Gazala Line [Unternehmen Theseus]
The good news first: I received a Tiger Proto!
The bad news: I can't keep it and not for the reason it has only 4 hex movement but because if I don't sell it I have some 340 PP to invest.
I am already at Gazala and have Pz II's, 7.5 leIG's and a crappy Italian AD as well as half of my AT units are equipped with 3,7cm Pak's.
In 1942 that is...
HQ:
Infantry:
2 x Infanterie w/o transports --> Infanterie , Opel Blitz
Air Defense:
1 x 6.5mm , Carro Leggero --> 3.7 FlaK36 , Pferdewagen
Artillery:
1 x 7.5 leIG18 , Opel Blitz --> 10.5 leFH18 , Opel Blitz
Tank:
1 x Pz IIF --> Pz IIIF
Anti Tank:
1 x 3.7 PaK36 , Maulesel --> 7.5 PaK40 , SPferdewagen
The scenario:
Historically one of the most intriguing, most successful battles Rommel has ever dialed up in the desert.
Allthough flawed in detail his improvisational skills and arranging things "off-script",
paired with some bonehead decisions by the British made the difference in this one.
I don't particularly like the version of this battle in this campaign, but that's another topic.
The plan is (another) risky flanking manoeuver to avoid crashing directly into prepared defensive lines as well as impressive minefields.
The problem in reality was that this required to travel vast distances over sand and desert terrain.
In the game the difficulty lies elsewhere.
In the numbers game and the time(turn) limit.
For me specifically also in my relatively small core army with mostly outdated equipment.
Let's get right into things.
In order to have a chance for a BV you have to be precise and on time.
Coordinate and concentrate your efforts and achieve one goal at a time or you won't make it.
This map is large, distances are vast, supply is sparse in between and some enemy concentrations really pose a serious threat
to not only the success of the outcome but also for your core units to survive this battle to fight another day.
Try to attack the given objectives one after another - not all at once and try to do it with a sense of urgency.
Overview:
1. Objective A - Bir Hachim
2. Objective B - Knightsbridge region (with Rigel Ridge north of Knightsbridge & Trigh Abd south of it)
3. Objectives C - Bir el Gubi + Airfield and el Adem + Airfield at the same time (split forces)
4. Objective D - Gazala
5. Objective E - Acroma
6. Objective F1 - Tobruk + Airfield & F2 Point or Hill 209 at the same time (split forces again)
Battle summary:
Objective A
Make sure you deploy your best units (slowest up front, fastest in the back) in the southern spawns.
Deploy 2 or 3 weak/slow/crappy units in the norther spawn.
Your first move is to rush Bir Hachim in the south with your elite forces.
Move most forces above the village as the minefields might slow you down if you place too many units below the village.
Make quick work of the arty and infantry and watch how the British tanks move when attacked.
Your AT's have to be protecting the leading advance forces.
Use the german Aux bomber/fighter to cut into arties.
You have several turns where you can air attack free before the RAF shows up.
In the northern region just regroup your units but DO NOT ATTACK.
Wait for your main forces to reach and clear the Knightsbridge area.
Until they do just relax but stay out of enemy arty range.
Use the Italian aux bombers to decimate enemy artillery.
You have several turns to do this before the RAF is appearing on the scene.
Damage and destroy as many arties as you possibly can, this will be helpful later on.
As soon as Bir Hachim is in German hands send a small detachment of mobile units (tank, recon, motorized infantry) hard east towards Bir el Gubi.
The distance is steep and going across open desert terrain is challenging in terms of resupplying.
The village is only guarded by 1 infantry and the airfield is free for the taking.
Your main force should be geared up north.
But watch out.
You will run straight into a bunch of armoured vehicles so prepare yourself accordingly.
AT ready to go.
Also don't forget to cover your army with AD as the RAF is also bound to show up.
Bundle up, don't send isolated units without armour or view range into uncharted territory.
Recon plane or recon verhicle are valuable here.
Meanwhile in the north:
With the first part of
Objective B (Trigh Abd) in the sights this battle now reaches the most important stretch.
How you fare here will decide if a BV is within reach or not.
Enemy tanks incoming!
Going in on Knightsbridge.
Bir el Gubi & airfield secured.
Lots of heavy fighting going on.
RAF joins the battle.
By now it became obvious that a BV in this scenario wasn't a realistic goal any longer.
It took me seemingly forever to clear out all 3 parts of objective B Trigh Abd, Knightsbridge and Rigel Ridge.
Therefore the units from the south had to wait until they could finally help taking el Adem because attacking alone
would have doomed them for sure.
I also required 2 to 3 more turns to finally gain air superiority which is notably tougher without possessing any core air units.
My dire lack of well equipped units just made it's presence felt.
The lack of numbers as well.
In order to punch through this middle section you have to have mobile units who can bring the boom.
Instead I had to bring my horse-towed AT's and AD's in position which took way more turns than anticipated.
3 to 4 decent Pz III's. 1 to 2 solid SPAT's and 2 to 3 good arty pieces would have made all the difference.
But you can't count on having that @ a paltry 75% prestige setting within a badly managed campaign in terms o cap management.
See here:
Around GT 13 the northern group went full assault as well, joining the party late.
While they advanced fast with help by the Italian aux bombers they just had one tiny 3,7cm AT gun without transport
to deal with several British tanks moving over from Point(Hill) 209 trying to recapture freshly occupied objective D, Gazala.
Since I needed tons of turns to bring my horse drawn AT guns within reach to dip into the fighting,
this was also tougher than it first appeared.
The main forces finally cleared out Acroma, formed two columns and started the last encounter at Tobruk.
Lots of pillboxes and bunkers can only delay the inevitable - the fall of Tobruk.
Victory accomplished.
A BV was never really in play.
Not with this immobile core army who lacks mobility and competitive equipment.
Therefore the V is an achievement - at least in my point of view.
Again I scored experience and bars a plenty.
Leaders:
Shock tactics on Tank.
Aggressive Manoeuver on AT.
Army report:
OpenGen 0.93.5.RC1.c * 1 Jan 2024 * AI version: Default (0.91)
Efile folder: C:\Games\OG\efile_olgww2\ * Efile version: Open LGWW2 v2.26 Apr.2013
Campaign: Deutsches Afrika-Korps, * Player prestige modifier 75% * AI prestige modifier 100%
Current scenario: Gazala Line [Unternehmen Theseus], VH prestige is 600 , All map prestige is: 630
Army cost: 3516 , Current prestige is 801
Prestige available on map yet is 0 pp ( 0 pp in VH to capture) * Turn: 23
AI stance is Defensive Using map: 141
if BV: +100, Mersa Matruh , cap 2100, 16 turns prestige: 120
if V : +90, Mersa Matruh , cap 2100, 23 turns prestige: 172
if TV: +70, Mersa Matruh , cap 2100, 28 turns prestige: 210
Ls: Loss , turn prestige: 210
Infantry
Infanterie , Opel Blitz , I./SchützReg.104 , 2 bars , 215 exp , Germany , 7/10 , 4 kill , 204 pp - U:010 [+29 exp]
Infanterie , Opel Blitz , II./SchützReg.104 , 2 bars , 260 exp , Germany , 10/10 , 9 kill , 204 pp - U:011 [+40 exp]
Infanterie , Opel Blitz , III./SchützReg.104 , 1 bars , 117 exp , Germany , 10/10 , 5 kill , 204 pp - U:012 [+30 exp]
Infanterie , Opel Blitz , IV./SchützReg.104 , 1 bars , 179 exp , Germany , 6/10 , 4 kill , 204 pp - U:013 [+20 exp]
Tank
Pz IIIF , I./PzReg.5 , 4 bars , 425 exp , Italy , 5/10 , Shock Tactics , 6 kill , 288 pp - U:002 [+110 exp]
Pz IIF , II./PzReg.5 , 5 bars , 543 exp , Germany , 9/10 , Superior Maneuver , 30 kill , 264 pp - U:018 [+109 exp]
Recon
* Psw 231(8) , HQ/[DAK] , 5 bars , 593 exp , Germany , 4/5 , Devastating Fire , 8 kill , 0 pp - U:001 [+15 exp]
Psw 221 , I./AufklAbt.3 , 3 bars , 308 exp , Germany , 6/10 , 5 kill , 204 pp - U:017 [+10 exp]
Anti-tank
5 PaK38 , Pferdewagen , I./PzJgAbt.39 , 3 bars , 334 exp , Germany , 9/10 , 8 kill , 156 pp - U:003 [+2 exp]
5 PaK38 , Pferdewagen , II./PzJgAbt.39 , 2 bars , 294 exp , Germany , 8/10 , 7 kill , 156 pp - U:007 [+6 exp]
3.7 PaK36 , III./PzJgAbt.39 , 3 bars , 383 exp , Germany , 5/10 , Aggressive Maneuver , 6 kill , 72 pp - U:008 [+199 exp]
7.5 PaK40 , SPferdewagen , IV./PzJgAbt.39 , 3 bars , 389 exp , Germany , 10/10 , Resilience , 4 kill , 228 pp - U:009 [+61 exp]
Artillery
10.5 leFH18 , Opel Blitz , 1./ArtReg.(mot.)33 , 5 bars , 640 exp , Germany , 7/10 , Influence , 3 kill , 336 pp - U:014 [+62 exp]
10.5 leFH18 , Opel Blitz , 2./ArtReg.(mot.)33 , 5 bars , 708 exp , Germany , 10/10 , Overwhelming Attack , 4 kill , 336 pp - U:015 [+180 exp]
7.5 leIG18 , Opel Blitz , 3./ArtReg.(mot.)33 , 4 bars , 402 exp , Germany , 9/10 , Aggressive Maneuver , 0 kill , 192 pp - U:016 [+89 exp]
Air Defense
3.7 FlaK36 , Pferdewagen , I./FlakBat.606 , 3 bars , 347 exp , Italy , 10/10 , 4 kill , 168 pp - U:004 [+75 exp]
2 FlaKv38 , Pferdewagen , II./FlakBat.606 , 1 bars , 120 exp , Italy , 4/10 , 1 kill , 132 pp - U:005 [+42 exp]
3.7 FlaK36 , Pferdewagen , III./FlakBat.606 , 1 bars , 124 exp , Italy , 10/10 , 0 kill , 168 pp - U:006 [+41 exp]
Player 1 : Germany, Italy
Killed: INF:64 TNK:28 RCN:13 AT:9 FORT:17 ATY:43 AD:4 FTR:8 TB:10 Total: 196
Lost : INF:8 TNK:1 AT:1 FORT:1 AD:2 FTR:1 TB:1 Total: 15
* <- original core (don't count against cap)
+ <- BV prototype
pp <- prestige points
