| Campaigns and Commanders
Vol. 2: The King’s Officers
Desert War Diaries Chapter Five
19 November 1941, 1600-1745 Hours
By Doug McNair
August 2009
Operation Crusader reaches its denouement in today’s chapter of Desert War Diaries:
1600 Hours
Both sides now have an initiative of zero.
Burgoyne: I WANT the OTHER GUN!! DAMN!! (he spots for OBA on the 50mm AT gun on the northern hill, but rolls a 7 for no effect).
Von Knyphausen: Ja, take ZAT you Teufelwagnener!! (he assaults the Humbers on the southern hill and scores an M result for 1 LP, and they fail their morale check miserably and become demoralized. He has now spent two turns fighting in an assault hex for medal purposes).
Then after some ineffective fire from both sides, a British Captain charges the northern hill with two INF platoons. He takes opportunity fire from the INF unit two hexes to the south but not the INF he charges right up next to. This is due to orders issued by the German Lt. Colonel at the end of the last chapter; German forces now start abandoning their positions and forming up for an orderly withdrawal from the northern hill.
Gage: What the … ?? They mean to come and get us! Fire on their line!! (British HMGs open up from the east on Von Breymann’s position, but the fire is ineffective. An ENG unit then piles into Von Knyphausen’s assault hex to try and save the demoralized Humber, but the Humber fails its morale check and flees and the ENG unit’s assault goes nowhere. Then Gage assaults the south end of the German line again, bringing in a reduced INF for support. He rolls a 6 on the 9 column for a 1 result that kills a German INF step for 1 British VP and earns him 2 LPs.)
Rall: Fire on ze hilltop! SHEISE!! (his mortars self-spot on Burgoyne’s only INF unit but roll a 7 for no damage. British tank fire on his position is ineffective, and after more British forces advance on the northern hill the German AT gun there loads and limbers. That frees-up Burgoyne’s tanks, INF and Brens to fire on Rall’s mortars, and Rall plus one of his mortars become disrupted.)
The German armored car unit on the northern hill sacrifices itself, staying in the assault hex so the two British INFs can’t advance adjacent to the withdrawing units. Rather than let the cars take free shots at them and escape they assault it, but both sides pass the morale check. The turn then ends on a Fog of War roll after a leaderless, reduced German INF south of the southern hill recovers to good-order.
1615 Hours
Burgoyne: Right, get that gun in the truck before they can move it!! GROT!! (he spots for OBA on the loaded AT gun and scores an M1 result for 1 LP, but due to the +1 morale bonus of the adjacent Lt. Colonel the truck passes the morale check. Then the entire German formation executes a textbook withdrawal from the hill. Every possible Brit fires at them as they go or come within range but it’s all ineffective, and an MTC drives across the valley to reach Rall while the Lt. Colonel leads two INFs to the road. The AT gun heads westward on the hill to gain cover and keep out of sight until it can start shooting at Burgoyne’s line, and also to make contact with a demoralized INF.)
Rall: Hah, you’ll never ketch zem, you smelly English!! (Brits on the hill give chase, trying to keep the truck-borne AT gun in sight for future bombardment. Rall’s mortar fire is ineffective and he fails to recover from disruption).
Von Knyphausen: Your resistance is useless!! (HMG fire in Von Breymann’s position is ineffective, and then Von Knyphausen assaults the British ENG in his hex and scores an M2 for 1 LP, but the ENG passes the morale check. Von Knyphausen has now been in assault combat for the 3 turns necessary to fulfill one of the requirements for an Infantry Assault Badge.)
Gage: Got to break them before they can move! (he assaults the south end of the German line again and scores an M1 result for 1 LP, but the Germans hold morale again.)
More Brits chase the retreating Germans, but the HMG at the roadblock disrupts the Colonel leading them. The British infantry in the assault hex on the northern hill FINALLY scores a step loss against the armored cars there for 1 British VP, but the other step holds morale! Those drivers will get posthumous awards for bravery.
Von Breymann: Ach, mein freund, you haff not been listening to mein lectures on Man vs. Machine (after recoveries and redeployments that include the leaderless, reduced German INF sneaking behind the southern hill and Von Breymann moving north to join the newly arrived MTC, the other German Lieutenant breaks from the line and heads for the reduced tanks on the south end of Burgoyne’s line. But point-blank opportunity fire from the tanks rolls a 2 for an X result that kills one INF step for 1 British VP, disrupts the Lieutenant and demoralizes the other INF step. The MTC unit makes it adjacent to the tanks, which roll a 10 for an M1 result which demoralizes them! A disastrous move for the Germans).
A Crusader tank takes the opportunity to charge up behind the demoralized units to point-blank range, and the turn ends on recoveries.
1630 Hours
Burgoyne: Right, they’re coming for us now! Let them have it!! (the Captain on the northern hill spots for OBA on the withdrawing truck-borne AT gun, but it passes the morale check easily. Then the German Lt. Colonel rushes the north end of Burgoyne’s line; he can’t wait for Rall to bombard Burgoyne’s INF or the British will assault his rear. Burgoyne combines op fire on the oncoming Germans, upping his strength to the 16 column with his Rifle Combat Specialist skill. He rolls a 2! It scores a 2X result, wiping-out the INF unit with the Colonel but not killing him or breaking his morale. Burgoyne scores 2 British VPs and 2 LPs.)
Rall: SCHWEEEIIINERHUUNDT!! I VILL KILL YOU MIT MEIN BAAARE HEENDS!!
Burgoyne: BULLY!! (The Crusader tank that charged the demoralized Germans at the south end of the line assaults them, scoring an M1 result that demoralizes their Lieutenant, but both German units make their morale check.)
Rall: Smeesh zeeeeeemmm!! (Rall’s mortars self-spot on the INF unit at the north end of Burgoyne’s line, but they pass the morale check. He’d rather shoot at Burgoyne, but he’s riding in a Bren and thus immune to all but X results.)
Von Breymann: Enough, it is nearly dinnertime. (he and a Sergeant move with an MTC to the end of the line, passing a morale check caused by opportunity fire from a Bren in the line. They join the Lt. Colonel.)
More Brits chase the German Lt. Colonel down, making it through HMG op fire from the roadblock. Then the German AT gun makes the desperation move of unloading and unlimbering, since that’s the only way to kill Burgoyne in his Bren. The leader with the gun tries to rally the adjacent, demoralized German INF unit but fails. A British Sergeant moves a unit up adjacent to the AT gun, so the Germans will have one shot next turn IF they get initiative.
Gage: Right, I think they’re finally breaking!! Oh, drat(an HMG unit and another Lieutenant enter his assault hex and with them he scores an M1 result for 1 LP, which disrupts the German Lieutenant and INF in the hex. But the Germans immediately recover morale).
The German armored car unit being assaulted on the northern hill proves itself the best unit on the whole battlefield: It passes an M2 morale check and then demoralizes the British leader and disrupts both INF units attacking it. It then retreats out of the assault hex, and the Brits roll a 1 on the free shot and miss it!
The turn then ends on a Fog of War roll after many recoveries and redeployments, and another miracle happens: In the disastrous German rush on the south end of Burgoyne’s line, the Lieutenant and a reduced INF both fail to recover and flee the assault hex, but the demoralized MTC unit rolls a 2 and recovers to good-order.
1645 hours
On this roll depends all for Burgoyne.
Burgoyne: Eh, what? Oh, jolly well done old fruit!! (the Brits beat the Germans by one on the initiative roll, and the Sergeant on the northern hill assaults the AT guns. Neither side does any damage, but Burgoyne’s thin-skinned Bren is safe from AT fire since you can’t fire out of an assault hex.)
Von Breymann: Now, off wiss you. (he assaults Burgoyne’s INF unit on the hilltop, while the Lt. Colonel advances on Burgoyne in his Bren. Burgoyne hits the Lt. Col with opportunity fire scoring an M1 result for 1 LP and disrupting him but not his INF. More opportunity fire from Brens on the line fails to shake them, and then Von Bremann’s assault scores an M1 result on the INF unit that disrupts it and scores 1 LP for Von Breymann.)
An HMG and INF that advanced to the roadblock fire point-blank before the roadblock can do the same, but the battle-hardened Sergeant there makes his morale check along with his HMG.
Rall: Shtay vere you are!! (he recovers morale while his mortars self-spot on the Brits in the road, but the fire is ineffective).
Gage: Aaaahhh … that’s done it then. (his assault force finally wipes out the reduced INF and Lieutenant in the hex, scoring him 2 LPs and 1 British VP. The Germans die well, rolling an M2 result on defense, but all the British pass the morale check.)
Von Knyphausen: Vee haff lost ze line, vee mast vissdraw!! (he exits the assault hex, and the leaderless ENG unit misses on the free shot. But a British Lieutenant activates the ENG and sends it in after him, moving with another unit to cut his retreat. Unfortunately for the ENG, Von Breymann does brilliantly on defense and rolls a 6 to score a 1 result, kill an ENG step and demoralize the other. He scores 1 German VP and earns 2 LPs.)
The heroic German armored cars drive to the other side of the northern hill, and the Brits in the road move up to an assault position on the Lt. Colonel. A German Captain then dashes off the northern hill to the southern hill, trying to rendezvous with the leaderless reduced INF there. The turn then ends on a Fog of War roll after many recoveries, redeployments, and ineffective fire from both sides.
1700 Hours
There is one hour left in the battle (4 turns).
Burgoyne: Right, that’s it! Keep them off the bloody hill!! (the Brits beat the Germans by one activation, and the Captain who chased the German Lt. Colonel across the valley assaults him with two INF units to keep him from assaulting Burgoyne. Both roll on the 9 column, and the Germans pass the M2 morale check but the Captain becomes disrupted along with one of his INF units, and the other INF becomes demoralized!)
Von Knyphausen: Keep vissdrawing und head for zee hilltop! (he exits the assault hex with the demoralized enemy ENG to keep from being assaulted by a combined-arms force. Opportunity fire from another hex is ineffective).
Rall: Off zee road und kommen sie hier!!! (the British fire point-blank on the roadblock but the Sergeant and his HMG pass the morale check, and then they surprise the Brits by abandoning the roadblock and heading for Rall. That puts pressure on the Brits who were poised to chase Von Knyphausen up the hill, so instead they send some forces north to oppose the HMGs while sending others west where they can fire point-blank on Rall’s mortars or hit Von Knyphausen point-blank with opportunity fire if he heads west. Rall responds by having his mortars bombard the Brits who rushed the incoming German HMGs, while moving to join the HMGs himself. They make the morale check. Von Breymann then assaults the disrupted INF at the north end of Burgoyne’s line but does no damage.)
Burgoyne: Right, everything’s going swimmingly … oh, dear. (more forces move toward the southern hill, but the assault on the AT gun on the northern hill goes nowhere while the tank assault on the miracle-recovery MTC south of Burgoyne’s line becomes a disaster, with two tanks becoming demoralized and the other becoming disrupted. The MTC immediately pulls out of the assault hex and is undamaged by the free shot, and then the armored car pulls off the northern hill to occupy the road for VP purposes. The AT gun on the northern hill then counterassaults the ENG attacking it and scores another M2 that demoralizes the ENG, throwing the whole issue of the AT gun into doubt. Burgoyne therefore prudently alights from his Bren. The turn then ends on recoveries and redeployments.)
1715 Hours
Von Knyphausen: Hah, you vill never ketch meeeeee!! (The Germans beat the British by one on initiative, and Von Knyphausen escapes his pursuers by doing an end-run on the disrupted and demoralized tanks that the MTC just escaped from. Opportunity fire from the tanks and other units is ineffective.)
Rall: DO YOUR WURST!! HA! IS ZAT ALL YOU HEFF?? (British HMGs and a reduced INF fire point-blank on Rall while the INF that was going to pounce on Von Knyphausen heads for the hill to cut him off. But the fire rolls a 7 on the 16 column and does no damage. Rall takes his troops southwest rather than west to avoid the worst of the opportunity fire … or so he thinks.)
Burgoyne: Come on over, Jerry!! All are welcome here!! (Opportunity fire from the Brens that were adjacent to the hex Rall is leaving disrupts Rall’s sergeant, and then when the HMG unit comes into Burgoyne’s LOS he coordinates fire on it and rolls a 2 on the 11 column, scoring an X result that kills an HMG step for 1 British VP and 2 LPs for himself. The HMG becomes demoralized.)
Rall: I VEELLL KEEELLLL YOOOUUU!! (he follows the same path with an INF unit, but he doesn’t get far. Bren fire from behind disrupts him and he loses 2 LPs, but his INF holds morale. He it on ahead in hopes that another leader will pick it up. Burgoyne’s second fire is ineffective, but the Crusader tanks next to it disrupt it. Rall’s charge is stopped cold.)
Burgoyne: Right, get more men up here. Can’t let them take us from behind! (with the threat from Rall neutralized, the Brits pull more men onto the hilltop to guard Burgoyne’s rear. Then the AT gun crew on the northern hill attacks the British there and demoralizes their Sergeant, leaving all the Brits there demoralized. More Brits make for the scene of action.)
Rall: KEELLL HEEEMMM!! FÜÜÜRR DEEENNN FAATERRLAAAND!!!!!!
Burgoyne: Eh, WHAT?? (The German mortars try to fulfill Rall’s wish of taking-out the now-exposed Fool on the Hill (whose fire-coordination abilities are unearthly). They do very well, scoring an M2 result, but Burgoyne rolls a 6 and is only disrupted. Burgoyne has now gone through three morale checks without being demoralized, which is the last requirement he needs for Mentioned in Dispatches if he doesn’t get demoralized before game-end.)
The turn then ends on a Fog of War roll after recoveries and redeployments, with the German Lt. Colonel exiting his assault hex to put himself in a position to join Von Breymann’s assault, and more German forces reaching the hilltop behind the British line. The demoralized assault force in the hex with the German AT gun successfully delays rolling for recover this turn (Fog of War saved them), meaning they’ve still got a chance to tie down the AT gun for another turn.
1730 Hours
Von Knyphausen: Up veee go!! SHEISEEEE!!! (the Germans win initiative by one activation and Von Knyphausen advances to the hilltop to join the Captain there. Unfortunately, Bren fire demoralizes him in the first hex he enters and he loses 3 LPs. But his INF unit keeps going, reaching the hex next to the Captain. But the Bren — one of Burgoyne’s infernal machines — rolls a 12 to score an X result on it that kills one step for 1 British VP, disrupting the other step.)
Burgoyne: Right, that’s the south flank. Now take-out those men to the north! (Burgoyne spots for OBA on the German Lt. Colonel and his men, but rolls a 7 for no damage.)
Von Breymann: Und now. (the Lt. Colonel’s men go into Von Breymann’s hex to join the assault, while the Lt. Colonel recovers to good-order. Both sides roll a 5, with Von Breymann hitting on the 13 column to kill a British INF step for 1 German VP and 2 LPs. The leaderless INF becomes demoralized. Von Breymann’s Sergeant becomes disrupted but the Professor himself holds morale, as do both his units.)
The British Colonel then sends an INF unit in to assault the German mortars before they can fire, but the assault does no damage to either side. The German Captain with the reduced INF then assaults the reduced British INF that came up to guard Burgoyne’s rear, activating the German LT with the MTC to re-occupy the rest of the hilltop (depriving Burgoyne of the VPs he got for taking it). But opportunity fire from the British on the hill is devastating, demoralizing the MTC.
Rall: YOOUUUU VEELLL NEVEERRR HAAFF MEEE, EEENNNGLEESSSHH!! (a reduced INF moves through Rall’s hex to try to capture him and his Sergeant, but they both roll under a 9 and escape to the hex with their units. An HMG then fires on them there but does no damage.)
Burgoyne: Oh dear, rather bad luck up there (the AT gun crew assaults the demoralized ENG unit that assaulted it and rolls a 6, killing one step for 1 German VP but not killing the Sergeant or the other step through compound demoralization). They still just barely hang on.
Rall: DOGS! Kommm beeeeck hiiiieeerrr!! (Rall helps his Sergeant and an INF unit to recover morale for a total of 3 LPs, but Rall himself remains disrupted and the reduced HMG unit fails to recover from demoralization and flees).
Burgoyne: What, ho? Oh, Captain! Yes, everything’s bully up here! No, no problems. Pip, pip! (the Captain next to Burgoyne assists him to recover to good-order, and then does the same with the two INF in his hex).
Rall: Leben sie noch?? (the German mortars exit the assault hex and enter Rall’s hex, and the free shot misses).
Gage: Must be over by now (a Lt. Colonel activates him and moves forward with units, while Gage recovers to good-order and helps an INF unit recover to for 1 LP).
The turn then ends on a Fog of War roll, and once again the Brits avoid abandoning the assault on the AT guns!
1745 Hours
Von Breymann: Ziss ends hier. (the Germans beat the British by one activation, and Von Breymann assaults the demoralized, reduced INF holding the north end of Burgoyne’s line. He scores a 1 result that wipes-out the INF, gives him 2 LPs and 1 German VP for killing the INF step, and also 2 VPs for retaking the hilltop hex. He is also in an assault hex worth VPs at the moment when all enemy units are eliminated from it, so he fulfills the final requirement for an Infantry Assault Badge!)
Burgoyne: Secure the hill? YES, SIR!! (The British Captain would like to contest the hex, but he needs to re-occupy the hilltop hexes that the German MTC unit re-occupied last turn. So he sends Burgoyne and some INF units over the hill to re-occupy it and split the German forces there from each other. Burgoyne gets back some of the VPs he lost when the German MTC reoccupied the hill. A Bren fires on the disrupted, reduced INF in the next hex but is ineffective.)
Rall: Zere is only van way to kill zee annoying man! Fire on zee anti-tank guns to kill zose English!! (Rall’s mortars self-spot on the assault hex with the German AT guns and the demoralized Brits. They roll well, scoring an M result on the British. Even better, they roll a 7 against the Germans, so the AT guns are now back in action!)
Burgoyne: GROT!! Kill them!! (he spots for OBA on the AT guns, but the guns and leader both pass the morale check. Fortunately for Burgoyne, he just moved to secure the hill and thus lost his Spotted marker, so he’s safe!!! The AT gun takes out its frustrations on the only target it can see, the Brens in the valley. It rolls a modified 10 and kills a Bren for 1 German VP.)
Rall: You’ll never take me alive!! (The British then assault Rall one last time, but neither side does any damage.)
Von Knyphausen: SHEISEEE!! (he fails to recover from demoralization and flees.)
The turn then ends on a Fog of War roll after recoveries and a few redeployments. With darkness falling, the order comes to cease fire, dig in and hold position.
So the battle ends with the British in control of most of the northern hill (their one good-order unit up there wasn’t able to occupy all of it), the southern hill contested and the Germans still holding the road. The final standings at the end of Scenario 1 of the 1941-42 Desert Campaign are:
Campaign Victory Points
British: 22 for German steps killed + 45 for hilltop hexes taken = 67 VPs
Germans: 35 for British steps killed + 20 for hilltop hexes held + 10 for holding the road = 65 VPs
The battle is basically a draw, with the British paying dearly for objectives taken.
Final Leader Character Standings
Leader Character LPs VPs Scored Medals/Citations Awarded
Burgoyne 20 13 Made three morale checks
without being demoralized and
had a net gain of at least
8 LPs, so he is Mentioned in
Dispatches.
Carleton IMPRISONED FOR DESERTION
Gage 3 2 Does not qualify
Von Knyphausen 6 4 Does not qualify
Rall 7 4 Does not qualify
Von Breymann 17 9 He participated in assault
combat for at least 3 turns, had
a net gain of at least 8 LPs and
was in an assault hex worth VPs
when it was cleared of enemy
units, so he is awarded the
Infantry Assault Badge.
Note: He was just one VP short
of qualifying for the Iron Cross,
2nd Class!
Commanding Officer Evaluations
BRITISH
Lt. Burgoyne displayed exceptional personal initiative by rounding up a force of infantry and armed transports, then leading them in support of an attack on a hill. He exploited a breach to take the hilltop, then defended it admirably against a superior infantry force while under intense AT fire. Seeing action in the field seems to have improved his attitude (he spends 5 LPs to raise his morale from 7 to 8). He was also instrumental in taking the northern hill by spotting for artillery to destroy the 88mm gun emplacement there, so I am sending him to training to improve his artillery spotting skills (he spends 15 LPs to purchase the Forward Observer skill). Recommended for promotion to Captain. (His promotion die-roll is 12 + 1 (for Mentioned in Dispatches) = 13. That’s enough for promotion to Major, but you can’t skip a rank, so he is promoted to Captain).
Captain Burgoyne
Morale Modifiers Skills LPs Saved Medals Earned
8 Combat: 1 Rifle Combat 0 Mentioned in
Morale: 0 Specialist Dispatches
Forward Observer
Increased
Endurance
Lt. Gage helped lead the initial assault on the German south flank but caught the worst of it. He was able to hold his men together but played no part in the taking of the hill. Needs more battlefield experience (his promotion die-roll is a 6, which is not enough to get him promoted).
Lt. Gage
Morale Modifiers Skills LPs Saved Medals Earned
9 Combat: 0 Rural Assault 3 n/a
Morale: 1 Specialist
Survival
GERMAN
Lt. Von Knyphausen perfomed ably in a defensive capacity, but vass too aggressive on offense und led his men into an untenable position on the enemy sous flink. He is a good und courageous soldier, but needs more experience as a leader of men (his promotion die-roll is a 8, which is not enough to get promoted).
Lt. Von Knyphausen
Morale Modifiers Skills LPs Saved Medals Earned
8 Combat: 0 Rural Assault 6 n/a
Morale: 0 Specialist
Rifle Combat
Specialist
Lt. Rall acted effectively in a defensive role, und vass responsible for ze destruction of several enemy tinks. But he vass too aggressive ven counterattacking zee hilltop after our forces arrived from zee north, und vass stopped by enemy fire before he could join zee assault. He also seems to have developed an obsession viss one enemy officer in particular; ziss is unhealthy, und he mast lose ziss obsession or he may act impetuously again in future (his promotion die-roll is a 4, so he is not promoted).
Lt. Rall
Morale Modifiers Skills LPs Saved Medals Earned
8 Combat: 1 Anti-Tank Specialist 7 n/a
Morale: 1 Specialist
Survival
Lt. Von Breymann displayed astounding skills und bravery for van who hass led zee life of a scholar. It seems he mast haff been studying Von Klausewitz und zee writings of Friederich der Grossser, for he blunted zee initial enemy assault on our sous flink und zen successfully wissdrew to my position to retake part of zee hill under my direction. He is an able und dependable man who vill be a valuable asset to our unit, and I am sending him to formal training in desert warfare to improve on his talents (he spends 10 LPs to purchase the Rural Assault Specialist skill). Recommended for promotion to Hauptmann (his promotion die-roll is 9 + 1 (for his Infantry Assault Badge) = 10, which is just enough to get him promoted to Captain).
Capt. Von Breymann
Morale Modifiers Skills LPs Saved Medals Earned
9 Combat: 0 Urban Assault 7 Infantry Assault
Morale: 0 Specialist Badge
Pathfinder
Rural Assault
Specialist
EPILOGUE
Burgoyne: Well, then, that was a bit of fun, what-what? It seems this desert billet might not be so bad after all. So, what’s the order of the day, then? Ah, welcoming the new officer replacement. Pity about old Carleton; I do hope they go easy on him.
Ah then, this must be him. Eh, what? Good God, man, you look like you haven’t eaten in a month! And what’s with that antique uniform? This is war, not a fancy dress ball! What’s your name, then?
The man with the scarred face gives him the flintiest look he’s ever seen, but replies with the booming, clipped voice of a Sergeant Major:
“Lieutenant Sharpe, Sir!”
Oh. Well. Right then, Sharpe. Get a decent meal and a proper uniform! We move out in the morning, what-what?
“Yes, Sir!”
Good then. Well. Right. Dismissed!
Turning on his heel, the man mouths one word before walking off:
“Bastard.”
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