DAR: Italy vs. GB - North Africa 6/40

[RERomine]

Turn 2

Dingos probing at the north central and salient in my line. The heaviest part enemy push seems to be heading towards the salient and maybe even my refused right flank. It is kind of a bad area, because they are coming in the low ground. My tanks can't draw a bead on this area, so I will have to depend on my ATGs to keep it sealed.

My main concern right now is along the northern edge, with two Matilda I tanks in the lead. I think I'm going to push some tanks up into the position with Foxtrot. This is the only way I'm going to get point blank shots at them.

A little further south some armored cars are approaching. My tanks took a few shots and popped one.

There is a high volume of dust being kicked up, so it is difficult for me to tell what the follow-up units are.

Casualties

Friendly: Zero.

Enemy: 1xRolls Royce A/C destroyed.

[RERomine]

Turn 3

Matilida Is and IIs, with a few A10s are advancing slowly west along the north edge. I plotted my bombers to hit this group, but it will take a while. In the meantime, I've got one platoon of tanks moving up into the gully for support. Foxtrot is almost in position. It is a good thing the enemy is sending slow units here or my infantry would have been in contact before gettting into position.

In the north central section of my line, a couple of platoons of armored cars are moving up to my line with one Dingo in the lead. The Dingo and another armored car have been destroyed.

Armored cars, Dingos and infantry in trucks are starting to spread out around the Alpha-Bravo salient. My infantry opened up, without any success. One of the Dingos was assaulted, also without success. I've got two platoons of tanks moving in this direction, but the soft sand is forcing them to take an indirect route.

Casualties

Friendly: Zero.

Enemy: 1xRolls Royce A/C and 1xDaimler Dingo destroyed.

[RERomine]

Turn 4

The north edge has 12 tanks moving forward: Six Matilda Is, three Matilda IIs and three A10s. This is going to be a rough spot to hold. I've got bombers coming in, but there was no registration point here, so it will take a while. My infantry is moving into position and popped smoke to cover the advance of supporting tanks.

Tanks supporting Bravo are engaging armored cars to their front. Three more have been destroyed.

At the salient, the support units and Alpha are engaging Dingos and enemy infantry brought up by truck. The Dingos have been assaulted several times by Alpha, but they only have grenades. This aren't very good in assaults. The Dingos have popped smoke, so my tanks can't get a shot at the moment. Small arms fire is being traded but my infantry in the rough is in a better spot and fairing well. Flank AT guns did destroy one Dingo cruising along the flank, but failed against four ACs in the same area.

Casualties

Friendly: Zero.

Enemy: 3xRolls Royce A/Cs and 1xDaimler Dingo destroyed. Estimated 5 casualties.

[RERomine]

Turn 5

The enemy is pushing close near the north edge, with lead elements about 300m away. That is going to be ugly, because I don't think four tanks and a company of infantry are going to hold up against the force heading toward them. Enemy infantry also in support trading fire with some of my squads as they get close.

Bravo has about a half dozen enemy tanks heading toward their left platoon. Most are A10s, with a few of Matilda Is in support. I should be able to handle these. The enemy armored cars heading toward the other flank platoon have lost one more. Enemy infantry also moving up on foot.

Enemy forces trying to push into wadi gap between engineers and Alpha. So far, they aren't making any progress. Taking fire from both sides is scoring against their infantry. An assault finally took out one of the Dingos. The only armored support at the moment is from armored cars, but it won't be enough. Flanking armored cars are down to one. Three were destroyed by antitank guns. I've got mortars plotted against the enemy hitting the salient.

Casualties

Friendly: Estimated 5 casualties.

Enemy: 4xRolls Royce A/Cs, 1xDaimler Dingo and 1xTruck destroyed. Estimated 10 casualties.

[RERomine]

Turn 6

Alpha is bracing itself for the enemy attack, but they are moving slowly, glacier slow. They are still about 300m out at the closest with tanks trailing out about 500m. My bombers might make it in time to avoid a danger close strike. In the meantime, I'm hitting any infantry that appears in the area with machine guns and tanks. Zulu tanks are helping, but the enemy finally got around to raining steel. My count was 12 troops of 25-pdrs, but I might be off at touch. They scored Zulu's HQ tank. The enemy had three squads ripped in return.

Bravo is pretty much doing the same thing as Alpha, without the looming threat of Matilda II tanks. The spent their time also firing at infantry and capped an armored car by assault. Some A10s pushed into one of the gullies and are trying to move forward.

Down at the salient, Echo, Foxtrot and the support company traded fire with enemy units. The enemy took the worst end of it. While they have more armor support, it isn't helping much right now. They lost an armored car, a Bren carrier and another Dingo. The same squad that got a Dingo by assault got this one as well. Further south, ATGs got another armored car. There are a few tanks moving around, but nothing real dangerous, so my armored cars came out to join the mix. My four mortar sections hit and they were all on target. They accounted for the Bren carrier, plus a lot of infantry.

Casualties

Friendly: 1xM11/39 tank destroyed. Estimated 5 casualties.

Enemy: 2xRolls Royce A/Cs, 1xDaimler Dingo and 1xBren Carrier destroyed. Estimated 25 casualties.

[RERomine]

Turn 7

Fighting is picking up along the north edge. Enemy tanks are getting close. Mine took a few shots and the Matilda IIs destroyed two of mine in response. My M11/39 tanks just aren't up to the task dealing with the slow moving monsters. The only thing that seems slower than those are my bombers. They are still two turns out and I have to hope they are on target. If they can thin the enemy numbers, maybe I can hold. There is a lot of small arms firing going on as well. At least I'm holding the enemy infantry pretty much at bay. Enemy artillery is still pounding the same area. Friendly tanks have pretty much bugged out one way or another.

Bravo is also feeling pressure, but mostly infantry. Several enemy squads have been turned. Three enemy A10s followed by infantry and a Matilda I are pushing west in a gully. They will be running into my infantry shortly. I can't get any shots with my tanks because they enemy is in the gully, so I'm moving a few up.

Things are hot and heavy down at the salient, but I'm fairing much better there. With mortar rounds raining down on the enemy infantry and armor support somewhat thin, they aren't making progress. Not counting Bren Carriers, they have three M13s, two Matilda Is and an armored car. ATGs took out three Bren Carriers and an armored car and my engineers destroyed another Bren Carrier by assault. The down side is more enemy trucks and tanks are coming up. This next group does have Matilda IIs with it.

Charlie and Delta companies are feeling kind of neglected right now. They aren't in contact with anyone and can't easily shift to either flank to help right now. There are four truck mounted 2-pdrs heading toward them, but machine guns should handle them easily.

Casualties

Friendly: 2xM11/39 tank destroyed. Estimated 5 casualties.

Enemy: 1xRolls Royce A/Cs and 4xBren Carrier destroyed. Estimated 25 casualties.

[RERomine]

Turn 8

Up north, I had Alpha's left flank platoon pop smoke after I lost a tank to a Matilda II last turn. They are just about out of smoke because they used it to screen the move of the tanks into the gully earlier. The enemy seems to be trying to south shift around the infantry. One Matilida I moved into the smoke and got capped by my tanks on the other side. I would have been happier if it had been one of the Matilda IIs. There are six in this area and I have only three tanks there. One of my ATGs on the plateau was able to punch a hole in an A10, for what it is worth. Infantry fighting has been heavy, with the enemy still taking the worst of it. I've got light mortar fire coming in to button up the enemy tanks.

I lost two tanks in Bravo's sector. One that had bugged out from the artillery was destroyed by an A10. The other one was a sand pillbox. All it could do was sit there and take it. An A10 got it as well. In return, we punched a hole on one of them. Infantry fighting has been heavy. I would have more of an major edge if it weren't for a sniper out there somewhere. He is picking on exposed squads and racking up kills. The infantry and tanks are starting to separate, so I'm holding their infantry back. Hitting the enemy with light mortars here as well.

Enemy infantry showing up in front of Charlie in small numbers. Took a few shots, without luck. Tanks from Yankee company are moving north to help on the flank. Somewhere off on the enemy side of the map, a 2-pdr ATG is taking some shots at them.

Delta's sector also has infantry to their front, in addition to the truck mounted 2-pdrs. Those have been cut down by X-Ray tanks. Two trucks destroyed and one routed. The last one is trying to go it alone.

Enemy forces at the salient are giving up there and trying to push around Foxtrot. A13s are starting to draw fire from my ATGs here. The enemy is pretty beaten up here at the moment. The second wave with the Matilda IIs will liven it up again soon. At the salient itself, another armored car and Bren carrier were destroyed.

Casualties

Friendly: 2xM11/39 tank destroyed. Estimated 10 casualties.

Enemy: 1xMatilda I tank, 2x2-pdr Portee trucks, 1xRolls Royce A/C and 1xBren Carrier destroyed. Estimated 25 casualties.

Attached are screen prints of the three main battle areas.