DAR: Mersa Brega, North Africa

[RERomine]

Turn 16

Final enemy bunker destroyed. Artillery starting to drop on enemy positions on top of hill 30-1 and continued on Shermans. Artillery plotted on rear of hill. Tigers should be able to engage Lees and Shermans in 2 turns.

Scout on top of hill 30-2 still hasn't found any signs of mines. One platoon of Tigers should be in position in 2-3 turns.

Artillery hit the remaining tank in LZ and paras are maneuvering to hit tanks to rear of 30-1 after artillery hits.

Maneuver Force continuing to advance.

Enemy artillery targeting one ATG of Overwatch Force. Once it ceases, the guns will be moved forward to better positions.

Casualties

Friendly: Estimated 5 casualties.

Enemy: One bunker destroyed.

[RERomine]

Turn 17

Artillery continuing to hit enemy positions on hill 30-1, but lifted on Shermans. One Tiger should be in position to engage next turn. Two Tigers crested forward slope of hill. One Lee destroyed and one damaged.

Remaining scout sighted 6pdr ATG behind hill 30-2. While maneuvering for a better view, it stumbled into a second and was destroyed. Tigers will be in position to engage in two turns, but need to steer clear of the 6pdrs. Engagement range would be less than 500m and the guns would be better if softened up by artillery first. The Tigers can support action on hill 30-1 without moving into view of those guns.

Paras engaged one of the Lees behind 30-1 before the artillery hit, so the fire mission was canceled. They continue to move against the remaining tank in the LZ.

Maneuver Force continuing to advance.

Enemy artillery targeting one ATG of Overwatch Force. The remaining five have been picked up and are being moved.

Attached are screen prints of the main engagement areas (hill 30-1 and LZ) and hill 30-2 and its tactical importance with respect to hill 30-1.

Casualties

Friendly: Estimated 10 casualties.

Enemy: Two Lee I tanks destroyed.

[RERomine]

Turn 18

One Tiger traded shots with two Shermans on North slope of hill 30-1 with no effect on either side. Two Tigers on top of hill engaged and destroyed one Lee I tank and suppressed infantry. Engineers moved forward and cleared some mines. Enemy infantry and artillery engaged the engineers with some effect. Artillery continuing to hit enemy positions on hill 30-1.

Tigers moved onto East edge of hill 30-2 crested. From there, they engaged and destroyed one Lee tank on hill 30-1.

Paras assaulted and destroyed remaining Lee I tank in LZ. They are turning out to be more effective against enemy tanks than expect. So far, they have destroyed four.

Maneuever Force has halted for the moment until the mines are cleared on hill 30-1 and the Shermans dealt with. The overall enemy dispostions are much different than expected.

Enemy artillery targeting one ATG of Overwatch Force. Still, it's not having any effect.

Casualties

Friendly: Estimated 10 casualties.

Enemy: Three Lee I tanks destroyed, estimated 5 casualties.

[RERomine]

Turn 19

Tiger engaged and destroyed two Sherman tanks on North slope of hill 30-1. One Sherman remains. Engineers have cleared more of the mines. Enemy infantry on top of hill are withdrawing, but were only seen in platoon strength. Two Tigers on top of hill have pulled back. Artillery from both sides continued to fall on top of hill, inflicting casualties on both sides. Several engineers are withdrawing also.

Tigers on hill 30-2 have engaged and destroyed one Lee I tank on South slope of hill 30-1. Artillery hit and immobilized another Lee on the South slope.

Paras have destroyed another Lee I tank behind hill 30-1. They also sighted and engaged a 6pdr ATG. Artillery dropped on gun as it was near an enemy tank. This force has done much more than was expected.

Maneuver Force is still at a halt. They will have to begin moving next turn or risk being a target for enemy artillery.

All overwatch ATGs are being moved forward.

Casualties

Friendly: Estimated 10 casualties.

Enemy: Two Lee I and two Sherman tanks destroyed, estimated 10 casualties.

[RERomine]

Turn 20

Some engineers started pushing forward supported by Tigers on top of hill 30-1. Tiger on North side maneuvering against last Sherman. Infantry seen on back side of hill by paras engaged there. Artillery continuing to hit both sides. Enemy hit harder this time.

Took a chance with the Tigers on hill 30-2 and engaged one of the 6pdr ATGs behind hill. ATG was destroyed. Farther back, a 40mm Bofors was spotted by a scout. Artillery was plotted on that target.

Paras destroyed 6pdr ATG behind hill 30-1 and continued pushing Southwest.

Maneuver Force is started moving again. It should be able to link up with Para force by turn 25.

Casualties

Friendly: Estimated 10 casualties.

Enemy: Two 6pdr ATGs destroyed, estimated 10 casualties.

[RERomine]

Turn 21

Tiger and Sherman on North side of hill 30-1 traded shots at 250m to no effect. Sherman came uncomfortably close to going through the front armor of the Tiger. Tanks from Maneuver Force are deploying to assist. All enemy units on top of hill have withdrawn to rear slope. Scouts have found mines on the back side of the hill. Artillery is still continuing to fall. Several engineers turned and ran again. A large gap has been cleared through the mines. Tigers on top of hill engaged and destroyed one Lee I tank on rear slope.

Tigers on hill 30-2 engaged and destroyed Lee I tank on South slope of hill 30-1. Scout is moving forward to try to locate remaining 6pdr ATG behind hill. The gun destroyed a scout earlier. It's location is "known", but the gun isn't visible. Artillery is continuing to hit the location of the 6pdr and bracketed the Bofors behind the hill.

The paras destroyed yet another Lee I tank. They are starting to turn South to move toward the G2/G3 victory hex groups.

At this point, I'm considering moving the Maneuver force over the top of hill 30-1, rather than along the North slope. The Sherman tank there would be a major threat to the infantry loaded tracks. Crossing the top of the hill would also shave a turn or two off of the time required to link up with the Para Force.

Casualties

Friendly: Estimated 10 casualties.

Enemy: Two Lee I tanks destroyed, estimated 10 casualties.

[RERomine]

Turn 22

Tiger and Sherman continued to exchange fire until two PzKw IVgs took out the Sherman at 500m from the flank. Maneuver Force moving around North slope of hill 30-1 because of heavy enemy artillery on hill top. Recon tracks blundered into the sights of an enemy Lee and two were destroyed. Tigers on hill top destroyed one Lee and one 6pdr ATG. Enemy behind hill in company strength. Friendly artillery hit their positions. The mines on the rear slope of 30-1 seem to be in the form of a line, so engineers are advancing to investigate. Moderate casaulties on both sides.

Tigers on hill 30-2 held their position when scouts found mines on the Eastern each of the top of the hill. A second Bofors was sighted. Artillery plotted on same, while earlier plots hits the first Bofors.

Elements of the Para Force are heading South toward the Bofors, while others are heading Southwest to assist in dealing with the infantry on the rear of hill 30-1. ATG engaged group heading Southwest. Fire was returned. Casualties on both sides.

Casualties

Friendly: Two SdKfz 250/10 recon tracks destroyed, estimated 25 casualties.

Enemy: One Lee I and one Sherman I tanks destroyed, one 6pdr ATG destroyed, estimated 20 casualties.