KG Krafft, 12 June 1941, Afrika Korps
Refit and resupply: three tanks that were knocked out in the previous battle have been replaced with Pz IIIh panzers as new equipment trickles in.
Game Note: as the majority of Panzergrenadier units in this period were using truck transport and many times the trucks were left far enough back from the front that they weren't of tactical significance, I created three formations using MobHack: a PzGrZug (mot a), which is a PzGrenZug (mot) sans trucks; a PzGr sw Zug (a), which is a MG platoon with a PzGren Grp as 0 unit; and a PzGr Kp (mot a), which is a company led by a PzGren SMG Grp accompanied by a 5cm LeGrW 36 unit and having three PzGrZug (mot a) platoons and one PzGr sw Zug (a) platoon.
Situation: A British unit is trying to break out of Tobruk. Terrain is hilly, with two small patches of woods (one in the far west, another just north of center in the east). Two streams join together in the north about a quarter of a kilometer west of center running north east from there. One feeder runs from the southwest corner of the map, the other runs from the south a bit east of center. Two east-west roads are present, a main road in the north and a secondary road in the south. There are scattered small village areas along both roads. [Visibility 31, Length 39, standard victory hexes, map size 100x100]
Orders: KG Krafft is to assist a company of the 104th Panzergrenadier regiment in gaining control of the area and preventing British units from escaping. The panzergrenadier company is reinforced with a motorized 81mm mortar group drawn from its battalion and a Jagdpanzer group of SdKfz 10/5 PaK5 drawn from division. Luftwaffe support is limited to a Storch observation plane. Division is providing fire support from one 10.5cm battery.
Battle plan: The panzergrenadier company will advance in the north supported by platoon D and the SPAA section N. The remainder of the kampfgruppe will advance in the south, swinging north after crossing the central stream.
Execution: Five batteries of British 25pdrs open up with interdiction fire along the roads, while no casualties resulted, the interdiction fire in the south worsens an already precarious timing problem for KG Krafft. Bren carriers are spotted moving in the center at the edge of the woods and in the south along the road. Long range fire from the lead PzIII destroys one carrier and fire support is called for a strike a quarter kilometer east of the bridge.
A truckborne infantry platoon advances on the northern road and is taken under fire by platoon D. In the center, three Morris CS9 armored cars advance in support of three Bren carriers. On the southern road, Bren carriers and Boyes ATR teams are engaged by platoon F. At least two Morris CS9 armored cars are advancing in support of the southern forces. The PzGr Kp commander calls in 81mm mortar fire on the northern advance.
Supporting MG fire in the north allows platoon D to advance east of the bridge and the panzergrenadier company begins crossing the stream at various points. Two A13 MkI tanks are destroyed along the southern road by platoon G and platoon F eliminates additional ATR teams east of the bridge along with a pair of armored cars. At least a section of A9 tanks is observed moving west on the southern road just east of the hill.
The lead carrier of the central force is destroyed by a SdKfz 10/5 as it rounded the south of the northern hills. MG fire continues to halt enemy movement on the northern road as the panzergrenadier company continues to advance. Platoons E and F cross the southern bridge and the KG's security element deploys on the southern objective. Platoon H, preparing to cross the bridge, engage the leading Valentine II of a pair spotted moving west two kilometers northeast of the bridge but no damage is observed.
Half an hour into the battle, platoon D advances southeast and destroys one CS9 of a group of four, the others pop smoke. Another Bren carrier is destroyed by SdKfz 10/5 fire and the last carrier of that group is fired upon by SdKfz 10/4s but continues to advance. The panzergrenadier commander cancels the 81mm fire order as the enemy has retreated from the target area. The company continues to advance. In the south, platoons E and F advance north, platoon H crosses the bridge and turns northeast, the security platoon adjusts position to defend the objective area, and the remainder of the kampfgruppe prepares to cross the bridge.
The armored cars and carriers of the northern group are destroyed by a combination of fire from platoon D and the SdKfz 10/5 section. Enemy infantry in that area continue to retreat in the face of MG fire as the company advances. The southern situation continues to be critical, while some A9 and A13 Mk I tanks near or on the road were destroyed, return fire destroyed the KG XO's panzer and only Hptmann Rittenhaus himself survived. Platoons E and F advanced northward exchanging ineffective fire with the Valentine II platoon to the northeast and the lead tanks laid down a smoke screen to cover the advance of the JPz I's of platoon H. Obrstlt Krafft's tank and platoon G crossed the river but the bridgehead is still very small and vulnerable to artillery fire. The sIG Ib section engages the Valentine II in long range direct fire, scoring some hits but causing no observable damage. Artillery support from the 10.5cm battery continues to fall on the enemy east of the bridgehead.
Enemy artillery opens up, fortunately not on the bridgehead but on the support positions of the northern group. One SdKfz 10/4 FlaK is damaged and both MG squads of the heavy weapons platoon are routed. While the enemy artillery continues to pound the support positions in the north, an exchange of fire in the south results in the loss of two of F platoon's PzIIIe's, only one of the crews survived. Also lost in that exchange was a JPz I but not before it destroyed one of the Valentine IIs. Another Valentine II was destroyed by a PzIIIg but two more Valentine IIs have arrived on the scene.
The advance in the north continues with platoon D claiming the northern objective area and destroying an approaching truck. Division artillery continues firing east of the southern objectives in a desparate effort to interdict enemy reinforcements from overrunning the security platoon. Platoon E generates another smoke screen to assist the panzers in closing with the Valentine IIs and platoon G heads north to replace platoon F on the line.
Mortar fire rains down on the security platoon's position forcing the withdrawal of the halftracks, but a few hundred meters to the north, KG Krafft finally breaks through the enemy positions destroying three Valentine IIs in the process. Though no more panzers were lost, two more of platoon F's panzers were heavily damaged rendering platoon F combat inneffective.
An infantry counter-attack in the north is quickly thrown back and the SdKfz 10/5 section crosses the bridge and moves south along with the remaining SdKfz 10/4. Platoon G along with the remaining vehicles of platoon H and the command element shadow the two remaining Valentine IIs as they head towards the central objective area. Platoon E withdraws eastward under long range fire from a Bofors 40mm AA-gun, taking up covering positions for platoon F's retreat. Division artillery continues to fall on enemy positions southeast of the southern objective area but it seems the brunt of the attack there has passed. The sIG Ib section rendevous with the SdKfz 252LGM section for resupply.
The first hour of the battle passes with the destruction of another Valentine II which fell to the combined fire of platoon G. The final Valentine II is destroyed by a combination of direct fire from both the sIG Ib section and the SdKfz 10/5 Pak5 section. Not ten minutes pass though until multiple 25pdr batteries fire upon platoon D and the resupplying sIG Ib section. One panzer was disabled and a SdKfz 252 LGM suffered damage. Platoon G discovers an infantry platoon moving north from the central objective, evidently preparing for a counter-attack on the northern objective area. HE and MG fire from the panzers soon disabuse them of that notion. The security element mounts up and heads north with the intention to take the central objective area, much of which is too soft for safe panzer travel. Platoon E takes over gaurding the southern objective area.
The counter-attack force turns out to be company strength, not platoon strength, and upon discovering platoon G at their rear, promptly turn around and attack! To make matters worse, not only was one of platoon D's panzers disabled and the crew forced to abandon, but another has been so badly damaged that it must withdraw from the battle. On top of that, mortar fire catches the security element just after they started out from the southern objective and knocks the track off of one of the halftracks.
As the counter-attacking infantry is broken between the panzergrenadiers, platoon G, and 10.5cm artillery fire, the mobile portion of the security element arrives on the scene. However, at the same time, a second, armored, counter-attack is spotted consisting of three Valentine IIs moving west on the eastern slope of the central hill. Platoon G and the two remaining JPz Is of platoon H scramble to intercept the new threat.
Five 25pdr batteries fire upon the northern objective area, immobilizing one third of the panzergrenadier company. Fortunately this did not include the platoon covering the northern approach to the central objective area, nor did it affect the movement of the SdKfz 10/5 PaK5 section into overwatch position. The counterattacking infantry near the central objective area is thrown into disarray as shells arrive from the 10.5cm battery. The armor counterattack turns out to consist of five Valentine IIs which are maneuvering north around the east slope of the central hill. Another infantry counterattack is mounted against the southern objective area but is beaten back by massed fire from platoon E.
As 150mm shells from the sIG Ib section fall on the trailing Valentine IIs, the lead Valentine II is destroyed by a 5cm sabot round from panzer G3 with support from the SdKfz 10/5 PaK5 section. Sporadic mortar fire begins falling near all three objective areas as another Valentine II explodes after being hit by multiple rounds from 5cm guns. Artillery fire on the Valentines intensifies as the division battery and 81mm mortars join in. The blinded Valentines continue to advance but two hours into the battle they are stopped for good by combined fire from platoons G and H along with supporting SdKfz 10/5 Pak5 fire. The battle continued for another half hour with sporadic shelling and small infantry counterattacks that were quickly thrown back.
Decisive victory, KG Krafft.
Last turn attached, thanks for reading
