Panzer Grenadier Battles on April 27th:
Arctic Front Deluxe #40 - Children's Crusade Broken Axis #14 - Târgu Frumos: The Second Battle Scenario 3: Sledge Hammer of the Proletariat
Army Group South Ukraine #6 - Consternation Road to Berlin #73 - She-Wolves of the SS
PG-HQ Library - Panzer Grenadier Hall > Scenarios > AfKo042
Errors? Omissions? Report them!
Widening the Breach
Afrika Korps #42
(Attacker) Germany
(Attacker) Italy 		vs Australia (Defender)
Formations Involved
Australia 2/10th "The Adelaide Rifles" Infantry Battalion
Australia 2/12th Infantry Battalion
Germany 104th Panzergrenadier Regiment
Germany 33rd Engineer Battalion
Germany Heer
Italy 27ª Divisone Fanteria "Brescia"
Display
Balance:


Overall balance chart for AfKo042
Total
Side 1 4
Draw 1
Side 2 1
Overall Rating, 7 votes
5
4
3
2
1
3.29
Scenario Rank: 556 of 913
Parent Game Afrika Korps
Historicity Historical
Date 1941-05-16
Start Time 02:30
Turn Count 42
Visibility Day & Night
Counters 73
Net Morale 0
Net Initiative 3
Maps 1: AK3
Layout Dimensions 88 x 58 cm
35 x 23 in
Play Bounty 115
AAR Bounty 171
Total Plays 6
Total AARs 1
Battle Types
Rural Assault
Conditions
Anti-infantry Wire
Entrenchments
Minefields
Off-board Artillery
Terrain Mods
Scenario Requirements & Playability
Afrika Korps Base Game
Introduction

Encouraged by the failed Australian attacks, Axis commanders outside Tobruk saw an opportunity to improve their positions. In a series of attacks beginning in the early morning hours of 16 May, elements of 15th Panzer and Brescia Infantry Divisions attempted to capture posts S8 - S15.
Conclusion

The Germans managed to briefly capture post S10, but lost it to a counterattack shortly after noon. Posts S8 and S9 were overrun, but not captured and were eventually relieved. The Italian attack failed to capture any posts, but managed to tie up available reserves.
Display Relevant AFV Rules
AFV Rules Pertaining to this Scenario's Order of Battle
  • Vulnerable to results on the Assault Combat Chart (7.25, 7.63, ACC), and may be attacked by Anti-Tank fire (11.2, DFT). Anti-Tank fire only affects the individual unit fired upon (7.62, 11.0).
  • AFV's are activated by tank leaders (3.2, 3.3, 5.42, 6.8). They may also be activated as part of an initial activating stack, but if activated in this way would need a tank leader in order to carry out combat movement.
  • AFV's do not block Direct Fire (10.1).
  • Full-strength AFV's with "armor efficiency" may make two anti-tank (AT) fire attacks per turn (either in their action segment or during opportunity fire) if they have AT fire values of 0 or more (11.2).
  • Each unit with an AT fire value of 2 or more may fire at targets at a distance of between 100% and 150% of its printed AT range. It does so at half its AT fire value. (11.3)
  • Efficient and non-efficient AFV's may conduct two opportunity fires per turn if using direct fire (7.44, 7.64). Units with both Direct and AT Fire values may use either type of fire in the same turn as their opportunity fire, but not both (7.22, 13.0). Units which can take opportunity fire twice per turn do not have to target the same unit both times (13.0).
  • Demoralized AFV's are not required to flee from units that do not have AT fire values (14.3).
  • Place a Wreck marker when an AFV is eliminated in a bridge or town hex (16.3).
  • AFV's do not benefit from Entrenchments (16.42).
  • AFV's may Dig In (16.2).
  • Closed-top AFV's: Immune to M, M1 and M2 results on Direct and Bombardment Fire Tables. Do not take step losses from Direct or Bombardment Fire. If X or #X result on Fire Table, make M morale check instead (7.25, 7.41, 7.61, BT, DFT).
  • Closed-top AFV's: Provide the +1 modifier on the Assault Table when combined with infantry. (Modifier only applies to Germans in all scenarios; Soviet Guards in scenarios taking place after 1942; Polish, US and Commonwealth in scenarios taking place after 1943.) (ACC)
  • Tank: all are closed-top and provide the +1 Assault bonus, when applicable
Display Order of Battle
Australia Order of Battle
Army
Germany Order of Battle
Heer
  • Mechanized
Italy Order of Battle
Regio Esercito
Display Errata (5)
5 Errata Items
Scen 42

The hill marker should be placed in hex 1225 (not 1215).

(rerathbun on 2011 Aug 09)
Scen 42

Both players are told to set up first, I believe the Australians should set up first as the defenders.

(triangular_cube on 2022 Feb 27)
Scen 42

The stretch of Wire from 1830-834 should read 1830-1834

(triangular_cube on 2022 Feb 27)
Overall balance chart for 20

The reduced direct fire value of the Heer HMG became 5-5 starting with Fall of France.

(plloyd1010 on 2015 Jul 31)
Overall balance chart for 63

The morale and combat modifiers of German Sergeant #1614 should be "0", not "8".

(Shad on 2010 Dec 15)
Display AARs (1)
Long and Not Play Tested . . .
Author treadasaurusrex (Australia)
Method VASSAL
Victor Germany, Italy
Participants Reconquista
Play Date 2022-12-12
Language English
Scenario AfKo042

This was another poorly designed & likely, nonplay-tested mess of a scenario. As with most Desert Rats scenarios it was far too long. I played the relatively boring Australian side, and Reconquista led the attacking Italo-Germans. We managed to complete this abomination in a 7-session play-through, using the FOW, smoke/illum, excess initiative, extended assault and strategic movement optional rules. Leader draws were awful for both sides, but perhaps a shade worse for the Aussies. There were 10 FOW-shortend game turns of 42, that materially benefited the Australian defenders.

All went well for the attacking Axis force until the sun rose. They were able to take 5 entrenchments before dawn, but then lost 3 of these in daylight as the fight continued, and the Aussie counter attack mounted. There were the usual dismaying surrenders by multiple Italian units before we were done, which contributed to the recapture of 3 entrenchments by close assault.

The final step loses were: 23 for the victorious Italo-Germans, plus 4 leaders killed; versus 10 Australian steps and 3 leaders eliminated.

This mess is only suitable for SOLO play. I gave it a very generous 2, in shared online play with a gracious and hard-fighting opponent. Otherwise, it really did deserve a 1, but we mostly enjoyed playing it over an extended period of time.
0 Comments
You must be a registered member and logged-in to post a comment.
PG-HQ Library - Panzer Grenadier Hall > Scenarios > AfKo042
Errors? Omissions? Report them!
Page generated in 0.484 seconds.