After Action Report: BattleAxe ------------------------------ Axis Day 1: ----------- I knew I would have my hands full. Although the Halfaya Pass is a good defensive position, I was deeply concerned about the lack of artillery and mobile infantry. The Allies employed agressive encirclement tactics and combined with couple of tactical blunders in the first turns, I found myself resigned to the loss of most of the Sudi Suleman Grp forward of the obstacle belts. My only hope was that their sacrifice would buy the time needed to establish a defensive perimeter. The plan was to reinforce Sollum to block the coast highway thereby securing my left flank and to establish a defensive line along Capuzzo-Musaid-Sollum line. This task fell to StossGruppe Knabe and elements of the Sollum-Halfaya group. The line was somewhat porous and partially infiltrated west of Cappuzo. The 15th Pz on route south from Bardia was able contain and destroy the infiltrators without undue delay. I was expecting a strong armoured thrust in the general direction of Pt. 208 with possible probes towards Musaid. The 15th Pz was to fill out the line on my left and to spearhead a relief effort for encircled forces at Pt. 206. The Musaid and Capuzzo garrisons shuffled east to shore up my left flank leaving Capuzzo very weakly defended. The Pt. 208 garrison (with it's 4 88's) moved south to try and keep the 7th armoured division hemmed in. I knew I would be in for some tense moments while I awaited the arrivial of the 5th Light Division. My concerns of artillery and mobile infantry were still foremost. I felt I had no choice but to send the Bardia garrison south knowing they would not be a factor until Day 2 and to hope for complete containment of his fast mobile assets on my right flank. I was hoping that the overcommittment of the 15th Pz's armour at Pt. 206 would be too tempting a target and would draw in the main body of Allied armour. Success depended upon whether the 5th's armoured elements would arrive in time. A significant fraction of the 15th was facing annihilation. Towards the end of the day 5th Div. Recon revealed that the Allied left flank was would be difficult to pierce. Time was running out for the Pt. 206. Although I managed to shore up the Pt 206 with 3 armoured companies from the 15th Div (1 Pz III-G 2 Pz IV-D/E), it was clear that I was in trouble. A "long hook" to trap his forces at Pt 206 was out of the question, therefore I decided to shorten the stroke. The 5th's light armour (PzII)s formed a picket line on my right flank with most of my heavier armour driving SE to attempt an encirclement of the forces attacking Pt. 206. At very worst, I could drive wedge and relieve the garrison. A company of Pz IIIGs and Pz IVDs was retained as a mobile reserve. The short hook left the 15th somewhat vulnerable in its center (west of Pt. 208) and I was concerned about a significant enemy force near Bir Ghirba. ------ Shortly after a draw was mutually agreed upon Conclusions: It took some getting used to the new ZOC modifiers for T41. I had a few nasty surpises at first which were made worse by some blunders. I was pleased that a fairly secure defensive line from Sollum-Capuzzo was established. Evacuation of the Halfaya Pass artillery to Sollum was sucessful. Indecision and some dithering on my part hurt at Halfaya; although it was still in my possession, it would likely fall by morning. The Allied thrust up the coast highway was stopped cold in its tracks before Sollum. By the end of the day it was clear that the outcome would hinge on the outcome at Pt. 206. Scorewise, it was a mid-range draw: combined Men and Vehicle losses were basically dead-even (in VPs) with the difference due to gun and objective VPs. Axis Losses: 690 men 83 pts 43 veh 44 pts 37 gun 44 pts Allied Losses 383 men 45 pts 120 veh 90 pts 16 gun 12 pts Obj 50 pts Total: 74 Draw