Race For Tunis 1942 (PBeM) Erik vs Marc

[Custer7]

This is a playtest of Erik Nygaard's "Race for Tunis 1942"

[Custer7]

Axis Overview:

The Axis main concern is where the Allies might strike. It is unknown if they might come by sea to attack Bizerte or Tunis. There are several land routes also available. It is impossible to defend them all. The main thrusts will be to secure the airfields as much as possible and keep at least some reserves around the ports. In the beginning the Pro-Axis Vichy French will help in the defense of Bizerte. Also Enfindaville is a major objective. Once the Allies are spotted the reserves can react.

[Custer7]

Axis turns 1 thru 5:

The initial landings on turn 2 have the Provisional Division HQ lands at Mateur airfield along with the Tunis Marsch 1 battalion. The 16 KM battalion moves to Tunis. Saur/KG Koch company lands at the airfield at La Mohammed. No sign of the Allies yet except in the air. The Axis fighters have been left reorganizing.

[Custer7]

On turn 3 the German E-boats move to protect Bizerte and Tunis approaches. The 1/11 Pioneer company is the first to try to fly across to the bridgehead. It is mauled badly and returns. A check of the air situations sees the Axis outnumbered 3 to 1. The recently arrived Ju-88s are tasked to help with air superiority. The III/5 Koch battalions lands NE of Depienne. The 11 Pioneers land on the bridge outside Djedeida and one company occupied the town. The 1 Fliegerwacht rails towards Chaoval. The Germans also land forces at Ferryville and move to the Mateur area with panzers of the 4/190 and the guns of the III/2 Art. The 14/104 PzGr rails up to Tamera. Allied forces were spotted moving north towards that location. The Italian 2/136 Gun (SP) lands at La Goulette and moves near Le Bardo encountering local French forces. The 190 Aufkl.also lands there and moves westwards. After checking the air status the odds are still 2 to 1 against, even with the Ju-88s as air support. The Ju-87s launch airfield attacks on the clusters of Allied planes in the Bone area. Four Stukas are lost and three Italian fighters in the attacks with moderate losses. On turn 4 KG Koch flys into Depienne while the III/5 recombines and heads West following along the road and rail. The I/5 FJB lands north of Enfidaville and battle the local French forces out of the City. The Axis move forces to surround the French at Le Bardo. The attack there wipes out most of the defenders except for the tanks. KG Witzig lands at the Djedeida airfield. The 1 Fliegerwacht and elements of the 11 Pioneers attack Tebourba with artillery support from II/2A Art.. But they fail to capture the city. The Axis are gambling for time. The Allied units in the north were spotted moving but their final location and numbers are unknown. The stronger initial action in the south should pay off with a more secure Tunis. However, it will be a race to defend Bizerte. The 4/190 Pz has been sent westward from Mateur into the hills to block any quick Allied rail movement that way. It was left to the 14/104 PzGr was left at Tamera to cover the northern road. Unfortunately there is little in the way of air for interdiction against the Allies, no less any for ground support.

[Custer7]

Things are heating up on turn 5. The British have landed a parachute battalion at Touburba. The first thing is to send the Italian reinforcements by sea. There is not enough transport to send them all, so half the tanks of the 1/577 Armor and the III/92 Bn and III/3 91 Infantry land at Ferryville and head north. The I/11 Pioneers attempts to land west of Tourburba. This time the weakened unit is torn to shreds and returns once again. The danger in the north sees the Tunis Marsch 1 from Manteur move north by rail. There is the chance that the Allies might catch them before they disembark. The 14/104 PzGr is tore up but still bars the way to Sedjename. Hopefully the Allies will try to brush them aside and continue their advance. Again it is hoped that the Italians will arrive in time coming from Ferryville to also slow the Allied advance. The 11 Pioneer and 1 Fliegerwacht take on the Brits in Tebourba and push them out as now they have indirect artillery and mortar support. A second round pushes them back even further westwards. The French tanks in Le Bardo are wiped out by the Axis. The III/5 FJ capture Pont du Fahs. The I/5 FJ manage to knock off the defenders that were pushed out of Enfidaville and advance towards Kairouan. It is feared that the French may occupy the airfield there before the FJ can get there. So far Tunis appears to have enough defenders to hold off any French plans and at least enough to slow down any British moves. It has become expensive bringing over forces by air at this point. The German air reinforcements are sorely needed. The Allied attacks on the convoys have also slowed down sea movement.

[larryfulkerson]

ORIGINAL: Custer7
A check of the air situations sees the Axis outnumbered 3 to 1. The recently arrived Ju-88s are tasked to help with air superiority.

I thought JU-88's were a high altitude bomber. Won't using them for air superiority just get them shot down?

[Erik2]

I just want to add that I've done a lot of changes to this scenario vs the disk version.
Many changes were done to improve play against the PO (Elmer).

Overview-1
In anticipation of strong German air-forces the Allies have taken a couple of Theatre Options at the cost of Victory Points to release additional fighter squadrons wich where moved to airbases closer to the front. The seaborne invasion plan has been scrapped for a land operation.
The plan is to race for the ports using three columns;
the first going the northern route Djebel Abjod-Djefna-Bizerte,
the second the central route Sidi Nsir-Mateur-Ferryville,
the third the southern route Medjez el Bab-Tebourba-Tunis City.
The Allies have one para-formation wich will be used depending on the current map situation.

Erik

[Erik2]

Overview-2

There are also some objectives, especially airfields, along the route Pont Fahs – Tunis in the center.

[Erik2]

Overview-3

In addtion some units must be spared to take control of the airbase and towns on the far south flank, Kairouan-Enfidaville-Bou Ficha.

[Erik2]

Turn 1-5 North:
The extra air units did intercept German attempts at reinforcing Tunis by air, some airtransports were hurt and there are even reports of a couple of units being turned back.
The Germans have landed at least one company-sized unit at Tamera near the objective Djebel Abjod so the newly arrived 36 Bde is directed to the northern route.
Several sharp attacks drove the Germans back several hexes.

[Erik2]

Turn 1-5 Center:

The Germans attack the French gendarmerie in Tebourba in the center, but fail to occupy the objective. The Allies decide to intervene and launch an airborne attack with the III Para Bn.
Tebourba is important in that it is blocking German access to the center (along with nearby Masicault).

[Erik2]

Turn 1-5 South:

The Allies spend a few VPs activating a French inf bn on the southern airfield Kairouan.
Unfortunately the Germans were one step ahead and had already brought in some fallschirmjägers at Enfidaville.

[Custer7]

On turn 6 the Axis took the Theater Options to disband the pro-Allied Vichy French and activate the Pro-Axis Vichy French. The loss of the 14/104 PzGr leaves nothing to slow the Brits down in the north. The Germans dig in around the Djefna area. All fighter units are reorganizing. Attempted airlift of the Tunis Marsch 4 to Mateur airfield was disaster, 28 squads lost and most of the weapons. In the Tebourba – Dejdeida area the Germans dig in. The recent arrival of British Para reinforcements has stalled all other actions in this area. Elements of the 190 Aufkl. have come up from the south and occupied Masicault in the Center. Other elements have encountered French north of St. Cypren. The only fighting is in the Pont du Fahs area where the defenders were eliminated. The Allied French have arrived at Kairouan. Two companies of the I/5 FJ advance towards the town and dig in. A platoon of Company Sauer was railed southward towards Bou Ficha. It is hoped to at least have a line of supply to Enfidaville eventually.

Turn 7 Axis reinforcements come by sea to Ferryville. Attempts to send Italian airborne forces over by air fail with significant losses to them and Axis air. All Axis fighters are now reorganizing. Italian units arrive in the Djefna area and fill in the line. A counter attack on Tebourba succeeds in pushing the British Paras out but no unit advances. The 1/Sauer/5 advances to Bou Ficha. The I/5 FJ elements advance on Kairouan to tie the French down in the South.

[Custer7]

On Turn 8 the Port of Turnis is now open. The Pro-Allied Vichy French have disbanded. The arrival of air reinforcements has helped in getting some forces over by air transport. The Tunis Marsch 2 arrives at Mateur. This time the depleted Italian 1/P/RA Para, 1R/RA Para land north of Tebourba. The Tunis Marsch 4 lands at Djedeida. These and the forces in the area attack the British Paras in the area. The Italian Paras manage to wrestle Tebourba back while the Brit II Para is pushed back. Farther north lead elements of the III/190 Panzer locate French forces to the east of Sidi Nsir and dig in. An airfield attack was conducted on one of the Bone airfields. Axis lost 10 Ju-88s and 2 fighters, few Allied losses. British Commandos were reported arriving at Bone.

[Custer7]

On Turn 9 the Axis continue their build up by sea. Still there is a significant back log of forces to come over. The Pro-Axis Vichy French are now active. General Nehring flies into the Tunis area. In the South Sector the depleted It. II/P RA Para lands north of Enfidaville. Recent British Commando landings in the area are a concern. The I/5 FJ pulls back from investing Kairouan to attack the Paras. They force them to retreat. The rest of Sauer rails into Enfidaville while one element marches in. The 9/5 FJ also arrives in the area by rail. In the Center at the Tebourba area the Br II Para is surrounded and attacked but hold out. The 16 KrM overruns Bathan. Elements of the It. I/P RA Para push back Col Frost HQ, attack it and destroy it. The 16 KrM and other elements of It. I/P RA Para attack Br. III Para. Forcing them to retreat. Further to the north the It. 24/10 Mot. Inf. attack the Br 56 Recon SE of Sidi Nsir and fight to stand still. The line in front of the French to the east of Sidi Nsir were reinforced. It was a surprise that the French moved so soon. The US artillery was spotted behind them which explain their sudden appearance. Also explains the losses against the Br 56 Recon. If there wasn’t so much of the Axis air reorganizing an air attack would have been justified. Following the north road the 1/557 Arm. block the rail line SE of Sedjename where a Br. Infantry unit was discovered.

[Custer7]

At the start of Turn 10 recent Italian reinforcements that can board ship and head to Tunis. It. HQ 50 Div. flies into Djedeida and the It. HQ Superga Div. flies to La Mohammed. In the north the It. 1/557 Arm pulls out from the British Infantry a bit and digs in. The 3/190 Pz and the It. 34/10 Mot. Inf. attack the British 56 Rec. It was more of an air battle than fighting on the ground and the 56 Rec. holds. Again the British Paras in the Tebourba area cause problems. Italian units are diverted south to join the battle. The I & II Paras are surrounded and attacked. This time the Axis forces manage to wipe them out but with heavy cost to themselves. The San Marco Marine was diverted from the area to slow down the French near Masicault. The 190 Aufkl. is spent after slowing the Allied French and escapes into the town. In the Enfidaville area the Sauer reforms and with the Italian paras and a company of the I/5 FJ and support from 9/5 FJ attack the British Commandos at Takrouma. The Axis manage with heavy air losses to capture Takrouma.

[Erik2]

Turn 5-10 North:
The 36 Bde units overrun lone German unit and advance down the road to Djefna where they are engaged by a German bn. After a few more turns German and Italian reinforcements are brought up and the situation turns to a stand-still.

[Erik2]

Turn 6-10 Center:
The French Vichy forces outside Tunis where attacked by the Germans and have concequently joined the Allied cause. The move towards the nearest German units and dig in.
Not much is expected from them.. After a few turns the Germans disarm them as well.
Free French units at Beja are finally moving towards Sidje in the center and towards Masicault further south. There are a few fights against German units where the French come out on top. Both the Allies and Axis reinforce so there’s a stalemate in the center as well.
The I Para and the regimental HQ was dropped near Masicault to help out the III Para that was dislodged from Tebourba. They counterattack and retake the objective. The battle rages back and forth as both sides reinforce. Finally Colonel Frost is overtaken and the paras are almost being wiped out after multiple Axis attacks.

[Erik2]

Turn 6-10 South:
Way south the French bn defending the Kairouan airfield are getting reports of strong German troops approaching. One British commando unit is flown in to threaten Enfidaville.
Unfortunately the Axis reinforce quickly by rail and push the commandoes back.

[Erik2]

Turn 11-15 North:

More Allied reinforcements trickle onto the battlefield.
HQ decides that any further advances are suspended until enough forces can be brought on the enemy. The Axis counterattack at Djefna and Sid Nsir, but the Allies hold on despite some setbacks.