DAR: Italy vs. GB - North Africa 6/40

[RERomine]

Turn 5

The enemy is pushing close near the north edge, with lead elements about 300m away. That is going to be ugly, because I don't think four tanks and a company of infantry are going to hold up against the force heading toward them. Enemy infantry also in support trading fire with some of my squads as they get close.

Bravo has about a half dozen enemy tanks heading toward their left platoon. Most are A10s, with a few of Matilda Is in support. I should be able to handle these. The enemy armored cars heading toward the other flank platoon have lost one more. Enemy infantry also moving up on foot.

Enemy forces trying to push into wadi gap between engineers and Alpha. So far, they aren't making any progress. Taking fire from both sides is scoring against their infantry. An assault finally took out one of the Dingos. The only armored support at the moment is from armored cars, but it won't be enough. Flanking armored cars are down to one. Three were destroyed by antitank guns. I've got mortars plotted against the enemy hitting the salient.

Casualties

Friendly: Estimated 5 casualties.

Enemy: 4xRolls Royce A/Cs, 1xDaimler Dingo and 1xTruck destroyed. Estimated 10 casualties.

[RERomine]

Turn 6

Alpha is bracing itself for the enemy attack, but they are moving slowly, glacier slow. They are still about 300m out at the closest with tanks trailing out about 500m. My bombers might make it in time to avoid a danger close strike. In the meantime, I'm hitting any infantry that appears in the area with machine guns and tanks. Zulu tanks are helping, but the enemy finally got around to raining steel. My count was 12 troops of 25-pdrs, but I might be off at touch. They scored Zulu's HQ tank. The enemy had three squads ripped in return.

Bravo is pretty much doing the same thing as Alpha, without the looming threat of Matilda II tanks. The spent their time also firing at infantry and capped an armored car by assault. Some A10s pushed into one of the gullies and are trying to move forward.

Down at the salient, Echo, Foxtrot and the support company traded fire with enemy units. The enemy took the worst end of it. While they have more armor support, it isn't helping much right now. They lost an armored car, a Bren carrier and another Dingo. The same squad that got a Dingo by assault got this one as well. Further south, ATGs got another armored car. There are a few tanks moving around, but nothing real dangerous, so my armored cars came out to join the mix. My four mortar sections hit and they were all on target. They accounted for the Bren carrier, plus a lot of infantry.

Casualties

Friendly: 1xM11/39 tank destroyed. Estimated 5 casualties.

Enemy: 2xRolls Royce A/Cs, 1xDaimler Dingo and 1xBren Carrier destroyed. Estimated 25 casualties.

[RERomine]

Turn 7

Fighting is picking up along the north edge. Enemy tanks are getting close. Mine took a few shots and the Matilda IIs destroyed two of mine in response. My M11/39 tanks just aren't up to the task dealing with the slow moving monsters. The only thing that seems slower than those are my bombers. They are still two turns out and I have to hope they are on target. If they can thin the enemy numbers, maybe I can hold. There is a lot of small arms firing going on as well. At least I'm holding the enemy infantry pretty much at bay. Enemy artillery is still pounding the same area. Friendly tanks have pretty much bugged out one way or another.

Bravo is also feeling pressure, but mostly infantry. Several enemy squads have been turned. Three enemy A10s followed by infantry and a Matilda I are pushing west in a gully. They will be running into my infantry shortly. I can't get any shots with my tanks because they enemy is in the gully, so I'm moving a few up.

Things are hot and heavy down at the salient, but I'm fairing much better there. With mortar rounds raining down on the enemy infantry and armor support somewhat thin, they aren't making progress. Not counting Bren Carriers, they have three M13s, two Matilda Is and an armored car. ATGs took out three Bren Carriers and an armored car and my engineers destroyed another Bren Carrier by assault. The down side is more enemy trucks and tanks are coming up. This next group does have Matilda IIs with it.

Charlie and Delta companies are feeling kind of neglected right now. They aren't in contact with anyone and can't easily shift to either flank to help right now. There are four truck mounted 2-pdrs heading toward them, but machine guns should handle them easily.

Casualties

Friendly: 2xM11/39 tank destroyed. Estimated 5 casualties.

Enemy: 1xRolls Royce A/Cs and 4xBren Carrier destroyed. Estimated 25 casualties.

[RERomine]

Turn 8

Up north, I had Alpha's left flank platoon pop smoke after I lost a tank to a Matilda II last turn. They are just about out of smoke because they used it to screen the move of the tanks into the gully earlier. The enemy seems to be trying to south shift around the infantry. One Matilida I moved into the smoke and got capped by my tanks on the other side. I would have been happier if it had been one of the Matilda IIs. There are six in this area and I have only three tanks there. One of my ATGs on the plateau was able to punch a hole in an A10, for what it is worth. Infantry fighting has been heavy, with the enemy still taking the worst of it. I've got light mortar fire coming in to button up the enemy tanks.

I lost two tanks in Bravo's sector. One that had bugged out from the artillery was destroyed by an A10. The other one was a sand pillbox. All it could do was sit there and take it. An A10 got it as well. In return, we punched a hole on one of them. Infantry fighting has been heavy. I would have more of an major edge if it weren't for a sniper out there somewhere. He is picking on exposed squads and racking up kills. The infantry and tanks are starting to separate, so I'm holding their infantry back. Hitting the enemy with light mortars here as well.

Enemy infantry showing up in front of Charlie in small numbers. Took a few shots, without luck. Tanks from Yankee company are moving north to help on the flank. Somewhere off on the enemy side of the map, a 2-pdr ATG is taking some shots at them.

Delta's sector also has infantry to their front, in addition to the truck mounted 2-pdrs. Those have been cut down by X-Ray tanks. Two trucks destroyed and one routed. The last one is trying to go it alone.

Enemy forces at the salient are giving up there and trying to push around Foxtrot. A13s are starting to draw fire from my ATGs here. The enemy is pretty beaten up here at the moment. The second wave with the Matilda IIs will liven it up again soon. At the salient itself, another armored car and Bren carrier were destroyed.

Casualties

Friendly: 2xM11/39 tank destroyed. Estimated 10 casualties.

Enemy: 1xMatilda I tank, 2x2-pdr Portee trucks, 1xRolls Royce A/C and 1xBren Carrier destroyed. Estimated 25 casualties.

Attached are screen prints of the three main battle areas.

[RERomine]

Turn 9

Took out an A10 in Alpha's sector. The enemy evened the ledger when a Matilda II destroyed one of my tanks. My guys put steel on target at 150m, but no joy. It just left them with an irritated enemy who ruined their day. With all the smoke in the area, I'm losing sight of the enemy, but I know they had 14 tanks in this area and I've only destroyed two. I misjudged the timing on the bombers. They come in next turn. I may have to resort to assaults to destroy the enemy tanks. At least I'm holding their infantry back. Still hitting them with light mortars, but plotted two medium sections as well.

Traded tanks in Bravo sector as well. At least when I kill one of the enemy tanks, I know it costs typically twice as much as mine do. I punched a hole in another A10 as well. Two left here, with three Matilda Is moving up. My tanks from Yankee will duck into the gully next turn. Enemy infantry seems to be stuck 300m out. Light mortar round still dropping on enemy.

One platoon of infantry in front of Charlie now. No tanks supporting, so it shouldn't be a problem.

Last approaching truck mounted 2-pdr destroyed in front of Delta. Enemy infantry company advancing without tank support. Three squads ripped up and running so far.

Alpha and X-Ray tanks only ones engaging south of the salient now. Any enemy infantry that pops up gets cut down by Alpha infantry. Two tanks look like they are going to try to move through the rough, but they won't get far. ATGs punched a hole in an A13 and capped one Dingo. All three of the A13s might have been hit at least once so far. Two Matilda Is are undamaged, but not a major threat. There is a Vickers tank in the area as well, but also not a concern. Two sections of medium mortars are still hitting the enemy south of the gap.

Casualties

Friendly: 2xM11/39 tank destroyed. Estimated 10 casualties.

Enemy: 2xA10 tank, 1x2-pdr Portee trucks and 1xDaimler Dingo destroyed. Estimated 25 casualties.

[RERomine]

Turn 10

Well, the bombers came in. No damage to the enemy tanks. They just buttoned up. I lost a few men as one bomber went a little too long. I'm going to have to deal with the Matildas the hard way. At least they are slow and maybe I will get the whole force to break because aside from the Matildas, I'm kicking the daylight out of the rest of the enemy force. This will be a messy fight, but my guys are hanging in there. Enemy infantry is doing some shooting, but the platoon plus in the sector is fragmented. They did manage to take out one of my light mortars, but with a max range of 600m, they have to be close to the line. Alpha is hanging in there.

Another enemy A10 in Bravo's sector was destroyed. There is one left and it has been been damaged. It is scooting off to the Bravo-Charlie boundary with three Matilda Is. One more Matilda I is still in the sector moving forward. There doesn't seem to be any infantry right now.

Charlie now has two platoons to their front. I have no tanks to help, but my machine guns should have a field day.

Most of enemy infantry in front of Delta have been turned. Between fire from tanks and machine guns, many enemy are down with their squads running. The bad guys took a beating here.

One enemy squad trying to move around north flank of engineers. I suspect it is an enemy squad from an earlier attack that has recovered some. The British seem to rally pretty quickly.

Along Foxtrot's southern front, ATGs destroyed two A13s, while infantry destroyed a Bren carrier by assault. Not much for enemy infantry around. Only two squads visible. I've got a major fire power edge here. I did take some casualties from the remaining A13 and Vickers tank, mainly because I can't get LOS on them from any of my tanks or ATGs. Mortar rounds continue to fall on enemy forces. There are a couple of Bren carriers I'm trying to get.

Casualties

Friendly: 1x45mm Brixia mortar destroyed. Estimated 15 casualties.

Enemy: 2xA13 tanks, 1xA10 tanks and 1xBren Carrier destroyed. Estimated 25 casualties.

[RERomine]

Turn 11

The enemy tanks are still pushing up to Alpha, but very slowly. Some of the tanks have turned to the south southwest, heading toward the northern objective group and Bravo. I have 13 tanks in the way, so it would be a fight. There are five chewed up enemy infantry squads in front of Alpha, but mostly running. Alpha might hold out if the enemy keeps changing direction. I have two tanks that might try to catch the enemy from behind if the chance presents itself. My mortar rounds started dropping in the area, so I'll adjust to try to hit the enemy tanks.

There are eight enemy tanks in front of Bravo. Two are Matilda IIs, four are Matilda Is and there is one holed A10. The damage on the A10 must not be too bad, because it is still moving forward. Just a few shot up enemy infantry in this sector as well. This is where the next big fight will probably be located.

Still only two enemy platoons in front of Charlie. Machine guns, tanks and small arms are hitting them, but marksmanship was off this turn. I have been focusing a lot of fire into Delta's sector, so Charlie isn't the support needed. The enemy is inflicting some casaulties on my force here.

About two enemy squads running in Delta's sector. Only about six are still trying to move forward. My infantry isn't firing because the enemy is too far away. Machine guns and tanks are doing the work.

Engineers lit up enemy squad trying to get by. He ducked into a low spot very quickly.

Pushed two of Foxtrot's squads forward to jump the enemy A13 tank. Assaults failed during my turn, but they capped it during op-fire. That takes care of the AFVs with tank killing guns, so my armored cars will move back up. There are still three enemy squads visible, but two are pinned. One moved up next the Vickers tank, but he will be helpless by himself. Friendly mortar fire damaged one of the Bren carriers, but they are still hanging around.

Casualties

Friendly: Estimated 10 casualties.

Enemy: 1xA13 tank destroyed. Estimated 25 casualties.