KG Krafft, 8 August, 1941 - Afrika Korps
Situation: Open desert with extensive wadis, many impassable, and numerous dunes. A plateau juts down from the north just east of center. [Advance mission (special battle), visibility 51, length 35, standard victory hexes, map size 100x100]
Orders: The destruction of the British armor column in the last battle left their division command post only lightly defended. Eliminate the enemy forces and control all objective areas. Speed is of the essence so no refit or replacements are possible. The only artillery battery capable of covering the area is the same 17cm K18 battery that supported the previous battle and is only to be used in counterbattery fire. Luftwaffe has made four Bf110E-2's available for close support.
Battle plan: There are only two usable routes for vehicular traffic, along the far north, and just south of the plateau. Trucks are in short supply so infantry will ride panzers to the disembarkation points. The kampfgruppe will be divided into three columns: column A will consist of panzer platoons D, E, and H along with panzergrenadier platoon Q and the security element; column B will consist of panzer platoons F and G along with panzergrenadier platoons R and S; column C will consist of all remaining assets. Column A will use the northern route with the primary objective being the northern objective, column B will use the southern route with the primary objective being the central objective. Column C will follow column A at a one kilometer interval and provide support for both columns. After capturing the northern and central objectives, a fourth column will be formed taking the best half of each column A and B, its objective will be the southern objective.
Execution: An early airstrike on suspected enemy positions results in the destruction of a Matilda II, the immobilization of an A13 Mk I, and two Matilda IIs. The aircrews also spotted additional tanks and infantry east of those positions. A 2pdr AT-gun fired upon tanks of platoon G, heavily damaging one and forcing the others to pop smoke, disembark infantry, and withdraw.
Airstrikes are continuously called on enemy positions and the sIG Ib section bombards a clump of tanks as infantry leads the way. Infantry units destroy the AT-gun but more are suspected in the area. An airstrike destroys a Matilda II. One panzergrenadier squad is crippled by mortar fire and three trucks are destroyed, another damaged, by 25pdr battery fire. The enemy mortar is spotted and engaged by 81mm mortar and machinegun fire.
Forty minutes in and an airstrike destroys an A13 Mk II and immobilizes a Valentine II, one Bf110E-2 is shotdown by Bofors 40mm AA-gun fire. 150mm shells destroy another A13 Mk II and the only remaining tank in that group is routed and soon abandoned. In the south, infantry destroys a second 2pdr AT-gun and machinegun fire routs the 3in mortar. Armor advances along both routes as the sIG Ib section relocates.
At the one hour mark, the advance is back on in full swing. Both 81mm and 150mm shells rain on enemy tank positions and airstrikes continue. A PzIIf is lost to fire from a pair of 2pdr portees and a kraftradmelder is destroyed by a previously unspotted infantry squad. Two 25pdr batteries rain shells around the panzergrenadier heavy weapons sections. Both columns continue to advance, three more portees are destroyed and a number of infantry squads put to rout.
Halfway through the battle, KG Krafft is within reach of two objective areas but a full company of Matilda IIs plus a few Valentine IIs and an unknown number of infantry positions remain. An airstrike destroys another Matilda II but other Matilda IIs kill a PzIIIe. Column B infantry seizes control of the central objectives. A Matilda II near the center objective area is destroyed by close assault, a second one adjacent is also assaulted but survives although retreating.
Another PzIIIe is destroyed by long range Matilda II fire, however, the crew from the surving Matilda II from the close assault abandoned it and in a push on the north objectives, two Matilda IIs and an A13 MkII were destroyed by platoons E and H with assistance from column A's infantry. A PzIIf was destroyed by a Valentine II but fire from a nearby 5cm Pak38 killed the Valentine. With the northern objectives secured, KG Krafft prepares to defend against a counterattack from the south.
Past the two hour mark, a 25pdr barrage destroys the panzergrenadier company's machinegun squad, the K18 battery counters and knocks out the battery. The sIG Ib's and 81mm mortar squad, with some help from panzergrenadiers, lay a smoke screen south of the central objective area. All operational panzers with 5cm guns together with platoon H charge to positions just behind the smoke screen. As luck would have it, no sooner had the panzers charged than a 25pdr battery began firing on the new positions.
Close assault was the order of the day, three Matilda IIs were destroyed or had their crews bail out, two more fell to point blank 5cm fire after being softened up by close assaults. The remainder of the Matilda II company was destroyed by close range 5cm fire, though at some cost. Two PzIIIh's were badly damaged, and another PzIIIe was destroyed. Finally, on the last turn, the southern objective area was secured. British artillery kept firing up till the very end, destroying a truck on the last turn.
Decisive victory, KG Krafft.
Last turn file attached, thanks for reading
