Charles Grant rides to the rescue yet again!

It is time to ring the changes and, with next year's demo games at the back of my mind, I have decided to do some Seven Years War gaming to inspire me to get more painting done. And I do need to get inspired because I have over 500 more SYW figures to paint by the end of next spring if the Zorndorf demo-game is to become a reality. In need of a quick scenario to get the juices going I turned to my book shelves and took out an old favourite.

This scenario is largely based on Reserve Demolition by Charles Grant in his book Scenarios for Wargames (published, WRG 1981). This is a book of 52 scenarios, one for every week of the year, covering all periods of historical war gaming and including tactical teasers for everything from basic attack defence set ups, through ambushes and coastal raiding, to games involving helicopters and trains. It is one of my all-time favourite war game books and definitely worth picking up if you don’t already have a copy – although many of the scenarios are oft run and commonplace wargames fare (in one guise or another), having them all in one place as an aide memoire is always comforting when you are stuck for a scenario to do. Reserve Demolition is scenario number 20; it features in Part 2 of his book dealing with river scenarios.

What follows here is my adaption of the scenario for a game, with a fictional Seven Years War backdrop, to be played using Classic Piquet rules. Because of the armies and the rules, changes have been made to the detail of the scenario, but the general underlying ‘plot’, terrain and overall force sizes are mostly unchanged. 

GENERAL OUTLINE

“A “reserve demolition” is the modern parlance for a bridge prepared for demolition but which must not be destroyed until the time is right.”

The year is 1759 and Frederick the Great has been rebuffed at Kunnersdorf. His army has ceased to exist as a fighting force capable of strategic action. Nothing but small forces now remain between the Russians and Berlin. Frederick has given orders that all bridges that might be used by the enemy are to be prepared for demolition. They are not to be blown without direct orders from the King as he might yet use them, if he is given time to concentrate a new army, for a counter-stroke.

GROUND

The object of the scenario is a single stone bridge that crosses a deep and swiftly flowing river.  At either end of the bridge three ‘town sections’ make up a small village. Due east of the village, commanding a crossroads, is a walled farm (single ‘town section’). North of the farm is an open wood (type II terrain), south of it a small gently sloping hill (type I terrain). To the south east a large, steeply sloping, flat topped hill dominates the whole area (slopes are type II terrain). All other terrain is ‘virtual’. In the photo above, the 'chain-line' marks the limit of Prussian deployment east of the river.

RUSSIAN FORCE

Forces: 

• Commander in chief, three field officers. 
• 2 units of elite grenadiers – Fire D12, Melee D8, Morale D8. 
• 6 units of line infantry - Fire D10, Melee D8, Morale D6. 
• 2 units of elite cuirassier – Fire D4, Melee D12, Morale D8. 
• 1 unit of elite horse grenadiers – Fire D6, Melee D10, Morale D8. 
• 2 units of hussars – Fire D8, Melee D6, Morale D6. 
• 1 medium artillery battery – Fire D8, Melee D4, Morale D6. 
• 1 medium howitzer battery – Fire D8, Melee D4, Morale D6. 
• Note: Officer Quality deduct - 2; Unit Quality - no change; Opportunity Chips - 3; Army Characterisation Deck cards (divisor 4) - 3; Sapper Task - D6.

Mission: 

Capture the bridge intact.

Briefing: 

You command an advance guard tasked with seizing a vital bridge over which the main army will cross to reach Berlin and end the war. You can advance on the bridge from any of three directions east of the river – using the east road, the north road, or the south road. You can divide your force into two columns, sending one by a circuitous route and approach from two directions, or keep your force concentrated and approach from just one.

In game terms: You must choose one or two roads on which to enter the battlefield. If you choose two you must choose the mix of each force and choose which will include the commander-in-chief before the battle begins. The force with the commander in chief will arrive as soon as the game starts with the first units being allowed to make an on table march of one move at full rate before the first throw for initiative. Units entering the table need not be in column of route but must start their move in contact with the road. The second force, if there is one, arrives immediately following the second appearance of the player’s Stratagem card, as per the main force (the delay is caused by the circuitous route the second column must take).

Intelligence suggests that the Prussians are preparing all of the bridges in the immediate area for demolition. For the operation to succeed speed is of the essence. Once on the bridge any demolition charges must be neutralised and a bridgehead on the western side of the river established.

In game terms: If the bridge has been prepared for demolition, and you have infantry on the bridge, you can clear the charges by making a successful check on your sapper task card. Because your infantry are not sappers they carry out this sapper task with a down 1 modifier. A bridgehead can be established by occupying the two buildings on the western side of the river, which incidentally also prevents the bridge being blown.

PRUSSIAN FORCE

Forces: 

• Commander in chief, two field officers, one officer of engineers. 
• 1 unit of elite grenadiers – Fire D12, Melee D8, Morale D8. 
• 4 units of line infantry - Fire D10, Melee D8, Morale D6. 
• 1 unit of sappers - Fire D10, Melee D8, Morale D6. 
• 2 units of elite dragoons – Fire D4, Melee D12, Morale D8. 
• 3 medium artillery sections – Fire D8, Melee D4, Morale D6. 
• Note: Officer Quality add 2; Unit Quality add 2; Opportunity Chips 4; Army Characterisation Deck cards (divisor 3) 3. Sapper Task D6.

Deployment: 

Sappers can be deployed at the bridge (they must be there to effect preparation but not material acquisition or destruction). One unit, or up to two artillery sections, can be deployed west of the river. All other units must deploy east of the river within the marked deployment area. Prussian forces deploy after the Russian player has organised his attack but before the Russian player deploys his first forces on table.

Mission: 

To hold the bridge, with minimal losses, until ordered to destroy it.

Briefing:  

You are responsible for holding and, ultimately, destroying the bridge if the orders arrive to do so. Unfortunately, although the enemy are within a day’s march of the bridge, the officer of engineers and his sappers have not received sufficient explosive and other equipment to blow it up – though the arrival of the powder train is imminent.  The officer of engineers has told you, in detail, what is required to blow the bridge.

In game terms: A series of sapper task checks (detailed below) must be made on the appearance of your Sapper Task card. One test is allowed each time the card appears. Failure at any stage will require the check to be retaken on the card’s next appearance until the check is successfully passed. The bridge is old and in a state of some disrepair so all sapper task checks will be made with an Up 2 modifier. 

• First you must pass a sapper task check to acquire materials (the powder train), which will arrive by the northern road on the western side of the river (wagons count as medium artillery for movement). 
• Second, and after the powder train has arrived at the village, you must pass a sapper task check to prepare the bridge for demolition. 
• Third, you must pass a sapper task check to blow the bridge.

This morning you sent a dispatch rider to the King to inform him of the presence of the enemy and requesting further instructions. The rider returned with frustratingly awkward orders: The bridge must be held at all cost and is not to be blown without express orders to do so. You must maintain your force as intact as possible as the King will require it later.

In game terms: Under no circumstances must you let the bridge fall into the hands of the enemy. You can only destroy it if the King orders it directly – orders may arrive to blow the bridge on a successful check on the appearance of the player’s Stratagem card; the player will roll D4 vs D8 on first appearance, D6 vs D8 on the second, D8 on the third, and so on. Whilst fulfilling your orders concerning the bridge you must maintain at least forty percent of your force (14 stands). They must be west of the river if the bridge is blown.

My next post will, with a bit of luck, be a battle report of this river action. Until then I'll leave you with the only worthwhile shot I took (before I smudged the lens) of the last game the Lads played: Sidi Rezegh 1941, at The Venue Formally Known As Saville's - our Fiasco 2013 demo game last month.

Ecnomus 256 BC scenario

At the outset of the First Punic War the Romans had not been at home at sea and barely had a navy to speak of.  As the war progressed, the Romans realised that a victory on land would be insufficient to win the war. The Carthaginians could always counter land victories with actions by her superior navy. In a huge change in Roman strategy Rome began to build fleets of ships with which to challenge Punic naval supremacy. The First Punic War became a war at sea. Both Rome and Carthage threw huge resources into the construction and manning of war galleys. At first the Roman effort met with a series of disasters. But, as the war progressed, and the Romans learnt the art of naval warfare and innovated it with the invention of the corvus [literally ‘raven’ - a long boarding ramp, with large iron spike, or beak, at its free end, that was mounted forward and that could be dropped to bridge the gap between two ships], the two sides gradually achieved something like parity in battle. 

In 256 BC Rome decided to escalate the war. Rome built and manned a huge fleet of 330 warships, mainly fives, to transport an army to Africa. It would be an expedition to end the war. The mission was so important to Rome that both consuls for the year would lead it. This fleet moved down the Italian coast, across the Straits of Messana, past Syracuse and round the Cape Pachynus, to link up at Ecnomus with the veteran legions which had been successfully prosecuting the war in Sicily. 

The Roman plans were not made in secret. Realising that their home territory was vulnerable to the planned invasion, the Carthaginians amassed a fleet to oppose it before it reached their ill defended shores. The Carthaginian fleet, 350 ships under the command of Hamilcar, sailed to Lilybaeum and proceeded south east until it came to Heracleia Minoa. 

The scene was set for one of the most important clashes of the war. With one side determined to sail an army of invasion to Africa; with one side determined to stop it; with both fleet in close proximity; the battle was inevitable. 

Roman Fleet Notes 

The Romans, not knowing precisely how the Carthaginians would react, deployed their fleet in an unusual but compact body that was capable of sailing to Africa or fighting a major battle. The fleet was divided into four squadrons. 

The first two were led by the consuls, Marcus Atilius Regulus on the right and Lucius Manilius Vulso on the left. Each deployed in a single file echeloned back so that together their squadrons formed a wedge. The consuls, in sixes, commanded the lead ship in each squadron. 

• Each: Squadron die D10. 
• 1 Six (flagship). Boarding skill: Veteran. Other skill: Trained. 
• 5 Heavy fives equipped with corvus. Boarding skill: Veteran. Other skill: Trained. 

Immediately behind these was the third and smallest squadron in the fleet. This squadron formed the base of the wedge. It was comprised of war galleys each towing a horse-transport that was incapable of moving under its own power. 

• Squadron die D10. 
• 4 Heavy fives. Boarding skill: Seasoned. Other skill: Trained. 
• 4 Transports (fives without rowers and marines). Boarding skill: Abysmal. Other skill: Abysmal. Transports are incapable of movement under their own power and count as disabled if cast adrift. 

Behind these, in line abreast formation, was yet another squadron of galleys. Within the fleet this squadron was called the ‘triarii’ and formed the fleet's reserve. 

• Squadron die D10. 
• 6 Heavy fives equipped with corvus. Boarding skill: Veteran. Other skill: Trained. 

Carthaginian Fleet Notes 

The Carthaginian fleet comprised three squadrons of unequal size. Initially they had advanced in line abreast formation but once they saw the Roman formation they quickly made a kink in their line. 

In the centre, the bulk of the Carthaginian fleet was arrayed facing the Romans in line abreast with wide spaces between the vessels. This made, to Roman eyes, the centre of the line look weak. These ships were commanded by Hamilcar who took position in the middle of the line. 

• Squadron die D10. 
• 12 Light fives. Boarding skill: Seasoned. Other skill: Trained. 

On the right of the line the Carthainians placed the best and fastest galleys in the fleet. This compact squadron was commanded by Hanno. 

• Squadron die D12. 
• 6 Light fives. Boarding skill: Seasoned. Other skill: Seasoned. 

On the left, a quarter of the fleet was set at an angle to the coast: “…posted so as to form a left wing which pointed towards the shore, at an angle to the main body and extending beyond it.” 

• Squadron die D10. 
• 6 Light fives. Boarding skill: Seasoned. Other skill: Trained.

The Battle 

For a description of the battle I will quote the translation in Polybius, The Rise of the Roman Empire. Penguin Classics: 

“The action began when the Romans, seeing that the Carthaginian line was only thinly held because of its great length, launched an attack on the centre. The ships in this sector had orders to give ground immediately in the hope of breaking up the Roman formation, and so they retired at a brisk speed hotly pursued by the Romans. The result was that while the first and second Roman squadrons chased after the retreating enemy, the third and fourth became separated….

When the Carthaginians judged that they had lured the first and second squadrons far enough away from the rest, a signal was hoisted on Hamilcar’s flagship and the whole Carthaginian force swung round at once and engaged their pursuers. The battle that followed was fiercely fought. The Carthaginians’ superior speed allowed them to sail around the enemy’s flank as well as to approach easily of beat a rapid retreat. But for their part the Romans were equally confident of victory; as soon as the vessels came to close quarters the contest became one of sheer strength, since their ‘ravens’ [corvus] grappled every ship the moment it arrived within striking distance….

Meanwhile Hanno, in command of the right wing, which had kept its distance when the Romans first attacked the centre, sailed across the open sea, attacked the squadron of the triarii and caused them much distress. At the same time the Carthaginian left, which had been posted near the shore, abandoned their original formation, deployed into line with their bows facing the enemy, and attacked the Roman squadron which was towing the horse-transports, whereupon these ships cast off their tow ropes and engaged the enemy…..

The outcome of these engagements was much as might have been expected….

Those who had first joined battle were also the first to break off, for Hamilcar’s squadron was finally driven back and took flight…..

Regulus, when he saw the struggle in which the triarii and horse-transports were engaged, hurried to the rescue with all the ships of the second squadron that were still able to fight….

It was then the Carthaginian’s turn to find themselves hard-pressed. They were attacked both from the front and the rear and discovered to their surprise that they were being encircled by the relieving force, and so finally gave way and retired towards the open sea. Meanwhile Manilus, who was now on his way back to the battle, saw that the third Roman squadron had been hemmed in by the Carthaginians close to the shore. Both he and Regulus…….

made all speed to relieve the pressure on their comrades who were in great danger. They were surrounded as effectively as if they were besieged….. 

So the two consuls came up rapidly, surrounded the Carthaginians in their turn and captured fifty ships…. 

The general outcome of the battle was in favour of the Romans. Twenty-four of their ships were sunk, but more than thirty of the Carthaginians. Not a single Roman ship was captured with its crew, but sixty-four Carthaginian vessels suffered this fate.” 

Scenario Designer Notes: 

Both fleets were mainly fives but there must have been many smaller ships in any fleets of this size. Because there is no record of how many smaller ships, or their deployment, I have chosen to ignore this fact and except for the Roman flagships (Polybius specifically states they were sixes) all ships are fives. 

This was a battle between two fleets that carried more marines than was generally the case; the Roman fives were carrying an army; the Carthaginians had manned their ships with every available man. Consequently, I have partly rated the boarding skills of vessels for the relative numbers of marines. 

I have assumed that the fives of the towing squadron would have a normal complement of marines (they are classed as seasoned accordingly) and no corvus. The extra weight would be a significant factor in the performance of their towing duty. The horse transports themselves would be carrying just enough crew to maintain the ship for the voyage and have been significantly down-rated to ‘abysmal’ to reflect this. Towing and towed ships count as crippled. If cast adrift horse-transports are disabled. I have chosen to use merchant ships to represent the horse-transports so that they are easily identifiable. 

Polybius says that, even though the marines were fairly equal in numbers, the Carthaginian ships were faster. The simplest way to represent this is to class the Carthaginian ships, despite the high number of marines, as light fives. 

The manning of these fleets was a huge effort and it would undoubtedly lead to a diminished level of training in most ships – especially the rowers. Because of this most ships have had their ramming, raking and seamanship skill down-rated from ‘seasoned’ to ‘trained’. 

Hanno’s squadron has a D12 squadron die because Polybius picks out its ships as being somewhat superior to the rest of the fleet. All other squadrons have a D10 squadron die because they were unremarkable. 

The Carthaginian plan to lure the Romans into attacking the centre must be built into the scenario if the game is to have any resemblance to the battle. Three special events cards should be added to the Carthaginian deck. On the appearance of each, the Carthaginian ships in Hamilcar's squadron have the option to withdraw at full rate with their bows facing the enemy, and the Roman ships in the squadrons of both consuls must advance towards them at full rate, turning, if need be, towards the nearest ship in Hamilcar's squadron. If a special event card is not acted on the following special events cards are void. Special events cards are discarded after use. This information should be known to both sides – if the Roman player knows his ships will be drawn forward, regardless of his wishes, he might as well go with the flow and press his attack vigorously. 

We will use Fleet of Battle rules as published in Wargames Illustrated issue 278, December 2010.

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. 

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.