Frank W vs Challenge in the Sand.

[challenge]

Excert from the personal diary of Lt Dunley, British *th Army, somewhere in North Africa ....

I think the old man is lost. We've been wandering all over this bloody desert for more than a week. First it's this way, then it's the other. Yesterday I'm sure I crossed over my own track marks. At least we met up with the petrol lorries about noon, and a long range desert patrol met up with us earlier this afternoon. There was a conference of the big brass while we sat around in the 130 degree temperature.

Finally we're moving. Off in the distance there is a line of peaks. Even from this distance it doesn't look very inviting. Rummor has it there is a village and a pass through the mountains.

Well, if there is a village, there should at least be water.

The new screens are giving me fits trying to attach the zip file.

I have tried to load the zip -- repeatedly -- and the attachment window remains blank. I have high-speed internet and a kick *** processor so it's not my transfer rate. I even changed browsers... still nothing, nada, no zip. At least the emoticons work.

[challenge]

For those who have checked in to follow the progress of the battle...

Well, it hasn't started yet. RL interfered and delayed my getting the file to FrankW. After that, I had trouble with the file upload window on the forum. He now has the file and is in the deploy and first move stage. I expect the fireworks to start any time now...

Thank you for your patience.

[Frank W.]

besided that we have a little prob with the start lines
on the pre-designed map. but i would say this game will
start in this month anytime

[Frank W.]

this is a axis vs. commonwealth/british
engagement at a lonely place in the desert
called " al timbre ". both forces have orders
to advance. year is mid 42.

the map has some heavy terrain in the south
( escarpements ), while the middle + northern
section is quite open with some hills, 1 little town
more in the north and 1 more quite in the center
more in the center of the british half of the map.
( hope i remember this right :sleep: )

our brave italian allies make some deep recon runs with
motorcycles. we see some trucks and in the south 1 MC
squad stumbles into some britsh recon forces together w/ 1
more truck. we damage the vehicle but the brits also cause
casualities to the italians.

one amored truck with a 47mm gun ( "desertica" ) is shot
by a AT gun ( 2 or 6 pdr. ) but it luckily misses...

[challenge]

An Italian motorcycle scout, supported by a Desertica is found by my scout patrol as they started to advance through the dust cloud left by the MC. The 47mm turned out to be quite effective at this range. Then, just to make sure the scouts reported the information correctly, a light truck lurched forward as the driver jumped at the sound of the 47 going off. (Literally: I hit the mouse key when I shouldn't have)

A pair of Crusaders moved forward to get a clear shot at the truck. They took it out -- after way too many shots -- and did some damage to the AT gun crew disembarking to set up in the same area. The MC squad seems to want to be somewhere else...

Elsewhere on the front, the line is pretty quiet, although dust from moving vehicles can be seen adding to the already hazy day...

[Frank W.]

italians still advancing, but they got fire from the hill ( 2pdr. portee ). we leave the thin skinned desertica where it is, instead move forward a pz. III M which kills 1 portee. another one is killed by a lucky shot from 20mm of a AB41. we see a cruiser CS there,too.

also some brits inf. is encountered by a LMG MC crew, they flee over the hill losing 1 men.....

all forces on the move now.

brits 8inch arty is firing in the open desert area near the middle
vic hexes. luckily no damage done.

[challenge]

Things are not going well for the northern flank at this point. Those little TDs, the Portees, don't hold up well against PIII Ms with the 50 mm gun... I thought they wouldn't be available for another month or two... hmmm.

Otherwize, taking out crews very nicely in an attempt to reduce the clutter. If I could hit something with the 2 pounders I might get some results, but it seems all my gunners have gone blind. and the arty batteries have stepped out for tea...

[Frank W.]

2 pdr´s suck !

but okay: we continue advance in the north, this makes again clear the difference between german + italians. several italian vehicles ( saharian,autoblinda,desertica ) try to hit something and they succeed. 2 hits - no damage. after this and some infantry weapon shots i move the germans. one SPW (? - that w/ the 28mm AT gun ) takes out 3 ( three ! ) crusaders ! a MKIII damages a cruiser CS, too !

also we kill a armored car in the south with a STUG3F, but lose a SPW ( ? - that with the 37mm gun )...

hope you have some better weapons than crusaders

[challenge]

Yes, things do indeed look grim for the Brits. Why doesn't the computer have this hard a time hitting my German units from these ranges?!

The slaughter in the north continues as the Afrika Corp armor stats advancing into view. The ACs in the south take fire from the vehicle mounted AT guns. Still, there is always hope.

I think I mentioned my options were serverly limited by having the Rarity option on?

[Frank W.]

i forgot about rarety. i had luck it seems with it

our troops continue advance on all fronts. in the southern
hills area a italian MC runs into mines and then is slaughtered by
a hidden crusader. also we lose there a autoblinda car, but destroy
a sort of recon vehicle which name i forgot.

in the north our forces take out severall inf. ( scouts mainly ) but
lose a SPW too another crusader. but it is then killed by a AB41 w/
20mm sideshot.

in the center we run into enemy main line of defense in the town
of al timbre, we lose a SPW and 2 SS squads driven back.

25pdr batt. shells the troops on the overlooking hills - a G50 dives
in, drops bombs in the town and kills severall inf....revenge for
the slaughter of a 50mm AT gun by the british airforce...

[challenge]

Now that the enemy has met up with some infantry they are taking some hits in return for the damage they're giving. Not only are the two pounders not doing anything to the Pz IIIs, they can't even hit a stationary target from a range of under 100 yds.

Fortunately, the infantry is at least slowing down the advance in the north. In the south, we have little to report except a fly over by a dive bomber and a little recon from a MC earlier. the exchanges are limited to the north with only minor fire -- although costly in the loss of a second AC near the middle.

the arty contnues to listen to the BBC shortwave broadcast forgetting to leave one tuned to the frantic calls from the front.

[Frank W.]

we still advance. have taken now subburbs of al timbre town.

lost severall italian vehicles and 2 (?) HT´s of some sort and severall
men. but overall the german forces seem to be on top.
( which is no wonder - as i suspect after some H2H playing that the
germans are even beefed up in this version ?!? )

our arty out of contact, too btw.

but i have only 3 SP mortars

[challenge]

but i have only 3 SP mortars

.... Which have already earned their rations, by the way.

The debate in the north isn't over yet. HC and AT gun are rubble and even the great SS is slowing down as the remaining Brits in the area of Al Timbre take a few pot shots at them.

The infantry in the center seems to have its hands full with a few MC and Trikes (love those MotoGuzzies). But still hold on -- sort of.

Exchanges in the south are heating up as a small (about platoon-sized) group of AFVs move into our range. Only got the Italian AC, but armor is repositioned to take advantage of the limited sight lines in the hills.

More enemy armor, including Half tracks, are being taken out by infantry than by armor. I think I'll trade the tanks in for something more effective next time. Like school kids with spit wads.

[Frank W.]

oops. run into trouble in the south where 2 crusader + 1 cruiser cs suddenly appeared - they killed 2 of my light vehicles, without a loss.

we advanced to fast it seems, so making tactical backwards movement out of al timbre, were some brits inf is sitting.

i believe we kill only 1 crusader + 1 truck this turn + some inf.

most italian vehicles are now out of action, btw.

[challenge]

Traded a tank for a HT, not exactly fair, but atleast we're keeping the losses down.

Most of the action is in the north where the battle over the town is heating up. An Inf AT team captured an SS squad! So there are some bright spots.

The artillery finally showed up but, from the loks of it chewed up mostly sand. Some to the 25 pounders fell on spotted enemy units, so it wasn't a complete waste.

[Frank W.]

mhh.. the brits have masses of trucks seems we run into some kind of supply convoi......

we prepare for taking al timbre it is shelled by 81mm mortars and direct fire from tanks. not so much happens this turn - we kill a crusader + a truck in center ( south - east of al timbre ). south is still critical even more tanks appear there !

25 pdr. battery is firing on our hill positions north of al timbre - we hope our forces are aftert aht still unsurpressed enough for attack.

i notice in H2H that inf. units seem to be capable into digging real deep in the sand, because some even untis directly near our inf. are not spotted ( mostly italians which seem to be very bad at that )...notice this is clear weather !

[challenge]

i notice in H2H that inf. units seem to be capable into digging real deep in the sand, because some even untis directly near our inf. are not spotted ( mostly italians which seem to be very bad at that )...notice this is clear weather !

This sightting ratings are turned down in the default settings and, yes, spotting is more difficult on both sides. Those little kaki short outfits the Brit 8th wore really help with concealment, but they don't do a d..n to stop the sand fleas...

Much of the southern German AFVs have fallen to the Crusaders, not that there was much in the way of visable armor.. mostly a few Italian HTs and german TDs. Still, those AT guns on mobile platforms are a serious threat to my armor.

A couple of HTs -- an Autobalinda and a Desertica I think, are gone from the Northern German line, but the HTs with the SS still keep moving forward. The supporting Pz IIIms and StuGs (?) -- I think that's what they are -- are the real threat.

My 25 pounders are finally getting into the zone -- unfortunately they are as close to me as they are the enemy.

An Inf AT unit or two take it on the nose -- on both sides, but the real story in the north is that the artilly is trying to get everybody, regardless of side. I love the Grw 80 mm motors. Highly acurate, even when they can't see the target. I just wish I had some of them. :rolleyes:

as for all the trucks... I generally play with C&C on when I get the chance so I get company-sized units to get the extra command points and officer. I was thinking we would start farther from the center so all the trucks would have brought my infantry nearer to the front, faster, than walking. Silly me...

[Frank W.]

i believe if the enemy would have more fighting troops than logistics we would be in more trouble. but still the south is critical we only manage to damage 1 crusader, but there are still 5 or 6 more.
also commandos operating behind our lines !

good news from al timbre: town is cleared from enemy resistance, 1 at rifle killed + 1 rifle squad surrended. we kill in the area around al timbre 1 crusader + 2 or 3 trucks also some inf. is forced to retreat.

we must shift our tanks to the south as all our light AT forces there are dead.

a P39 airstrike kills one autoblinda + severall men

[Frank W.]

c. doesn´t post, so i do.

we have taken now most of the central area incl. town and
most of the north.

in the south we surpress that commandos that killed 2 AT guns
from us and moving some inf back to kill them finally.

we kill also 1 or 2 crusaders + 1 armored scout car there.

seems the sit get´s under control soon.

i make the offer to c. to switch positions in a next game, because
i understand, that in this time the germans have simply better units
than the brits.

[challenge]

We lost contact with the front briefly, so there was a lack of information to post from...

Our attempt to hold the town has failed. The Huns advance across the board, virtually unopposed in many places. I would report the exchanges of fire, but at present, we don't have much that will return fire. Alas, I feel the battle has been less of a chalenge to my oponant than either of us hoped.