KG Griffin the Alt History Campaign Continues

[PanzerBob]

The Tiger III and especially SPG Loewe PzHaubitze are great, I'm hoping real life doesn't impede on my work on the my new OOB this weekend. Real life has been interfering with my hobbies all this week, DOH!!

Thanks Again.

[PanzerBob]

KG Griffin War Diary, 03 Nov 1945

Warfare being what it is, my three day deadline for the Suez Operation came and went. Allied counter-attacks north of our position, were more successful than planned for and the plan was delayed by the Allied attacks plus several sand storms.

This delay gave us the advantages of getting more exact intelligence on the defences on the canal and wearing down of enemy resources. This meant some change of tactics in the upcoming attack. With the delays We were able to preposition our start positions and rethink how to secure those two objectives.

The plan was now changed to have my quickest units formed into Fast Attack Group to hit the pontoon bridge before it could taken out or blown up. The other group my Heavy Attack Group would have the rail road bridge objective. Each group had one of our Hubz Gps and Div Recce units assigned to them, plus 8 barges and a 17cm Bn and 122mm Bn assigned in support.

Intelligence had the enemy in a wide zone around the Suez Canal. Aside from old defensive works the British Forces arrayed ahead of us appear to have adopted a mobile defensive posture.

Again an early morning assault was in order with wear and tear on my men and the machines war being a concern in the heat of the Sinai Desert.

We opened the operation with a combined smoke and HE barrage. Divsional Recce raced forward and within minutes of crossing into the Zone, and made initial contacts with Tommy tanks and infantry in positions as shown on the Map Graphic. Besides fire being reported from several Comets, new tanks were spotted and likely had taken out our first casualities, 2x armoured cars and a Panther G.

See attached Battle Graphic

Obersturmbannführer PanzerBob

[Brummbar]

Plans are made to be broken.

It sound's like they were ready for your attack. Can't wait to see what you did to them.

Keep up the great work PanzerBob!

[PanzerBob]

Real time notes: Sorry for any awaiting updates, real life as it does from time to time has been interfering with my free time. I’ve only managed 5-6 turns since my last SITREP and ……..well you will see.

Continued -- KG Griffin War Diary, 03 Nov 1945

Short entry, as our attack had run into some problems especially on the Left Flank with the Fast Attack Group. As misfortune would have it we discovered a new British Tank, which turned out to be the Centurion. This Heavy Tank was fielding a 20pdr Gun and showed us in short order; about 20-25mins what it could do to Panther and Cheetah frontal armour. Only 4 of them at this point were ID’d and accounted for 9 to 10 panzers before being neutralized with combined Panzer, Arty and Hubz strikes. Most of the attached Pz Gen moved to the Suez Berm during this savage exchange.

See Map-Left Flank


Heavy Attack Group progress at the same time was mostly to schedule, although 3 Jaguars were out, 2 destroyed & 1 had a track taken out by infantry. A 6pdr lucky strike and a Comet shot to the side were to blame. This attack was still more or less on track. 3 Jaguars would be detached to assist on the Left Flank.

See Map-Right Flank


The actual bridge assaults were about to commence. The enemy still had an unknown amount of Comets on the Western side of the Suez Canal.


Obersturmbannführer PanzerBob

[RecruitMonty]

Woops. Looks like you ran into some heavy enemy activity in the south. Sorry to hear it. You should ask the OKW to replace your Panthers with sturdier MBTs.

[PanzerBob]

RecruitMonty said:
Woops. Looks like you ran into some heavy enemy activity in the south. Sorry to hear it. You should ask the OKW to replace your Panthers with sturdier MBTs.

Thanks for Condolences, I've been foiled yet again, the freakin' AI decided more Centurions were a good idea. It was a slaughter of epic dimensions.

My Panther/Cheetah Kp died taking out the first 4 Centurions, and the Pz Gren died under Comets and Infantry trying to secure a bridgehead at the pontoon bridge.

The Jaguar Kp ran into a nasty surprise on the Railbridge when more (4) Centurions laid to waste my deadly beauties. I then ordered a withdrawal at that point.

For the price of 11 Comets and 6 Centurions, etc the British stopped me cold, 4 Panther G's, 8 Panther F's, 4 Cheetah's, and 8 Jaguars plus many others was the butchers bill.

I figure, my biggest mistake was lack of use of my Hubz to recce the area, overzealous use of smoke, and too much speed trying to reach the objectives and even the trying to take both objectives at once. Of course the Centurions were a surprise not even thought of.

Back to the drawing board literally, time to redo my Alt History German OOB, and then try again.

[RecruitMonty]

Need any help on Armour ratings etc? I can give you some.

[Brummbar]

Yeah, that life stuff can really get in the way of our gaming stuff. I my self have had very limited time on my computer in the past month and a half.

Do you think my pet Tiger's whould have done you any good in your last fight?

Keep up the great AAR's.

[PanzerBob]

Yeah I hate when real time interferes with my gaming.

You Pet Tiger may have helped, but I really did myself in with the use of smoke and speed, instead of using the long-range capabilities of my Panzerwaffe. I certainly would have still lost Panzers but not the slaughter that did ensue.

Next AAR will hopefully be my last test before I put all this together as a campaign. Now to get a few uninterrupted days to cobble together my new OOB's.