Below is the fifth part in an series of articles from designer Ted Raicer in which he shares an After Action Report of the Campaign Game of The Dark Sands. Parts 1, 2, 3, and 4 can be found here, here, here, and here. Enjoy! -Rachel

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Note: Given the large number of chits in the following turns, I’ve decided to list the chit draws up front and then describe the action in more general terms)

Turn 11: March-April 1942

Chits: Br ½ Move, Ax 21 Corps, BR Combat -1, Ax Move, Logistics, Br Move, Ax Reinforcements, Br Combat, Ax Combat -1, Ax Tobruk Falls as Move, Logistics, Br Reinforcements (actually withdrawals), Ax Tobruk Falls as Move, Ax Rommel, Ax PanzerarmeeAfrika

March began with the Axis getting 2 Panzer and 1 Italian step of replacements, while the British get 2 Tank and 2 Infantry.

In Tobruk, having surprisingly not fallen, the British would like to reinforce its remaining weak Garrison, but the only units immediately available are rebuilding in Alexandria and are too disorganized (Disrupted) to do much but add to the potential haul of prisoners. Instead the British advance a reinforced 13 corps to threaten the Axis forces at Fort Capuzzo.

The Italians prepare a final attack on Tobruk while the 21 Corps moves Italian mobile forces to hold the center of the Axis line near Sidi Omer.

British attack (-1 drm) at Fort Capuzzo and also farther south, inflicting losses but suffering more heavily themselves. The Axis counter by pulling out weakened units and replacing them with fresh ones. After the Logistics check the British prepare another attack against Fort Capuzzo, while preparing a line of defense south to a Box at 1341. Unfortunately there are no units available for Tobruk. While the HQ for Panzerarmee Afrika is being put together, the British attack again, again trading losses (BL1).

Though indifferently supplied, the Italians take Tobruk, the mountain of supplies captured offering Rommel a chance to turn to the offensive, despite the battered condition of his forces. 15 Panzer and 90 Light, unlike with a recon unit move to surround the British box at 1341, putting two brigades OOS . (Logistics). At this moment of crisis 8^th Army is ordered to give up an Indian brigade (another waiting to be rebuilt is also removed). 

Still supplied by petrol from Tobruk, the Italians reinforce the thin Axis line between Fort Capuzzo and the Germans around 1341, and Rommel filters 15 Panzer west around the trapped British brigades. Finally PanzerarmeeAfrika orders the 90 Light recon battalion to cut the trail behind 30 Corps at 1646. The two brigades at 1341 surrender as April draws to a close.

Turn 12: May-June 1942

After replacements the British still have 6 brigades (one tank) waiting to be rebuilt, while the Germans are minus the entire 21 Panzer Division, along with the recon battalion of 15 Panzer. Moreover while 15 Panzer’s armor is at full strength, 3 German infantry brigades and a MG battalion are reduced. The Italians are largely intact, however.

Br Reinforcements, Rommel,  Br 13 Corps, British Combat, Ax 21 Corps, Logistics, Br Move, Ax Reinforcements, PanzerarmeeAfrika, Br 30 Corps, Logistics, Br Combat, Ax Move, Ax Combat, Br Move, Ax ½ Move, Ax Combat -1.

The British have the Initiative as Rommel’s flurry of moves at the end of April have left his forces in need of rest. Aware of the danger on their open southern flank, the British still prioritize the arrival of much-needed reinforcements over pulling back 13 and 30 Corps.

This forces Rommel into deciding on a major gamble: risk his last (mostly) intact panzer division in the hope of cutting 13 and 30 Corps (the bulk of the 8^th Army) OOS, an opportunity unlikely to come again. But how many supplies do the forward British units possess? Will they be able to react before Rommel can reinforce his 15 Panzer? These are “known unknowns” and if the answers turn out wrong, the long-term prospects for the Axis are bleak. On the other hand, if Rommel takes no risks, the growing Allied power will also render the future bleak. Rommel being Rommel, gambles: the 15 Panzer sends its weakened 115 Motorized Infantry Regiment to block the Coast Road just east of Buq Buq, while one panzer battalion seals off the southern supply trails at 1746 and the other the open desert 1344. Now he must hope the 8^th Army units that are cut off run out of supplies before they can react or Rommel can reinforce the 15 Panzer.

But 13 Corps HQ reacts with unusual speed, sending back a tank brigade and two infantry brigades (including a newly arrived New Zealand brigade) to attack the 115/15 Regiment and reopen the Coast Road. Unfortuntely the Germans pull a surprise-the 115 has plenty of well-sited 88s. Despite the presence of air and naval support, and the guns of 13 Corps artillery (matched by Axis air support) the 88s blast the tanks of the 2/1 Armored Brigade. The Coast Road is still blocked.

But the British try again, this time leaving out the tanks and letting the infantry, supported by artillery, handle the job alone. Though not without losses (BL1) the 115 is eliminated and supply, for now at least, re-established.

The Italian 21 Corps sends elements of the Ariete to screen the 21 Panzer south of the border escarpment (1643 and 1645) and the Recamm to the outer edge of Axis supply reach at  1749, while the Trento is shifted from Tobruk to 1442. Rommel is still gambling on cutting off supplies to 13 and 30 Corps. (In for a panzer division, in for an Italian corps.)

Br Move, Ax Reinforcements, PanzerarmeeAfrika, Br 30 Corps, Logistics, Br Combat, Ax Move, Ax Combat, Br Move, Ax ½ Move, Ax Combat -1.

The odds that this gamble will pay off shrink when news arrives of supplies moving down the Coast Road. (Logistics Chit) With full petrol tanks, the 8^th Army now reacts to end the threat to their southern flank, both rushing units forward from Egypt and repositioning elements of 13 and 30 Corps.  The Italian Recam is surrounded.

Rommel gets more airpower and Italian guns, and the Panzerarmee Afrika sends Italian forces to attack at 1641, trading losses with the Brescia while elements of the 90 Light move west to screen the Panzer battalion at 1746 from attacks from the west/south.

The BR 30 Corps attacks the Trento and sends it into retreat with serious losses. (DR*) The Recam is OOS (Logistics) and is then eliminated by a brigade from 1 Armored, with infantry support.

The 15 Panzer armor is concentrated at 1746, attacking a New Zealand brigade and sending into bloody retreat. (DR*) Rommel is still trying to break through to the Coast Road. The British respond by pulling back some units from 30 and 13 Corps sufficient to block the Axis, and rather than throw away units, Rommel pulls back somewhat.

At the end of Turn 12, I decided that with the British having the Initiative on Turn 13 (because of the back to back German chits at the end of Turn 12) their ability to once more bring in the British reinforcements at the start of the turn ended any realistic hope of an Axis march on Matruh (never mind Alexandria). And with the British still holding Halfaya Pass, the chance of holding Bardia and Sollum against the coming British meat-grinder was slim at best. So I ended the game as a British win.

Lessons learned (or re-learned, after a couple of years away from the game):

1. I was too hesitant as the Axis in my opening offensive. I especially made insufficient use of Extended Movement, too worried about the chance of Disruption.

2. When it was clear that the British had put so much into Tobruk there was no realistic chance of taking it in 41, I tied up too many of my Italian forces (and even worse, some German units) in containing the fortress. This left the Afrika Korps virtually alone in confronting the 8^th Army and kept me from splitting losses between the Germans and Italians.

3. I didn’t prepare to make proper use of the Tobruk Falls chits. If I had, I might well have cut off 13 and 30 Corps, allowing a drive on (at least) Matruh.

As it was, a lucky Logistics chit draw might still have given me the chance to make up for the above errors, but given those errors, luck was deservedly with the Brits.

I hope you enjoyed this AAR, and I hope to read some AARs (solo or otherwise) of TDS from some of you in the future. Enjoy The Dark Sands!

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Articles in this Series: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5