Another entrenchment scenario from AK. This time, it is the Australians trying to take two from the Germans.

To keep this one short, the Australians started to go around the southern end through the dug-in Germans and then approach from the rear the S6 and S7 locations. The Australians lost their only ENG when trying to breach some mines due to German fire, so the allied player changed to a frontal assault on the S7. Troops also broke through the mines to fire point blank on S6. German fire eliminated six allied steps, and the allies took S6 by fire and demoralizing the Germans. However, they were not able to take S7. Assaults on the last turn did not break the final German defenders in S7, so the game ended in a draw.

Another quick play scenario from AK, and one that is interesting due to the prepared defenses and the allied armor.

Set-up is fairly prescribed: Germans place INF+HMGs in the two objective hexes and place the remainder of the INF around the perimeter and the 50mm AT and 81mm mortars in the "interior."

CW plans are to swing INF around the "dug-in" side of the German line and the slower moving HMGs though an infiltration through the minefields between one objective hex and the end of the German line. CW forces are depending on Captain Courageous (10-1-2).

CW OBA (three turns only) was ineffective.

Turn 1-2 the CW lose an ENG step to OF in the minefield, but make the morale check. As this is a 1-value minefield, other units can now "flow" through the hex. Perhaps being a bit frisky, CW forces also try to infiltrate without the ENG on the other side of 0407, but lost a step on turn 2. Although the CW push through a strong force, German OBA and mortars eventually DEM the ENG(R) pushing him off the minefield hex and OF kills another leader. CW try to push more leaders and an INF over the 1-value minefield only to have two consecutive 6's rolled! A bloody morning for the officer ranks.

The sweep around the SE end of the German line gets bogged down in assaults with neither side able to get much of an advantage. Eventually, Captain Courageous + 3xHMG gets into assault in 0407 with Germ 10-1-1 + HMG + INF (Entr). This does bring on the CW armored reinforcements. The "first fire" in defense allows the Germans to wittle down CW attack; then recover from the subsequent assault.

By turn 8 (of 11), CW are still in assault in 0407 with no net damage to the Germans holding it; the other post, 0608 is unmolested. The Matilda is stopped on a minefield (the ENG(R) was killed by the dreaded '2' on the 7-col DF). The A13's were in the two assaults in the SE section. As the Germans had inflicted 11 step losses (their VC) and it being extemely unlikely that 0407 could be reduced (and 0608 approached and taken), I "called" the game here.

I enjoyed the action in this one so 4/5 for a good solid scenario with some interesting features (night attack; hill terrain; mines).

Author	treadasaurusrex (Australia, Britain)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	Germany
Participants	sagunto
Play Date	2022-10-19
Language	English
Scenario	AfKo035

This was a 3-session shared, online play-through with another newly Vassalized (trained) newcomer to PG. He played the defending German side and I led the attacking Australians and Brits. As so often in the Africa Korps sequence, this was a "take-the-strongpoints-but -don't-lose-too-many-steps-doing it" kind of a game, where the defenders benefit from interior lines and too many demonic AT guns. We dispensed with the defense-favoring FOW rule, but used the consolidation, excess initiative, strategic movement, extended assault, tank riders and smoke rules. Lately, most of my shared play opponents have stuck me with the side without armor, so it was fun to at least have 3 platoons of British tanks show up as reinforcements. We completed this play-through today to celebrate the 241st anniversary of the surrender of Cornwallis' British force at Yorktown in 1781.

Unlike other's experience, the pre-planned British OBA (including illumination) proved effective and both of the evil 50mm AT platoons were quickly eliminated in the first few turns. As the Aussie's moved up in the predawn hours, they were able to take 2 entrenchments before the sun was fully up at 0600. Sadly, the sole platoon of Australian combat engineers were lost in the process as visibility improved.

The Allies eventually captured a third entrenchment in a costly cose assault, but alas, were not able to take and hold the critical two entrenchments (Hexes 0407 & 0608) required for a win in the victory conditions. Excellent defender die rolls in "first fire" phases were deadly throughout this play-through, and the required 8 step loses for the Aussies came in game turn 9. The armor reinforcements did arrive thanks to a brief, contested occupation of Hex 0608. Determined German counterattacks and the loss of 3 steps of Australian HMG units, soon killed all possibility of an Allied win. Unfortunately, the tanks got very little opportunity for maneuver and mostly just worked to soften up adjacent hex targets for the rapidly diminishing Aussie infantry.

The final result was a hard-fought German victory with the Allies losing a total of 10 steps, and the Germans losing 15, By the end, both sides had also lost a quantity of leaders: 6 for the Allies, and 5 for the Germans.

This was a fun scenario to play, though the victory conditions were rather more stiff than they probably should be for the attacking side. I give this one a 3

This scenario was played as a team event by my gaming group. I act as moderator and facilitator for each game, and I do not participate directly as a player. My listing of “winning” is based on the PG HQ site cannot support a neutral role in AARs.

I had set up a larger scenario, but some last minute bail-outs forced me to restructure to this scenario. The German player showed up on time, and had plenty of time to set up as the Australian ran close to an hour late. That's a lot of time to set up your defenses. Except one small difference, he set it up as I would have, and it was pretty rock solid. The Aussie showed up finally, set up his attack, and that was the last enjoyable moment of the scenario.

The Aussie engineers, trying to create the path that would let the Brit tanks come on board, jumped into the minefield. The Germans rolled, and the engineers vaporized. Scenario effectively over. The Aussies kept trying though, and the German kept rolling out of his backside for mines, not to mention point blank fire. In three turns the Aussies had suffered over 8 step losses and the Germans victorious. There weren't enough Aussies left to have a chance. Game over, tear it down. Much unhappiness and lack of satisfaction for everyone.

Yes, the Germans had rolled well, but even if they hadn't, I cannot see much chance of the Aussies ever winning this. A good German defense makes it near impossible for a small Australian force to take TWO positions from the Germans, especially with only one Aussie engineer unit. The historical description indicated the engineers attempted to break the line at each defensive point. Can't do that with just one unit. This is an 11 turn scenario. No way you're gonna split the forces in half, get through the minefields with one engineer, and have enough left to take the positions. What a joke! And hey, thank goodness for that Aussie 2-pdr. Not one target on the board it can engage, unless they shoot the Brits. The Germans considered running out and killing it, but I pointed out that would take more time.

This scenario added another scenario selection rule in addition to the "no more surrendering Italians" rule. Now, no more night assaults in the desert. It almost caused us to drop Afrika Korps from our playlist. The only saving grace to the evening was it played so quick we were able to break out a game of Starfire and have some fun for the night!