Off table battery markers

Those who know me will tell you that I have an aversion to war gaming paperwork. Writing things up on a blog is one thing, having to look things up on a roster sheet during a game is quite another. It is why I make so many markers and counters. 

Recently my mind turned to off board artillery markers. Up until very recently I've been using 15mm stuff that has been placed, on- table, on pieces of red card to mark its off board status. It works well enough except for three things. Firstly, most heavy artillery is not available in 15mm (and why should it be as it will seldom, if ever, get used on-table). Secondly it has a large footprint and takes up too much room. Thirdly, even if it were available, it would take an excessive amount of time and money for its gaming value - cost benefit.

I was thinking of using pictures mounted on thickish card and so forth, then I suddenly remembered previous forays into WW2 in 10mm and 1:300 scale. A light went on.

I googled Heroics and Ros. http://www.heroicsandros.co.uk/heroics/pdf/webcat.pdf

Immediately thereafter ordered the guns I needed - some of which are pictured above alongside my 15mm stuff. Their range is not universal, but it has a good deal of the more common heavy stuff. It is also very cheap - £0.40 a gun and crew - and Andy Kirk is a pleasure to deal with.

I decided to paint and base them purely as markers - which took out lots of work - and I think they fit the bill perfectly. It will not be a new idea, but I think it is a good one and worth repeating. A very small corner of the field will be forever off-table.

Sidi Rezegh 1941 for Fiasco 2013

This scenario is for a battle based upon the events of 22nd November 1941 at Sidi Rezegh. The notes for this scenario were inspired by the scenario  "Broken Spearhead" in Benghazi Handicap by Frank Chadwick. They have been fleshed out with information from Sidi Rezeg Battles 1941 by Agar-Hamilton and Turner, and the members of various web forums. 

The game will be fought out at Fiasco later this year.

GENERAL BRIEFING FOR BOTH PLAYERS

Dawn has brought the fifth day of Operation Crusader: The major British offensive to relieve Tobruk and throw the Axis out of Cyrenaica. Yesterday saw the hardest and most chaotic fighting of the operation so far. Between Tobruk and Gabr Saleh, British and German formations became jumbled like the layers of a cake.

From west to east: British 70^th Division was trying to sally out of Tobruk; 7^th Armoured Brigade and Support Group, both of 7^th Armoured Division, was trying to break through to them from Sidi Rezegh to link up with them at Ed Duda; sandwiched between these forces, and fighting both simultaneously,  were Italian ‘Bologna’ and German 90^th Light; 7^th Armoured Brigade and 7^th Support Group were facing both ways in an attempt to fend off a concerted attack by 15^th and 21^st Panzer Divisions travelling west out of the desert from the direction of Gabr Saleh; 15^th and 21^st Panzer divisions were, in turn, being harassed from flank and rear by 22^nd and 4^th Armoured Brigades (7^th Armoured Division) which were chasing them westward.  All were west of yet another battle, at the frontier, being fought by Axis forces defending the frontier and British XIII Corps.

The fighting was intense, especially around the aerodrome between the second and third escarpments at Sidi Rezegh. Here DAK had come out on top and the British, in terms of material, had taken a pasting. However, the British had shown a good deal of tenacity and had, despite heavy losses, maintained the very important strategic position at Sidi Rezegh.

Note: As can been seen from the map below, the position commonly referred to as Sidi Rezegh, between the second and third escarpment, is strategically vital to any operation in the Tobruk area (the Tobruk perimeter is approximately 3.5 miles north west of Ed Duda). Looking north from the third escarpment (at Point 178), it appears as a flat bottomed valley with ground that rises only slightly on the far side to the ridge of the second escarpment; it is ten miles long by four miles wide; it slopes imperceptibly down from east to west; it allows the passage of large armoured battle groups, moving in formation, to freely traverse from the top of the third to the bottom of the second escarpments. The area maked L.G. is the desert aerodrome.  

The Battle Area. From a map in Sidi Rezeg Battles 1941 by Agar-Hamilton and Turner.

The Wargame Battle Area. It represents the second escarpment from, roughly Abiar el Amar to Point 163. This war game table is 12' x 6' and ground scale is 1": 50m approx.

BRITISH BRIEFING FOR:

Brigadier Campbell (7^th Support Group), officer commanding at Sidi Rezegh, 22^nd November 1941.

Your Support Group and 7^th Armoured Brigade have spent the morning reorganizing and consolidating their position at Sidi Rezegh. 1^st Battalion, King’s Royal Rifle Corps (less one company) with a company of 2^nd Battalion, The Rifle Brigade attached, have dug themselves in on a two mile long stretch of the second escarpment with commanding views over the Trig Capuzzo. The guns of Support Group, alongside 7^th Armoured Brigade, have taken up positions, in a northward facing arc, around the aerodrome. To the south of the aerodrome 22^nd Armoured Brigade stands ready to support you.

Both 7^th Armoured Brigade and Support Group are not in the best of shape. Jerry has caused a good deal of damage and yesterday’s losses cannot be made good. Brigadier Davy’s tanks (7th Armoured Brigade) have faired the worse: This morning he has reported that he has 28 runners, all that remain out of the 168 tanks with which he started the operation five days ago, and several of these have been hit more than once during the previous fighting. 22^nd Armoured Brigade has suffered too: It is at two thirds strength following its foolhardy action at Bir el gubi against the Italians on the 19^th of November and running battles with Rommel’s panzers ever since. It is a comforting thought that the Germans withdrew their armour, northward, down the wadis of the second escarpment, out of the immediate battle area this morning.  Only shelling by German heavy artillery shooting from Belhamed is currently, and sporadically, disturbing the peace.

Plans for further advances to link up with 70^th Division at Ed Duda have been suspended until the infantry of 5^th South African Brigade reinforce your position from the south. Major General Gott (7^th Armoured Division) has personally given you orders to hold the Sidi Rezegh area at all cost. It will be the jump off point for units battering their way to relieve Tobruk. Following the arrival of the reinforcements, a northward advance on Ed Duda can be resumed. God willing, Jerry will leave you alone long enough to get things organised.

BRITISH OOB, GAME NOTES & VICTORY CONDITIONS

All field artillery (25pdrs) units are veterans with elite morale status. The tanks of 22^nd Armoured Brigade are green troops with high morale. The tanks of 7th Armoured Brigade are trained with high morale. All infantry are veterans with high morale. 

Note: The artillery present fought with a tenacity and discipline that was remarked upon by all . Consequently, I must give it elite morale status.
Note:The tanks of 22nd Armoured Brigade have been classed as green with high morale because of their enthusiastic, over confident ineptitude during the early phases of Operation Crusader. They were, to coin a phrase, fresh off the boat.

Brigadier Campbell is a heroic, average commander. All other commanders are average. 

The infantry of 1^st Battalion King’s Royal Rifle Corps, less carrier platoons, start the battle in sangars. One battery of 3^rd Royal Horse Artillery (2pdrs), may be attached to  1^st Battalion, KRRC and be in sangars. FOOs can deploy anywhere above the second escarpment. All other troops must deploy in their designated deployment areas.

Batteries of 3^rd Royal Horse Artillery (2pdrs) that are not attached to 1^st Battalion, KRRC start the battle on their portees with guns facing east.

The guns (25pdrs) of 60^th Field Regiment, RA are a brigade level asset. One battery of is prioritised to the battalion command stand of 1^st Battalion, King’s Royal Rifle Corps. They start the battle deployed for action.

The guns (A and B Batteries, 25pdrs) of 4^th Field Regiment, RHA are a brigade level asset. They start the battle deployed for action.

C Battery, 4^th Field Regiment, RHA (25pdrs) is attached to 22^nd Armoured Brigade. This battery was assigned to the brigade from the outset of Operation Crusader (it is a brigade asset). The battery is prioritised to Brigadier Scott-Cockburn. It can start the battle on table and limbered, or it can be kept as off table support deployed for action. 

22^nd Armoured Brigade starts the game inactive; it cannot be moved; it cannot shoot; it cannot direct a barrage. This ruling represents the Brigade actually being somewhat south of its on table deployment area. 22^nd Armoured Brigade is activated on any one of four events; activation represents the brigade's arrival in the battle area.

1. The formation is activated on the appearance of a Desert Rats (Event) card.
2. The formation is activated on the appearance of an Afrika Korps (Event) card.
3. An enemy unit (other than aircraft) comes within 20”.
4. The formation is fired upon by any ground troops.

VICTORY CONDITIONS

To achieve a decisive victory, at last light (end of turn 6) you must: 

• Hold the two points of high ground currently held by 1^st Battalion, KRRC. 
• Hold the aerodrome buildings.

To achieve a crushing victory, at last light (end of turn 6), you must: 

• Achieve the requirements of a decisive victory.
• Get four companies (any strength) of tanks or infantry across the northern (German) base line west of the aerodrome track – they move onto Ed Duda. 

GERMAN BRIEFING FOR:

Major General von Ravenstein, officer commanding 21^st Panzer Division, 22^nd November 1941.

Yesterday was a successful day for 21^st Panzer Division. At the end of the day there was no doubt that you had come out on top. However, the Tommies have shown a good deal of tenacity and, despite heavy losses, somehow maintain their position at Sidi Rezegh.

This morning, following receipt of orders from DAK, 15^th and 21^st Panzer Divisions moved north, down the wadis of the second escarpment, to take up defensive positions. 21^st Panzer Division was ordered to concentrate at Belhamed and be ready to counter-attack any resumption of the British advance on Ed Duda from Sidi Rezegh. You have disposed your formation accordingly and it has refuelled and replenished without hindrance from an enemy who seem content to stick to their ridge.

Late this morning General Rommel arrived at Division Headquarters. He has personally given you new orders. You must advance and secure the second escarpment. This area is of vital importance to the enemy for their future operations to relieve Tobruk. He has ordered you to undertake a two pronged attack. Group Knabe will make a frontal attack from the north supported by the heavy artillery of Group Bőttcher (408^th Heavy Artillery) on Belhamed. Meanwhile, Group Stephan will take a circuitous route via the by-pass road to Ed Duda then attack the aerodrome from the west. He assures you that the British at Sidi Rezegh are a beaten force with nothing more to offer than a stiff upper lip. One more sharp shock will send them scurrying for The Delta.

GERMAN OOB, GAME NOTES AND VICTORY CONDITIONS

All German troops are veterans with high morale.

Major General von Ravenstein, Lieutenant Colonel Stephan, and the commander of 2nd Battalion, 104th Schuetzen Regiment are a skilled commanders. All other commanders are average.

FOOs can deploy anywhere north of Trig Capuzzo or with Group Stephan.  All other troops must deploy in their designated deployment areas.

Two 10.5cm batteries of 2^nd Battalion, 155^th Artillery Regiment are a division level asset. They are prioritised to Lieutenant Colonel-Knabe. They are shooting from Belhamed; from an elevation 25m higher than the Trig Capuzzo but lower than the escarpment.

One 10.5cm battery of 2^nd Battalion, 155^th Artillery Regiment is attached to Group Stephan for direct fire support. It is a brigade asset prioritised to Lieutenant-Colonel Stephan.

The three batteries of 408^th Heavy Artillery Battalion, Group Böetcher are Corps artillery prioritised to the general support of 21^st Panzer Division. They are shooting from Belhamed; from an elevation 25m higher than the Trig Capuzzo but lower than the escarpment. 

Group Stephan starts the game inactive; it cannot be moved; it cannot shoot; it cannot direct a barrage. This ruling represents the Brigade actually being somewhat north and east of its on table deployment area. Group Stephan is activated on any one of four events; activation represents the groups's arrival in the battle area. 

1. The formation is activated on the appearance of an Afrika Korps (Event) card.
2. The formation is activated on the appearance of a Desert Rats (Event) card.
3. An enemy unit (other than aircraft) comes within 20”.
4. The formation is fired upon by any ground troops.

Optional: Two Panzer III companies (one in each battalion) can be three stands (vehicles) strong. For aesthetic purposes, the extra tanks should be represented by Panzer II tanks.

VICTORY CONDITIONS

To achieve a decisive victory, at last light (end of turn 6) you must: 

• Secure the two points of high ground currently held by 1^st Battalion, KRRC. 
• Secure the aerodrome buildings.

To achieve a crushing victory, at last light (end of turn 6), you must: 

• Achieve the requirements of a decisive victory.
• Cause the destruction or retreat of all British armoured units.

TERRAIN NOTES

For movement the escarpment is type IV terrain. It provides a superior position when shooting to lower elevations. Reentrants (breaks in the escarpment) are treated as wadi (except if in column on the aerodrome track, which is type I terrain). Reentrants reach the height of the escarpment in line with the back edge of the representation of the ridge.

The high ground is treated as escarpment on its northern face and type I high ground elsewhere. It provides a superior position when shooting to lower elevations.

Wadis are type II terrain. They provide type II cover to infantry in depth, line or column formation if all stands are at least 50% in contact with the wadi bottom (a little common sense may be required here). They only provide type II cover to vehicles and guns traversing them in column.

Broken ground is type II terrain. It provides type II cover to infantry ending a move with a successful Other Difficulty check.

Aerodrome buildings provide type II cover; they do not block line of sight.

All other areas are type I terrain.

 Note: Infantry, as per usual, will treat all terrain as one type better for movement. 

FOR SALE

10 M13/41 tanks by Battlefront / Flames of War.

These tanks have only been used once for a demo game at Fiasco several years ago. Although I will be collecting Italian armour for the desert, I can no longer remember what colours I used to achieve these tones so I will have to start again from scratch. Consequently, I'm making these available on a first come first served basis. The price will be £150.00 for the ten - not cheap, but I'm charging by the rivet (grin). Payment by Pay-Pal, postage within UK / EU included (other destinations at any costs over EU price). I can be contacted at: jlaroach@blueyonder.co.uk

You'll also get the coolest looking command dude I own - Ciao Baby! 

I will notify you all if / when they sell.


.

Stop laughing at my smokes - It's the way I tell 'em

This week I've made some heavy duty smokescreen smoke.  Why on earth have you done it that way, I here you ask, surely cotton wool / duvet stuffing looks better?

Maybe it does to you, though to me it just looks like clumps of cotton wool. When I have used it in the past it has hung around for months and I can't count the time I've spent picking strands of the stuff off figures, bases, terrain, etc. And God forbid that anyone should wear a jumper. It tends to get squashed in storage, blows about in anything approaching Beaufort 1, and it mysteriously tends to get longer (to cover more frontage) during games. Also, after a while, given the other uses for cotton wool, it takes on the appearance of something you would rather not handle. With that in mind, and remembering the model hedges of times long gone, I decided to do 'cartoon' smoke to go with my 'cartoon' WW2 figures.

2 packs of cheap sponges were obtained from Boyes (69p for 6, but only 2 in a pack were white). I cut these in half, as shown. 

Then I pinched (between thumb and forefinger) chunks out of the sponge to give an irregular shape. 

Now I have to admit that I made a mistake here. Later, I found out that I had not pinched enough from the bottom edges - the smoke looked too firmly planted to the ground and I had to pinch out some more after some painting had been done.

I painted the sponge, with brush and a squeeze, a dirty grey colour using a mix of white emulsion and some cheap acrylics.

 Then, in three coats, the first whilst the undercoat colour was still damp, I stippled and dry brushed them with white emulsion. 

I decided to base the smoke screens on 5" long 2mm MDF bases, textured with sand and grit, and again painted with household emulsion.

This is what they look like on the table.

With the paint they are now quite rigid and will be easy to store. They have also lost all of their static charge; which worried me during the pinching out process.

I believe jumpers may well be in vogue again this season.

Sidi Rezegh - Set for an upcoming game.

Following two games, each with a slightly different layout and scenario plan, I have decided to play it for a third time. The main difference between this scenario and the other two is that I have done away with the arrival of reinforcements from off table (see previous posts on this scenario). I am lucky in that I have a table that is twice the length of the one the used in Benghazi Handicap by Frank Chadwick and I can use the extra space for reinforcements to be deployed on table and far enough away to still seem distant. In the previous games the battle has been fought as two separate actions at different ends of the table, one between the infantry and one between the armour, this has made complex arrival times, and so forth, redundant anyway. 

Hopefully, this scenario should now work much more cleanly (I hope), and if it does we will take it to Fiasco as a demo-game later this year. With that in prospect I have taken some steps to improve the terrain. I have made 16 feet of wadi sections (some of which is being used here); three new 'hills' for the escarpment; and a few more feet of road; I have also made the singular feature of the battlefield that is readily identifiable to those who know about this action, the feature that gives the battle its name, I have made a representation of the Sidi Rezegh Mosque (BTW, apparently, Sidi Rezegh was an Islamic holy man; something like a Christian saint). I may, at some point, try and make some more appropriate aerodrome buildings (a tin hangar and a control tower?) for the landing ground so that it looks a bit 'Hollywood'.

If this scenario does work, I will post full scenario notes and briefings. Until then.....

The Battlefield:

Deployments:

 German infantry of Group Knabe, 8th MG Battalion and regimental troops.

More of Group Knabe, 2nd Battalion, 104th Rifle Regiment.

 Group Stephan - 5th Panzer Regiment and its attached elements. It is deployed in a typical formation with artillery and infantry sandwiched between its two Panzer battalions.

Panzer II, III, and IV in roughly the right proportions with towed artillery and infantry .

The British. They are deployed in three concentric arcs. North to south: Infantry, then guns, then armour.

British infantry of 1st Btn, Kings Royal rifle Corps overlooking trig Capuzzo from their sangars. 

 Two regiments of 25pdrs (three of the 4 batteries) await orders.

Guns of Support Group and some of what remains of 7th Armoured Brigade.

22nd Armoured Brigade, fanning out over 4 km of desert. 

The tiny Mosque of Sidi Rezegh.

One last thing, have I shown you this? Is that unit behind the flank?

 I picked up this 'builders spirit level laser' from Woolworth's when it was open. It casts a straight line onto a surface rather than a one point beam. It is actually MUCH brighter than it appears here. It's great for LOS - £5 well spent! The photo is from one of the previous re-fights of this action. I was commanding the valiant 22nd. BTW, umpires call - Not Out.

Briefings for "Broken Spearhead"

The following briefings are for the previous post on my version the Command Decision scenario in Benghazi Handicap. It differs somewhat from the original. The primary source for the briefings was Sidi Rezeg Battles 1941 by Agar Hamilton and Turner.

BTW: This post is picture light, and in a horrible font, because yet again my cursor function is not working properly on this blog!

GENERAL BRIEFING FOR BOTH PLAYERS

Yesterday saw the hardest fighting (of the British offensive to relieve Tobruk) so far. The fighting was chaotic as formations of both sides clashed to their front and rear. Between Tobruk and Gabr Saleh, British 70^th Division was trying to batter its way out of Tobruk (objective Ed Duda) in the face of ‘Bologna’ and 90^th Light, the latter also fighting off probing attacks by 7^th Armoured Brigade and 7^th Support Group to its rear from Sidi Rezegh. In their turn, 7^th Armoured Brigade and Support Group were facing both ways in an attempt to fend off a concerted attack by 15^th and 21^st Panzer Divisions coming out of the desert from the east. The Panzer divisions were unable to concentrate fully because they were simultaneously holding off 4^th and 22^nd Armoured Brigades, which had chased them from Gabr Saleh.

At the end of the day there was no doubt that DAK had come out on top, especially in terms of material. However, the British had shown a good deal of tenacity and, despite very heavy losses, maintained the very important strategic position at Sidi Rezegh.

BRITISH BRIEFING FOR:

Brigadier Campbell (7^th Support Group), officer commanding Sidi Rezegh, noon, 22^nd November 1941

At Sidi Rezegh, plans for linking up with 70^th Division at Ed Duda have been suspended until 22^nd Armoured Brigade and 5^th South African Brigade reinforce the position from the south. Support Group and 7^th Armoured Brigade have spent the morning reorganizing and consolidating their position on the commanding ridge (second escarpment) overlooking Trig Capuzzo and around the aerodrome. Both 7^th Armoured Brigade and Support Group are not in the best shape. Yesterday’s losses cannot be made good. Brigadier Davy (7th Armoured Brigade), has reported he has 28 runners, several of which have been hit more than once - he started the operation with 168 tanks – and morale has been adversely affected. It is a comforting thought that the Germans withdrew their armour, northward down the escarpment and out of the battle area, this morning. The arrival of 22^nd Armoured Brigade is not expected for some time; 5^th South African Brigade has been ordered to hold the third escarpment.

Major General Gott (7^th Armoured Division) has personally given orders that Sidi Rezegh must be held at all cost. It will be the jump off point for units battering their way to relieve Tobruk. Following the arrival of the reinforcements a northward advance on Ed Duda can be resumed.

BRITISH GAME NOTES AND VICTORY CONDITIONS

4^th Field Regiment RHA begins the game off table. One or both batteries can be ordered forward to the battle area at any time. Once ordered forward the guns cannot be stopped and cannot shoot whilst in transit. The batteries will be in transit for two Artillery Action cards. The guns will arrive (making a normal move) from the south, at the aerodrome, on the appearance of a third Artillery Action card. 

22^nd Armoured Brigade will arrive as reinforcements on the appearance of the Stratagem 1 card from the start of turn 4. Its regiments will arrive (making a normal move) on the card’s appearance, along the British base line east of the third escarpment. There must be a 12” gap between regiments. Note: This deployment is the real reason for the inclusion of the third escarpment in the battle area.

To achieve a decisive victory: Hold the majority of high ground at the second escarpment (including A and one B) and the aerodrome buildings at C.

To achieve a crushing victory: Providing that the above requirement is met, at least four companies (any strength) of tanks or infantry must cross the German base line west of point D – they move onto Ed Duda. 

GERMAN BRIEFING FOR:

Major General von Ravenstein, officer commanding 21^st Panzer Division, noon, 22^nd November 1941

At the end of the day there was no doubt that DAK had come out on top. However, the British had shown a good deal of tenacity and, despite heavy losses, maintained the important position at Sidi Rezegh.

This morning, following receipt of orders from DAK, 15^th and 21^st Panzer Divisions moved north to take up defensive positions below the second escarpment. 21^st Panzer Division was ordered to concentrate at Belhamed ridge and be ready to counter-attack the expected resumption of the British advance on Tobruk.

General Rommel, in person, has recently arrived at Division Headquarters. He has personally given you new orders. You must undertake a two pronged attack to secure the second escarpment. He has ordered Group Knabe to make a frontal attack from the north supported by the heavy artillery of Group Bőttcher (408^th Heavy Artillery). Meanwhile, Group Stephan will take a circuitous route via the by-pass road and attack the aerodrome from the west.

GAME NOTES AND VICTORY CONDITIONS

Group Stephan will arrive as reinforcements on the appearance of the Stratagem 2 card from the start of turn 3. Its composite units will arrive (making a double move) on the card’s appearance, directly west [flank baseline] of the aerodrome, with at least one battalion of 5^th Panzer Regiment leading.

To achieve a decisive victory: 21^st Panzer Division must secure the majority of high ground at the second escarpment (including A and one B) and the aerodrome buildings at C.

To achieve a crushing victory: Providing that the above requirement is met, 21^st Panzer Division must effectively eliminate all British armour.

Note: In time, the British are expected to continue their attacks toward Ed Duda. The baseline west of point D is the exit point for such attacks.



Sidi Rezeg 1941 Scenario

Yesterday, I looked through Benghazi Handicap by Frank Chadwick. This is a Command Decision publication. I have used this well researched book as the basis for many of my army lists. It is absolutely stuffed with that sort of thing, including lots of invaluable stuff on the Italian forces which I have been unable to source, in English, from elsewhere. It does have a high cover price but I can't recommend it too highly. I now feel guilty for buying two copies when I saw it available for a tenth of its usual price on the web - the following day the company I bought them from adjusted the price by putting the decimal point in the right place!

Until  yesterday I hadn't looked closely at the scenarios at the back of the book because I usually enjoy designing my own. But when I read the tenth one, entitled "Broken Spearhead - The Second Day at Sidi Rezegh" I suddenly realised that it was exactly what I was looking for for a combined deployment of 7th Armoured and 22nd Armoured brigades. Yes, I know, I said I couldn't field both together, but I was referring to the other scenario "Shiny Spearhead - The First Day at Sidi Rezegh". [grin]

I will use the map given in Benghazi Handicap (left) as the basis for my set up. It largely conforms to the more detailed map of the battle area in Sidi Rezeg Battles 1941 by Agar-Hamilton and Turner (below). This more detailed map clearly shows the strategic value of this strip of desert - it provides a way of getting a large force, travelling in formation, from the first escarpment to the summit of the third escarpment (it slopes upwards, west to east).

This (left) is my battlefield map. The escarpment is almost a copy of  the one given in Benghazi Handicap, though mine is longer (bigger table - 10 x 6).

I have built the high ground into the line of the escarpment because it was described, when looking at it from the third escarpment, as forming the far side of a broad shallow valley. I have included the wadis running from the escarpment, which form the reentrants that will allow easy passage up it, but I have made them somewhat shorter above the second escarpment than they appear in the original scenario.

Although I have no idea where the escarpment's wadis would go, I have added a fictional wadi complex at the foot of the escarpment. This is an easy way to mark an east to west 'staggered' start line (roughly following the line of the escarpment at 800 - 1000m distance) for the Germans of Group Knabe to form up on.

I have removed almost all of the other high ground, especially that to the north of the escarpment - Belhamed is off table.   Though geographically incorrect, I have  introduced part of the third escarpment to give an indication that this piece of ground is a valley.

And here is how it all looks on my table.

TERRAIN NOTES.

• Except at reentrants, the face of the escarpment is type IV terrain and requires a difficulty check to climb or descend. The reverse slopes are type I terrain. Reentrants are type III terrain. They can be traversed in column or depth formation. The track to the aerodrome is type I terrain and can be traversed in column without penalty. The escarpments are a superior position when firing to lower elevations.
• The high ground on the escarpment is the highest ground in the battle area and counts as a superior position to lower elevations. High ground counts as an escarpment for movement. 
• All wadis are shallow and do not have steep banks. Wadis are type II terrain to all moving along them (in column only) or crossing them. Wadis provide type II cover or hull down to units in them unless the fire is enfilading or from a superior position.
• The rough ground at the foot of escarpments is type II terrain.
• The buildings at the aerodrome do not block LOS. They have a three stand capacity. They provide type III cover. The wire around the aerodrome has been flattened during the  previous two days fighting - it merely defines the area of the landing zone in a 'scenic stylie'.

ORDER OF BATTLE

I have largely, but not wholly, gone with Benghazi Handicap for the OOB. There are some differences in the force compositions to cater for my own tastes and my own choice of rules. As per usual, I have condensed them into organisational diagrams.

BRITISH DEPLOYMENT NOTES

60th Field Regiment RA: Must deploy within the red boxed area on the scenario map. One battery is dedicated to 1st Battalion, KRRC. One battery is a divisional asset.

7th Armoured Brigade Composite Regiment: must deploy within the red boxed area on the scenario map.

3rd (anti-tank) Regiment RHA: At least one anti-tank battery of 3rd RHA must set up within the red boxed area on the scenario map. Other batteries can deploy anywhere south of the second escarpment and north of the third escarpment.

1st Battalion King's Royal Rifle Corps, A Coy. 2nd Rifle Brigade (attached):  Can deploy anywhere south of the second escarpment and north of the third escarpment.

4th Field Regt. RHA: Deployed nearby to the south, off table. One battery is dedicated to Composite Regiment, 7th Armoured Brigade. One battery is a brigade asset for 7th Armoured Brigade.

22nd Armoured Brigade: Deployed to the south, above the third escarpment, off table.

GERMAN DEPLOYMENT NOTES

Group Knabe: Must deploy within the blue boxed area on the deployment map. All lorried Panzergrenadier companies start dismounted. Any or all artillery can be deployed unlimbered.

2nd Battalion, 155th Artillery Regiment: Two batteries are deployed to the north, off table. One battery is dedicated to 2nd Battalion, 104th Schuetzen Regiment. One Battery is dedicated to 8th Machine Gun Battalion. One Battery is attached to Group Stephan. It can be dedicated to one of the Panzer battalions of 5th Panzer Regiment or held as a brigade asset for Group Stephan. It can be kept off table or can be used for direct support.

408th Heavy Artillery Battalion: Deployed to the north, at Belhamed, off table. The FOO for these guns can be deployed with Group Knabe or Group Stephan. (Note: Belhamed is 25m higher than the Trig Capuzzo). The guns are a corps asset.

Group Stephan: Deployed to the north, around Belhamed, off table.

For the time being, I will end this blog post here. I will add more scenario information, including two short player briefings and the victory conditions, after the two players have got the game under way - I don't want to give everything away to both player's at this point (Peter and Graham occasionally read this blog).

How I base 15mm for the Western Desert

Newly based, 115th Kradschutzen Battalion swans out into the desert.

 Someone left a comment about how I base my WW2 stuff for the Western Desert, and since then I've received three emails asking for clarification on certain points. It's obviously time I did a "How I" on this subject.

Before I start, as with Eskimos and snow, there a lots of different types of desert, and mine is a specific patch of it.

I am concentrating my efforts on Operation Crusader (November - December 1941), which was mostly fought in Libya on the top of the escarpment that follows the coast to the north. Because of the season (there was torrential rain and sleet during the offencive), and because of the proximity to the coast and the rain showers that proximity brings, my bases are quite well foliated. Perhaps they are a little over foliated, it depends on what photographs you look at. Over foliated, or not, one thing that all first hand accounts attest to is the monotonous colour with subtle variation in texture, especially at certain times of the day. It is the variation in texture that I go for.

 Resin trucks and infantry are stuck to the bases. Tracked vehicles are not glued until after the basing is finished. The bases were cut from 2mm MDF obtained from a picture framing supplier. It cuts well using a steel rule and a Stanley knife. Also to be seen in this shot are my pre-mixed box of, children's sandpit sand and ground oyster shell, a small tub of cat litter in the pink tray (this cat litter is hard granules and is not crumbly; it is Tesco's own brand), and my grey 'cat litter box' basing tray.

 First basing step, PVA the base, with lots of slightly thinned (consistency of double cream) PVA.

  Add cat litter granules in the right places.

 Add the sand and leave until the PVA soaks through, then sand again.

 When basing tracked vehicles I add a further step. Immediately after the second sanding I add a sprinkle of fine sand.....

Then press the tracks of the vehicle into the surface of the base. Then shake off the excess fine sand.

This actually works!

 You can see here, how the second coat of sand builds up the 'top soil' around many of the 'rocks'.

 Next, using ink, watered down about 3 parts water to 1 part ink, I 'wash' the bases. Ink goes on much more easily and quickly than paint and the colour is more consistent. 

 Next I dry brush using cheap acrylics and household magnolia emulsion.

 I do three highlights. The Sd251s that go on these three bases were stuck onto the base with super glue at this point.

 Next up comes the foliage. I use Woodland Scenics coarse turf (chopped a bit finer than it comes) glued on with PVA.

Then, using artists acrylic, I paint the flora dark brown - and it comes out browny green

then I dry brush it so that it blends in with the rest of the basing. Although not shown here, I sometimes add Woodland Scenics clumps - painted dark brown and drybrushed brown, or I add pale coloured static grass shop made 'tufts', or I just leave.

I think the bases have a subtle variation of texture and colour that makes them a little more interesting than the sanded bases you sometimes see.