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

[RERomine]

Turn 15

Back to action with what I have at the moment. Thanks for the suggestions Andy.

Alpha assaulted the immobilized Matilda II again. It isn't destroyed, but the crew was rattled enough to bail. They won't last out the next turn. Assaults were also made against a Matilda I, but no luck there. Alpha is a disorganized mess, but still pretty spry.

Smoke is being popped by my infantry along Bravo's line. Assaults tend to work better if the tank blunders into the assaulting unit. At least that is my impression. Even if I'm wrong, my infantry can't move up against a group of tanks without getting shot up. I'm trying to make the battle field smaller in these areas. In the meantime, ATGs from the plateau are still slinging steel at targets of opportunity. There is an A10 with two new holes. Mortar fire is still coming up, but hitting the tail end of the advancing tanks. Further south along Bravo's line, there are a few enemy squads, but they aren't advancing. One fragment was dispatched by machine gun fire from the plateau. Those guns up there are doing a good job of pinning down the enemy infantry.

The north edge of Charlie's line is still getting pressured by two enemy Matilda Is and a platoon of infantry. My tank took some shots at one of the Matildas, but he wasn't close enough to damage. Light mortar fire also pounded on the enemy infantry. Their infantry seems to be waivering.

Still waiting on the advancing Matilda IIs in Delta sector. Most enemy infantry has been sent packing, but at least one fresh squad has been spotted with the lead enemy tank. I have been pelting it with anything I can to keep it buttoned up. Machine guns and infantry guns have been hitting it. With luck, maybe one of my IGs will score a mobility kill. In the meantime, we wait. One thing I have to do is duck a platoon of my tanks into a gully. I've been popping smoke to screen them while they fire at infantry in Charlie and Delta sectors. They need to scoot before that smoke clears and they get hit by the Matilida 2-pdr guns. The enemy truck mounted 2-pdr was destroyed during op-fire by a machine gun. Those things think they are tank destroyers and are trying to advance when they should be picking a spot at long range and plinking away. Two mortar sections have been plotted on the enemy's line of advance. Anything and everything against those Matildas.

Engineers are shifting a bit. Given their position, they might be able to move north and hit the advancing Matilda IIs. The axis of advance is only about 400m to the north and I know my engineers could kill them. The problem is the nearby enemy platoon. They have my engineers pinned in their wadi right now. Light mortars hit the main enemy group, but the results are unknown. Since Echo is more or less behind the line with the engineers out front, I'm going to move them up and try to free up the engineers.

My tank platoon has cleared the wadi and rough in Foxtrot's sector. Once out, they destroyed another Matilda I and Vickers tank. I just noticed the crew bailed on the immobilized Vickers as well. One Matilda I left and this area should be clear of armor. At that point, I will push my units forward and clear the area of infantry.

Casualties

Friendly: Estimated 10 casualties.

Enemy: 1xMatilida I tank, 1xVickers VIb tank and 1x2-pdr Portee truck destroyed. Estimated 15 casualties.

[RERomine]

Turn 16

Enemy Matilda II crew was sent running this turn. Getting a touch to bold, I tried to move up and take out an A10 that was hanging close by. The squad in question, failed the morale check and ran east toward the enemy. It just so happens another Matilda II was sitting in that direction. They ran again and at least this time they ran in the right direction. Other action just involved some exposed units getting shot at by tank machine guns. It is a good thing the British didn't issue HE for the 2-pdr and tend to have more than one machine gun on tanks early in the war. My troops are still holding.

Enemy tanks are clustering around the immobilized Matilda II in Bravo's sector. It probably isn't intentional. The tanks there are just slow. Anyhow, there are seven Matilda's of one type or another within 150m. Like with Alpha, the enemy tanks are firing at my infantry with machine guns, but the success is limited. Across the gully, enemy infantry is also firing, mainly at one exposed squad. They are taking more damage from a machine gun to the rear of Alpha. Some infantry is trying to push up through the smoke near the gully, but are having a rough time there. I have a lot of tanks and infantry clustered there and they blast anything that comes into sight.

Three Matilda Is with a few squads of supporting infantry on the east side of Charlie's gully. My tank plinked a bunch of rounds off of one Matilda, but the angle wasn't right. It usually works better with two tanks at different angles. The enemy had one squad that was hanging in there for quite a while. I fired everything I could, but he wouldn't budge. Finally, a few well placed hits had him backing up.

Lead enemy tank in Delta sector stopped. I've been hitting it with machine guns and infantry guns, not that they damaged him. A second Matilda II pulled up behind him. It is like they are waiting for my mortars to hit. I fired what I could at the supporting infantry. That squad also stopped. If they hang another turn, they won't be happy.

Pulling the engineers out of the wadi and have Echo moving up. Maybe this is why the enemy tanks stopped. I'm not worrying so much about staying in the gully with my movements. Two support squads are holding in the wadi while one of Echo's platoons moves up to cover the position. A Matilda I appeared just to the east of the wadi, but I don't have anything there to kill it and I'm not going to worry about it.

Capped what I thought was the last tank in Foxtrot's sector. Turns out there is one more Matilda I moving up the hill and two Matilda IIs are heading toward the salient. My armored cars spotted those, but one has a new window for his efforts. I guess I better pull them back. The rest of Foxtrot's infantry is moving forward and will stay in the wadi rather than clear the area of enemy infantry. I need to deal with the new threat.

Casualties

Friendly: Estimated 10 casualties.

Enemy: 1xMatilida I tank destroyed. Estimated 10 casualties.

[RERomine]

Turn 17

It may not seem like much, but Alpha put the torch to the abandoned Matilda II. When the points are totaled, that will count as a kill. Another assault on the A10 failed. That squad got cut up pretty bad because it was in the LOS of a lot of enemy tanks. Another squad in the open took a lot of fire, but no damage. Most of the rest of Alpha is huddled behind hills and smoke.

Enemy tanks still milling about immobilized tank. No real movement forward there. They are the ones who spent time firing at my exposed infantry. One of my ATGs did immobilize the A10 with them. With the number of holes I've put in it, I'm surprised it is even alive. Mortar rounds started falling on the tank cluster, but nothing but plinks came out of it. Further down the line, my tanks took out a Matilda I and clobbed more infantry trying to pop out of the smoke.

The Zulu tank supporting Charlie also racked up a kill on a Matilda I. Two to go. One enemy squad popped up on their right side and drew fire from a platoon. He is leaving now Light mortar rounds are still dropping on a cluster of infantry out about 250m.

Enemy moving forward again in Delta sector. They aren't shooting, but I'm still laying into them with everything I've got. One of my tank commanders with a death wish also took some shots. I'm going to have to find out who has LOS and get him under cover. Mortar rounds started falling, but were somewhat off target. The supporting squad took a few rounds close, but otherwise the fire was bad.

One Echo platoon supported by a couple of engineer squads are moving north to support Delta. The other engineers were caught in the wadi when enemy mortars started to hit. They won't be of any use for a while. Enemy Matilda IIs pushing into the salient, but don't seem to be supported by infantry. If they are, the enemy is trying to make sure it won't last because they started firing 25-pdr artillery, but it was short. It is hitting very close to the only enemy infantry squad I see in the area.

Foxtrot shifting around in the wadi. I also moved a platoon of XRay tanks up to help. This is where I think the fire on the Matilda IIs came from. I still have another platoon in front of and to the south of the wadi, maneuvering against the Matilda I. They need to be careful because I think there is another Matilda II around. So far, they have all showed up in multiples of three, but I only see two here so far. My armored cars were able to stay put because the Matildas pushed on into the smoke. They lit up a couple of routed enemy squads and made sure the Vickers crew wouldn't come back.

My antitank guns, infantry guns and light mortars are starting to run into ammo problems. I've got supply, but they are keeping my medium mortars in business.

Casualties

Friendly: Estimated 10 casualties.

Enemy: 2xMatilida I tanks and 1xMatilda II tank destroyed. Estimated 20 casualties.

[RERomine]

Turn 18

Alpha is pretty much just taking a beating now. The enemy has stopped advancing more or less 200m out. My infantry is to spent to try to move forward and assault with more than half a dozen tanks sitting there.

Incoming mail on a meaningful target for a change. The enemy found my strong point in Bravo's line. They succeeded in destroying one tank and immobilizing another. I only took one infantry casualty here, but three squads are running. The only bright side is some of the artillery was short, so the enemy infantry got some of the steel as well. My mortars are continuing to shell the enemy tank cluster between two immobilized tanks.

I moved two Yankee tanks over with the Zulu tank to help deal with the Matilda Is in the area. This might have saved their lives since artillery is now falling where they were. The Matildas have pushed my infantry out of the gully and were getting hit ineffectively by 37mm rounds. Even though my infantry has been pushed out the gully, I wouldn't call this a breach in my line. Those two enemy tanks won't last long. The issue in Bravo's sector is more of a worry than this minor worry in Charlie's.

Lead enemy tanks in Delta's sector stopped again. A couple of trucks are moving up and one blundered into the impact zone of my mortars. The squad they were carrying got clobbered; only two men left. I'm slowly moving my infantry closer by popping smoke. If I can keep the Matilda IIs buttoned and without infantry support, my engineers might be able to destroy one or more. One of my IGs continued to fire at the lead tank, but the other is out of ammo.

Echo is holding up with the enemy targeting the engineer wadi. Three support company units are still in there, but pinned. The mortar was replaced with a troop of 25-pdrs. There is also a Matilda II holding up to fire at one of the squads. Maybe their own artillery will put it out of action. Additional enemy artillery blasted the area just southeast of the wadi. There had been one enemy squad there, but he is gone. I hit the enemy just east and northeast of the wadi with light and medium mortar fire. A Matilda I got caught in the fire, but only plinks resulted.

Spotted the third Matilda II moving toward the salient, so that is good. Foxtrot continues to move east in the wadi, while my tanks maneuver around for positions. Outside Foxtrot's position, I carefully pushed a platoon of tanks through some soft stand. They should get shots at a Matilda I next turn. My armored cars spotted a fast moving truck heading toward the salient and fired at it. It is still alive, but had holes. An enemy artillery troop started dropping rounds on Foxtrot's machine gun position.

Enemy artillery started to drop on another machine gun position on the plateau. They like to shoot at machine guns.

Casualties

Friendly: 1xM11/39 tank destroyed. Estimated 20 casualties.

Enemy: Estimated 20 casualties.

[RERomine]

Turn 19

Alpha is still getting shot at, but only by a couple of Matilda Is. The rest of the enemy units seem to have moved on, except for a nearby A10. He's not immobilized; he's just not moving. Not shooting either. It is in a ready status, so I don't know what is up with him.

Bugged as many units out of the artillery impact zone as possible. One of my tanks immobilized last turn got destroyed this turn. It leaves a bit of a hole for the enemy to go through, but they have to get past their own artillery as well. Not an easy task. It has been hitting them, but not quite as hard as my troops. A platoon of Bravo troops, with one Alpha squad, are huddled behind a hill in front of the enemy tank cluster. My mortars continue to hit them. One Matilda II did break out of the group and is heading southwest. Nearby, I have another platoon from Bravo and five tanks sitting behind a hill. Two of my tanks took shots at the enemy tank, but it didn't fire back. The enemy fired a lot of smoke into the sector as well. This is good since my infantry was out. Blocked LOS helps me more than them right now.

Destroyed two Matilda Is in Charlie's sector. That should be all that is there for now. One of the Matildas in front of Delta took a long range shot, but missed. Charlie's right flank infantry popped smoke to block the LOS. For now, that problem is solved. A few enemy squads are trying to push forward. My tanks should put an end to that next turn.

Enemy still holding position in Delta's sector, about 250m out. I'm hitting them with what I can. There are two Matilda Is and a truck moving up. Mortar rounds hit the enemy tanks, again but no effect.

Two enemy Matilda Is were moving up through a pass east of the engineer's wadi, so I took some log range shots with an infantry gun. Splash hit the tanks and all of a sudden units were bailing off and dying. I have no clue how many I got there, but it was good. One Echo platoon is moving up into the gap between the wadi and Foxtrot's position. The rest are moving toward the Matildas in Delta's sector. My subborn support company HQ stood at point blank range trading fire with a Matilda II while getting shot at by infantry from the rear. The HQ is still there, but the Matilda bolted for the rear. Mortar fire hit the infantry east of the wadi, so things should quiet down some.

Foxtrot infantry still shifting around. A Matilda I close by was firing at them, so I moved my tanks up and finished that. There is another one out there somewhere. My armored cars are still taking long range shots at a truck, but it keeps on coming.

Casualties

Friendly: 1xM11/39 tank destroyed. Estimated 15 casualties.

Enemy: 3xMatilda I tanks destroyed. Estimated 20 casualties.

[RERomine]

Turn 20

Alpha is starting to dissolved under the fire from enemy tanks. There is little they can do right now other than try to stay out of the line of sight. ATGs are trying to help from the plateau, but the only tanks they can kill are A10s and that isn't even working right now. AP ammo running low.

Trying to regroup Bravo. Infantry isn't in bad shape, but I lost three more tanks. Scurring out of the artillery impact zone, combined with clearing smoke put them in the LOS of one enemy Matilda II. It capped all three. Four enemy tanks moved southwest out of the cluster. Mortar fire fell on the tanks still around the immobilized Matilda II with the usual effect, plink, plink, plink.

Enemy is trying to push infantry forward south of the burning column, but got thrown back hard since my tanks here have nothing else to shoot at. There are still some hanging around, but the major concern are the tanks moving toward Charlie from Bravo's sector. Light mortars dropped around enemy infantry, but was basically off.

I'm starting a major push against the enemy down south. Delta held their line since they are the blocking force right now. Echo, Foxtrot and engineers are pushing forward, supported by tanks. I want to get to those Matilda IIs. A couple are running for some reason near the salient, but the three forward of Delta are still holding. Echo and a few engineers are about at knife fighting range. One engineer squad did get a Matilda I. This turn, Delta will come out of their gully to soak off fire while Echo swarms. British infantry is around, but to the rear of the tanks and in tatters. The strongest group is clustered just east of the engineer wadi. Foxtrot is moving that way and trying to deal with enemy tanks around the salient. They soak off fire, while a platoon of tanks engage targets. This process took out another Matilda I. Armored cars trying to cut off retreating infantry are taking AA gun fire from the rear. One got hit, so both will have to duck behind dust trails and run. I shifted my mortars to go after infantry because mine are getting too close to the enemy tanks.

Casualties

Friendly: 3xM11/39 tank destroyed. Estimated 15 casualties.

Enemy: 2xMatilda I tanks destroyed. Estimated 20 casualties.

[RERomine]

Turn 21

A MUCH BETTER TURN!!!

Alpha is still pretty much in the same situation it has been in for a while. One squad is separated and going to try to get the loitering A10. Aside from that, they are still taking fire from a couple of Matilda Is hanging around. They are raking mostly routed squads. Alpha has about seven combat effective squads left. Everyone else is running or just gone.

The enemy tank cluster is starting to break in Bravo's sector, with tanks moving forward in one direction or another. One Matilda II headed alone straight west, so I decided to go after it. I started by peppering anyone around with machine gun, ATG, IG and small arms fire. One of my infantry guns actually destroyed the immobilized A10 with an HE round. Next, I pushed forward a squad in front of the Matilda II. It survived fire from a number of units, so it popped smoke to isolate the tank and peppered it with small arms. Another squad came up and popped more smoke and was going to do the same thing as the last squad. Instead, it ASSAULTED and DESTROYED the Matilda II!!! I didn't expect that, especially after taking the time to pop smoke. Elsewhere in the sector, my surviving Zulu tanks snuggled up closer to the hill to their front to get out of the LOS of a couple of other Matilda IIs. Mortars dropped smoke and HE on the infantry to try to create more isolated and buttoned tanks.

Charlie sector has a couple more enemy Matilda Is that moved in, supported by infantry. My tanks took some shots at them and tried to move in, but the enemy is well supported by infantry. I think there is more fresh infantry around than first thought, since I have been mistaking some British Rifle Sections as shot up squads. Anyhow, they are still being held at bay. One of my tanks took some damage in this area, but it was a new arrival so I still have three fully functional tanks with Charlie.

The southern push has had considerable success. Two platoons of Delta moved out to soak off enemy fire, neutralize enemy infantry and pop some smoke to isolate the area from other enemy units further north. One Delta platoon held fast directly in front of the enemy Matildas. Next, Echo and one engineer squad moved against the Matilda IIs. The lead tank was damaged an routed. Another one moved forward resulting in another attack by the engineers, damaging that tank and the original one. The third tank has also moved up and just to the southeast of the other two damaged tanks. My infantry is all around this one as well. One of the enemy tanks destroyed one of my sand pillboxes at one point, but I don't know which one. Further east on this infantry line, I have another engineer that destroyed a Matilda I with a flame thrower. Mortar fire is still falling on the enemy trailing infantry and did hit the cluster to the west of the engineer wadi. Just south of the wadi were a Matilda I and Matilda II. Foxtrot and Echo started peppering them with small arms, rushed and assaulted the Matilda I. The Matilda II was 50m to the northeast and too far away. The assaults failed and in many cases, didn't happen because my squads panicked but the enemy stopped shooting. One of my tanks pushed up to a position 50m behind both and fired. It destroyed the Matilda II at point blank range from behind. When that worked, I sent another tank up and did the same thing to the Matilda I. There was also a routed Matilda II nearby, so I sent out another tank after it and destroyed that one as well. I was worried I would take AA gun fire doing this, but the chance to dispatch another Matilda II was too much to pass up. The Bofors stayed quiet. My last tank scooted out and destroyed an antitank rifle team spotted while all this was happening. I pushed out one of my light mortar teams to put the torch to an abandoned Vickers tank. Finally, my armored cars pulled back.

Casualties

Friendly: 1xM11/39 tank destroyed. Estimated 15 casualties.

Enemy: 3xMatilda II, 2xMatilda I, 1xA10 and 1xVickers VIb tanks destroyed. Estimated 15 casualties.