[Brian61]

KG Krafft, 25 April, 1941 - Operation 25

Reorganization: Panzers destroyed in last battle are replaced from division reserves and the JPz I's finally recieve sabot rounds.

Situation: The British abandoned Thermoplyae pass late last night and early this morning. KG Krafft is in pursuit and catches up to the reargaurd late in the afternoon. Area is hilly and mostly clear with a few large stands of woods. Two east-west roads pass through the area, a secondary road in the north and a main road in the south. A secondary road running northwest-southeast runs through the western portion of the area. The area is dominated by two large central hills, one north, and one south of the main road. Also of interest is a large stand of woods northwest of the northern hill through which the secondary road runs. [Meeting engagement, visibility 39, length 32, scattered victory hexes, map size 80x80]

Orders: KG Krafft, with the assistance of a battalion recon detachment, will pursue and destroy all enemy units in the area. Luftwaffe assets are unavailable as they are being used to strike at retreating enemy columns further ahead, however one Storch observation plane is available. One 10.5cm battery from division is assigned for fire support.

Note: The battalion recon detachment is composed of 1x SdKfz222, 6x SdKfz221 in two groups, 4x SdKfz 231(8) in two groups, 2x Kraftrad platoons, and 2x SdKfz 251/2 GrWs. The SdKfz222 is the detachment command vehicle.

Battle Plan: The KG will assume a triangular formation, with platoon D in the lead, platoon E in the north, and platoon F in the south. Platoon H along with command elements will be in the center, platoon G along with the security element will be held in reserve. The recon detachment will be split into three groups, two groups of 221s, 231s, and a Kraftrad platoon and a command element consisting of the 222 and 251/2s. The recon detachment command element, along with all other KG assets, will trail the KG command element. One recon group will operate on the northern flank, the other on the southern. The kampfgruppe will operate as a whole, engaging the enemy in the area west of the central hills and avoid the northern woods. Klotzen, nicht Kleckern!

Execution: The battle begins with British interdiction fire, two batteries of 4.5in and one 25pdr along the main road, and one 25pdr battery on the diagonal road near platoon E's position. Aerial recon spots a motorized infantry company advancing along the north road, a combined force of motorized infantry and tanks advancing up the east slope of the northern central hill, and a force of mixed armored cars advancing in the far south. The northern recon group engages the motorized infantry on the north road with long range interdiction fire, a supporting fire mission is called in to the division battery. The southern recon group maneuvers to positions in and near a small group of houses along the diagonal road southeast of the southern road. Platoon G is ordered to maneuver into supporting positions for the southern recon group.

In the north the combination of long range fire from the A/C of the recon group and 10.5cm battery fire from division slows down and breaks up the motorized infantry company. In the center, the first three A9 tanks and two trucks are destroyed by combined fire from the KG. In the south, the 231s of the recon group account for three enemy armored cars, the 221s of the group withdraw to cover the main road as an infantry column is spotted advancing between the two hills, platoon G continues racing to the area in an attempt to arrive before enemy tanks, and the 251/2 GrW section maintains an overwatch of the village.

The enemy launches an all out artillery attack on the sIG Ib position, shells fall all around and the gun is knocked out on one sIG Ib. In the south, a PzIIIe of platoon G is destroyed by 2pdr fire, no crew survived. Platoon G and the southern 231(8)s destroy most of the remainder of the armor force in the south and withdraw along the road heading northwest. A few more tanks are destroyed in the center, one by a direct hit from the remaining operational sIG Ib. The SdKfz 251/2s fire upon the infantry advancing along the main road, bringing a halt to the advance.

A couple of Bren carriers are destroyed in the center but the situation changes for the worse as three Matilda IIs crest the hill. After heavily concentrated fire and judicious use of smoke, the lead Matilda II is isolated and a JPz I firing sabot from 200m destroys the behemoth. While the infantry advance along the main road has faltered, it is evident that British infantry has infiltrated the eastern portion of the wooded area northwest of the northern hill.

Just past the one hour mark, while concentrated enemy artillery fire lands on the former location of the command post, a second Matilda II is destroyed and a third is damaged. However a PzIIIe of platoon E sustains heavy damage in the engagement and is forced to withdraw. Platoon G becomes the new reserve, platoon E shifts north to assist the security element in sweeping the woods northwest of the northern hill and supporting artillery fire is called in from the 10.5cm battery. Platoon H holds position, while platoon D sweeps the area between the northern hill and the woods. Platoon F maneuvers to the north of the southern road to take the infantry advance on that road under fire. The remaining sIG Ib and the two SdKfz 251/2 GrWs will provide artillery support for that effort.

Platoon G is ordered south to support the southern recon group as it attempts to delay a surprisingly large infantry advance southwest of the southern hill. Platoon D is transferred to the reserve. At the two hour mark, all known enemy units are either destroyed or routed, it seems to be all over except for a cautious advance beyond the hills. A SdKfz251 (security element transport) was destroyed and the gun apc heavily damaged from artillery fire. In the end, the kraftrad squads, with various levels of support, managed to gain the objectives and destroy some rear area units.

Decisive victory, KG Krafft. Next stop, Afrika!

Game notes: this was harder than it appears from the above, there was so much British artillery that I used the sIG Ib's and SdKfz 251/2 GrWs in 'z' key fire mode and kept them on the move. Any unit left stationary for too long once spotted was liable to be pounded. With six turns to go, half the objectives were still wearing British flags, the kraftrad squads were the only units that could grab the objectives. Careful routing allowed most of them to reach their destinations although at least one squad was eliminated. Some supporting panzers during this phase were fired upon by Bofors 40mm AA-guns but as luck would have it, they escaped without serious damage.

Last turn file attached, thanks for reading.