Advance to the Zaghouan (May 1943)

Advance to the Zaghouan (May 1943)

 The British entered Tunis on May 7^th and it seemed the war in North Africa was over, but not quite. Stubborn German units were still holding out in the mountainous wilds of the Zaghouan massif to the south of Tunis.

 Koeltz‘s French XIX Corps was given the task to clear this last German pocket.

 Scenario

Elements of Koeltz`s command are advancing through the valleys against sometimes stiff German resistance, at the same time groups of wild Goumier are working the way across the hills and mountains bypassing roadblocks and causing chaos in the enemies rear.

 This game simulates a typical encounter between the advancing French and Germans.

 French forces

Recce platoon 5RCA (Regiment Chasseurs d`Afrique) – 2 x Jeeps & crews

7^th escadron, 12 RCA (Regiment Chasseurs d`Afrique) – 3 x Somua S-35

2 companies from 7RTA (Regiment Tirailleurs Algériens)

6^th Batterie 69RAA (Regiment Artillerie d`Afrique) 

75mle1897 - 2 guns + tows

 Arriving on table on the northern edge on turn 10

3^rd Groupe de Goumier, 52^nd Goum

German defenders

HQ – 2 officers, NCO, 2 runners, 80mm mortar, MMG

4 mixed infantry platoons (9 figures each, inc LMG)

50mm Pak38

Beute GMC SP 75mm (3 rds of AP, 2 rds of HE)

By May 12^th not far from the ruins of the ancient Roman aqueduct at Zaghouan, the last German units surrendered to General Mathernet, the campaign in Tunisia was over.

My table

Note the cratered road and abandoned, destroyed German trucks

The initial dispositions saw one German platoon defending the farm along with the MMG team and the second covering the left flank. The mortar team and 50mm Pak38 were placed to support the defence of the farm. The third platoon covered the second on the left and also formed a fall-back for the 1^st at the farm. The last platoon was set in reserve at the bridge and rear farm along with the German HQ. The GMC 75 was concealed covering the road near the back farm.

The French elected to send one Algerian company up each side of the valley and their tanks straight up the track. The `75 battery was set up to support the advance, initially targeting the first farm.

The Germans can initially only respond with mortar fire, which did cause a few casualties among the Algerians.

Turn 4 saw the lead Somua rounding a bend on the track and finding a couple of emplacements which could not be seen until that point! It was also fired on by the Pak38 (miss), the Somua commander was on fine form, spotting the gun and then planting a 47mm round bang on target knocking it out!

On the right flank the 2^nd Algerian company took a couple of casualties from dug-in Germans this round also. 

Turn 5 the lead Somua fired on the first emplacement, killing one man forcing the rest to abandon their exposed position. But the Beute GMC 75 way back across the stream fired a desperate long range shot scored a magnificent 11 followed by a 10 for effect claiming the French tank!!

The 2^nd Algerian company began clearing the Germans out of their emplacements using a combination of LMG/VB grenades before close assaults

VB grenades can be surprisingly effective

On the left the 1^st Algerian company was now engaged with emplacements flanking the farm, combined casualties from small arms and the German mortar meant the one platoon needed a morale check next turn.

Turn 6 No2 Somua moves off the track to assist the 2^nd Algerian company (also moves itself out of sight from the gun that knocked out its mate). The Algerians don`t really need any help as they clear what was left of the German platoon in front of them and prepare to move forward next turn anyway.

On the left, the Algerian platoon at the farm fails its morale check and goes to ground, luckily the company CO is close at hand and moves to sort them out. The other two platoons continue their advance up the left valley side.  

Turn 7 on the right the 2^nd Algerian company now following a Somua advance up the valley. On the left the 1^st Algerian CO rallies the pinned platoon, whilst the rest of the company advances past the farm, up a valley side; the last Somua moves off the track towards the farm. The Germans can do little except move men around in the hope of stalling the French advance.

Turn 8 the 2^nd Algerian company is hit hard by a German platoon which has moved forward and its lead platoon takes enough casualties for a morale check!

Above the farm on the right a German LMG nest which has been dominating the farm approach finds itself flanked and overwhelmed by a platoon of Algerians, the close assault leads them to surrender!

Seeing this the German mortar team dismantle their tube and prepare to withdraw. 

Turn 9 Over on the right Algerian platoon fails its check and goes to ground, the other two platoons engage the Germans, the Somua moves forward to assist, the German NCO makes an heroic action roll and close assaults the tank with grenades!! He fails and dies “heroically” in the attempt!

On the left supported by the last Somua the Algerian CO leads his men into the farm, engaging the remaining German defenders. 

Turn 10 On the right the 2^nd Algerian company clear their hilltop

The surviving Germans in the farm surrender

The Goumier arrive on table  

The first few turns saw a steady French advance on both flanks whilst the `75s plastered the first farm causing casualties including the MMG team. The Germans could only reply with mortar fire, which did cause a few casualties among the Algerians.

Turn 4 saw the lead Somua rounding a bend on the track and finding a couple of emplacements which could not be seen until that point! It was also fired on by the Pak38 (miss), the Somua commander was on fine form, spotting the gun and then planting a 47mm round bang on target knocking it out!

On the left flank the 2^nd Algerian company took a couple of casualties from dug-in Germans this round also. 

Turn 5 the lead Somua fired on the first emplacement, killing one man forcing the rest to abandon their exposed position. But the Beute GMC 75 way back across the stream fired a desperate long range shot scored a magnificent 11 followed by a 10 for effect claiming the French tank!!

The 2^nd Algerian company began clearing the dig-in Germans out of their emplacements using a combination of LMG/VB grenades before close assaults

VB grenades can be surprisingly effective

On the right the 1^st Algerian company was now engaged with emplacements flanking the farm, combined casualties from small arms and the German mortar meant the one platoon needed a morale check next turn.

Turn 6 No2 Somua moves off the track to assist the 2^nd Algerian company (also moves itself out of sight from the gun that knocked out its mate). The Algerians don`t really need any help as they clear what was left of the German platoon in front of them and prepare to move forward next turn anyway.

On the right, the Algerian platoon fails its morale check and goes to ground, luckily the company CO is close at hand and moves to sort them out. The other two platoons continue their advance.  

Turn 7 on the left the 2^nd Algerian company now following a Somua advance up the valley. On the right the 1^st Algerian CO rallies the pinned platoon, whilst the rest of the company advances past the farm, the last Somua moves off the track towards the farm. The Germans can do little except move men around in the hope of stalling the French advance.

Turn 8 the 2^nd Algerian company is hit hard by a German platoon which has moved forward and its lead platoon takes enough casualties for a morale check!

Above the farm on the right a German LMG nest which has been dominating the farm approach finds itself flanked and overwhelmed by a platoon of Algerians, the close assault leads them to surrender!

Seeing this the German mortar team dismantle their tube and prepare to withdraw. 

Turn 9 On the left Algerian platoon fails its check and goes to ground, the other two platoons engage the Germans, the Somua moves forward to assist, the German NCO makes an heroic action roll and close assaults the tank with grenades!! He fails and dies “heroically” in the attempt!

On the right supported by the last Somua the Algerian CO leads his men into the farm, engaging the remaining German defenders. 

Turn 10 On the left the 2^nd Algerian company clear their hilltop

The surviving Germans in the farm surrender

The Goumier arrive on table  

Turn 11 on the left the 2^nd Algerians with their Somua resume their advance

The farm is now in French hands, the `75 battery moves forward to set up there for the next stage of the advance.

The Goumier catch and slaughter the German mortar team

At this point with the Germans having only one platoon left intact, the GMC 75 is out of ammo too having fired off its HE rounds ineffectively against the dispersed Goumier; so the German CO decides to live to fight another day and orders a withdrawal.