KG Krafft, 2 July, 1941 - Afrika Korps
Refit and resupply: Badly damaged or destroyed panzers are replaced with PzIIf or PzIIIh models as equipment continues to trickle in to the threatre.
Situation: Desert area on the southern flank, best described as broken terrain with many wadis, some of which are rough terrain and some of those are impassable. Between the wadis are flat areas of sandy desert, including soft areas which are traversable only at very slow speeds. A low rising plateau juts towards the center from the northeast. Luftwaffe aerial reconnaissance has spotted British units in the area.
Orders: Search and destroy, possession of the battlefield at the end of the battle is highly desireable. KG Krafft is joined in this operation by an antitank group composed of a motorized 88mm FlaK36 section, a motorized 5cm PaK38 group, and a kradschutzen platoon. The area of battle is beyond the range of division and corps artillery assets. Luftwaffe support is limited to one Storch observation plane and two Bf109F fighter-bombers.
Battle plan: Sword and shield, attempt to engage enemy in the central region of the area. Sword group is composed of KG command panzers and platoons E, F and G. Platoon D and the kampfgruppe security element will be held in reserve. The shield group is composed of all remaining units.
Execution: Aerial recon spots a platoon of Matilda IIs advancing in the north and a group of mixed tanks (A9 and A13 Mk I) accompanied by Bren carriers in the south. The southern group is flanked by Morris CS9 armored cars to the north. Half an hour after arrival in the area, KG Krafft opens fire with sIG Ib and 88mm FlaK36 sections from long range destroying one Bren carrier and one A13 Mk I tank of the southern group. An airstrike is ordered on the northern group. Minutes later two Hurricanes strafe KG Krafft but inflict no damage.
The battle rapidly degenerated from there. The combination of the terrain and the dual threat of aerial and artillery bombardment rendered high speed compact formation maneuvering impractical. The first hour of the battle was characterized by long range cannon fire at targets of opportunity as panzer platoons slowly wove their way through the diabolical terrain taking care to keep plenty of distance between adjacent vehicles. In this manner, the entire British southern force was picked apart, a surprising number of kills being made by sIG Ib direct fire. As the southern threat fell apart, the reserve was committed to take the southern objective area.
Panzer platoon G provided long range support on the southern flank and platoon E advanced on the central objective while platoons F and H maneuvered into overwatch positions for the northern objective area. The 5cm PaK38 platoon was also deployed into overwatch positions for that area and the 88mm FlaK36 section moved to another similar position awaiting the arrival of the lumbering Matilda IIs and Valentine IIIs. The kradschutzen platoon was ordered to join the advance on the central objective area.
Enemy infantry in at least company strength advanced upon the central objective but was greatly slowed by cannon fire. Airstrikes were repeatedly called in on the northern force, managing at best to cause a few riders to bail. The Hurricanes made a second pass, destroying one SdKfz 251/1, and were both shot down by a combination of halftrack and SPAA fire.
Shortly after the first hour mark, a Matilda II was destroyed by 88mm FlaK36 fire. About the same time, the southern portion of the central infantry assault ceased to exist as an effective force as the cumulative affects of long range cannon and machinegun fire took their toll. Just past the halfway point, things are not looking good. Although another Matilda II has been destroyed by 88mm FlaK36 fire, the southern objective area is still being contested, the central objective area is about to be overrun by infantry, and the northern objective area is dominated by heavy tanks.
In what can only be called a lucky shot, a Bf109F destroyed a Matilda II with a 20mm shell. Another Matilda II was destroyed by an 88mm gun but artillery has begun to fall on the northernmost 88mm position. At the southern objective area, the security element, with support from platoon D, is making headway, albiet slowly. The center is up for grabs, the smoke from an earlier British artillery mission has cleared, allowing panzers to fire upon the advancing infantry, but Valentine IIIs and Matilda IIs are approaching from the northeast. The panzers have to fall back towards the plateau edge to the north in order to avoid being taken in the flank by 2pdr fire.
Some good news, it appears that some of the earlier strafing runs managed to immobilize a couple of Matilda IIs on the northeast plateau, so they are not in position to threaten the center. A smoke screen is laid down north of the center objective area by the sIG Ib section and a PzIIIe, platoons E, F, G, and H maneuver so as to bring as many 5cm guns as possible to bear at short range to the anticipated passage route of the heavy tanks. The 5cm PaK38 guns are pushed by their crews into better firing positions and the stage is set for an ambush. The security element, with the assistance of platoon D, gain the southern objective area.
Two 25pdr batteries fire upon the edge of the area where the panzers are assembled, one JPz I is lost with all hands. The first Valentine III through the smoke screen is brewed up quickly by a PzIIIh. Two more Valentine IIIs are destroyed and 150mm shells begin to rain on the central objective area. As the two hour mark comes and goes, all heavy tanks near the central objective area have been destroyed by the combined fire of 5cm and 4.7cm guns. MG fire and 150mm HE have broken the back of the infantry in that area as well. One of the 88mm guns is destroyed by artillery fire.
Two hours and fifteen minutes into the battle, all objectives are under control of KG Krafft. All known enemy units are either in rout or immobilized. Artillery is being called on the immoblized tanks and the remaining 88mm gun is being towed into place for the kill. The remaining British forces surrender before the kills can be made.
Decisive victory, KG Krafft.
Last turn file attached, thanks for reading
