[Desert War] Deir El Shein - Action 2 - July 15, 1942 - July 16, 1942

Tragedy on Ruweizat ridge.
Mediterranean Theater By: jdrommel - Last update: 07/20/2013
Axis Player: Allied Player:
x5 x6 x5 x6
    first You play first


Historical Background:
During the first battle of El Alamein, the Axis were in numerical inferiority because of the losses of the two months offensive. Generalfeldmarschall Rommel has failed to overrun the El Alamein "Box" with his poor forces and British General Auchinleck took advantage in launching several counter-attacks on Italian troops to force Rommel to stop his offensive. Operation Bacon was to recapture Ruweizat ridge to the Italian troops of Division "Brescia". 4th and 5th New-Zealand Brigade were in charge of this mission with the support of the 22nd Armoured Brigade. During the night 14 to 15 of July 1942, the "Kiwis" assaulted the Italian lines in front of Ruweizat and Deir El Shein, but in the morning they were totally isolated between enemies lines : the tanks were not following (By misunderstanding the orders, they stayed in their lines). On the other hands, the German tanks of Pz Rgt.8, called for help by the Italians , counter-attacked the New-Zealand infantrymen that could not take cover on the rocky soil of Ruweizat.The 16th of July 1942, the 4th NZ Brigade was crushed by the German tanks on Ruweizat ridge. Operation Bacon was a bloody defeat for Auchinleck.
The stage is set, the battle lines are drawn, and you are in command. The rest is history !

Briefing:
Allied player [New-Zealand] : 5 command cards, you move first.
Axis player [Italy] : 5 command cards.

Conditions of Victory:
6 medals.

Special Rules:
- Use "North African Desert" rules (Action 9).
- Use "Night Attacks" rules (Action 19).
- Use "BCF Command" rules (Nation 5).
- Use "Royal Italian Army" rules (Nation 6). All Axis infantry and artillery units are Italian, the tanks are German. Put a national badge to the tanks.
- The Axis player lays out the minefields (Terrain 29).
- Reinforcement of Axis : when full daylight, the Axis player may place one armored unit on each hexagon with a battle star token. These reinforcements come into play with any suitable command card.

Scenario Bibliography:
- Album historique 21.Panzer Division - Ed. Heimdal.
- Magazine Batailles & Blindés hors-série n°8 - Afrika Korps tome 2.
- Magazine Historica hors-série n°84 - 1ère bataille d'El Alamein.
- Militaria Magazine hors-série n°11 - La guerre du désert - El Alamein.

Warning:
Please note that this scenario was not approved by Richard Borg or Days of Wonder, so you have to check yourself about playability, potential gaming issues, etc.

Set-up Order
15
1
2
8
2
10