SCENARIO 6: Melichi 4th April 1941
(Mersa Bregain the Western Desert Bolt Action Book)
FORCES
3rd Indian Motor Rifle 2nd Lancers
Risaldar Khan Regular (regular) with batman
3 Infantry Squads Inexperienced atg
1 2pdrPortee Regular Australian
1 ATR regular
Free Squad with Lmg , smg
DAK 5th
Panzer Division
Rommel in car with 2 vets
Cmd Panzer IIIJ Regular
Panzer II Regular
2 Panzer IIIG 50mm l/42 Regular
2 Infantry Squads Regular &car @98
12 Desert fighters
Scenario 6 looked like a total walk over for the Jerries
but it played out for more as a battle against the elements. The 3 minefields were placed out on the
diagonal to the set up zone with the wire split to each flank.
Zimmerman Kampgruppe Plan
Rommel is desperate
for fuel and must take the fort before the supplies are blown up. He has flown
over the Fort and knows how weak the defences are, most of 3rd Indian
Motor Brigade has made their escape , the Brigadier Gambier Parry has been
captured. Only a Squadron of the 2nd
Lancers holds a weak perimeter including
Risaldar Khan’s troop.
Rommel urges the Kampgruppe Commander Lt Zimmerman to immediately attack down the right
hand flank , the attack will fall on Risalar Khan’s troop he is keen to keep
his own Sowars from falling “into the bag” as the English say, and bringing his
war to an end. He has acquired a working radio set and netted it with the
remaining Australian Anti tank guns making it clear he will cover their retreat.
From his HQ in an old fort building he has a great view on the roof , when the Jerries
mass he calls on the Aussies. Khan is excited in his binoculars he can see Baldahur Rommel.
Rommel’s special rule allows the German first wave to
make a free move, they come on at a run and
onto the table 18” in things are looking good until the last Panzer III
coming on table runs out of fuel off table.
Turn 1 the Panzer II closes up on the dug in Sowars and
uses the 20mm cannon, they go down and there are no hits. The other panzers
move down the right and the infantry de buss behind him. Khan takes the Boyes team behind the left
building his only real counter to the right hand attack.
 |
| This tank turns nasty! |
Turn 2 Enter the Aussie 2pdr portee at the advance fires,
hits a Panzer three equals the armour causing superficial damage and three pins on the
regular crew. The Indians Sowars start blazing away on the debussed DAK
infantry. The Panzer III rolls a double
6, fubars and fires a devastating round into the Panzer II by mistake.
 |
| Aussie Portee |
Turn 3 The Aussie 2pdr splashes the Panzer II again
giving it two pins, Rommel speeds to this Panzer III where a squad of infantry
now takes cover from Indian rifle fire, The DAK infantry by the end of the turn
have only 3 and 2 men in each squad. Zimmerman in the remaining Panzer III
loads HE, for a building shot killing 2 Sowars and adding a pin.
 |
| Fire again it's not burning! |
Turn 4 Khan sends the Boyes team onto the roof of the
left building, while he rushes back to the fort building getting more Sowars onto
the roof. they fire at the Zimmerman in
the lead Panzer III but miss. The DAK
infantry switches to leading the advance, the lead Panzer III give covering
fire. The Boyes team is wiped out. Rommel speeds for, then rallies the Panzer III and the 2pdr
portee promptly puts another round into it causing superficial damage again,
three more pins. Both scarping transport cars run out of fuel on the table end.
Turn 5 The Aussie Portee squeezes off another shot misses
and turns to exit the far side of the fort, with the gun over the back it is
much easier to get away! Rommel directs
the pinned Panzer III sprays the dug in Sowars with MG fire. Zimmer man blows the parapet off the old fort
and his remaining infantry lmg moves up
with him firing at Khan.
Turn 6 Both Panzer
III miss their targets, the free Indian squad fall back into the buildings,
2pdr goes onto ambush waiting for the entry of the Panzer III. Rommels car runs out of fuel. The game ends
on Turn 6.
The best German unit was Zimmerman’s Panzer III.
The best Indian unit
was the free Sowar squad, firing from turn 1-5 and three of them got away.
Outcome a Draw DAK
= ATR team knocked out 1pt, 2 buildings unoccupied 2pts
Indians = Panzer II knocked out 2pts
This game was played with only 500 points for the Indians
and 1000 points for the Afrika Korps losing a Panzer III right at the start to
low fuel really put them on the back foot, I
may think about allowing vehicles to refuel if there is an arv, all
those spare jerry cans you see in the pictures cant be for nothing and it gives
them another role.
To refuel a vehicle has to roll less than the turn they
have been waiting ie 1 on turn 2 or 4 on turn 5 or an arv has to attend them
for one turn.
Churchill has diverted another convoy originally bound
for Indian now to join the 2nd Lancers and Jacobs Horse to form the
Indian Armoured Brigade.
