WW2 Western Desert Campaign - Game 3

This game report, game 3 of the campaign, has an Italian armoured division launching an attack on a South African infantry division. Having decided upon the terrain the next step was deciding the type of engagement and battle events using dice (see the previous post for details). The Italian force (with a dice score of 2) was impacted by Allied interdiction coming into this engagement and as a result their force is reduced by 20 percent. However, they will benefit from an air sortie during the game.

Allied forces (with a dice score of 5) are taking an aggressive defensive stance, This will allow them to reposition 30 percent of their forces on the tabletop so long as they are not within 3 hexes of any Italian unit. However, an aggressive stance allows the Italians to allocate 30 percent of their available force to arrive on a flank.

There are 3 objectives the winner will be the side holding the most objectives.

Map of terrain showing the 3 objectives

Tabletop is setup and both forces deployed. The attacking Italians are restricted to the first 2 hex rows. While the Allied force are deployed on half the tabletop. After initial deployment the Allied force can move 30% of their units anywhere on teh tabletop, but 3 hex away from enemy units.

Initial deployments.

Allies units reposition themselves forward on the Italian left flank.

The battle began with Italian armour advancing along the road and engaging with Allied armour. An advance group of tanks, 2 Per. Portees and carriers engaged the Italian left flank units.

Opening moves.

Italians fight off an aggressive defence on their left.

Armour clashes on the road and an early loss of Matilda tanks.

A flanking force of Italian armour arrives and threatens to capture an objective. Allied armoured cars race to support infantry holding on to the hill.

An armoured flanking force arrives.

Fierce fighting takes place on the flank over the hill objective.

After some fierce fighting Allied units were able to fight off the flanking armour. On the opposite flank Allied armour was advancing down the road and threaten Italian rear elements as a combined Italian force including some armour made a final attempt to take the objective.

Allied armour advances down the road

Allied tanks threaten Italian rear units.

Allied defences were able to withstand the last Italian attack and their remaining tank unit forces the Italian rear units to retire.

Final positions

Allied units hold on to the hill.

A hard fought victory to the Allied defenders. There was a point when the Italian flanking force arrived I thought the Allied defenders were going to get swept away, but infantry units were able to just hang on long enough for supporting units to arrive. The Matilda tanks after an initial setback were able to push back the lighter armoured M13/40 tanks back down the road.