| Campaigns and Commanders
Vol. 2: The King’s Officers
Desert War Diaries Chapter One
19 November 1941, 1200-1245 Hours
By Doug McNair
August 2009
The three new British and German Leader Characters receive their baptism of fire today as The Desert War: 1941-42 Campaign begins. The first campaign scenario is Operation Crusader, which depicts a generic action from that offensive with the British attacking down a German-held road flanked by two hills. The British win victory points by clearing the Germans off the road and off the 40-meter summits of the hills, while the Germans score VPs by holding the roads and hills. Both sides score VPs by killing enemy steps.
German Setup
The Lt. Colonel in command of the German position orders his heavy artillery to deploy on the hill summits and his 50mm AT guns to deploy near the base of the hills in positions flanking the road. Infantry takes up screening positions in front of the artillery and AT guns, and two mortar platoons deploy on the southern hill next to the AT guns and infantry there. The German commander then orders two roadblocks established, one in a forward position just inside German mortar range and another in a well-supported position farther back and near the infantry screening the AT guns. Finally he assigns his motorcycle and armored car platoons to a mobile reserve just off the road. All the German units begin dug-in (though I will keep the Dug In markers hidden when taking pictures if possible, so players can see the positions of units).
Lt. Von Knyphausen needs to make his mark early to avoid being passed over, so he eagerly volunteers to man the risky forward roadblock. The German CO assigns a Captain with a 10 morale and a Morale bonus of 1 there to keep Willi and the men in line.
Lt. Rall (with his AT Specialist skill) is assigned to the AT gun position on the southern hill, where he can also use his combat modifier to combine fire of the infantry screen and his morale modifier to keep the men, guns and mortars there in line.
The German CO decides the philosopher Lt. Von Breymann needs to be snapped out of his reverie quickly or he’ll never be of use, so he assigns him to the mobile reserve. That will give him a good shot at seeing the hottest action of the day.
British Attack Plan
The British have a nearly 2 to 1 numerical advantage in infantry, they’re mobile with trucks and BREN carriers, and they’ve got armor support as well. But their tanks and APCs are thin-skinned and therefore easy targets for the German AT guns, so the British Colonel leading the attack decides to put his tanks in the center and send them down the road so they can fire at the forward German roadblock while staying out of AT range. He keeps some infantry in the center to support the tanks, but places the rest on his flanks and orders them to head for the two hills and assault and destroy the German AT guns there. That will allow the whole force to unite on the road later and clear it.
Lt. Burgoyne wants to make his mark quickly, since that’s the quickest route to promotion and reassignment to a staff position that will get him out of this howling desert (or at least to a more comfortable billet). He also has a Combat Modifier of 1 and the Rifle Combat skill, so that makes him a prime candidate to lead the infantry screen supporting the tanks (they want to avoid assaulting the roadblocks but instead reduce them with direct fire attacks).
Lt. Carleton has the Mortarman/Artillerist skill, and the only on-board artillery support the British have are two 3-inch mortar units. So, Guy gets assigned to lead them against the northern German flank, where their deadly 88mm AT gun unit is positioned. Carleton’s mission is to put fire on that hilltop and take out the guns.
Lt. Gage has a Morale Modifier of 1 and the Rural Assault skill, so he gets assigned to the British south flank where he will help lead the attack on the German mortar and artillery positions on the southern hill.
The British also have four tank leaders, who are assigned to Crusader I tanks (1516 through 1519) since they have the best armor protection.
With that (and a nod to Randy Dreger), here begin the Desert War Diaries of Johnny Burgoyne, Guy Carleton, Tom Gage, Willi von Knyphausen, Johann Rall and Heinrich von Breymann:
NOVEMBER 19, 1941
1200 Hours:
Burgoyne: A lovely drive in the country yesterday, but today looks like a spot of work. Jerry’s on the hilltops, but we seem to have got the jump on him (British beat the Germans by 5 on the initiative roll so they get 2 activations before them). Down the road we go to meet his welcoming committee, letting the tankers take the lead as we bail out of the trucks behind them.
Gage: A bumpy ride south of the road, with the trucks spread out to minimize damage from enemy artillery fire. We’ll need to bail out before too long to keep from being blown to bits by the AT guns on the hill ahead of us.
Rall: Die Schweinerhunter haff zee new Cruzader tinks in the lead, und mein PaK 38 guns kann nicht penetrate at zis range. Vee vill vait.
Carleton: Seems we got the short end of it, lads. That lot down south got all the trucks and just left us with these Brens for the mortars, so we’re humping it over the sands. I’ll drive ahead so you’ve got some support by the time the Jerries on the hill open fire (he has the Advanced Driver skill so he can up the movement allowance of the Bren he’s riding from 7 to 8).
Von Knyphausen: I sink zey are piling out of ze trucks, behind all of zose tinks! My day of glory ees at hant!
Burgoyne: Right, the Jerries are dug-in on the road. A quick call to Battalion HQ, and … BOOM (he spots for offboard artillery). Drat, not a good job of it (rolls an 8 on the 21 column for no effect). Better luck next time, lads.
Von Breymann: Ach, zee futility of it all.
Burgoyne: Right, more tanks coming in. Cheers, lads!
Rall: Zehr is an annoying-looking man in road out zehr, chatting on zee radio. Zee artillery battery on top of zee hill opens fire on him unt his men (he spots for the 76.2mm gun unit against Burgoyne’s hex, since both British HMG units are there with him), but zey miss zee mark. Vee mast haff accuracy, ja?
1215 Hours
Burgoyne: Jerry’s still in a dither so we go right at him (the British beat the Germans on initiative by 4, meaning they get two activations at start again). Captain advances behind the Crusaders with half of the machineguns and … oh dear, Captain caught it just a bit (his HMG platoon took an X result from opportunity fire from the roadblock).
Von Knyphausen: Deutschland Über Alles! (His Rifle Combat skill gave the opportunity fire a +1 column shift, putting it on the 16 column to score the X result on a die-roll of 3. He gets 2 Leadership Points for the X result and the units he activated score 1 VP for the Germans).
Burgoyne: Right-o, Captain seems OK (captain and the now-reduced HMG platoon all made their morale checks), so let’s get on lads.
Von Knyphausen: Verdammt (his second opportunity fire at Burgoyne has no effect).
Burgoyne: Ah, well then, nothing to it!
Rall: Zee annoying man hass fewer friends now, bat zey still haff ze machineguns. Vee vill smesh zem (he spots for the artillery battery on the hill again). I zed SMESH ZEM, you hear?? (Fire is ineffective.)
Burgoyne: Colonel’s brought up more men. Join the fun, lads!
Rall: Zee mortars to my right open fire on zee annoying man.
Burgoyne: What-what?? (He becomes disrupted and loses 2 LPs.)
Rall: Zee annoying man is acting even more annoying, but everyone else is zee same (the bombardment fire scores an M1 result but only Burgoyne failed the morale check as above. Rall earns 1 LP).
Von Breymann: Zee individual is lost in a universe of chaos.
Burgoyne: Right, no more of that then! (He spots for offboard artillery fire on Rall’s mortars). Drat! (Rolls a 7 for no effect.)
Rall: Still no good tink targets. Vee vait again.
Burgoyne: More men coming up the road, I think, eh what? Damn this radio.
Von Knyphausen: Out of the trucks they come! Hop! Hop, hop! Hop, hop, hop!
Gage: Sounds like a fight up on the road. We make best speed for the hill.
Rall: Hmmm … More English sous of zee road. Vee vill smesh zem later.
Carleton: Not a bad ride, this Bren. Hmm, rest of the lads are falling behind a bit.
Von Knyphausen: Kommen sie kinder hier.
1230 HOURS
Burgoyne: HULLO? HULLOOOO?! Right, we need those Jerries off the road, you hear?! (The Brits beat the Germans by 6 on initiative and get 3 activations; Burgoyne spots for OBA against the roadblock.)
Von Knyphausen: Hah, I laff! Zese English kann nicht shoot straight! (The OBA is ineffective.)
Burgoyne: Damn! Shoot them, by God! (Burgoyne’s captain activates the HMGs while trying to help Burgoyne recover morale. Burgoyne fails to recover, but the HMG fire scores an M result on Von Knyphausen’s hex at the roadblock.)
Von Knyphausen: SHEISE!! (He rolls a 12 on an M morale check and becomes demoralized, losing 3 LPs, but everyone else at the roadblock passes the morale check.)
Von Breymann: All things crumble und decay (fire from the Stuart tanks disrupt the INF platoon at the roadblock).
Rall: Zehr vill be accurate fire now (he spots for the artillery on the hill against the British Lt. Colonel on the road, and scores an M result for 1 LP. But everyone in the hex passes the morale check). Better, but not gut enough.
Burgoyne: Eh, what? Ah, the Crusaders have finally got the range! (The tanks two hexes from the roadblock roll a 2 for an X result. The disrupted INF takes a step loss to give the British 1 VP, but everyone in the hex makes their morale check.)
Von Knyphausen: Ach, ach … Was is loss? (He recovers to Disrupted status.)
Von Breymann: It is only through zee acceptance of one’s insignificance that one may be free.
Rall: Zey are being foolish. Vee vill not shrink from mere gunfire (BREN fire at the roadblock is ineffective, and British infantry advances toward the roadblock but not adjacent to it; they want to give the tanks more time to wear the Germans down before assaulting. Opportunity fire against them is ineffective. Rall spots for mortar fire against the British HMGs with Burgoyne but it is ineffective.)
Burgoyne: Ah, more help! Tally ho!! (Trucks bring up more infantry to form a long firing line in front of the roadblock.)
Gage and Carleton: We drive as far forward as we dare and then pile out.
1245 Hours
Burgoyne: Ah, Colonel’s got the situation in hand (the Lt. Colonel activates the firing line in front of the roadblock, and two officers with combat bonuses combine the fire of two stacks each. But the first team’s fire is ineffective, and the Germans at the roadblock all pass the M1 morale check caused by the second team’s fire).
Rall: Zee roadblock is holding. Shift fire to zee English sous of zee road (he spots for the artillery on the hilltop against the Major commanding Gage’s detachment, scoring an M result for 1 LP. The truck in the hex is disrupted.)
Burgoyne: Take the mortars before they can hit us again! (He spots for offboard artillery against Rall’s mortars, but the roll of 7 is ineffective.)
Rall: Strike zee annoying man (he spots for the mortars against Burgoyne’s position, but rolls a 7 for no effect).
Burgoyne: Damn it all, nothing’s budging them (the Crusader tanks fire at the roadblock but the Germans all pass the morale check).
Von Knyphausen: Ahh, much better (he recovers to good order along with the INF unit at the roadblock).
Gage: We leave our trucks and Brens behind and advance on the hill. The disrupted truck recovers to good order.
Rall: Zey are getting too close. Call for reserves. (The Captain with Von Breymann orders him forward with an MTC and an armored car.)
Von Breymann: Shifting perspective … all is relative.
Carleton: Those men down on the road need help. Request and receive permission to form the mortars up for a barrage on the roadblock, while the rest of the troops continue moving west. Seeing that, the German 88mm guns on the northern hilltop open fire on the Colonel’s position, disrupting one INF platoon with him and demoralizing the other.
The turn then ends with ineffective fire from both sides.
So at the end of the first hour of battle, all Leader Characters are in good order except for Burgoyne (who is still disrupted on the firing line). The current standings are:
Victory Points (only for steps lost)
British: 1
Germans: 1
Leadership Points
Burgoyne: -2 (but he was forced to make a morale check and didn’t become demoralized, meaning he is a third of the way to a Mentioned in Dispatches citation)
Carleton: 0
Gage: 0
Von Knyphausen: -1 (but units he activated scored 1 VP for medal purposes)
Rall: 3
Von Breymann: 0
Tune in next time for Chapter Two of Desert War Diaries!
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