After Action Report: BattleAxe
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Axis Day 1:
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I knew I would have my hands full. Although the Halfaya Pass is a 
good defensive position, I was deeply concerned about the lack of
artillery and mobile infantry. The Allies employed agressive encirclement 
tactics and combined with couple of tactical blunders in the first turns,
I found myself resigned to the loss of most of the Sudi Suleman Grp forward 
of the obstacle belts. My only hope was that their sacrifice would buy the 
time needed to establish a defensive perimeter. 

   The plan was to reinforce Sollum to block the coast highway thereby 
securing my left flank and to  establish a defensive line along
Capuzzo-Musaid-Sollum line. This task fell to StossGruppe Knabe and elements 
of the Sollum-Halfaya group. The line was somewhat porous and partially 
infiltrated west of Cappuzo. The 15th Pz on route south from Bardia was able 
contain and  destroy the infiltrators without undue delay. I was expecting 
a strong armoured thrust in the general direction of Pt. 208 with possible 
probes towards Musaid. The 15th Pz was to fill out the line on my left and 
to spearhead a relief effort for encircled forces at Pt. 206. 

The Musaid and Capuzzo garrisons shuffled east to shore up my left flank
leaving Capuzzo very weakly defended. The Pt. 208 garrison (with it's 4 88's) 
moved south to try and keep the 7th armoured division hemmed in. I knew
I would be in for some tense moments while I awaited the arrivial of the
5th Light Division. My concerns of artillery and mobile infantry were 
still foremost. I felt I had no choice but to send the Bardia garrison 
south knowing they would not be a factor until Day 2 and to hope for complete 
containment of his fast mobile assets on my right flank.

I was hoping that the overcommittment of the 15th Pz's armour at Pt. 206 
would be too tempting a target and would draw in the main body of Allied 
armour. Success depended upon whether the 5th's armoured elements would arrive 
in time. A significant fraction of the 15th was facing annihilation.

Towards the end of the day 5th Div. Recon revealed that the Allied left 
flank was would be difficult to pierce. Time was running out for the 
Pt. 206. Although I managed to shore up the Pt 206 with 3 armoured companies 
from the 15th Div  (1 Pz III-G 2 Pz IV-D/E), it was clear that 
I was in trouble. A "long hook" to trap his forces at Pt 206  was out of 
the question, therefore I decided to shorten the stroke. The 5th's light 
armour (PzII)s formed a picket line on my right flank with most of my 
heavier armour driving SE to attempt an encirclement of the forces 
attacking Pt. 206. At very worst, I could drive wedge and relieve the garrison.
A company of Pz IIIGs and Pz IVDs was retained as a mobile reserve. The short 
hook left the 15th somewhat vulnerable in its center (west of Pt. 208) 
and I was concerned about a significant enemy force near Bir Ghirba. 

------
Shortly after a draw was mutually agreed upon

Conclusions:  It took some getting used to the new ZOC modifiers for T41. 
I had a few nasty surpises at first which were made worse by some 
blunders. I was pleased that a fairly secure defensive line from 
Sollum-Capuzzo was established. Evacuation of the Halfaya Pass artillery to
Sollum was sucessful. Indecision and some dithering on my part hurt at Halfaya; 
although it was still in my possession, it would likely fall by morning. 
The Allied thrust up the coast highway was stopped cold in its tracks before Sollum.
By the end of the day it was clear that the outcome would hinge on the outcome at 
Pt. 206. 

   Scorewise, it was a mid-range draw: combined Men and Vehicle losses 
were basically dead-even (in VPs) with the difference due to gun
and objective VPs.


Axis Losses:  690 men  83 pts
               43 veh  44 pts
               37 gun  44 pts

Allied Losses 383 men  45 pts
              120 veh  90 pts
               16 gun  12 pts
                  Obj  50 pts

Total: 74  Draw