BR01002 
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Djebel Berda Big Red One #43 |
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| (Defender) Italy | vs | United States (Attacker) |
| Formations Involved | ||
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| Italy |  |
131ª Divisone Corazzata "Centauro" |
| United States |  |
18th "Vanguards" Infantry Regiment |
| United States |  |
1st "Big Red One" Infantry Division |
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| Overall Rating, 8 votes |
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3.38
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| Scenario Rank: 587 of 1093 |
| Parent Game | Big Red One |
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| Historicity | Historical |
| Date | 1943-03-23 |
| Start Time | 00:07 |
| Turn Count | 14 |
| Visibility | Day |
| Counters | 66 |
| Net Morale | 0 |
| Net Initiative | 1 |
| Maps | 1: 77 |
| Layout Dimensions | 43 x 28 cm 17 x 11 in |
| Play Bounty | 157 |
| AAR Bounty | 146 |
| Total Plays | 6 |
| Total AARs | 5 |
| Duplicates | AAAD039 |
| Battle Types |
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| Hill Control |
| Inflict Enemy Casualties |
| Conditions |
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| Off-board Artillery |
| Terrain Mods |
| Scenario Requirements & Playability | |
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| An Army at Dawn | Maps + Counters |
| Big Red One | Base Game |
| Introduction |
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Scenario Forty-Three The Americans had now taken the offensive, with German and Italian forces making determined counterattacks. First Infantry Division's Eighteenth Infantry Regiment had spent the previous afternoon attempting to take Djebel Berda northeast of Hill 722, and now forced their way along the Gabes-el Guettar road. Dawn found them attempting to again take Djebel Berda before 10th Panzer Division broke into their rear area and unhinged the Allied position. |
| Conclusion |
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The day ended with the forces about where they started after inconclusive fighting. Terry de la Mesa Allen, commander of the First Infantry Division, believed that his men could take the hill but would need substantial reinforcements, at least another regiment of infantry in addition to tank and artillery support. Unwilling to commit such forces to the attack on Djebel Berda, even if they were available, Patton at II Corps headquarters eventually ordered Allen to abandon the effort. |
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| AFV Rules Pertaining to this Scenario's Order of Battle |
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| Regio Esercito |
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| Army |
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| Try to Hold the Summit of Djebel Berda until Relieved | ||||||||||||||
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This was an intense & exciting 3-session play-through with the undaunted and determined Grognard Gunny leading elements of the attacking US 1st Infantry Division (The Big Red One). I had the Italian elements of the 131st Centauro Armored Division, in a 1-map, battle for critical terrain. Both sides drew decent sets of leaders, with the Italians having slightly better luck. We used the Fog of War, smoke/illum, consolidation, extended assault, tank riders and excess initiative optional rules. We also used these 3 house rules: 1) Road Movement for Mechanized & Foot Units – All FOOT & MECHANIZED units may move on roads at the rate of 1/2 a Movement Point (MP) per road hex, just like MOTORIZED units, and 2) Standardized Movement for Mechanized Units - All mechanized units may move through clear hexes at a movement cost of only 1 movement point (MP) per hex, instead of 1 1/2. Add one to this cost if moving up, across, or down slopes hexes, and 3) Dug In Units are Automatically in Limiting Terrain in Desert Games – Unless prohibited by special scenario rules, ALL units that are dug-in on slope hexes are considered to be in limiting terrain and are spotted if enemy units approach to within 3 hexes, or 4 hexes for reconnaissance units – unless they are marked with a spotted marker, see 8.22. Our first session (game turns 1-3) featured an aggressive 3-prong US movement to contact across the trail & narrow valley west of Djebel Berda. There was a substantial amount of Italian opfire, and US artillery support for the 3 separate columns of advancing GIs, that paid a relatively heavy price of 4 steps lost and the reduction of their initiative level by the end of game turn 3. Nevertheless their approach drew into decisive range and opened a fierce assault on the northernmost 40-meter hilltop hex, while other units closed in on both flanks. The Italians threw an amazing SEVEN combat 7-die rolls this session, nearly all at critical moments! The second session (game turns 4-7) featured a reduction in American initiative due to casualties sustained in adjacent-hex firefights & close assaults. The Italians lost all their on-board artillery to accurate American OBA and mortar fire. The updated step loss tally was now: 5 and a pair of leaders for the scrambling GIs, and 3 steps for the Il Duce’s boys. GIs maintained their solid grip on the northern & western margins of Djebel Berda’s upper, 40-meter summit. The US attack on the southern slopes of the Djebel collapsed. The Italians managed THREE combat 7-die rolls. Our slightly-delayed, but bloody, third session (game turns 8-12) was an excellent one for the hard-fighting GIs who were able to achieve a minor victory by the beginning of the 12th game turn. We recommend this well-balanced scenario for both SHARED & SOLO play. |
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| 0 Comments |
| Knife fighting at its best | ||||||||||||
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American forces attacked the objecive hill top with a north and south pincer movement. American mortars were very effective. Many close combat that in several cases heavily attrited the winning attacker and eliminated the defenders. The straw that broke the camels back for the Italians was when a inf platoon and two leaders were wiped out with an artillery barrage and subsequent close assault. The American MGs are deadly when adjacent to enemy units. The Italian Armored Car was particularly effective in close combat. All in all an enjoyable afternoon. |
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| 0 Comments |
| How to ruin a perfectly good Regiment. | ||||||||||||||
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It was a fight to the finish while the Ities fought to keep the central hill mass. The Americans won the day, but at the cost of a good Regiment. |
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| 1 Comment |
Alas, heavy casualties for both sides in this one. The only victory condition that the Italians were able to manage was to inflict more casualties on the advancing GIs than they suffered (15-8). They were not able to hold all the 40-meter hilltop hexes on Djebel Berda, nor were they able to stop the Americans from crossing the trail with good order units.
| Upside Down VCs | ||||||||||||||
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Played this face-to-face against the up and coming MLaPanzer. This was the first FTF game of PG I played for a long time. I set up the Italian defense with good inter-locking fields fire. The Americans hit my left flank and slowly and methodically climbed the Djebal and with their awesome firepower took apart the Italian defense piece by piece. The Italians achieved none of their VCs. Although the Italians got effect with their shots, the US soldier just shrugged them off and kept coming. I think the VCs are upside down in this one. It should be the US that has to achieve the 40 meter hill hexes and have to control all of them to win; this and a simple casualty cap on the Americans would work. The preventing the crossing of he road VC is nearly impossible for the Italians to achieve with the size of the US force. But if the US has to take all the 40 meter hexes to win, this one would be a nail biter. |
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| 0 Comments |
| A walk in the sun | ||||||||||||||
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This one is an interesting battle. I do agree with my opponent. The onus of victory is put on the Italians, when it should be on the Americans. |
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| 0 Comments |