WW2 western desert campaign turn 2 - game 2 report

This battle report is the second game of the current campaign turn. This is a must-win game for the Axis forces who having previously seen their earlier attack by forces from the Ariete armoured division fail to make a breakthrough.

Campaign turn 2 continues.

Elements of the 21st Panzer division moved forward and soon found themselves attacking the positions of a refitted 7th Armour division (when the hidden marker was revealed on the campaign map).

The usual selection of terrain cards determined the tabletop and 3 game objectives. Elements of the 21st Panzer division will arrive at the top of the map. They will have few forces to deploy on the tabletop as: 1) their battle event has them surprised so 30% of their forces will arrive late, and 2) they also have another 30% of their unit involved in a flanking attack.

Game map and objectives.

The Allies battle event was advanced defence which was the reason Axis forces have a flanking force. The 7th Armoured division units are positioned well forward on the tabletop.

The tabletop layout and deployment shows how weak the initial Panzer force is.

The opening stage of the battle had German forces quickly take up defensive positions on the escarpment and hills. The Allies quickly launched an attack with all their armoured elements before other German units arrive.

Initial moves has the 7th Armour quickly engage the advance elements of the 21st Panzer.

Advance German elements are quickly placed under pressure and any thoughts of attack were quashed as they take up defensive position. An 88mm is positioned on the escarpment.

The German commander started to drip feed in his delayed forces as they arrived into the defensive line, and flanking forces were diverted to attack the Allied flank of their armoured attack.

The Allied attack while making good progress have to divert units to block German units arriving on the flank.

Germans rush all available forces, including flanking units, to help fend off the Allied armoured attack.

At the height of the Allied attack they get a foothold on the hill, one of their objectives.

The arriving German flank and reserve units were eventually able to turn back the Allied armoured attack. The Allies then pushed forward a few units from the town in an attempt to hamper and disrupt the German units as they attempt to push forward to take the Allied occupied hills.

The final stages of the battle as momentum changes in favour of the German forces.

German units regroup and prepare to attack the Allied defended hill and objective.

Having regrouped and brought forward artillery and AT guns to support the attack on the hill. German units began their attack after seeing off a minor attack from the town.

German forces are able to take the hills and a second game objective.

The longer shooting ranges of German guns puts pressure on Allied defenders. Who unable to just sit back were forced into making a series of attacks to disrupt the German assault. Smoke screens were used with some of the counter attacks.

So a narrow Axis success and the campaign turn will now go down to a third and deciding game.

I have played the next game and am trying to decided whether to post the report or the draft rules (a variant of Lock 'n' Load's Tanks on Tank game rules).