Monday, April 20, 2020

KG Klink Mini-Campaign in Greece, Map Moves for Turns 7 and 8

All,

Here are the map moves for Turns 7 and 8 (because there were no fights after moves in Turn 7).  In Turn 6 we had 2nd Recce and Panzer BG take on the primary Commonwealth armored formations and eliminate them, destroying the Allies' mobile reserve, gaining access to the campaign objective (the city of Servia, E8), and flanking the main Allied defensive line.

However, 2nd Recce took significant casualties, as did 1st Recce, so the two carried out an operational pause to combine and reorganize, which cost the Germans time to exploit their victories, but there was a bigger problem.  Following Pz BG's resounding defeat of the British 4th Hussars, there was confusion regarding the command relationships that resulted in a lack of orders to execute the expected lightning-quick exploitation into the Commonwealth's rear area.  You see, 1st Lt Loeb, the commander of the Panzer Battlegroup, was on hand, as was Colonel Klink, the overall Kampfgruppe Commander.  Following the battle that destroyed 4th Hussars, Lt Loeb assumed Colonel Klink, his commander, would order the exploitation, while Colonel Klink assumed the tactical commander would exercise his own initiative in order to affect exploitation that would have seen the Australian 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment's withdrawal to the south (towards the campaign objective of Servia) cut off, the campaign objective isolated, and the main Commonwealth defensive line collapse to the west or risk being flanked and destroyed in detail.  This lack of exploitation would cost the Germans dearly in terms of campaign maneuver.

*This is all fictional narrative, blaming it on a command breakdown between Col Klink and Lt Loeb, when what really happened is I simply screwed up, I forgot that after 'Breakthrough' and 'Major' victories the winner is immediately permitted to carry out an exploitation move of +2 or +1 Movement Points, respectively.  Conversely, 'Minor,' 'Major,' and 'Route' defeats require the loser (assuming they were not eliminated) to make a compulsory retreat of -1, -2, or -3 Movement Points, respectively.  The Germans should have immediately pushed straight west to D7, cutting off Aus 2/8's southern withdrawal route and isolating "Wellington Force" at Servia.

Turn 7:
-RE/NZ Cavalry: Destroyed by 1st Schutzen in Turn 4 at the B3 bridge.
-Brit Rangers/9KRRC: Confused by enemy close by and rumors of enemy in their rear, without orders, they hold (A4).
-27th NZ MG Bn: Confused by enemy close by and rumors of enemy in their rear, without orders, they hold (C5).
-21st NZ Inf Bn: Confused by enemy close by and rumors of enemy in their rear, without orders, they hold (B5).
-Aus 2/8 Inf: With acute threats to their front and right flank, and enemy armor behind them, they fall back (D7 from D6)
-Lee Force/Aus 2/7 Inf: Destroyed by 2nd Recce in Turn 6 at the D6 bridge.
-4th Hussars, 3RTR: Destroyed by Pz BG in Turn 6 at D7.
-Wellington Co, 19th NZ Inf Bn: Panicking due to the stream of casualties and deserters from the destroyed Lee Force and 4th Hussars, as well as the sudden appearance of German armor nearby, it forgets its job (protect the campaign objective, Servia), and falls back to the west, abandoning Servia  (D8 from E8).

1st Schutzen: Hold, dug-in, protecting the B3 bridgehead and fixing the attention of Brit Rangers/9KRRC and NZ 21st Inf Bn
2nd Schutzen: Moves south towards the Allied main defensive line (D5 from D4)
1st Recce: Moves south and west to cut off Aus 2/8's southern withdrawal (E7 from F6)
2nd Recce: Combined with 1st Recce.
Panzer: Swoops in to take the recently abandoned campaign objective of Servia, thereby securing a major victory for Germany in the campaign, accomplishing KG Klink's primary mission (E8 from F7) 

There are no fights scheduled in Turn 7, so we roll straight into Turn 8.

Turn 8:
-RE/NZ Cavalry: Destroyed by 1st Schutzen in Turn 4 at the B3 bridge.
-Brit Rangers/9KRRC: Though depleted, they assault the 1st Schutzen in order to cover the withdrawal of NZ 21 Inf Bn and NZ 27th MG Bn (B4 from A5)
-27th NZ MG Bn: Fall back (B6 from C6).  These guys are just trying to get to and over the A6 bridge, then off the map via A8, hoping to reach safety.
-21st NZ Inf Bn: Fall back (A5 from B5).  These guys are just trying to get to and over the A6 bridge, then off the map via A8, hoping to reach safety.
-Aus 2/8 Inf: Fall back (D8 from D7)
-Lee Force/Aus 2/7 Inf: Destroyed by 2nd Recce in Turn 6 at the D6 bridge.
-4th Hussars, 3RTR: Destroyed by Pz BG in Turn 6 at D7.
-Wellington Co, 19th NZ Inf Bn: Fall back (C8 from D8)

1st Schutzen: Hold, dug-in, to fight off Brit Rangers/9KRRC
2nd Schutzen: Pursue west to cut off Commonwealth retreat (C5 from D5)
1st Recce: Pursue west to cut off Commonwealth retreat (C7 from D7)
2nd Recce: Combined with 1st Recce.
Panzer: Having secured the campaign objective and with no foreseeable threats to it, they push west to attack the retreating Aus 2/8 (D8 from E8) 

So we've got two fights coming up in Turn 8:
1.  Lt Loeb's Panzer Battlegroup attacking Australia's 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment (D8)
2.  Captain Freitag's 1st Schutzen defending against British Rangers/9th King's Royal Rifle Corps attack (B4)

V/R,
Jack

2 comments:

  1. Looking forward to the upcoming battles!

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    Replies
    1. Fight #8 coming later this week, then the last two fights of the campaign will post next week.

      V/R,
      Jack

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