DOCSLIB.ORG

DAK-II: Deutsches Afrika Korps, Vol. I

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
DAK-II: Deutsches Afrika Korps, Vol. I The Gamers, Inc. Operational Combat Series: DAK-II: Deutsches Afrika Korps, Vol. I ©2004. Multiman Publishing, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Table of Contents: Playtesting, Proofing, and so on: Perry 2nd Edition Introduction Andrus, John Best, Jim Daniels, Dean Essig, Volume I This edition does three things: I’ve General Rules, pgs 1-11 Keith Fortner, Owen Fuller, Simon Hoare, corrected all known errata; I’ve made some Axis Special Rules, pgs 11-13 Scott Johnstone, Warren Kingsley, Rod Allied Special Rules, pgs 13-16 Miller, Dave Powell, Nigel Roberts, Rick changes based on player feedback; and I’ve made adjustments to the game needed because General Options, pgs 16-18 “First to Lose Rommel” Robinson, Bob Axis Options, pgs 18-19 of the 3rd edition Series rules. See the “Change Allied Options, pgs 19-20 Runnicles List” on page 62 for a full listing of what was done. Scenarios: • Compass Training Scenario (7.1), pgs 20-22 2nd Edition Comments & Suggestions: Introduction • Small Italian Offensive (7.2), pgs 22-23 Shannon Cooke, Dave Demko, Morris • Sidi Barrani Tr’ng Scenario (7.3), pgs 23-25 Hadley, Scott Johnstone, Michael Junkin, DAK is a simulation covering the entire • Compass Campaign Start (7.4), pgs 25-27 campaign in the Western Desert theater in • March 41 Campaign Start (7.5), pgs 27-29 Rod Miller, Paul Rozek • Brevity Small Scenario (7.6), pgs 29-30 World War II. It covers all the actions in • Brevity Campaign Start (7.7), pgs 31-33 Research Assistance: Perry Andrus, Marco Eastern Libya/Western Egypt from • Battleaxe Small Scenario (7.8), pgs 33-35 Battarelli, Dirk Blennemann, Ulrich September 1940 through November 1942. • Battleaxe Campaign Start (7.9), pgs 35-37 Units which participated in this campaign • Crusader Small Scenario (7.10), pgs 38-40 Blennemann, Joseph Vanden Borre, Vance • Crusader Campaign Start (7.11), pgs 40-43 von Borries, James Broshot, Frank are shown in great detail from division down • Jan 42 Campaign Start (7.12), pgs 43-46 Chadwick, Marco Ferrari, Dave Freidrichs, to battalion level (with occasional company- • Gazala Small Scenario (7.13), pgs 46-49 sized formations). The maps, drawn at the • Gazala Campaign Start (7.14), pgs 49-52 Owen Fuller, Andrea Galliano, Jack • July 42 Campaign Start (7.15), pgs 52-56 Greene, Alessandro Massignani, Mark scale of 5 miles to the hex, are a compilation • 1st Alamein Small Scen. (7.16), pgs 56-57 Milke, George Nafzinger, Dave Powell, of numerous sources including Italian Official • Alam Halfa Camp. Start (7.17), pgs 57-61 Steve Rothwell, Dr. Thomas Scheben, records and German wartime military maps. DAK is an intense and massive DAK-II Change List, pg 62 Mauro Spaziani, Anthony Stauton, Bill Axis Map Tables, pg 63 Stone, Mauro De Vita, Mike Yaklich simulation of this campaign, but is also Allied Map Tables, pg 64 intended to be readily playable. Graphics: Dean N. Essig This game is the culmination of a Volume II Production Management: Sara Essig lifelong dream for myself and a number of • 3rd Alamein Campaign Start (7.18), pgs 1-5 others involved in this project. Enjoy! • 3rd Alamein Small Scenario (7.19), pgs 5-7 • The Desert Campaign Sept 40-Nov 42, The George Nafzinger Collection was of (The whole Super Burrito) (7.20), pgs 8-10 assistance in this project and can be The Players: The Axis Player is called the purchased from: Axis Player. The Allied Player is Counter Manifest, pgs 10-14 sometimes called Commonwealth Player Historical Notes, pgs 14-22 George Nafzinger From All Tank to All Arms (Study Article) PO Box 1522 or British Player as well as Allied Player pgs 22-25 West Chester, OH 45069-1522 in these rules. Annotated Bibliography, pgs 25-27 Designer’s Notes, pgs 27-29 Arabic for Desert Foxes, pg 29 Armies of the Second World War OOBs 1.1 Multiple counters Abbreviations, pg 30 were used in this project. These can be for the same unit. Allied Order of Arrival, pgs 30-35 obtained from: Allied Order of Withdrawal, pgs 35-36 Take great care in selecting units to use, Stone & Stone Axis Order of Arrival, pgs 36-39 as a number of units are represented by Allied Variable Withdrawal Table, pg 40 5250 Piedmont Court different counters as those units develop Santa Rosa, CA 95409 Volume III throughout the campaign (new weapons, Weather Tables, pg 1 organizations, etc.). Be sure to select the Terrain Effects on Combat, pg 2 counter with the correct ratings and symbols Terrain Effects on Movement, pg 3 as listed in the set up or order of arrival. More Quality Wargames Since 1988 Common Rebuilt Chart, pg 4 detail is provided for those units which Random Events Table, pgs 4-7 Air and Land Distance Charts, pg 8 See Page 63, volume I for the frequently change than for those which never DAK Component List... do. Some units have graphic reminders of time-sensitive rules. Page 1 DAK-II: Deutsches Afrika Korps, volume I OCS #5 1.2 Too Much Map 1.5 “Campaign” Rules 2.0 Variations to Area, Not Enough Each scenario lists whether or not it Table Space... uses the “Campaign Rules”. These rules the Series Rules are marked with “c” before their case 2.1 Hedgehogs Some players might find the complete number (as in c 1.10). If a scenario does not 2.1a Map Printed Hedgehogs. layout of DAK beyond their ability to set require the Campaign Rules, ignore all Hedgehogs printed on the map cannot be up due to limited table space. These players rules so marked. Furthermore, some destroyed, reduced, or improved. will be happy to find that the game comes optional rules are also marked as Campaign EXCEPTION: Tobruk’s Hedgehogs (printed with multiple smaller scenarios and is even Rules. These cannot be applied to the as Level 3) start the campaign (Sept 1940) as arrayed such that the campaign games scenarios which do not use the Campaign Level 1 and only attain their full value on 1 themselves are not out of reach. Play can be Rules. done by leaving Map E aside until absolutely Apr 41. This upgrade occurs regardless of necessary (i.e. the war has moved to eastern which side owns the Tobruk position (all the Egypt). Even this space savings can be 1.6 Set Up Notations hedgehog hexes making up the fortress done in two ways: First, Map E can be In addition to the usual OCS notations, boundary) at that time—If complete dispensed with entirely and the scenarios identify Axis unit nationality by ownership is in doubt on 1 April, delay the Commonwealth can run its war from typeface: upgrade until the end of the first turn in Alexandria. Second, an Abstract of Map E which one player (or the other) clearly owns has been provided as a player’s aid which • Normal typeface Axis units are Italian all of the Tobruk Hedgehog hexes. can be used in the place of the real Map E. • Italic typeface units are German, e.g. Map printed Hedgehogs (and the Either method can be easily used. 21.Pz Div. improvements to the Tobruk fortifications) To save even more space yet still play do not count against the player’s Hedgehog the campaign scenarios, it is possible 1.7 Pre-Game limitations below. (although it is far more clumsy than doing away with Map E!) to play with Map A on Decisions Design Note. The Italian Army allowed the a separate table. Given Map A’s importance In addition to the usual things players pre-war Tobruk fortifications to go to seed. to both the game and especially the Axis must decide before playing any game (who Additionally, they had neight the time or the logistical effort, one should only attempt gets which side, where to put the pretzels, equipment to improve them after Compass this if space is absolutely at a premium. when to order the pizza...), the following began. The Commonwealth troops DAK is an excellent game for those must be determined before beginning any occupying these forts began a crash program who have gotten into “vertical gaming” DAK game (some of these are Campaign of improvements only after German (playing the game while mounted on a Rules and can be ignored in scenarios not intervention in the theater (in late March, wall, or ceiling, using magnets or sticky using them): 1941). For the sake of simplicity, the putty materials). Due to its reasonably low • Arrival and Departure of the German improvement of these Hedgehogs occurs counter density, this method of play will Flieger Korps by Random Event or regardless of which side currently owns work quite well. Historical schedule? them—if the Axis has already regained • Allied withdrawals by Variable control of the fortress, one can assume they 1.3 “Simulcast” Turns Withdrawal and Return Table or by would be as interested as the Allies in Historical schedule? improving the works. In the rare event the Be sure to apply series rule 2.4 when • Historical Tiger Convoy or Player Italians don’t lose Tobruk in the first place (a playing this game. Demanded one? pretty impressive performance on their part, • Determine the Options to be used in if playtesting is any indication!), one can 1.4 OCS Standard Play, if any (see section 6.0) assume they would have swept the cobwebs Marker Sheets out of the various bunkers they had already built. This game contains the standard OCS Marker sheets (actually, two of them). On 2.1b Hedgehog Limits.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Military History Anniversaries 01 Thru 14 Feb
    Military History Anniversaries 01 thru 14 Feb Events in History over the next 14 day period that had U.S. military involvement or impacted in some way on U.S military operations or American interests Feb 01 1781 – American Revolutionary War: Davidson College Namesake Killed at Cowan’s Ford » American Brigadier General William Lee Davidson dies in combat attempting to prevent General Charles Cornwallis’ army from crossing the Catawba River in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. Davidson’s North Carolina militia, numbering between 600 and 800 men, set up camp on the far side of the river, hoping to thwart or at least slow Cornwallis’ crossing. The Patriots stayed back from the banks of the river in order to prevent Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tartleton’s forces from fording the river at a different point and surprising the Patriots with a rear attack. At 1 a.m., Cornwallis began to move his troops toward the ford; by daybreak, they were crossing in a double-pronged formation–one prong for horses, the other for wagons. The noise of the rough crossing, during which the horses were forced to plunge in over their heads in the storm-swollen stream, woke the sleeping Patriot guard. The Patriots fired upon the Britons as they crossed and received heavy fire in return. Almost immediately upon his arrival at the river bank, General Davidson took a rifle ball to the heart and fell from his horse; his soaked corpse was found late that evening. Although Cornwallis’ troops took heavy casualties, the combat did little to slow their progress north toward Virginia.
    [Show full text]
  • (June 1941) and the Development of the British Tactical Air Doctrine
    Journal of Military and Strategic VOLUME 14, ISSUE 1, FALL 2011 Studies A Stepping Stone to Success: Operation Battleaxe (June 1941) and the Development of the British Tactical Air Doctrine Mike Bechthold On 16 February 1943 a meeting was held in Tripoli attended by senior American and British officers to discuss the various lessons learned during the Libyan campaign. The focus of the meeting was a presentation by General Bernard Montgomery. This "gospel according to Montgomery," as it was referred to by Air Chief Marshal Arthur Tedder, set out very clearly Monty's beliefs on how air power should be used to support the army.1 Among the tenets Montgomery articulated was his conviction of the importance of air power: "Any officer who aspires to hold high command in war must understand clearly certain principles regarding the use of air power." Montgomery also believed that flexibility was the greatest asset of air power. This allowed it to be applied as a "battle-winning factor of the first importance." As well, he fully endorsed the air force view of centralized control: "Nothing could be more fatal to successful results than to dissipate the air resource into small packets placed under the control of army formation commanders, with each packet working on its own plan. The soldier must not expect, or wish, to exercise direct command over air striking forces." Montgomery concluded his discussion by stating that it was of prime importance for the army and air 1 Arthur Tedder, With Prejudice: The war memoirs of Marshal of the Royal Air Force, Lord Tedder (London: Cassell, 1966), p.
    [Show full text]
  • Infantry Division (1941-43)]
    7 February 2017 [6 (70) INFANTRY DIVISION (1941-43)] th 6 Infantry Division (1) Headquarters, 6th Infantry Division & Employment Platoon 14th Infantry Brigade (2) Headquarters, 14th Infantry Brigade & Signal Section 1st Bn. The Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment 2nd Bn. The York and Lancaster Regiment 2nd Bn. The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) 16th Infantry Brigade (3) Headquarters, 16th Infantry Brigade & Signal Section 2nd Bn. The Leicestershire Regiment 2nd Bn. The Queen’s Royal Regiment (West Surrey) 1st Bn. The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (Princess Louise’s) (4) 23rd Infantry Brigade (5) Headquarters, 23rd Infantry Brigade & Signal Section 4th (Westmorland) Bn. The Border Regiment 1st Bn. The Durham Light Infantry (6) Czechoslovak Infantry Battalion No 11 East (7) Divisional Troops 60th (North Midland) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery (8) (H.Q., 237th (Lincoln) & 238th (Grimsby) Field Batteries, Royal Artillery) 2nd Field Company, Royal Engineers 12th Field Company, Royal Engineers 54th Field Company, Royal Engineers 219th (1st London) Field Park Company, Royal Engineers 6th Divisional Signals, Royal Corps of Signals © www.BritishMilitaryH istory.co.uk Page 1 7 February 2017 [6 (70) INFANTRY DIVISION (1941-43)] Headquarters, 6th Infantry Divisional Royal Army Service Corps (9) 61st Company, Royal Army Service Corps 145th Company, Royal Army Service Corps 419th Company, Royal Army Service Corps Headquarters, 6th Infantry Divisional Royal Army Medical Corps (10) 173rd Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps 189th
    [Show full text]
  • 'Something Is Wrong with Our Army…' Command, Leadership & Italian
    Journal of Military and Strategic VOLUME 14, ISSUE 1, FALL 2011 Studies ‘Something is wrong with our army…’ Command, Leadership & Italian Military Failure in the First Libyan Campaign, 1940-41. Dr. Craig Stockings There is no question that the First Libyan Campaign of 1940-41 was an Italian military disaster of the highest order. Within hours of Mussolini’s declaration of war British troops began launching a series of very successful raids by air, sea and land in the North African theatre. Despite such early setbacks a long-anticipated Italian invasion of Egypt began on 13 September 1940. After three days of ponderous and costly advance, elements of the Italian 10th Army halted 95 kilometres into Egyptian territory and dug into a series of fortified camps southwest of the small coastal village of Sidi Barrani. From 9-11 December, these camps were attacked by Western Desert Force (WDF) in the opening stages of Operation Compass – the British counter-offensive against the Italian invasion. Italian troops not killed or captured in the rout that followed began a desperate and disjointed withdrawal back over the Libyan border, with the British in pursuit. The next significant engagement of the campaign was at the port-village Bardia, 30 kilometres inside Libya, in the first week of 1941. There the Australian 6 Division, having recently replaced 4 Indian Division as the infantry component of WDF (now renamed 13 Corps), broke the Italian fortress and its 40,000 defenders with few casualties. The feat was repeated at the port of Tobruk, deeper into Libya, when another 27,000 Italian prisoners were taken.
    [Show full text]
  • PLAYBOOKPLAYBOOK Table of Contents
    PLAYBOOKPLAYBOOK Table of Contents 1.0 Scenarios ...........................................................................2 2.0 ZOC Effects Summary...................................................10 1.1 Compass ..........................................................................2 3.0 OOS Effects Summary ...................................................10 1.2 Sunflower .........................................................................4 Extended Example of Play ..................................................11 1.3 Crusader ...........................................................................6 1.4 Gazala ..............................................................................8 Designer’s Notes ...................................................................19 GMT Games, LLC • P.O. Box 1308, Hanford, CA 93232-1308 • www.GMTGames.com 2 The Dark Sands ~ Playbook 1.0 Scenarios The scenarios are both self-contained and potential starting points in the campaign. The setup instructions contain directions for setting up all units, counters and tracks. The setup instruc- tions also indicate which Units and Assets should be placed on the Reinforcements Track for the scenario being played. Each scenario setup section has the following sections: On Map: Place listed units on the map locations indicated. Available Assets: Place listed Assets in the appropriate “Available Assets” box. Out of Play Units: Place listed units in the game box. Returning Units: Place listed units in their returning location on the “Reinforce-
    [Show full text]
  • The Impact of Terrain on British Operations and Doctrine in North Africa 1940-1943
    University of Plymouth PEARL https://pearl.plymouth.ac.uk 04 University of Plymouth Research Theses 01 Research Theses Main Collection 2014 The impact of terrain on British operations and doctrine in North Africa 1940-1943. Dando, Neal http://hdl.handle.net/10026.1/3035 Plymouth University All content in PEARL is protected by copyright law. Author manuscripts are made available in accordance with publisher policies. Please cite only the published version using the details provided on the item record or document. In the absence of an open licence (e.g. Creative Commons), permissions for further reuse of content should be sought from the publisher or author. The impact of terrain on British operations and doctrine in North Africa 1940-1943. A thesis submitted to the Plymouth University in partial fulfilment for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY School of Humanities Neal Dando Plymouth University January 2014 Copyright Statement This copy of the thesis has been supplied on condition that anyone who consults it is understood to recognise that its copyright rests with its author and that no quotation from the thesis and no information derived from it may be published without the author's prior consent. Abstract This thesis focuses on the extent to which the physical terrain features across Egypt, Libya and Tunisia affected British operations throughout the campaign in North Africa during the Second World War. The study analyses the terrain from the operational and tactical perspectives and argues that the landscape features heavily influenced British planning and operations. These should now be considered alongside other standard military factors when studying military operations.
    [Show full text]
  • A Stepping Stone to Success: Operation Battleaxe (June 1941) and the Development of the British Tactical Air Doctrine
    Journal of Military and Strategic VOLUME 14, ISSUE 1, FALL 2011 Studies A Stepping Stone to Success: Operation Battleaxe (June 1941) and the Development of the British Tactical Air Doctrine Mike Bechthold On 16 February 1943 a meeting was held in Tripoli attended by senior American and British officers to discuss the various lessons learned during the Libyan campaign. The focus of the meeting was a presentation by General Bernard Montgomery. This "gospel according to Montgomery," as it was referred to by Air Chief Marshal Arthur Tedder, set out very clearly Monty's beliefs on how air power should be used to support the army.1 Among the tenets Montgomery articulated was his conviction of the importance of air power: "Any officer who aspires to hold high command in war must understand clearly certain principles regarding the use of air power." Montgomery also believed that flexibility was the greatest asset of air power. This allowed it to be applied as a "battle-winning factor of the first importance." As well, he fully endorsed the air force view of centralized control: "Nothing could be more fatal to successful results than to dissipate the air resource into small packets placed under the control of army formation commanders, with each packet working on its own plan. The soldier must not expect, or wish, to exercise direct command over air striking forces." Montgomery concluded his discussion by stating that it was of prime importance for the army and air 1 Arthur Tedder, With Prejudice: The war memoirs of Marshal of the Royal Air Force, Lord Tedder (London: Cassell, 1966), p.
    [Show full text]
  • THE DESERT WAR: the NORTH AFRICAN CAMPAIGN Belligerents
    THE DESERT WAR: THE NORTH AFRICAN CAMPAIGN DATE: JUNE 10 1940 – MAY 13 1943 Belligerents Allies Axis British Empire Italy United Kingdom Libya India Germany Australia New Zealand Vichy France South Africa Southern Rhodesia Algeria Canada Tunisia United States Morocco Free France OVERVIEW OF THE NORTH AFRICAN CAMPAIGN The North African Campaign of the Second World War took place in North Africa from June 10 1940 to May 13 1943. It included campaigns fought in the Libyan and Egyptian deserts (Western Desert Campaign, also known as the Desert War) and in Morocco and Algeria (Operation Torch), as well as Tunisia (Tunisia Campaign). The campaign was fought between the Allies, many of whom had colonial interests in Africa dating from the late 19th century, and the Axis Powers. The Allied war effort was dominated by the British Commonwealth and exiles from German-occupied Europe. The United States officially entered the war in December 1941 and began direct military assistance in North Africa on May 11 1942. Fighting in North Africa started with the Italian declaration of war on June 10 1940. On June 14, the British Army's 11th Hussars, assisted by elements of the 1st Royal Tank Regiment, crossed the border from Egypt into Libya and captured the Italian Fort Capuzzo. This was followed by an Italian counter-offensive into Egypt and the capture of Sidi Barrani in September 1940 and again in December 1940 following a British Commonwealth counteroffensive, Operation Compass. During Operation Compass, the Italian 10th Army was destroyed and the German Afrika Korps - commanded by Erwin Rommel, who later became known as "The Desert Fox" - was dispatched to North Africa in February 1941 during Operation Sonnenblume to reinforce Italian forces in order to prevent a complete Axis defeat.
    [Show full text]
  • Desert War Part Two: Operation Sonnenblume: February 06 – May 25 1941
    DESERT WAR PART TWO: OPERATION SONNENBLUME: FEBRUARY 06 – MAY 25 1941 Operation Sonnenblume (Sunflower) was the codename for the initial movement of German troops to North Africa after the Italians had been forced out of Cyrenaica (Egypt), and appeared to be struggling to hold on to Tripolitania (northern Libya). The Italians were prepared to abandon the Sirte area and make a stand around Tripoli, but unbeknownst to them the British offensive had now run out of steam. General Wavell, the British commander-in-chief in the Middle East, had been ordered to send troops to Greece and the troops that had taken part in Operation Compass were now exhausted. The British stopped their advance at El Agheila, and rotated most of their experienced troops back to Egypt to rest. Fresh troops with little or no desert experience replaced them. The Germans were also unaware of this fact. Hitler feared the worst, and in order to prevent a total collapse of the Italian position in North Africa decided to send a small German force to help defend Tripolitania. This new force was limited to two divisions – 5th Light division, which would arrive first and 15th Panzer Division, which would follow soon after. General Erwin Rommel, who had served as the commander of Hitler's escort battalion before the war and commanded 7th Panzer Division during the invasion of France, was chosen to command the new force. On February 6 Rommel met with Hitler, who gave him a detailed outline of the position in North Africa and explained that he had been selected for the role as he was believed to be the man most able to quickly adapt to the new circumstances.
    [Show full text]
  • Rommel's First Offensive Part I: British and Commonwealth
    ROMMEL’S FIRST OFFENSIVE 31 March – 11 April, 1941 -- Frank Chadwick Following publication of BENGHAZI HANDICAP, at least one forum-rat has asked for the detailed Italian order of battle in Rommel’s first offensive. I mentioned in the forum that – if you dig a bit – it’s mostly there in the division histories. I’d have liked to include this sort of detailed OOB by battle for each of the major actions, but the book was pretty big already. I decided to simply have the outline formation OBs for the battles, and then use the detailed division histories to provide the nitty-gritty details of attachments and what-not. It was more space-efficient, but still… So what I decided was to throw everything I’d been able to figure out about the orders of battle in that first offensive in one web article and post it here. It is fairly complicated, and there are lingering questions concerning the exact weapons used to outfit the various British and Australian anti-tank units, but other than that it’s fairly complete. This is the sort of detailed stuff which you will either eat up with a spoon or will make your eyes glaze over and roll back in your head. You have been warned. PART I: BRITISH AND COMMONWEALTH FORCES The British and Commonwealth forces involved in the defense of Cyrenaica were all subordinated to Cyrenaica Command, under the command of Lieutenant-General Phillip Neame, VC. XIII Corps headquarters had been withdrawn, and Cyrenaica Command did not have the command and control assets needed to control a mobile battle spread across a 200-mile battlefield, which partly explains the sluggish British handling of this campaign.
    [Show full text]
  • Operation Compass: Attack on the Raggruppamento Maletti
    Operation Compass: Attack on the Raggruppamento Maletti An Active Armor WWII Scenario Background After the declaration of war in June 1940, the Italian forces in North Africa moved aggressively into Egypt. Before long, the shoe was on the other foot - in December of 1940, the British launched Operation Compass, pushing the Italians back in a dramatic fashion. This is a what-if scenario depicting combat between the ad-hoc Italian mechanized formation, Raggruppamento Maletti, and the counter-attacking British Western Desert Force in the end of 1940 and the early days of 1941. This scenario has been designed for remote play, including the renaming of all units and the doubling of all distances. The Tabletop The map below shows the tabletop. All terrain is open desert, except for the road and the small village where the Italians have established their supply dump. This is considered a built-up area. The red dashed circle in the middle is a fortified zone, featuring mine fields and improvised fortifications all-around. Italians will set up in their fortifications, in the village, or anywhere on the road between. The British will move onto the table from the East. Orders of Battle Italian 1st Tank Bn (M13/40s) - Average Medium Tank, 4 cos 2nd Tank Bn (CV33s) - Aaverage Light Tank, 4 cos 3rd Support Group - Average Towed Medium At/Arty, 4 cos 4th Mechanized Inf Bn - Average Armored Infantry, 400 5th Mechanized Inf Bn - Average Armored Infantry, 400 6th Mechanized Inf Bn - Average Armored Infantry, 400 7th Inf Bn - Fair Infantry, 400 British
    [Show full text]
  • Opération Compass English
    Operation Compass September 1940, according the orders of Benito Mussolini, the Italian forces in Libya, under the command of marshal Graziani attacked the British troops in Egypt and advanced as far as Sidi Barrani and then entrenched in the desert. British General Wavell, Commander in chief of Commonwealth troops in Middle East ordered to General O’Connor to make a counter-offensive with his little army (about 30 000 men against 150 000 Italian soldiers) and to drive back the enemy out of Egypt. This was Operation Compass. The British offensive began on the 8th of December 1940 with a surprise attack on Italian troops in the desert and never stopped after. Sidi Barrani was liberated soon then the British army reached the Libyan border and destroyed all Italian divisions incountered. After that it was the siege and the fall of Bardia then Tobruk in January 1941. The final destruction of the 10th Italian army at Beda Fomm was the peak of the campaign. The surrender of the Giarabub oasis, isolated in the desert, was the last battle of Operation Compass. At that time, an unknown German General was just arrived on the African soil : Erwin Rommel, the future « desert fox ». This campaign, composed with 10 scénarios, recall the battles in the desert between British and Italian troops during Operation Compass, from the initial attack at Nibeiwa in late 1940 until the fall of Giarabub in March 1941, while the first German units of the Deutsche Afrika-Korps began to land in Tripoli. Jdrommel. Campaign Notes Expansions needed with the base game: - Terrain Pack, - Mediterranean Theater.
    [Show full text]