KG Krafft, 3 May, 1942 - Afrika Korps
Repair and resupply: While General Kesselring's successes in supressing Malta last month has allowed more supplies to reach Afrika Korps, KG Krafft was unable to find replacements for the two panzers and two SdKfz 10/4's destroyed in the previous battle. All other equipment was repaired and units resupplied and brought back up to full strength.
Situation: The British have been scouting the area south of their Gazala fortifications of late, intelligence believes they are in the process of creating another fortified area further south of the existing line. Luftwaffe recon has spotted a British armored column moving towards the suspected site, presumably to act as a security force while construction is underway. The area is somewhat different than the normal open rolling desert, although it has many depressions of various sizes and the usual numbers of rocky outcroppings, sand dunes, and windswept areas of packed dirt, there is an unusually high plateau in the center. It is this central plateau which intel believes to be the intended site of the centerpiece of the new fortifications. [Meeting engagement, visibility 19, length 41, standard victory hexes, map size 100x100]
Orders: KG Krafft is to proceed to the area and neutralize any enemy forces found. Korps recon assets attached to KG Krafft for this operation include two troops of armored cars and two sections of kraftradmelders. While the area is beyond range of friendly artillery, Luftwaffe is providing six Bf 109F's for tactical support and a Fw 189 Uhu for aerial recon. Control of the battlefield at the end of the engagement is vital so that intel may ascertain the extent of British preparations.
Battle plan: Panzer platoon G is not combat ready, the three operational tanks of that platoon will be split among the command group and platoons E and F. Platoon D and the pionier platoon will be held in reserve and the KG command group will provide rear area security for the support elements. Platoons E and F will advance to the edge of the central plateau and there deploy into reverse slope positions, panzer company command section C will support them. Two recon groups will be formed, recon A and recon B, each consisting of a troop of 222's and a section of kraftradmelders. Recon A will advance on the north flank and recon B will advance on the south flank. The first phase of the battle will rely heavily on Luftwaffe recon to ascertain the enemy's disposition and on Luftwaffe airstrikes to encourage the enemy to maneuver into positions favorable to our forces.
Execution: Roughly ten minutes after deployment, recon B spots a pair of Morris CS9 armored cars advancing in the far south. Oberstlt Krafft orders platoon D to prepare for a southern movement in support of recon B should that prove advisable. Recon A spots a platoon of halftracks advancing in the north, taking them under fire, one is destroyed. Recon B engages the lead armored car in the south but it pops smoke before sustaining any damage. Platoon D is ordered to continue moving southeast to be in position for reinforcement of recon B. The pionier platoon is ordered to head northeast and position itself in preparation for reinforcement of recon A.
The picture develops further as a Grant tank is spotted trailing the southern armored car group by a kilometer, the halftrack movement in the north develops into a full fledged attack by a mechanized infantry company, and aerial recon spots a group of armored cars just northeast of center moving west. Recon A is ordered to fall back, maintaining contact if possible. The pionier and panzer platoons of the reserve are assigned new orders, sending the panzers north and the pioniers south.
Recon A continues to fire long range at the mechanized infantry force, destroying a few more halftracks and generally impeding their advance while awaiting the arrival of platoon D. The central armored car movement ran into a wall of 5cm shells once they came within los of platoon E and were promptly destroyed. After finishing off the armored cars in the south, recon B withdrew out of los of the advancing Grant tanks, and waited for the arrival of the pionier platoon to exploit ambush possibilities. Aerial recon continues as Oberstlt Krafft seeks for the main enemy force.
Recon A was caught flatfooted when a troop of Grants appeared unexpectedly from the east and open fire within a few hundred meters. The armored cars were close enough to the edge of the plateau that they managed to escape undamaged. The central group is ordered north to engage the Grants. Aerial recon spots two troops of Valentines along with additional infantry about a kilometer to the east and slightly north of the Grants. It seems Oberstlt Krafft has found the main line of enemy advance. Airstrikes are called in on the followup forces and sIG 33 fire in the path of the Grants. In the south, a massive bombardment by five 5.5in troops falls upon the former positions of recon B.
Two of the three Grants advancing in the north were destroyed by short range 5cm fire from the panzers of platoon E which lay in wait along their flank. Incoming sIG 33 fire was largely accurate and caused additional casualties among the riders and damage to the remaining tank. The airstrike inflicted casualties among the infantry accompaning the Valentines but seemed to do no damage to the tanks.
Acting on reports from aerial recon, the armored cars of recon B race northeast, intercepting and destroying a British FOO team. The kraftradmelders of recon B assist the pionier platoon in attempting to reach close assault range against the southern troop of Grant tanks. The 15cm bombardment deafened and disoriented the crew of the remaining Grant of the lead troop in the north allowing them to be easily dispatched by flanking fire from platoon E. This freed up the armored cars of recon A along with the light panzers of platoon D to engage the mechanized infantry to their north/northeast.
Another airstrike is called in on the northern force while the pioniers in the south request, and are granted, a fire mission from the sIG 33's to assist them in engaging the Grant troop there. The mechanized infantry force in the north was put to rout with most of its vehicles destroyed. Recon B's armored cars continued to engage small units in the vicinity of the central objective area. Platoon E together with section C, advanced north while platoon F ascended the central plateau and slowly advanced northeast.
The airstrike in the north distracts the lead Valentine enough that a panzer from platoon F is able to destroy it with a couple flank shots. In the south, the pioniers destroy a MG left behind by the Grants and advance undercover of their own smoke. The pionier platoon leader calls in a request for smoke from the sIG 33's, the request is acceptable to Oberstlt Krafft who calls in the mission and sends back the message 'on the way!'. Hptmann Tellner continues calling in airstrikes on the northern Valentines.
In the north, platoons E and F continue to pick away at the Valentines while platoon D and the armored cars of recon A snipe at infantry with long range machinegun and 2cm HE fire. Airstrikes shift south and disable a lone Grant making its way from the southern objective area to the central objective area. In the south, the pionier platoon lures two Grant tanks too close to the smoke obscured southern objective area and set them afire with flamethrowers destroying both tanks.
Recon B was forced to withdraw from the central objective area by the, now immobilized, Grant tank and a Valentine to the west. In the north, the last of the Valentines is destroyed and the infantry is routed. Oberstlt Krafft orders platoon F to secure the central objective area, airstrikes and 15cm artillery support will be supplied.
A horrific bombardment of six 5.5in troops fell on the tail end of platoon F as it reversed course, one panzer was badly damaged, its main gun knocked out, the platoon went to full throttle and vacated the area. Another airstrike, this one on the Valentine east of the central objective area, unfortunately the Luftwaffe pilots prefered shooting at a kraftradmelder some distance to the north. The badly shaken kraftradmelder survived.
The Valentine bravely charged over the crest of the plateau and came face to face with platoon F at a range of 250 meters. The Valentine promptly exploded. The Luftwaffe used the lone Grant, immobilized south of the central objective as live ammo target practice. They didn't kill it but they did manage to hit it a few times. At the two hour mark, the British force has been soundly beaten and there is no sign of any last minute counterattack.
Decisive victory, KG Krafft. Next up, the Battle of Gazala!
Last turn attached, thanks for reading
