DAR: Mersa Brega, North Africa

[RERomine]

Turn 8

Scouts continuing to recon hills 30-1 and 30-2. Nothing to report at this time.

Pathfinders continuing to search for additional threats. Air drop scheduled for turn 15.

Engineers continuing to advance.

Spoiling attack under way along South edge. There are three 75mm ATGs in this sector to deal with the threat.

Casualties

Friendly: Zero

Enemy: Zero

[RERomine]

Turn 9

Scouts continuing to recon hills 30-1 and 30-2. One scout is on the top of hill 30-2. Nothing to report at this time.

Pathfinders continuing to search for additional threats.

Engineers continuing to advance.

Along South edge, three enemy Lee I tanks are advancing. Three friendly Tigers have joined the ATGs in this sector for defense. This was planned as part of the overwatch and not really in response to the advancing enemy tanks.

Casualties

Friendly: Zero

Enemy: Zero

[RERomine]

Turn 10

One scout unit on hill 30-1 stumbled on three machine gun bunkers on the forward slope. The scout unit was destroyed and the front bunker opened up on the advancing engineers. Overwatching ATGs engaged the bunkers with no effect. No obstacles have been spotted yet, so the bunkers appear to be outside of the defensive perimeter. On the top of the hill, one Lee I tanks has been spotted. On the North slope of the hill, one Sherman I was spotted in a revetment.

Scouts still reporting nothing on hill 30-2.

Pathfinders continuing to search for additional threats.

Along South edge, three enemy Lee I tanks are advancing. Three friendly Tigers have joined the ATGs in this sector for defense. This was planned as part of the overwatch and not really in response to the advancing enemy tanks.

Casualties

Friendly: Five

Enemy: Zero

[RERomine]

Turn 11

Overwatch ATGs continued to engage bunkers without effect. Engineers are advancing under smoke. A second Sherman I has been spotted on the North slope of hill 30-1, two more Lee I tanks on the top of the hill, two more South of the hill and yet two more to the rear of the hill. The original Lee I spotted on the hill was engaged and destroyed by Tigers.

Scouts on the Southern slope of hill 30-2 stumbled into a mine field.

Enemy artillery is dropping to the rear of the advancing engineers. If they don't pick up the pace, enemy artillery will zero in.

Along South edge, three enemy Lee I tanks are advancing. Three friendly Tigers have joined the ATGs in this sector for defense. This was planned as part of the overwatch and not really in response to the advancing enemy tanks.

Casualties

Friendly: Three

Enemy: One Lee I tank destroyed.

[RERomine]

Turn 12

Enemy artillery obscured the view of the ATGs and the bunkers, so they ceased firing. One Tiger platoon had an angle on the front bunker and engaged, without effect. Artillery smoked the bunkers and engineers will move in and take care of them. A third Sherman has been seen on the North slope of hill 30-1 and a total of six Lee I tanks are on top of the hill. One Lee on the South slope was destroyed. Two more scouts stumbled into mines on the top the hill, forward of the tanks.

Scouts continuing to move forward on hill 30-2. Tigers may be able to take positions on the forward portion of the top remaining clear of the mines, but assisting in dealing with the tanks on hill 30-1. Those tanks may be more than the engineers while trying to clear mines. Enemy artillery is now hitting the forward slope of the hill, but nothing is there.

The enemy spoiling attack has been dealt with. One tank was destroyed by Tigers, another by ATGs and the third was immobilized in the enemy mine field.

Artillery plotted on enemy tanks in LZ and smoke to block line of sight between tanks to rear of hill 30-1 and LZ.

Casualties

Friendly: Estimated 5 casualties.

Enemy: Three Lee I tanks destroyed, one immobilized.

[RERomine]

Turn 13

Lead bunker on hill 30-1 destroyed by engineers. Two Lees destroyed at long range by Tigers. Remaining engineers advanced. The Southern company advanced without issue, but the Northern company is taking fire from the Shermans on the North slope of the hill.

On hill 30-2, one scout is circling back to ensure there are no mines around before the one Tiger platoon takes position on it. Two other scouts are skirting around the North and South slope and into the rear.

Immobilized tank from spoiling attack finished off by ATGs.

Artillery dropped smoke Southwest of LZ and bombarded three Lees in LZ. One more chance to hit them before the air drop arrives.

Casualties

Friendly: Estimated 5 casualties.

Enemy: Three Lee I tanks destroyed, one bunker destroyed.

[RERomine]

Turn 14

Engineers are maneuvering against remaining bunkers. Some crested the hill and were engaged by enemy infantry deployed with the Lee I tanks. They popped smoke to buy time as the Tigers are heading forward to support. Artillery has been plotted on the Shermans.

No activity around hill 30-2.

Most air dropped units came in fine, but a few overshot the drop zone and landed on the enemy Lees! The enemy tanks beat them up pretty badly and what was left was clobbered when my artillery came in again!! At least one of the tanks was immobilized.

Casualties

Friendly: Estimated 25 casualties.

Enemy: One Lee I immobilized.

[RERomine]

Turn 15

The second enemy bunker has been destroyed. One remains on the top of the hill. Engineers who crested the hill backed off to wait for tanks support and artillery to engage the enemy tanks and infantry on the hill. Artillery dropped on the Shermans on the North slope of the hill.

Scout to the rear of hill 30-2 was engaged and destroyed by a sniper and Lees South of hill 30-1.

There were a few survivors from the units that dropped on the enemy tanks and they took their revenge. Two enemy Lees destroyed. The remaining two companies are maneuvering against the remaining enemy tank in the LZ and the enemy tanks to the rear of hill 30-1.

Maneuver Force crossed the LD.

Casualties

Friendly: Estimated 10 casualties.

Enemy: Two Lee I tanks destroyed, one bunker destroyed.

[RERomine]

Turn 16

Final enemy bunker destroyed. Artillery starting to drop on enemy positions on top of hill 30-1 and continued on Shermans. Artillery plotted on rear of hill. Tigers should be able to engage Lees and Shermans in 2 turns.

Scout on top of hill 30-2 still hasn't found any signs of mines. One platoon of Tigers should be in position in 2-3 turns.

Artillery hit the remaining tank in LZ and paras are maneuvering to hit tanks to rear of 30-1 after artillery hits.

Maneuver Force continuing to advance.

Enemy artillery targeting one ATG of Overwatch Force. Once it ceases, the guns will be moved forward to better positions.

Casualties

Friendly: Estimated 5 casualties.

Enemy: One bunker destroyed.

[RERomine]

Turn 17

Artillery continuing to hit enemy positions on hill 30-1, but lifted on Shermans. One Tiger should be in position to engage next turn. Two Tigers crested forward slope of hill. One Lee destroyed and one damaged.

Remaining scout sighted 6pdr ATG behind hill 30-2. While maneuvering for a better view, it stumbled into a second and was destroyed. Tigers will be in position to engage in two turns, but need to steer clear of the 6pdrs. Engagement range would be less than 500m and the guns would be better if softened up by artillery first. The Tigers can support action on hill 30-1 without moving into view of those guns.

Paras engaged one of the Lees behind 30-1 before the artillery hit, so the fire mission was canceled. They continue to move against the remaining tank in the LZ.

Maneuver Force continuing to advance.

Enemy artillery targeting one ATG of Overwatch Force. The remaining five have been picked up and are being moved.

Attached are screen prints of the main engagement areas (hill 30-1 and LZ) and hill 30-2 and its tactical importance with respect to hill 30-1.

Casualties

Friendly: Estimated 10 casualties.

Enemy: Two Lee I tanks destroyed.