Points 96 and 77 - Encounter at the Two Charlies, with Battlegroup: Tobruk

A rare game in the desert, which as shame as I really enjoy this theatre. This one was a 600 pt meeting engagement, Brit’s 7th Armoured Division vs Italian Ariete Division, in late ’41. The game would see a battle for two low desert hills, Points 96 and 77, Big and Little Charlie. Both had objectives on them, with two others, one close the Italian entry corner, and one close the British corner, so, the two hills were really the only ones to fight over.

Here is my Battlegroup:
FHQ+staff car    
Radio comms vehicle - Dorchester
Dispatch Rider

Motor rifle section - 7 men in light truck

A13 tank platoon
Crusader II tank platoon
Crusader II tank platoon
1 Captured M11/39

2 x 3” mortars (off-table)  

Motor infantry patrol - 7 men in light truck
Armoured car command - Daimler Dingo
Vickers light tank VI C    

Supply truck
Heavy repair truck
Carrier section     - 3 x 3 men in 3 Brens
Timed P-40 Tomahawk air strike
1 1st Target Priority Request


It began with the recce clash, both moving towards Little Charlie objective, the Italian motorcycle troops dismounting, the armoured car coming under BESA fire and pinned by the British light tank. That short fight would see the Italians claim the objective first, but then withdraw as the main British forces arrived from reserve and moved in their direction. The British could then reclaim Little Charlie and the initial turns of fighting here died down.

The main forces had started to arrive, at a glacial pace as neither side could roll well. As 1 and 2 units moved on, mortar fire was exchanged, resulting first in the unlucky loss of an A13 to a direct hit, then the Italian commander’s FIAT staff car went up in smoke, the commander himself lucky to escape unharmed. As both side’s traded medium mortar fire, the tanks moved on, with some infantry support, both moving against Big Charlie. The lead Crusader suffered an immediate Breakdown and was immobilised. The leader M13, climbing the hill’s slope, engine burst into flames and the crew abandoned it… ‘Wear and Tear’ rule in effect. Both sides continued their build-up and unleashed their timed air strikes, first a Tomahawk bombed the gap between the hills, only pinning an Italian MG team covering it. The Regia Aeronautica’s fighter bombed Little Charlie and pinned the recce infantry patrol… but both had forced a counter on the enemy – job done.

By turn 5 or 6 the British attack on Big Charlie was underway, infantry had dismounted into rocky cover and one tank reached the top to claim the objective, the others turned right to circumvent the hill, Bren carrier teams just behind, but another Crusader broke down, this time with an engine fire and was abandoned. In the centre, tanks were trading long range fire to the occasional glancing hit, and wasting their ammo. But, both had a supply truck on hand now anyway. The British radios had given up the ghost, with the Dorchester comms re-rolls failing for 3 turns on the trot… useless. No mortar fire then, but it would come back when the Dingo spotter changed position to get a better view, as the desert dust rule took effect. The Italians were building up behind the big hill, out of sight. The crucible of the battle would come here.

The main fight for Big Charlie saw the Crusaders come around the hill and meet the waiting 47mm anti-tank gun and infantry support. The Italians were short on other AT shots, and forced to send their tankettes forwards to meet the Crusaders on top of the hill, one with an anti-tank rifle, the other a flame-thrower. Both got off shots, pins, and then were hit and destroyed by return fire. The Italian infantry were trying to pin the Crusaders with area fire, but having no luck (and you need a lot). The Crusader’s co-ax machine guns kept the infantry pinned and the Bren teams joined them. Losing the 2” mortar team to rifle fire as it reached the hill’s summit. The Italian light mortar did sterling work in scoring pins on two Crusaders in 2 shots. The fighting got hot, and both sides were unpinning, but when the Italian anti-tank gun crew was machine gunned, the defence behind the hill was in a lot of trouble. The Crusaders could now turn their 2 pdr guns on the various Lancia, FIAT, etc trucks parked behind… and started destroying them with 2 pdr rounds through the engines.

Big Charlie all but lost, the Italians put in a brief second attack on Little Charlie, an M13 and more motorcycle troops racing (OK, no M13 races anywhere), up to try and take back the little hill top. But that attack floundered when an A13 KO’d the M13 with a side shot (the only tank KO’d by AP fire all game) and the infantry were pinned down by more BESA fire. That was it, the Ariete had shot their bolt and unpinning resulted in them breaking.

7th Armoured had claimed both high points and won a solid victory. 1 A13 lost to mortar fire, 2 Crusaders lost (breakdown and a mine-strike) and 2 more broken down, so the armour had taken the brunt of the fight. The Italians had 1 of their 3 tanks left, but out of ammo… and withdrawing to resupply

A fun desert fight, we’ve decided to play a few more desert-based games, one for each year, so as we did for the Eastern Front last year, we’ll play one game for ’41, ’42 and then ’43… a mini-series of three games. My guess is, the DAK turn up next for a Gazala fight for ’42.

Shots of the game.

 

 

Brits in blue, Italians in red, the fight for the two hill objectives.  Little Charlie bottom right.

Little Charlie sees the first recce clash and a mortar stonk.

Dingo spots for the mortars from the rear, until the dust cloud meant he had to move up.

Crusaders arrive, and the first one instantly breakdowns... it starts...

Tomahawk bombing run in the gap between the two hills.

Recce infantry section in cover behind Little Charlie.

Busiest unit on the field, recovery Matador.

A13 arrive and trade long range fire, to little effect. A stray mortar round KO'd one.

Their target... if you hit, you can't penetrate anyway.

The first Crusader rush, one immobilised, one on fire... not from enemy action.

Recce tank still doing good work with his 15mm BESA... handy firepower at Little Charlie.

Captured M13... too slow to keep up... it wasted most of its ammo.

Tanks reach the top of Big Charlie. The M13 then went up in flames.

Regia Aeronautica bomb Little Charlie... missing.

Italian motorised infantry arrive behind Big Charlie.

The British are moving around the right of the hill, Crusaders and Bren carrier teams.

A13 firing line across the centre.

Italian 75mm artillery hits the rear of Big Charlie, but no effect.

Brave tankette takes on the immobilised Crusader with its flamethrower, and pins it. It would then tactical co-ordinate, to unpin, and destroy the tankette at PB range.

Mine-strike KO's another tank on Big Charlie.

A13 gets a kill, M13 in the side at Little Charlie. Ending the Italian attack here.

Recce tankette's MG fire keeps heads down, the Brits just can't hit it. A nuisance all game.