DaW - Oct 1940 North Africa

DAKII page on OCS Depot

DAK-a-Week playthrough page which lists the house rules in play and has other resources.

Download directory of all the VASSAL .vsavs and .vlogs from DAK-a-Week playthrough. There's one vlog and two vsavs per game turn. The saves were taken at the end of  each side's turn. First side indicated with 'a', second with 'b'.

October 1940

VASSAL October vlog (rt-click and save as)

Axis intent: capture Sidi el Barrani, prep Tobruk for siege

Allied intent: withdraw in good order, preserve units

1st: RAF clears the skies of Regia Aeronautica. Both CR42 [all axis FTR] are sent to dead pile. Despite heavy allied shelling [no DG], Catanzaro Div with MG support press on and drive British out of Barrani [AL1o1 Do1, Ao as loss Do as retreat].

5th: With Barrani lost, allies withdraw towards Mersa Matruh. Elements of 4th Indian and 2nd NZ move to guard escarpment passes to Mersa.  Balbo, Maletti, Raggruppamentos and all non-critical [aka the best] units return to Libya. Garrisoning Bardia and Tobruk.

8th-15th: 2nd Battle of Sidi el Barrani. If the Italians won't play... CW will bring the war to them. 7Arm and friends about face and surround Barrani. Cutting off supply to the Italians Lt Gen Wilson had planned a five day counter raid. No reason it can't start 2 months early!

Italians around Sollum bless their luck to be assigned far from the front. As those forward learn the futility of defending in the open against motivated armored forces. Attacks and Exploits split and isolate the Barrani Italians. By the 15th Their fate is sealed. Completely isolated they start to surrender en masse [failed attrition rolls]. 21st Corps HQ's Supply Cache won't last long. Rolling up the coastal highway W. Desert Force finds forgotten Italian supplies [2T forgotten dump Event].

19th: Remnants of 1st Libyan and 28th Oct divisions surrender to allies encircling Sidi el Barrani. O'Conner leads elements of 7Arm on probe of Sollum defenses. But, are stymied by Italian barrages. Supply is moved around. The sun sets, the sun rises.

22nd: A rediscovered warehouse full of pasta between Alam Hammid and Side el Barrani [2T forgotten dump event] is hoarded by Italian HQ [eats off map]. The twin villages' pastaless, defenders; Catanzaro Div and 5th Libyan Rgmt offer no resistance [failed attrition rolls]. 2nd Rifle walks into Barrani opposed by nothing more than stream of PoWs walking out.

26th: Defeat! The last Italians in Egypt surrender. An understrength Cirene Div, 3rd Jan Div, handful of MG Bn and artillery units are all that remain of quite large invasion force. All of which have retreated back into Libya [CW in Barrani voids Higher Command requirements]. Il Duce's invasion is a failure. Maybe allies will accept return to status que?

29th: ... guess not.

AAR

VASSAL end of Oct save file (rt-click and save as)

10th Army did capture Sidi el Barrani. Not for long, but the green white and red flew over it for at least a day. Tobruk has over 6SP and is defended by six Divisions, backed by various and numerous Rgmts, MG Bn, 1st / 2nd M. Tank, and plenty of artillery tubes.

Allies have lost only a small RHA bn, swept skies of Italian fighters, and started Operation Compass over two months early. Extra tea rations all around!

The toll for October. Allied units off to right started "dead". They're buildable replacements / upgrades for starting units.