operations of Kampfgruppe Eisbar, North Africa, 1941, Section 3.
Subject: General Alexandra Weiss
Interviewer: Maj. Avery, US Army Intelligence.
<The following is the verbatim transcript of the session>
"Good morning, General. How are you today?"
"Well, I could be better. The accomidation that I, and my peers, have leave much to be desired."
Major Avery chuckled. "We did win the war, you know."
"Yes, that you did." She spoke with a soft menace to her voice, as if she felt that result had been a lucky one, and the Major filed that away, decided to probe that another day.
"What did Rommel and Eisbar do after the ambush?"
"At that point, DAK had accomplished it's mission."
"What was that mission?"
"We had been tasked with stopping the enemy attack, and forming a line. We had. That we had bloodied thier noses was a bonus. OKH wanted us to stop. Rommel, however, attacked, with an objective of Agebadia - and perhaps beyond."
"Was there a reaction from above?"
The reply is led by a soft laugh. "I bet there were a lot of conniptions and yelling at OHW and OKH. Commando Supremo was far from happy, and I thought that Gariabaldi was going to have a heart attack. Still, no one stopped us, and the supplies kept coming. Streicher, and I, were all for attacking."
"What of you?"
"I was happy to be advancing. I already hated Africa, and the sooner we destoyed 8th Army, the sooner we could get out of that hell."
"What was Eisbar's task?"
"Rommel kept us in reserve. We were used, on April 2, during the advance towards Agebadia. We were moving along, when he himself arrived. After some small talk, he came to the point. 'Herr Oberst' he said 'We have a report of the British moving in, from that way.' He pointed to the northeast. 'Find them, and kill them. A recon section from 5th Light will meet you a few kilo's from here.' I saluted, and we altered course."
"He called you 'Herr'?"
"Yes, everyone did. I insisted on it. Frau, while proper, does not have the meaning that is correct for a commander."
"I see. You linked with the 5th Light people?"
"Yes. They had a Panzer platoon of Mark IIIs, 2 recon platoons, 1 Panzergrenadier platoon, 2 Anti-Tank guns, though those were just the FJ 28mm, a FO, to spot for the mortar tracks, 1 motorcycle platoon, and 3 mixed recon platoons, that consisted of specialty units. Some of our men were in captured enemy carriers."
"I see. What was your plan."
"I prefer the simple in an advance to contact. Move, find them, kill them."
"Did it work?"
She grinned. "Perhaps I won't tell you." She waited for a reaction, the said "But of course I will. My ego is that high, as I'm sure that file there says.
"We moved to the northeast, seeking the enemy. I saw a pair of hills, with a pass between them to the right. I didn't like that, so I sent a force of infantry and recon cars to screen it."
"How big of a force?"
"A recon platoon, in Bren carriers, a jeep, 3 PSWs and 3 Mark 2s, and the ATGs."
"Nothing heavy."
"True. It was a tripwire, not a fist. All was quiet for about 15 minutes, then we came in contact with the enemy screen. Truck borne infantry and light tanks. However, they didn't know about my blocking force, and lost two vehicles - both light AT ones - to that groups Mk IIs. My main body executed a right turn and headed for the enemy. One of my scout cars got the first main body kill when it destroyed an enemy MG tank, a Vickers, I think. The enemy commander made a fast decision, and spun, to his left, at the pair of Mk IIs. He lost another Vickers, but got a Mk II.
"As the report came in, I smiled. He had done what I wanted him to do. He didn't know that the 2 Mk IIs, and 2 Bren Carriers he could see were backed by scout cars, 2 ATGs, and, a dozen panzers I'd shifted there as they arrived. My plan was to envelop, and destroy, the enemy, and he had walked right into the trap. Had he gone straight, at the infantry he could see to his front, he would have split my forces. But, people always go for the tanks first, and his head was in the sack."
"A dangerous gamble?"
"No. I realized the hills were important, and as they arrived sent help. I didn't expect them to beeline for the Mk IIs, but I hoped they would - and they did. He paid for that mistake. He quickly found himself engaged from the front and the right, and his vehicles started to explode. Our fire destroyed 5 AT vehicles and 4 tanks rapidly. 2 of the tanks were medium-class Vickers Mk IIs. I was elated. Once more I had caught an enemy column in ambush and was again wreaking havoc among them.
"The enemy commander was, I am sure, not elated at all. In fact, he seemed to have lost control of his force."
"Why do you say that?"
"His armor advanced, losing two more vehicles, though we lost a kubelwagen. His infantry milled about, while his trucks, and some light vehicles, began to withdraw. Then, the two vehicles I had at the south side of the pair of hills - a PSW and the third Mk II, reported two enemy vehicles coming from the south. I ordered them to engage, and shifted one of the Mk III platoons to that side of the hill, ordering the other two platoons in the hill area to be ready to shift south as well. I hoped it was only a recon element, but I was not going to assume it was.
"We quickly got another recon report, from motorcyclists along the north side of the field. They reported 2 Cruiser tanks moving to support the enemy main body. In reposonse, our main body raced forward, knocking out a light vehicle, and starting to scatter infantry and crewmen. One of the two vehicles moving in from the south was also knocked out. The enemy's lead forcer were still in disarray, but his second echelon began to push in, to try and save the day. However, those forces quickly lost 2 light vehicles, and a Crusier tank. To the south, we also knocked out a truck.
"At this point, the enemy had roughly 8 medium panzers in the battle area, but now he made his second mistake. Rather than making a mass attack along the north, once more into mostly infantry, he tried to swing them southeast, behind the ambush area. This did two things. It let me swing a platoon of Mk IIIs behind them - to cut off any retreat, and it enabled my entrire line to be able to bring fire onto them, once they commited to the attack. We knocked out a trio of light vehicles at various points of the field, as well as more infantry. We also lost a panzer, Lt Hoffman's command tank, but he and the crew got out. The enemy began to try and counter-attack, but mananged only to lose two cruisers. He also was brining in more units, from the east and south. To the south, we lost a Mk II.
"I was happy. We had them confused, trapped, and ready for the kill. I ordered our men to press in and destroy the enemy. The fighting began to get to close range, with much of the enemy infantry gone. We lost a track and Sgt Heorlien's Mk III, while killing another 2 cruisers. In other parts of the field, we killed two light vehicles and lost one of our own.
"The enemy finally got sorted out enough to attack. In the main area, he killed a track, but to the east he lost two tanks, and in the south, lost a light vehicle. More enemy armor seemed to be coming from the south. It would be moot, though, as our attack killed four tanks in the main area, leaving them with just two. We lost a scout car. To the east, we traded a scout car for three more enemy tanks. To the south, the loss ratio favored them, as we lost a scout car and they only lost two trucks.
"They kept attacking though. They lost a tank in the main area, though another showed up. To the east, we lost a track, and to the south, we lost a Mk III and a track, as they lost a cruiser and a truck. I shifted the Mk IVs south, as we kept advancing, trying to mop up thier main area, so we could smash what was left to the east.
"We drove on, knocking out all the remaining tanks in the main area - and then got a recon report that more were moving up. I sighed, and began to make adjustements to meet them as well. To the east, we knocked out a tank, and the ATG in that sector ran out of ammuntion, and I told them to fall back. To the south we killed another tank. The enemy had certainly sent a lot of them. And, they weren't going to be able to do thier job. We would stop them here, so that Rommel was free to advance."
"So you weren't worried?"
An amused look answered him. "Worried? We controlled a valley of dead enemy. Our losses were light, thiers were heavy. What reason did I have to worry?"
Major Avery shrugged and gestured for her to continue.
"They kept advancing, in all three sectors, as best they could. We lost a Mk III in the main area, but they lost 2 tanks in the east, and 1 in the south. We drove forward in the main area, killing the two new tanks, though we lost a track and a Mk III in the process. Those two shot well. We also knocked out a tank to the east and three to the south. At this point, it looked like all they had left was some infantry in the south, as well as tactical remnants elsewhere.
"And, that was true. One more tank popped up, and died. Then they enemy infantry withdrew. We maintained our positions, until ordered to fall back and prepare to lead the assault on Agebadia."
"How large of a force do you think you stopped?"
"I'd call it one battalion of armor destroyed, perhaps slightly more."
<Result: German Marginal victory. Campaign points: 11>
HQ, USAEUR
Office of the G-2
Nurnburg, Germany
Intelligence Report Series 3: Operations of Kampfgruppe Eisbar, North Africa, 1941, Section 3.
Subject: General Alexandra Weiss
Interviewer: Maj. Avery, US Army Intelligence.
<The following is the verbatim transcript of the session>
"Good morning, General. How are you today?"
"Well, I could be better. The accomidation that I, and my peers, have leave much to be desired."
Major Avery chuckled. "We did win the war, you know."
"Yes, that you did." She spoke with a soft menace to her voice, as if she felt that result had been a lucky one, and the Major filed that away, decided to probe that another day.
"What did Rommel and Eisbar do after the ambush?"
"At that point, DAK had accomplished it's mission."
"What was that mission?"
"We had been tasked with stopping the enemy attack, and forming a line. We had. That we had bloodied thier noses was a bonus. OKH wanted us to stop. Rommel, however, attacked, with an objective of Agebadia - and perhaps beyond."
"Was there a reaction from above?"
The reply is led by a soft laugh. "I bet there were a lot of conniptions and yelling at OHW and OKH. Commando Supremo was far from happy, and I thought that Gariabaldi was going to have a heart attack. Still, no one stopped us, and the supplies kept coming. Streicher, and I, were all for attacking."
"What of you?"
"I was happy to be advancing. I already hated Africa, and the sooner we destoyed 8th Army, the sooner we could get out of that hell."
"What was Eisbar's task?"
"Rommel kept us in reserve. We were used, on April 2, during the advance towards Agebadia. We were moving along, when he himself arrived. After some small talk, he came to the point. 'Herr Oberst' he said 'We have a report of the British moving in, from that way.' He pointed to the northeast. 'Find them, and kill them. A recon section from 5th Light will meet you a few kilo's from here.' I saluted, and we altered course."
"He called you 'Herr'?"
"Yes, everyone did. I insisted on it. Frau, while proper, does not have the meaning that is correct for a commander."
"I see. You linked with the 5th Light people?"
"Yes. They had a Panzer platoon of Mark IIIs, 2 recon platoons, 1 Panzergrenadier platoon, 2 Anti-Tank guns, though those were just the FJ 28mm, a FO, to spot for the mortar tracks, 1 motorcycle platoon, and 3 mixed recon platoons, that consisted of specialty units. Some of our men were in captured enemy carriers."
"I see. What was your plan."
"I prefer the simple in an advance to contact. Move, find them, kill them."
"Did it work?"
She grinned. "Perhaps I won't tell you." She waited for a reaction, the said "But of course I will. My ego is that high, as I'm sure that file there says.
"We moved to the northeast, seeking the enemy. I saw a pair of hills, with a pass between them to the right. I didn't like that, so I sent a force of infantry and recon cars to screen it."
"How big of a force?"
"A recon platoon, in Bren carriers, a jeep, 3 PSWs and 3 Mark 2s, and the ATGs."
"Nothing heavy."
"True. It was a tripwire, not a fist. All was quiet for about 15 minutes, then we came in contact with the enemy screen. Truck borne infantry and light tanks. However, they didn't know about my blocking force, and lost two vehicles - both light AT ones - to that groups Mk IIs. My main body executed a right turn and headed for the enemy. One of my scout cars got the first main body kill when it destroyed an enemy MG tank, a Vickers, I think. The enemy commander made a fast decision, and spun, to his left, at the pair of Mk IIs. He lost another Vickers, but got a Mk II.
"As the report came in, I smiled. He had done what I wanted him to do. He didn't know that the 2 Mk IIs, and 2 Bren Carriers he could see were backed by scout cars, 2 ATGs, and, a dozen panzers I'd shifted there as they arrived. My plan was to envelop, and destroy, the enemy, and he had walked right into the trap. Had he gone straight, at the infantry he could see to his front, he would have split my forces. But, people always go for the tanks first, and his head was in the sack."
"A dangerous gamble?"
"No. I realized the hills were important, and as they arrived sent help. I didn't expect them to beeline for the Mk IIs, but I hoped they would - and they did. He paid for that mistake. He quickly found himself engaged from the front and the right, and his vehicles started to explode. Our fire destroyed 5 AT vehicles and 4 tanks rapidly. 2 of the tanks were medium-class Vickers Mk IIs. I was elated. Once more I had caught an enemy column in ambush and was again wreaking havoc among them.
"The enemy commander was, I am sure, not elated at all. In fact, he seemed to have lost control of his force."
"Why do you say that?"
"His armor advanced, losing two more vehicles, though we lost a kubelwagen. His infantry milled about, while his trucks, and some light vehicles, began to withdraw. Then, the two vehicles I had at the south side of the pair of hills - a PSW and the third Mk II, reported two enemy vehicles coming from the south. I ordered them to engage, and shifted one of the Mk III platoons to that side of the hill, ordering the other two platoons in the hill area to be ready to shift south as well. I hoped it was only a recon element, but I was not going to assume it was.
"We quickly got another recon report, from motorcyclists along the north side of the field. They reported 2 Cruiser tanks moving to support the enemy main body. In reposonse, our main body raced forward, knocking out a light vehicle, and starting to scatter infantry and crewmen. One of the two vehicles moving in from the south was also knocked out. The enemy's lead forcer were still in disarray, but his second echelon began to push in, to try and save the day. However, those forces quickly lost 2 light vehicles, and a Crusier tank. To the south, we also knocked out a truck.
"At this point, the enemy had roughly 8 medium panzers in the battle area, but now he made his second mistake. Rather than making a mass attack along the north, once more into mostly infantry, he tried to swing them southeast, behind the ambush area. This did two things. It let me swing a platoon of Mk IIIs behind them - to cut off any retreat, and it enabled my entrire line to be able to bring fire onto them, once they commited to the attack. We knocked out a trio of light vehicles at various points of the field, as well as more infantry. We also lost a panzer, Lt Hoffman's command tank, but he and the crew got out. The enemy began to try and counter-attack, but mananged only to lose two cruisers. He also was brining in more units, from the east and south. To the south, we lost a Mk II.
"I was happy. We had them confused, trapped, and ready for the kill. I ordered our men to press in and destroy the enemy. The fighting began to get to close range, with much of the enemy infantry gone. We lost a track and Sgt Heorlien's Mk III, while killing another 2 cruisers. In other parts of the field, we killed two light vehicles and lost one of our own.
"The enemy finally got sorted out enough to attack. In the main area, he killed a track, but to the east he lost two tanks, and in the south, lost a light vehicle. More enemy armor seemed to be coming from the south. It would be moot, though, as our attack killed four tanks in the main area, leaving them with just two. We lost a scout car. To the east, we traded a scout car for three more enemy tanks. To the south, the loss ratio favored them, as we lost a scout car and they only lost two trucks.
"They kept attacking though. They lost a tank in the main area, though another showed up. To the east, we lost a track, and to the south, we lost a Mk III and a track, as they lost a cruiser and a truck. I shifted the Mk IVs south, as we kept advancing, trying to mop up thier main area, so we could smash what was left to the east.
"We drove on, knocking out all the remaining tanks in the main area - and then got a recon report that more were moving up. I sighed, and began to make adjustements to meet them as well. To the east, we knocked out a tank, and the ATG in that sector ran out of ammuntion, and I told them to fall back. To the south we killed another tank. The enemy had certainly sent a lot of them. And, they weren't going to be able to do thier job. We would stop them here, so that Rommel was free to advance."
"So you weren't worried?"
An amused look answered him. "Worried? We controlled a valley of dead enemy. Our losses were light, thiers were heavy. What reason did I have to worry?"
Major Avery shrugged and gestured for her to continue.
"They kept advancing, in all three sectors, as best they could. We lost a Mk III in the main area, but they lost 2 tanks in the east, and 1 in the south. We drove forward in the main area, killing the two new tanks, though we lost a track and a Mk III in the process. Those two shot well. We also knocked out a tank to the east and three to the south. At this point, it looked like all they had left was some infantry in the south, as well as tactical remnants elsewhere.
"And, that was true. One more tank popped up, and died. Then they enemy infantry withdrew. We maintained our positions, until ordered to fall back and prepare to lead the assault on Agebadia."
"How large of a force do you think you stopped?"
"I'd call it one battalion of armor destroyed, perhaps slightly more."
<Result: German Marginal victory. Campaign points: 11>
"Tonight a dynasty is born." Ricky Proehl, then of the Saint Louis Rams. He was right! Go Pats! Winners of Super Bowls 36, 38 and 39.
-
Gen.Hoepner
- Posts: 3636
- Joined: Tue Sep 04, 2001 8:00 am
- Location: italy
Thank you all.
Glad you're liking.
My next wave of goals is to keep winning <img src="smile.gif" border="0"> - and to give Major Avery a bit more personality <img src="smile.gif" border="0">
I'm also gonna start noting which of my core units have the most kills.
Alex
Glad you're liking.
My next wave of goals is to keep winning <img src="smile.gif" border="0"> - and to give Major Avery a bit more personality <img src="smile.gif" border="0">
I'm also gonna start noting which of my core units have the most kills.
Alex
"Tonight a dynasty is born." Ricky Proehl, then of the Saint Louis Rams. He was right! Go Pats! Winners of Super Bowls 36, 38 and 39.