KG Krafft, 15 March, 1942 - Afrika Korps
Repair and resupply: The growing numbers of Grant tanks in the enemy force called for a change in equipment and tactics for the 'fire brigade' of the 15th Panzer Division. The support company has been strengthened with the addition of a section of 8.8cm FlaK 36's and SdKfz 7 transports.
Situation: The British have invested Gazala and Afrika Korps has halted at Timimi, both sides conduct reconnaisence operations in the no man's land between. One such recon operation from 15th Panzer Division runs into more than it can handle, a British armored unit conducting counter-recon operations. The terrain is rolling desert with many sand dunes, rocky outcroppings, and windswept strips of packed earth. A dirt road runs east/west near the northern edge of the battle area. It is intersected about 2 kilometers from the eastern edge of the area by a road running nw/se. About a kilometer southwest of the intersection is a group of three buildings on a small plateau area just east of one of the objective areas. [Meeting engagement, visibility 41, length 31, standard victory hexes, map size 80x100]
Orders: A division recon detachment is in need of assistance, KG Krafft is the closest unit available. The recon detachment consists of a SdKfz 222 (commander), one section of two SdKfz 231(8) heavy armored cars, two groups of three SdKfz 222 armored cars, a platoon of kradschutzen, a pair of SdKfz 250/7 GrWs, a section of SdKfz 10/4 FlaK vehicles and a section of JPz I's. KG Krafft will procede to the area with all possible haste and eliminate the opposing British armored force. Posession of the battlefield at the end of the engagement is highly desireable so that vehicles can be recovered and supplies captured. Luftwaffe support is limited to a pair of Bf 109F's. The battlefield is beyond the range of any friendly artillery units.
Battle Plan: KG Krafft will obtain and maintain control of the east/west road and the intersection. To this end, the panzer company will deploy in the north with platoon D north of the road, platoon E astride the road, platoon F south of the road, and platoon G held in reserve. The 8.8cm FlaK 36 guns will provide cover for the armor to advance. The 4.7cm PaK 36(t)'s will accompany platoon F and, supported by the support company's kradschutzen platoon, will attempt to deploy in the depression west of the group of three buildings.
The recon detachment will operate in the south, making contact with the enemy but remaining at extreme range. The SPMs, SPATGs, and kradschutzen platon of the recon detachment will be held in reserve in hopes of setting up an ambush situation for any enemy flanking maneuvers.
Execution: Shortly after arrival, fifteen enemy armored cars are spotted moving west on the road, platoon D maneuvers to intercept as platoons E and F move into supporting positions. In the far south, a pair of scout cars is observed moving west. A pair of bren carriers and a Lee tank are spotted far to the south east. Platoon D engages the lead armored cars in the north but they pop smoke. In the south, as the heavy armored cars move to engage the lead scout vehicles, they spot a followon force of armored cars and a troop of Grant tanks. The northern group of 222's spots an additional bren carrier in the south central group.
Platoon D is practically run over by the British armored cars and is forced to withdraw a bit to get clear of the smoke and wreckage. One PzKw IIf is forced to withdraw after suffering turret damage from ATR hits from an armored car but six of the enemy vehicles are destroyed. In the south the recon detachment knocks out three of four scout cars and a bren carrier. More British light armor vehicles are destroyed both by platoon D's panzers and the armored cars of the recon detachment, however a company of Grant tanks is spotted moving west in the center and the recon detachment is forced to begin withdrawal.
As a precautionary measure, Oberstlt Krafft orders platoon G to move south and prepare to support platoon F should it become necessary. Hptmann Tellner radios in an airstrike on the enemy armor concentration. In the north and south the enemy light armor units are eliminated but the german light units are forced to withdraw as the British Grant tanks approach. The JPz Is of the recon detachment prepare an ambush for the Grant troop in the far south.
Oberstlt Krafft has some harsh words for the Luftwaffe as they strafe a Grant tank in the middle of the enemy column but fly away without releasing their bombs. Platoon F, in what amounts to a reverse slope position, destroys two of the Grant tanks but are in serious need of backup. While platoon E maneuvers onto the plateau to the north and platoon G heads east at top speed, the 88's are not in position to offer support and the 4.7cm PaK 36(t)'s are not in a good position either.
British 5.5in guns and at two troops of 25pdrs shell the former positions of the recon detachment's armored cars as the SPMs of the recon detachment are requested to be ready to drop smoke in front of platoon F's position. Three more Grants explode as they come face to face with the panzers of platoon F at less than 200 meter range. In the north platoon D engages enemy infantry at long range. At least a platoon of infantry was moving west along the road trailing the armored cars.
Eight Grant tanks lay smoking wrecks in front of platoon F, although a few are still approaching their position, the majority of the remainder seem to have turned southwest. In the far south, the JPz I's of the recon detachment lay in wait hoping for flanking shots on the southernmost troop of Grant tanks. The Luftwaffe makes another pass, this time the second plane actually drops bombs but no damage is observed. Two more Grants are immobilized as they try to outflank platoon F to the south, one of those is destroyed by followup fire.
Platoons E and G together with the 4.7cm ATGs engage the leading Grants and Lees with a fusillade of long range fire, which while doing little, if any, real damage, distracted most of them while the panzers of platoon F closed using smoke and wreckage for cover, Two more Grant tanks were destroyed by platoon F with only one panzer suffering minor damage. The panzer f/1 of company E scored two long range kills, one Lee and one Grant. Another Grant was destroyed by platoon F as it carefully worked its way through the smoke.
The JPz I's in the south sprung their trap with a bit of long range fire from platoon E, destroying one Grant tank and damaging another. Platoon F wreaked havoc with enemy infantry that had been riding the Grants along with destroying a Valentine III and a Lee tank. Platoon G continued to lay down covering fire as it advanced.
The JPz I's found themselves on their own though when an enemy infantry company was spotted moving towards the northern objective area from the east. Platoons D and E, together with the command group, devoted their full efforts to repelling that attack. With a bit of spotting help from the recon detachment's kradschutzen platoon, the JPz I's managed to take out the trailing Grant tank of the southern troop. The northern one continued north only to come face to face with platoon G as it was moving up to reinforce platoon F. In the resulting exchange of fire, the Grant took damage and the lead panzer of platoon G popped smoke preventing the Grant from returning accurate fire.
Another Valentine III was destroyed from behind by a pair of panzers of platoon F as it tried to maneuver into position to fire upon platoon E. Enemy artillery became a bit of a problem as 5.5in guns fired near the SPM's firing positions and a mix of 5.5in and 25pdr shells began landing around platoon E's position as well as near the ATGs deployed to their west.
The last Grant of the southern troop was destroyed by a well placed shot from behind as the JPz Is caught up to it. This allowed platoon G to move to relieve platoon F, which in turn moved north to support platoon E, allowing platoon E to move east out of the beaten zone of the incoming artillery. At this point in the battle, it looked as if the British had been soundly thumped.
Indeed they were, an hour and a half into the battle, the remaining British left the battlefield.
Decisive victory, KG Krafft.
Game notes: I never seem to be able to get ATGs where I really need them, especially the 88's! This time was no exception, only the reverse slope position of platoon F allowed a win.
Last turn file attached, thanks for reading
