260: Rommels Second Offensive (solo AAR)

[zovs66]

#260: Rommels Second Offensive

9 turns

January 21st 1942: After the German offensive following Crusader, the Germans were in a position which was, in fact, strategically not too bad. They could not be outflanked and they were closer to their supply base at Tripoli. The British on the other hand were thinly stretched across the Cyrenaica with a long line of communications trailing all the way back to Egypt. With the forces at hand Rommel thought if he struck quickly he could gain local superiority and drive the British back across the desert once again, this time capturing Tobruk and driving all the way to the Nile. Ambitious plans which almost succeeded.

Playing this as the Axis against the Allied AI.

Turn 1

First item that happens in the Strategic War Series is the Air War is conducted. You are presented with an inital dialog but I usually just leave it all the air assignments alone since I am so new to this game and series. At any rate this is the results of the air war so far.


I have combed through the manual and I don't know what the 5 means, if that means 5 air superiority factors, or 5 aircraft lost.

Here you can see the VPs are more attainable then in my previous NA game.


This is the overall zoomed out view of the starting postions.


This scenario starts in 1942 and the positions are much like they were in 1941 so lets see how I can do in 9 turns.

I don't like any my combat odd at this point and just use my air to attack the Allies.



End of turn losses for the air attack I came out for the worse here.

[zovs66]

Turn 2 - 23 Jan 1942

Mud.

Allies did one air attack and bugged out.

This is the air allocation dialog I mentioned in the last post, they are already setup and so in all my games I have just accepted the defaults.


I end up losing 4 VP (or air points) this turn.

Since its mud I decide to play it safe and no attacks, but surprisingly the Allies went into the Salt Marshes.

End of turn.

[gwgardner]

I have combed through the manual and I don't know what the 5 means, if that means 5 air superiority factors, or 5 aircraft lost.

I think it's five hits to air squadrons.  

Bad luck with the weather, losing 1 turn out of 9.

One thing that would make these scenarios more immersive, would be to throw in some eye-candy on the map, like roads - even though they would have no effect on movement.  Same with first Blitzkrieg, IMO.

[zovs66]

Turn 3 - 25 Jan 1942

Mud.

Allies did one air attack and ground attack.

I lose 5 more VP from the Air War.

Eliminated on stack of isolated Allies and isolate the other stack and move into positions for next turn.


VP and Losses.

[zovs66]

I have combed through the manual and I don't know what the 5 means, if that means 5 air superiority factors, or 5 aircraft lost.

I think it's five hits to air squadrons.  

Bad luck with the weather, losing 1 turn out of 9.

One thing that would make these scenarios more immersive, would be to throw in some eye-candy on the map, like roads - even though they would have no effect on movement.  Same with first Blitzkrieg, IMO.

Ah thanks on the hits to air squadrons!

Yeah and another mud turn!

Totally agree, there should be one hard road and a few tracks/trails. Both the board games SCS Afrika and OCS DAK have some nice maps with those on them.

[zovs66]

Turn 4 - 27 Jan 1942

Mud again! 3 turns of mud!

Allies did two air attacks.

Air Superiority Resolution only lost 1 air point.

I fought two costly battles this turn with little to no gain.

End of turn 4 positions.

[zovs66]

Turn 5 - 29 Jan 1942

Mud yet again! Four straight turns of mud!

Allies did one air attack and I found some more stragglers.

Air Superiority Resolution lost 2 air points.

Captured Msus and pushed everyone forward.

[zovs66]

Turn 6 - 31 Jan 1942

Mud yet again! Five straight turns of mud!

Allies did one air attack.

Air Superiority Resolution lost 4 air points.

Worst attack I have made to date!


Ending positions. Mud and supply becoming a problem.

[gwgardner]

Was mud rain/mud a problem historically in NA campaigns?

[Ricky B]

There were periods of rain, but not sure about a week. May have been possible though.

I know earlier, right before Crusader, heavy rains hit North Africa. But even then the main impact was to the Axis air fields as many were flooded. Ground movement was slowed but not crippled.

Rick