Tuesday 31 July 2012

The Battle of Safi

Based on a scenario i wrote which appeared in Journal 53.

The French are now on the offensive trying to drive the Riffi back out of the French Zone. Supported by modern equipment (tanks, artillery and aircraft) they slowly move to re-capture their old frontier forts, the one at Safi used to guard an important ford, which needs to be secured for use in future operations.
Table from French view
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Safi Village
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I`ve had to fudge things a little as I didn`t have the figures called for in the original scenario. Instead of a regular French infantry Battalion, I gave them a Mixed Groupe with:
1 company Senegalese riflemen
1 company Algerian riflemen (plus a HMG and a mortar)
2 platoons FFL
1 troop Spahis Algerian
1 battery of 75mm guns
1 company of FT17s (3 tanks)
Aircraft from Escadrille de la Cherifienne
Spahis with Senegalese and FT17s
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Algerians on the French right
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French Foreign Legion (painted by Matt Slade)
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A couple of shots of the defended Safi
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The old French fort on the hill
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Spahis on the French left
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Cavalry melee
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Escadrille La Cherifienne bombs out the old fort!
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French armour and infantry drive through the middle.
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Not really a close game with the French having all the advantages, the two Riffi mountain guns proved a nasty shock. One Ft was knocked out and one Senegalese platoon driven to ground through morale. The French used their LMGs to great effect to cover the advance and supress the poor Arabs (whoes morale suffered). The aircraft came in and bombed or machinegunned any resistance and the FT17 proved highly effective. The Spahis swept around the Berber right and fell upon the Berbers own cavalry, which was hiding in the woods prepareing for a flank charge.

Good game the lads enjoyed themselves, maybe to even the odds I should give some Berber regulars with grenades or dinamite bundles.

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