DAR: Alam Halfa Ridge

[RERomine]

Germany vs. GB

Mission: Advance, Alam Halfa Ridge, 8/1942 - grouped objectives.

Enemy: Reinforced Battalion - 1-2 Armor Co., 2-3 Infantry Co., 6-8 Artillery Btry, plus ATG, AAA and air support. Average force experience, ~70.

Terrain: Map = 100x100; flat terrain with series of old wadis generally oriented east/west, some spots filled with soft sand, other parts impassable; rough generally along wadis; limited soft sand; visibility = 59; no roads; no logical axis of advance.

Troops: 1 Armor Co. (PzKw IVg), 2 Infantry Co. (SS w/tracks), 7 Artillery Btry (On board, 9 SP, 16 towed w/o transport), 2 Assault Gun Pltn. (StuG IIIf/8), 2 ATG btry. (75mm PAK 40 w/tracks)), 2 MG Pltn (MG42(2) w/tracks), 6 truck mounted 88s, plus recon, AAA and ammo supply. Average force experience, ~95.

Time: 37 Turns

Analysis

And I thought the last battle looked bad! There are no concealed approaches to the enemy positions that vehicles can use. On top of that, visibility is high. IMHO, if during an "advance" battle you can see the victory hexes from behind your LD, that's high visibility. The enemy will have 6pdr guns, either as ATG or tank mounted. Those can kill my StuGs at 1000m, tanks at 2000m and every other vehicle I have that blunders into range, IF they can hit them! My guns can kill enemy vehicle also, but as the delaying force, the enemy will get first shot if it turns into a tank fight. That said, the 6pdr threat needs to be eliminated to make this an effective mission.

Dismounted infantry has concealed approaches that I've looked at, but those will take too long. It would take about 30 turns to reach attack positions by traveling up the wadis, without being opposed by the enemy. Seven turns just isn't enough time to capture the victory hexes from the nearest practical attack positions. This advance is going to have to be more straight forward and well planned.

Plan

Leg units will advance out in three waves along a 1500m front in the center of the map heading East to capture the victory hexes:

Wave 1: Scouts; primary mission is basically what scouts do, identify enemy positions. Cross LD turn 1.

Wave 2: Two infantry companies; primary targets are infantry, ATGs and AAA, in that order. Cross LD turn 4.

Wave 3: Six MG-42 teams; primary targets are infantry, ATGs and AAA, in that order. Cross LD turn 6.

ATGs will position to support infantry advance; primary targets are tanks(if in effective range), ATGs, AAA and infantry.

AFVs (PzKw IVgs and StuG IIIf/8) will position in concealed positions (depressions or wadis) near LD to support infantry advance; be wary of 6pdr threat; primary targets are tanks(if in effective range), ATGs, AAA and infantry; advance forward once 6pdr threat neutralized.

Truck mounted 88s will position in concealed positions (depressions or wadis) near LD to support infantry advance; primary targets are tanks.

Artillery will position in concealed positions in rear area and support infantry advance with indirect fire; primary targets are ATGs, AAA, infantry and artillery; smoke barrage will not be used as it will block visibility of advancing and supporting units and invite early counter battery fire.

Truck mounted AAA, see "Special Mission".

Half-tracks, see "Special Mission".

Recon tracks, see "Special Mission".

Special Mission

Since enemy air assets are expected and the enemy likes to use them early, the plan is to try to pull them into an ambush. In the middle rear of the deployment area, AAA and half-tracks(w/AAMGs) will deploy in a dispersed within a 500m radius of position (15,50). Within this area the recon tracks will move around openly. Hopefully, the enemy will see this activity and call in air strikes which will result in the aircraft being destroyed or at least damaged. This will need to take place during the first 5 turns of the advance. During this time, all other vehicles need to remain concealed and not engage. No artillery assets will deploy within 1000m of the center AAA engagement area. No artillery strikes will be called during the first 5 turns and will refrain from firing for as long as practical.

[RERomine]

My deployment is complete and I'm ready to start my advance. Turns out I have a lot more tracks than expected. I couldn't disperse them nearly as much as I wanted. The "bait" for the air ambush is deployed outside the air engagement area and will move into it on the first turn. My infantry and machine guns are sitting in rough positions to provide some protection against enemy prep fire. They will move online once the scouts move out and any local prep fire ends. Scouts are on the LD ready to move. Hopefully, they won't take too much of a beating.

I've attached my save for anyone who wants to see my initial deployment.

Turn 1 to follow shortly.

[RERomine]

Turn 1

Enemy prep fire was disturbingly light. Just one 25pdr battery. A second battery dropped smoke during the turn. This could mean a few things: the enemy just limited its prep fire, air assets could be fairly significant or its ground force will be larger than expected. My inclination is there will be a larger than normal number of air assets present. Prep fire resulted in some light suppression of a couple of units.

Anyhow, the scouts hit the LD, most of the infantry is coming online and the "bait" is on the move.

Casualties

Friendly: Zero

Enemy: Zero

[RERomine]

Turn 2

Another 25pdr battery just dropped smoke, so that makes three batteries so far.

Scouts are continuing to move forward, all infantry moving online now and MG-42s moving now. "Bait" is continuing to move, but nothing is happening yet.

Casualties

Friendly: Zero

Enemy: Zero

[RERomine]

Turn 3

All enemy artillery fire ceased.

Scouts are continuing to move forward, infantry now online, MG-42s continuing to move. Still no enemy air assets seen.

Casualties

Friendly: Zero

Enemy: Zero

[RERomine]

Turn 4

I took a closer look at the map and noticed the smoke/dust from the enemy prep fire might have blocked their LOS to my tracks trying to bait enemy air assets into an ambush OR maybe they just can't see them OR maybe the enemy doesn't have air assets OR the enemy doesn't care! Enough ORs

My infantry crossed the LD. MG-42s are moving on line. Scouts haven't seen anything yet, but farthest ones are only 500m out.

Casualties

Friendly: Zero

Enemy: Zero

[RERomine]

Turn 5

Nothing new; reporting same.

Casualties

Friendly: Zero

Enemy: Zero

[RERomine]

Turn 6

Random incoming mail this turn. Fairly big stuff, too. One battery of 5.5in howitzers and it's onboard. I made note of it for later attention. One tube hit in the air engagement area, so maybe someone has seen my recon tracks zipping around. Probably not. Fire would have been more concentrated if the enemy felt they had a real target.

Scouts are out 750m now. Contact should made soon. I need to set their firing range to 2 before the give away their position in case some enemy units launch a spoiling attack.

Casualties

Friendly: Zero

Enemy: Zero

[RERomine]

Turn 7

Scouts report enemy tanks (2x Crusader III) advancing West near bottom edge, approximately 1500m distant

Scouts report enemy tank concentration (2x Crusader III, 3x Valentine III) seen 750m West of Northern most objective. Currently stationary.

5.5in incoming mail continued. I parked the "bait". The objective was to draw in air assets and not get them killed by artillery.

Casualties

Friendly: Zero

Enemy: Zero

[RERomine]

Turn 8

Spoiling attack underway along South edge. Seven enemy tanks (3x Crusader III, 4x Valentine III) advancing. 1000m out. Scout needs to get out of the way. Time to engage with 88s before they get into effective range with their 6pdrs. Since the 88s will attract artillery, I'm going to counter battery the 5.5in guns before they get a chance to fire. I'll use my SPAs and move them once they fire a couple of turns.

Enemy tank concentration West of Northern objected now reported as a total of six (2x Crusader III, 4x Valentine III). Still stationary.

Scouts report enemy infantry sighted 750m East of advancing infantry and just North of axis of advance.

Casualties

Friendly: Zero

Enemy: Zero