German turn seven.
16:00 PM March 31, 1941
Normal Conditions, Dusk
Visibility 1km.
Fifth Light Division
Major Dossler knew there was little or no hope of success, but he pushed on. As the darkness grew the German assaults gained only little ground. Two of them failed completely. The panzer jagers succeeded in breaking out of the salt marshes and advancing to the outskirts of Gasr el Brega. They encountered an armored car screen there. They did not have enough strength to try and break into the village.
Infantry Regiment 200
Lieutenant Gruber watched for secondary explosions to indicate success by the dive bombers. The British had rushed vehicles into Bir el Ginn in an attempt to hold the position. The PZMkIIIg’s had destroyed a few of the enemy vehicles as they entered the area. Now that the bombers job was complete and it was his turn. Gruber had planned the assault quickly. There would be five waves of assault to expel the British from the objective. Gruber hoped one of the first three would be successful so the forces assigned to the final two could either complete the destruction of the British forces or exploit gaps that were sure to be there north of the objective to threaten the coastal defenders from the rear.
The panzers were the first to assault. While they were unable to clear the British off the objective, the panzers destroyed numerous vehicles including all the enemy tanks. They created much confusion among the remaining defenders before they withdrew to their start positions. Next the Germans armored cars went in. They were also able to destroy some of the enemy vehicles, but took losses of their own. Two companies of the MG battalion attacked mounted next. They further disrupted the enemy defenses. Finally the recon company made a mounted assault and cleared the remaining British defenders, destroying more enemy vehicles.
Lieutenant Gruber then deployed his remaining forces to cut off the surviving British and protect his flanks from any possible counterattack. It did not seem likely the British will try to retake the objective. Gruber was not going to take any chances.
German positions in the east after the Axis half of turn seven.
Dog Soldier’s notes
Well, it took me most of the game to realize just how vulnerable to assault the British armored cars are. I really expected some of them to be a nuisance to my drive in the south. As it turned out, that was not how they were used. Artillery and air strikes seemed less effective than I expected. I would say the lessons learned here are:
• Be very aggressive as the Germans. The British can do little to hurt you.
• Assault, assault and assault.
I think I have a solid draw. I doubt there is much Foul can do in his turn.
Fast is fine, but accuracy is everything.
- Wyatt Earp