Italian Long Campaign

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Battle Report at Turn 33

We were unable to capture all the objective flags and again we only managed to achieve Marginal Victory.

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Next Mission is still a meeting engagement with battlefield Tug Argan.

32 Turns in all.

Terrain is considered rather open and due to my inadequate AT weapons, I would be very mindful to find depressions and gullies to hide my forces.

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Deployment

1st Company was attached with
- F0 Scout Section
- U0 Motorcycle Section
- T0 ATGs with Motor Transport

This company was deployed at the top of the map. The plan was for them to race to the opposite bank of the stream and set up ambush positions, to take the EN in the flank as they cross nearer the centre of the map.

2nd Company was attached with
- E0 HMG Section
- V0 Mule Section
- S0 Medium Tank Section

This company was deployed at the bottom of the map. They were tasked to push forward as a company, and with the tanks leading. If EN tanks were spotted, the Medium Tank Section will go ahead and seek to engage them.

3rd Company was attached with
- D0 HMG Section
- W0 Mule Section

This company was deployed near the centre. They had to cross the stream twice and was expected to move slower compared to the other 2 companies. If the EN was met before they cross the second stream, they will remain on the higher ground and fight stubbornly while the other companies probe along the EN flanks.

Unfortunately, air recon wasn't available.

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Within the 1st 4 turns, this battle is likely to be alot more challenging than previous ones. Here were the EN tanks spotted.

A trio of Mk VI Light Tanks prowling near the top of the map, 1st Company sector


Three A13s around the centre of the map, 3rd Company sector


A pair of Matilda IIs hanging farther behind.

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Turn 4

The Mk VIs were racing along the top of the map towards my 1st Company position. My AT guns quickly dismounted, much earlier than I had preferred.

H platoon was diverted to set up a block, while I platoon was to continue their movement towards the stream.



Turn 10

The EN tanks were on top of us but the quick firing AT Guns as well as my infantry close assault destroyed 2 of them. The last Mk VI routed. Without any mobile AT weapons to pursue, I could only wait for the Mk VI to recover and try us again.

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Turn 10

2nd Company Sector

EN infantry were spotted and within the next couple of turns, we observed at least a company sized force approaching us. Our HMGs dismounted from their pack mules and we readied the company for the fight.

Our leading tanks had to divert north as the EN A13s were fast approaching the centre

I kept my K2 AT rifle team upfront as a spotting scout.



Turn 14,

The EN infantry was breaking. I led with N Platoon in the centre and fixed the EN with my HMGs while the rest of the company moved forward along the sides. With steady suppressive fire from the HMGs, the EN line gradually fell backwards and ultimately broke once my infantry pushed harder.

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Turn 12

3rd Company sector

This was truly the centre of the battle itself. 3rd Company hesitated in crossing the stream, and only Q platoon crossed. The rest of the company decided to stick it out on the near bank.

My tanks attempted to take the A13s in the flank but they fired smoke and we had to redeploy.



Turn 14

The 1st A13 was destroyed as it peered above the gully. Now we also observed infantry moving together with the A13s. This means that we need to suppress the infantry before we can engage the EN tanks decisively.A bombardment was planned to achieve this.



Turn 20

The A13s are done, but the Matildas are coming into the scene. I have only 1 tank left due to return fire. EN infantry is also running due to my artillery bombardment and my HMGs firing from the near bank.

I have shifted my ATGs towards the Matildas and another platoon from 1st Company is nearby for a close assault.

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Turn 23,

1 of the Matildas fell prey to my assaulting infantry, the vehicle was immobolised and the crew fled on foot.

The remaining Matilda (Red diamond) pressed home its attack towards 3rd Company but got overwhelmed by my assaulting infantry as well.

Here the destroyed EN tanks are shown as Yellow Diamonds and my single lost tank as Green Diamond. My tanks accounted for 2 of the total 8 tanks. Most of the EN tanks were destroyed by my assaulting infantry.

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Battle Report at Turn 30 or something

After the last EN Matilda was destroyed, it was pretty much pursuit and moving to capture all objective flags.

Again, I only managed a Marginal Victory here due to the difficulties in moving across the rough terrain. Timed Objectives really make a difference.

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Delay at Sidi Barrani, Egypt

Having destroyed the EN Matildas with my infantry, I was probably over confident in their capabilities. In this battle, my wrong assumptions probably caused me to take more unnecessary casualties.



Studying the terrain, I decided on 2 EN possibilities.

The main was Poss A where the EN will attack down the road, with all their forces concentrated in the attack.

Poss B was a 2 prong attack, where the EN armour will advance in the centre, while their infantry advance down the road.

To counter both Possibilities, I purchased a Heavy AT Gun Section (primarily to combat the Matilda II) and a Light AT Gun Section. I deployed the Light AT Guns in the centre with the Heavy AT Guns nearer to the main road to cover EN Armour advance. Again, my assumption was to let the EN armour advance unimpeded through my infantry screen and then let the ATGs engage them at close range (probably <600m for the Light ATGs and <800m for the Heavy ATGs).

My HMGs sections were deployed to cover both flanks and my Scout section set up OPs in the centre for better observation.

The infantry coys were deployed in a 2-up formation.

I also purchased an ammo dump to support my artillery park.