Khan's First Scent of the Desert Fox

SCENARIO 6: Melichi  4^th April 1941 

(Mersa Bregain the Western Desert Bolt Action Book)

FORCES

3^rd Indian Motor Rifle  2^nd 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  5^th 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 3^rd Indian Motor Brigade has made their escape , the Brigadier Gambier Parry has been captured.  Only a Squadron of the 2^nd 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 2^nd Lancers and Jacobs Horse to form the Indian Armoured Brigade.