The Shadow of the Axis - Alternative WW2 campaign - Combined arms Boltaction - The war in Tunisia - Campaign game 1

 Operation Sealion was over, German forces had poured across Southern England with desperate battles over Hedgerows and Bridges. Seeing the success of Sealion and their only Participation being a few Naval squadrons of the Regia Marina enforcing a blockade, Mussolini's jealousy was mounting. Attacks into Egypt had ground to a halt with the only tangible success being a defensive line along the Libyan border holding off the small but aggressive British Garrison. The final straw was a decisive engagement between a Combined Regia Marina and Marine Nationale force that sunk or scattered a large Royal navy force making a run on the landing beaches, the Lions share of the fighting was done by the Marine Nationale. The Embarrassment of being second stick in the glorious defeat of the Royal navy lead to a cascade of political unrest between the French and Italians - Mussolini declared war, stating his prizes for the French campaign were insufficient and his and Italy's honour unmet, troops were shipped to Libya and the ground forces marched west to Tunisia supported by the small craft of the Regia Marina and Squadrons of the Regia Aeronautica.

 The French for their part were not idle, having seen the build up of Jealousy and Troops they had secretly moved their own forces into Tunisia and established strong defenses along the coastal roads, MTB's of the Royal navy had been commissioned in a joint effort to crush Italian Imperial dreams, Germany could not care less about Italy and their backwater wars and bowed out of participation.

Note: The background on alliances in this alt history are touched on in the Previous Sealion campaign, in short France sided with the Axis following their defeat, blaming their loss on the Commonwealth which was further reinforced by the attack at Mers el Kabir which failed in this alt history.

The start of the campaign

The first game of the campaign saw the Italian and French directing their Airforces to bomb each others armoured Divisions moving towards the front. The Surviving Italian tanks then assault the Communication array in the south of the map.

The Scenario we rolled was 'Point defense'

The French take up position along the Rocky ridgelines just outside the village of El Kabir.

The Italian armoured formation attacks across both flanks and leaves the centre alone, the preliminary bombardment pins down almost all the defenders and allows them to approach largely unmolested.

The Heavy Italian AT gun Knocks out the Char 1b allowing the Tanks and infantry to pour forward.

Its flank covered by smoke the Italian Flamethrower tank moves up and flames the infantry on the ridge line missing its first shot, It moves closer next turn and burns the defenders out of their rocky holes whilst the AT gun Fubars and moves off of the ridge.

The following turn the M40 tried to Tank shock the AT Gun by some lucky rolls allows the crew to knock the tank out.

Following this a melee of tanks vs infantry occurs as the French desperately try to destroy or pin down the Italian armour.

French AT rifle comes in from reserve and misses its shot!

The French Veterans fail their order test and go down instead of contesting the centre objective.

Libyan Colonial Infantry then charge and after many casualties dislodge the tough French infantry from the Rocky outcrop.

 

The Game ends with Italy in control of all 3 objectives.

Rolling to destroy get a 5 destroying the French infantry and the Italians take the communication array, the French fleet takes the commercial centre, next game turn its Raining!