Category Archives: After Action Report

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Dark Sands – Compass Scenario AAR, Part 3

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Iron&Oakbn1(RBM)

 

Here are links to Part 1 and Part 2 of this article.

Turn 2

The British have the initiative and need to select their initiative chit. Not an easy decision with the Italians still perched on the coast road east of Helfaya Pass.

Only the two 7th Armored Tank Brigades are in range to move and attack, so the OConner chit is not a good option.

If the Italians were not holding the coast road at Halfaya Pass, a HalfMove would be sufficient to get everyone in range to Move and Attack on the next chit. But, they are holding the coast road. They could take a FullMove, and hope the British do not disrupt sprinting through the desert. Mindful that the turn has just started.

The British play it safe and take the HalfMove to better position themselves.

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Dark Sands – Compass Scenario AAR, Part 2

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Iron&Oakbn1(RBM)

Click this link to read Part 1 of this article.

Chit 6: Axis Half Move/Combat-1

Figure 6 Axis Half Move

Figure 6 Axis Half Move

Next Chit is an Axis HalfMove/Combat. The Axis takes it as a move and attempts to cover major crossroads. The Italians in Sidi Baranni attempt to move out of their predicament. At this point they will survive the attrition phase if the British do not do anything to change the situations. Helfaya Pass and Sidi Omar are covered, so the risk of a sudden breakout by the British is temporarily averted. If the Axis can get one more full move the will be in the best possible position.

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Dark Sands – Compass Scenario AAR, Part 1

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Iron&Oakbn1(RBM)

The following is the beginning of a multi-part After Action Review (AAR) by Tim Wilcox of the Compass Scenario from Ted Raicer’s Dark Sands. Enjoy!

Turn 1

It is December 1940 and O’Conner is leading the British attack to push the Italians out of Egypt.

The Axis have two VPs, one for holding Benghazi, one for holding Tobruk and Bardia.   The British have zero VPs. In addition to the forces here, the Italian have a Garrison in Tobruk and the British have an Infantry Brigade in Alexandria.

compass1

Figure 1 Opening Positions – Compass

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The Battle of Serafim Farm – a Playtest AAR from Gallipoli, 1915

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GallipoliTABp500“The Infantry simply cannot get forward against those guns. They will see them coming from miles away.” Lord Hamilton chewed on his mustache.

Then the answer, my good man, is that they must not see us. Let me remind of you of the night attack by the Greeks against the Trojans – Troy is just down the road you know …”

And so was born the plan that led to the Victory at the Battle of Seraphim Farm, and the downfall of the Ottoman Empire.

In November 1914, the Ottoman Empire joined the Central Powers. By December, Russia was in trouble after being defeated by the Germans at the Battle of Tannenburg. Britain and France urgently searched for a way to send supplies to their Russian ally. The easiest route was by sea – from the Mediterranean, through the Dardanelles, and across the Black Sea. But the Dardanelles passed through the heart of the Ottoman Empire, who had barred them with minefields and forts. A combined Anglo-French fleet tried to force the Turkish passage but lost 5 battleships on the minefields. And so the Imperial War Council gave Sir Hamilton five divisions and the task of taking the forts for the landward side.