An Incident in Tunisia

       It being Pearl Harbor Day I thought that it would be appropriate if we did something WW2. Pearl harbor being a bit lop-sided as a battle I decided that I would present a game based on the first significant strategic invasion n that the US undertook in response; the invasion of North Africa.

 

a small airfield in the Tunisian back-country just after dawn

viewed from the West

 

local security was minimal, but there was a weak Panzer company in the area 

viewed from the North

 

the Allied forces are reported to be far away to the North-West

the Luftwaffe crews go about preparing the aircraft for the days missions 

 

when suddenly a U.S. armored column, which had spent the night lost in the hills,

 appears coming from the South-West, frantic chaotic calls are made for support

the U.S. Tankers are just as surprised, they were looking for a supply depot!

 

the lone SDKFZ 222 moved to a flanking position but missed with all of its shots

the M-3 Stuarts were more accurate and the armored car went up in flames

 

further down the road the other half of the base security force tried to take cover behind the bus depot but was soon surrounded by the onrushing Americans, 

shooting on the fly everybody missed their targets

 

the lone anti-tank gun on that flank comes out of ambush 

just in time to crushed under the treads of a Stuart

 

meanwhile the inconclusive firefight at the bus depot continues

 

who hasn't wanted to crash through a gate with an armored car?

straight out of Hollywood!

 

the gate didn't offer much resistance

 

as the Stuarts followed suit and crashed through the perimeter

 fence the Panzer IIIs finally showed up 

the ensuing exchange of fire claimed one Stuart

 and placed a couple of suppressing hit on one of the Panzers

 

then the M-10s hiding on the ridge to the south added to the show

 and flamed out a Panzer III

 

the Luftwaffe crews were now manning the 88mm AA gun,

 one of the M-8s fired missing the gun but destroying the truck next to it, 

the Luftwaffe troops barely passed morale to continue to stand by the gun

 

one of the Stuarts had lost its main gun

 and decided to start wrecking the parked aircraft with its tracks

 

then the Panzer IVs finally arrived

 

back at the bus depot both sides were scoring hits and losing vehicles

while the M-10s continued to wreak havoc among the Panzer IIIs

 

fire from the 88 and the Panzer IV was beginning to take it's toll and the light recon 

forces didn't have an effective answer so the U.S. tanks and armored cars began to withdraw

 

collecting their wounded the Americans beat a retreat back to the mountain pass

 

that is except for one tank that was still busy ramming aircraft 

     This scenario was loosely based on an actual historical event. We used my WW2 tank rules with some minor amendments. Everybody had a good time.