AH Tobruk Firefights

AH Tobruk Firefights-Simultaneous Solitaire Play

A) Firefight E example of Simultaneous Solitaire Play: 

Prior to play comes the preliminary setup concerning the terrain, wind, forces involved, board placement, and initiative. More on that later. The setup for the Italian Outpost has the 20mm in one of the weapon pits on the right side of the position with the MG occupying a Hedgehog staggered to its right. The two sections occupy the left-most Hedgehog positions and remain concealed. Make your own Artificial intelligence, or use Miniatures Rules sets like Crossfire, Chain of Command, Bolt Action, etc.

Determine the British entry point from the shaded center line, the column of trucks drives in line as pictured, otherwise they would be fanned out. The wind intensity and direction are determined (rightmost black arrow) with two more D6 rolls.  Write down all unit intentions both movement and fire for both sides for the current turn. The summery of turns play out as follows, pictured below. You will develop and revise and refine your AI and flow as you play. Detailed examples follow.

Turn 1: British column of 5 trucks enters at full movement rate (5) with the first 3 carrying the platoon. The last 2 trucks carry the mortars and crews. Italian outpost does not fire and remains concealed.

Turn 2:British column continues on (full speed). The Italian 20mm opens fire this turn on the lead truck. One die determines the reaction of the British column to the 20mm fire directed at the lead truck. Another will determine what hex any damage or wreck is in, here the truck is M-killed with 2 passengers KIA section 3/1.

Even Die= Slam on the breaks. Odd=Full gas.

Slam on the breaks (2) is rolled which automatically dismounts the passengers in the same turn. The 20mm fire M-Kills the truck positioned in the last hex (a 6 rolled).  Two casualties to the passengers, section 2/1 is marked off and the Truck flipped to wreck side the wind is blowing away. The 2/1 morale check is passed.

Turn 3: British Infantry runs toward the 20mm 2 hexes. 20mm fires on section 2/1 with 2 casualties (6 men), it passes the morale check. The 3in mortar prepares to fire smoke on the 20mm for Turn 4.

The remaining Italians do not fire, the 11 LMG, and Rifle Section 11/R, move from the left side of the Hedgehogs to the right Hedgehog. MG in the weapon pit remains concealed.

Turn 4: British Infantry assault 20mm,  moving 1 hex closer which puts the nearest section 2/1, 7 hexes away. All Italian units fire on 2/1, resulting in 4 casualties. 2/1 fails the morale check and is eliminated.  The Outpost now has a distinct advantage, so I ended the game but replayed it several times, modifying some variables, which can considerably alter its outcome. The second time played, the column "Slammed on the Brakes" again but the rear 2 trucks with the mortars didn't. They gave it full gas and headed for the 20mm in Turn 2. Unloading in Turn 3. The result is the mortars come into action and use smoke (pictured below) to block the 20mm fire, but the Italian Outpost gets the upper hand 3 turns later anyway. If unloaded in Turn 1 like the rest of the column then the 2in mortar is out of range. 

Start Turn 6.

End Turn 6.

Right: Plotted movement and fire recorded for Turns 5 and 6.

 

 

B)  Firefight B: "An Even Encounter"

AFV duel between  M13/40s vs. M3 Honey tanks. An Italian M13/40 company (16 tanks) advances unknowingly on a screen of M3 Honey's in twilight(6).

The M3's screening outpost of 2 troops, attempting to identify the mass moving in the twilight. Both troops are fanned out, the left-most troop has a slight rise on it's left (10 hexes away-750m), drawn on tracing paper, the hedgehog counters are weights. Range is 14 hexes between the groups. The M3s on the HTP need 9+1 (moving)= 10 for a hit. The M13/40s would be wasting ammo and need 11-12 so they will keep advancing.

The end result is 6 M13/40s are K-Killed. Four of these were initially M-killed.

By Turn 6 the left Troop of three M3 Honey's  is entirely K-Killed,  2 were M-killed first.

Of the right Troop the lead M3 is M-killed with the Italians closing in. Options now would be 1-to pull out 2- try to save the 2 crews which bailed out and run. The later option was tried and played out, it results in two more K-Killed M3 Honey Tanks (see photo below right).

C) Calculating Firepower Factors and AFV Dueling in Simultaneous Solitaire Play:

 

Tank to Tank fire resolution. Divide the higher ROF by the lower ROF into turn segments resolving who fires first. Pictured is an M3 Honey and M13/40 in a shoot-out, firing at one another. The ROF is 3/2 unacquired targets, the M3 fires first (3 rounds). Now determine in what segments the Hits and Damage occur and resolve the duel. Pictured center.

The lead Honey tank (#5) fires three rounds at M13/40 #13, who fires 2 in return. The M3 result is miss, hit, and (-3DRM) hit. Damage is M-Kill for #13. The M13/40 returns two rounds, results are miss, hit, with no damage for Honey #5. The next turn fire is acquired (center photo above) with 6/4 rounds. The Honey fires first and has six hits on the M13/40. The first round is a TR hit and K-Kills M13/40 #13. 

 

M13/40 #13 destroyed does not calculate damage on Honey #5 with its 4 hits. Four other M13/40 tanks (#3,4,9,10) are firing acquired 16 more rounds at this Honey(#5), its fate to be determined. None were K-Kills at long range. M-Killed twice, Honey #5 is Stuck in the Sand with 10 enemy tanks closing.

Resolving Hits and damage is done most efficiently using die roll printouts. Pictured below  D6 printout 300+ die results. Resolve all HITS first, in groups, calculating all hits and misses into segments (beright pic) using a notation that works for you. This will determine who survives in a duel between two AFVs. Use a die to resolve who got the shot off first in any given segment. Damage is calculated the same way last.

Pictured above right, detail 20 shots in segments on Honey #5 resulting in 2 M-Kills. #13 was K-Killed and not resolved. 

D10 and D12 print outs are also helpful. Use the D12 print out to calculate hits on the HPT. D6 printout for damage results.

The D10 printout will be used later under the DYO section with other tables from (Panzer-War etc.) miniature rule sets.

D)  Firefight I "Mutual Bombardment"

Artillery on-board and off-board is the main theme of Firefight I. Adding to the original setup, are one troop of Crusader tanks for the British and a lone 28mm taper-bore AT gun for the Germans.

Firefight I assumes that the fortified positions of both sides are known and run in both directions with gaps in the fortifications between platoons. Before play begins we calculate the weather variables, time of day, and munitions.

Random weather results, are normal wind from the SE to NW. One D6 determines the direction and another the intensity (1-2=None, 3-4=Normal, 5-6=Heavy). Another D6 for  time of day (1-3=AM, 4-6=PM), weather and viability (heat haze) effects come later. The unknowns for both sides are the actual unit and mine locations. Even though they are placed already.

Summery of playing Firefight I

The fortification and mine setup alone and with units placed pictured above left. Tanks are advancing from the British rear at full speed kicking up dust clouds not pictured. A picture on your phone before placing units on the board is helpful. Using a simple AI (even=yes odd=no) die roll for play-testing this simulation, the German units call for off-board artillery on Turn Two, all units remain entrenched and concealed except the advancing AFVs. British off board artillery is called for in four targeted hexes pictured belw left. The mortars are silent. The 2in mortars also don't have the range to reach tne german fortificatins. 

Turn Six: Off board Artillery will take effect pictured above center. Aimed at the probable gap (unknown) but in the general direction of the oncoming vehicle dust clouds. By chance AFVs and target area coincide Turn Six. The 28/20 fires three rounds at the same Crusader with no effect. The off board artillery of both sides does not score direct hits so there is no effect.

Turn Seven: The Crusaders advance while the 28/20 continues its fire, acquired (5 rounds) with an M-Kill in the first hex moved to. Modifiers: Moving target, dust, decreasing firing range for the AT weapon initially at 9 hexes. The Crusader tank has 3 rounds hit it, but from where? Visibility of a small ATG in a weapon pit from a buttoned-up AFV incure +6 for hits, making it un-hittable at 700m. Calculating this on paper gives the ability to check for mistakes and re-adjust. Pictured above right, the leading Crusader is backed up to where it was M-killed, below left.

The two 3in mortars can lay a smoke screen to shield the immobilized tank. Assuming the mortars have identified their target, or are just dropping smoke to form a screen in front of the tank, we have a wait time till effect.  A good reference on artillery smoke laying, wait times are longer than the rules one turn. Turn 9 smoke would be blocking LOS.

Turn Eight: The 28/20 fires again acquired (5 rounds) at the immobilized Crusader with a K-Kill + C1 and crew bail out. The 25pdr and 4.5in batteries fire but don't score direct hits on the German fortifications, no casualties. The remaining Crusader tanks are unable to score hits on a 28/20 ATG in a weapon pit (+5 DRM), plus maybe a + 1 DRM for partial smoke effect.

Turn Nine: Center above we see where the 4 batteries of British off board land in addition to the smoke from the 3in mortars. The German off board has shifted to the immobilized Cursader tank. The tank crew retreats and we end the simulation here.

Examples here should give plenty of ideas on what can be done with Hal Hocks TOBRUK

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Eternally under Construction.