War in the Desert- Gazala PBEM

[BlackSunshine]

Sigh...

I hate waiting for turns. Just waiting on my opponent to send his turn.  Im anxiously awaiting his response to my attack!

[Erik Rutins]

ORIGINAL: BlackSunshine
I hate waiting for turns. Just waiting on my opponent to send his turn.  Im anxiously awaiting his response to my attack!

That's why it's good to have more than one match going at a time, keeps the inbox full. [8D]

Looking forward to the rest of this AAR!

[BlackSunshine]

ORIGINAL: Erik Rutins

ORIGINAL: BlackSunshine
I hate waiting for turns. Just waiting on my opponent to send his turn.  Im anxiously awaiting his response to my attack!

That's why it's good to have more than one match going at a time, keeps the inbox full. [8D]

Looking forward to the rest of this AAR!

Thanks Erik.

Unfortunately, I got this email back from my opponent:

"I cannot load turn 6. When I view email details turn 1 is the
only turn in the list but it cannot be selected. The load secure button does
not work. This occurred after the computer froze and I had to restart by
pressing the power button. Do you have any ideas on how to play the turn?"

Anything I can do to rectify this?

[BlackSunshine]

Thanks to the help from the support forum, we are back on!

[BlackSunshine]

Turn 6

Well this was by far the most action packed turn in the scenario so far.

I was so anxious to take my turn, that I didnt get as many screenshots as I would have liked.

No matter. The Allies come through the turn, bruised and bloodied, but without losses to an entire unit. Bravo chaps!

[BlackSunshine]

In the north, near Alem Hamza my resupplied artillery begins to pound Axis positions. The Italians don't even come up for air!

South of Alem Hamza, 50th ID, 1st army tank and 32nd army tank begin their encirclement of Italian positions



Attacks by infantry and recon units on the rear areas of the Italians results in heavy losses. In addition, our artillery peppers thier positions and eliminates several steps before the attacks are even begun.

[BlackSunshine]

After the attack you see our new positions, and the precarious positions of the Italians.



Unfortunately, the minesfields will lessen my chances of successful combats and slow my advances. I was unable to remove them prior to my advance, for surprise reasons obviously.

[BlackSunshine]

Near Bir Hacheim, the Axis attempted an encirclement of my own forces, but for some reason opted not to attack!!

In any event, it was a very costly for the axis. Here are the losses at the end of the day for the Bir Hacheim area.



Thousands of men and equipment were systematically bombarded by artillery, hit with direct fire from armored units unable to reach the front lines, and then destroyed by my front line troops.

I would assume morale would be very low at the end of the day for Rommel and Das Afrika Korps. [:)]

[BlackSunshine]

After the attack, my units were all able to withdraw and form another defensive line.

When a massive attack such as this is finished, you appreciate the new rules of the Battelfront system. I expended all of my attack supply for the involved units, but I am still able to dig in, use extended movement, etc. Previous, they would be sitting ducks. Of course it will be a few days before I can mount another attack of that scale. And I need to get some replacement troops to a lot of the units involved. Casualties were sky high, but not nearly as bad as the Axis.

[BlackSunshine]

Turn 7

The turn opens with the Axis mounting assaults across the entire front. Several artillery strikes and concentrated attacks do some damage.

Axis units between Alem Hamza and Rotunda Ualeb attempt to pull back from encirclement, but our interdiction seems to slow them.

We answer with artillery strikes of our own. A lot of counterbattery fire which eliminates a few Italian artillery companies.

[BlackSunshine]

The only attacks the Allies launch this turn are a combined effort to encircle the Italians.

Soon to be trapped in the pocket are: 27th Brecia Infantry Division, the remainder of X Corps, 101 Trieste Motorized Division and 17 Pavia Infantry Division.

In the assault: 50th Infantry Division, 150th Motorized Brigade (which leaves the safety of strongpoints near Rotunda Ualeb), 32nd Army Tank Brigade, and 1st army tank brigade.

The Italians have already had nearly all attached artillery destroyed in addition to 2 HQ and 2 Supply units.

The attack begins with artillery strikes and a few direct fire attacks from our stronger tank units.

And then...



Axis interdiction slowed our assault in combination with the mines still in the area. With no supplies though, it will only be a matter of time for the Italians.

[BlackSunshine]

Near Bir Hacheim, the Axis are beginning to get bold.

Elite units of 8th panzer regiment begin hitting the dug in defenders to our extreme south flank. A few units are pushed back, but none are destroyed.

And then...

The 1/155th panzer grenadier regiment (a motorized unit), quickly swings around my flank and is in the rear of my line! They run into HQ, Supply and AA from 29th Indian Infantry as well as attached artillery from 7th Armored!! Thankfully nothing was destroyed in the attack, but it makes you realize just how quickly things change in a fluid battle in the desert!



To counter this, recon units of 7th armored quickly race to the rear and engage them. I immediately begin to stretch my line even farther to the south in an effort to stop that from happening again.

In other action near Bir Hacheim, our lines move forward except for our nearly depleted units. Supplies are delivered to the front and we continue to dig in.

[BlackSunshine]

And now, our end of day positions.

[BlackSunshine]

Turn 8

Very, very quiet turn for the Axis. No attacks anywhere. The only activity was the encircled units near Alem Hamza and Rotunda Ualeb attempt to escape. No artillery strikes or anything. Supply problems maybe?

Anyhow...

My encirclement is complete and the defenders are hit with more artillery and various attacks.

[BlackSunshine]

Like I said pretty quiet turn. The only other action was the destruction of the motorized axis unit which had gotten behind my line.

Here is the score after turn 8.

[BlackSunshine]

Turn 9

Well the Axis attempts to get some of it's fight back this turn.

Near Alem Hamza they launch an attack against our strongpoints, taking a lot of casualties. Involved in the attack, are reconstituted units from the Bir Hacheim slaughter! I was very surprised to see them back that quickly. Even though they only had 1 step each, they still were on the front lines of the fight.

I quickly counterattacked with infantry and recon units of the 1st SA and did a bit of damage. Of course I pounded them with artillery once they were out of their foxholes.

The only other action by the Axis, was an attempted attack to break through my line near Bir Hacheim. I continue to stretch my line to the south. Building strongpoints and placing minefields. I don't forsee DAK replicating history this time around.

On my side, the surrounded units between Alem Hamza and Rotunda Ualeb are continually attacked. Soon they will fall.

[BlackSunshine]

Turn 10

The Axis seem to be attempting to break through my line between Alem Hamza and Ain el Gazala. This is the second straight day of combat in that sector. In response, 2nd SA Infantry Division leaves the safety of Tobruk and should join them in 1-3 days. I still have ample reserves in the Knightsbridge, Tobruk area, so weakening those positions does not concern me.

Bir Hacheim is quiet except for my artillery pounding weak Axis positions. My men continue to refit and resupply. Morale is high, and anticipation of continuing the offensive fills the ranks.

The surrounded units near Rotunda Ualeb are being systematically destroyed. When the combat is finished, our new objective will be to flank Bir Hacheim.

[BlackSunshine]

Turn 11

Things have certainly quieted down across the entire front. Allied high command debates the option of holding our current positions instead of continuing the offensive. Our artillery continues to pound Axis positions and the RAF occasionally makes an appearance.

In the Alem Hamza-Ain el Gazala area, 1st SA continues to do well to hold their line.



Approaching from the east are reinforcements. This, the 2nd SA Infantry Division. They will attempt to apply pressure to bypass the line, and approach the Italians from the south.

[BlackSunshine]

South of this sector, we continue to wear down the surrounded Italians. They are dug in heavily and are proving difficult to route. Intel realizes that a supply company is encircled as well. Soon the trucks will run out of beans and bullets.

[BlackSunshine]

Near Bir Hacheim plans are drawn up of possibly resuming offensive actions. The Bir Hacheim box has not been attacked in days, most fortifications have been rebuilt to their original strengths. Besides artillery strikes, the only other action is the reinforced Free French moving back to the line.