North Africa ’41 October I-II

 

Turn 14 OCT I

Allies remove an Aussie Brigade. They release 2nd Division of the South Africans, and an Indian Brigade returns to the battlefield.

The Allies deepen their defenses and look for target of ‘cheap opportunity’ now that they have 2 air points.

The Germans take another tactical move turn, mainly due to lack of SP.

Second Impulse

The Allies this turn close the gap, and look to slow down any offensive, and build a barrier to Sidi Birrani. The Commonwealth forces also rejig units under fortresses, maximizing the defensive values, and pull out armor for use elsewhere if the opportunity arises.

The Germans move their forces up and now have 3 Sp. But will he take the bait and chip away at my Hussars and 1SA or try and knock out the Forts?

He chose to Attack there and that is ok with me. The Hussars retreat.

That disrupted unit at the bottom is recovered. We crowd his heavy armor, and hope to slow down any efforts to press on Sidi Barrani.

This will hopefully keep us in the running to score the win, as he stays at -5 VP.

In the 3rd impulse he makes some aggressive moves with Italians. Appears to be preparing to attack down or into Halfaya Pass, and potentially make an end around. I have left a gap – the escarpment can be attacked down on… I have no units there. I need to reinforce that next turn!!

He has 2 attacks this phase.

He forgets to use Rommel again! Poor bugger, I forgot he had it too. But I was not keen to remind him anyway.

We agree he probably cannot win or get to a draw at this point. But agree to do the next turn . Efforts here to to execute and breakthrough failed so we indeed called it. I think the strategy of aggressive forward defense works for these Simonitch titles. If yet to meet a title in there series where this does not work. The closest would be Ukraine ’43, too much aggression there and the Germans melt away due to low repls.

Otherwise its a winning formula as the replacement rates allow for a consistent flow of new forces to shove into the line and slow the Axis down. The problem for the Axis is they get one attack each activation, if done right. By avoiding breakthrough combats, and making those attacks expensive the enemy blunts their attack on non optimal attacks. I would often leave a unit as a ‘threat’ only to have the player divert from main thrust to hit that unit to keep the back field clear. Similarly with a dual line of defense weak up front, strong in the back field the enemy only makes one or two hex advance. The specifics for this battle are Tobruk, NOT being important but threatening to attack the rear supply of the Axis, makes them devote forces to reducing it. I was lucky enough to evacuate in a nick of time.