Panzer Grenadier Battles on November 21st:
Desert Rats #16 - The Panzers Pull Back Desert Rats #19 - The Panzers Return
Desert Rats #17 - The Tomb Of Sidi Rezegh Jungle Fighting #7 - Line Of Departure
Desert Rats #18 - A Pibroch's Skirl South Africa's War #5 - Irish Eyes
PG-HQ Library - Panzer Grenadier Hall > Scenarios > Af44018
Errors? Omissions? Report them!
The Mother of All Battles
Afrika 1944 #18
(Attacker) Germany
(Attacker) Italy 		vs Britain (Attacker)
United States (Attacker)
Formations Involved
Display
Balance:
Overall balance chart for Af44018
Total
Side 1 2
Draw 0
Side 2 0
Overall Rating, 2 votes
5
4
3
2
1
4
Scenario Rank: --- of 940
Parent Game Afrika 1944
Historicity Alt-History
Date 1944-10-17
Start Time 06:00
Turn Count 48
Visibility Day
Counters 432
Net Morale 0
Net Initiative 1
Maps 1: 76, 77, 78, 79, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91
Layout Dimensions 168 x 86 cm
66 x 34 in
Play Bounty 333
AAR Bounty 171
Total Plays 2
Total AARs 1
Battle Types
Inflict Enemy Casualties
Meeting Engagement
Road Control
Urban Assault
Conditions
Off-board Artillery
Randomly-drawn Aircraft
Reinforcements
Terrain Mods
Scenario Requirements & Playability
An Army at Dawn Maps + Counters
Afrika 1944 Base Game
Africa Orientale Italiana Maps + Counters
Elsenborn Ridge Counters
Liberation 1944 Counters
Spearhead Division Counters
Introduction

As the Spearhead Division drove into the foothills of the Atlas Mountains on its way to Meknes, the Afrika Korps’s 15th Panzer Division came forward to stop them. The Axis command had already summoned the Italian 132nd “Ariete” Armored Division to turn south-east and join in the defense against the American tanks. A large tank battle resulted.
Conclusion

Hundreds of burning wrecks marked the battlefield, and as the sun settled into the Atlantic Ocean the Spearhead Division’s assault had been blunted despite the aid of a British tank brigade. The Axis brought both numbers and tank quality to the battlefield, and that resulted in a crushing defeat for the Americans’ best armored formation. The struggle for Morocco would not be resolved easily.
Additional Notes

Italian units appearing in Africa Orientale Italiana also appear in Afrika Korps.

The Italian P26/40 and Semovente 90 are also in the Desert Rats counter mix.

Maps from Conquest of Ethiopia are the same as those from Africa Orientale Italiana, and thus may be used in there place.
Display Relevant AFV Rules
AFV Rules Pertaining to this Scenario's Order of Battle
  • Vulnerable to results on the Assault Combat Chart (7.25, 7.63, ACC), and may be attacked by Anti-Tank fire (11.2, DFT). Anti-Tank fire only affects the individual unit fired upon (7.62, 11.0).
  • AFV's are activated by tank leaders (3.2, 3.3, 5.42, 6.8). They may also be activated as part of an initial activating stack, but if activated in this way would need a tank leader in order to carry out combat movement.
  • AFV's do not block Direct Fire (10.1).
  • Full-strength AFV's with "armor efficiency" may make two anti-tank (AT) fire attacks per turn (either in their action segment or during opportunity fire) if they have AT fire values of 0 or more (11.2).
  • Each unit with an AT fire value of 2 or more may fire at targets at a distance of between 100% and 150% of its printed AT range. It does so at half its AT fire value. (11.3)
  • Efficient and non-efficient AFV's may conduct two opportunity fires per turn if using direct fire (7.44, 7.64). Units with both Direct and AT Fire values may use either type of fire in the same turn as their opportunity fire, but not both (7.22, 13.0). Units which can take opportunity fire twice per turn do not have to target the same unit both times (13.0).
  • Demoralized AFV's are not required to flee from units that do not have AT fire values (14.3).
  • Place a Wreck marker when an AFV is eliminated in a bridge or town hex (16.3).
  • AFV's do not benefit from Entrenchments (16.42).
  • AFV's may Dig In (16.2).
  • Open-top AFV's: Immune to M, M1 and M2 results on Direct and Bombardment Fire Tables, but DO take step losses from X and #X results (7.25, 7.41, 7.61, BT, DFT). If a "2X" or "3X" result is rolled, at least one of the step losses must be taken by an open-top AFV if present.
  • Closed-top AFV's: Immune to M, M1 and M2 results on Direct and Bombardment Fire Tables. Do not take step losses from Direct or Bombardment Fire. If X or #X result on Fire Table, make M morale check instead (7.25, 7.41, 7.61, BT, DFT).
  • Closed-top AFV's: Provide the +1 modifier on the Assault Table when combined with infantry. (Modifier only applies to Germans in all scenarios; Soviet Guards in scenarios taking place after 1942; Polish, US and Commonwealth in scenarios taking place after 1943.) (ACC)
  • Tank: all are closed-top and provide the +1 Assault bonus, when applicable
  • Assault Gun: if closed-top, provide the +1 Assault bonus, when applicable
  • Tank Destroyer: do not provide the +1 Assault bonus, even if closed-top (SB)
  • Self-Propelled Artillery: do not provide the +1 Assault bonus, even if closed-top (SB)
  • Anti-Aircraft Weapon Carrier: apply a -1 modifier to an air attack if within three hexes of the targeted hex (15.14).
  • APC – Armored Personnel Carrier: These are Combat Units, but stack like Transports. They can transport personnel units or towed units. They are not counted as combat units for the +1 stacking modifier on the Direct Fire and Bombardment Tables (4.4). They may be activated by regular leaders and tank leaders (1.2, 3.34, 4.3, 5.43). They do not provide the +1 Assault bonus (ACC).
  • Portees: Trucks with mounted Anti-Tank guns, Anti-Aircraft weapons, or artillery. Stack as combat units. Move like trucks, but fire like guns. Do not limber or unlimber. Have the truck's -1 armor value. Truck and gun are treated as a single unit, and do not transport other units. (SB)
Display Order of Battle
Britain Order of Battle
Army
  • Foot
Germany Order of Battle
Heer
  • Towed
Italy Order of Battle
Regio Esercito
United States Order of Battle
Army
Display Errata (9)
9 Errata Items
Overall balance chart for 847

The "Optional Values" for the Achilles---and by extension the Archer---given in an Avalanche Press Daily Content piece on the 17-Pdr Anti-Tank gun (and printed on a replacement counter sheet Download) are now the Official Ratings, published in games like Cassino '44, Grossdeutschland 1946, and Indian Unity. These are:

8-5 / 8-8 Full Strength and 4-5 / 8-8 Reduced Strength.

(caryn on 2012 May 03)
Overall balance chart for 838

The "Optional Values" for the Firefly given in an Avalanche Press Daily Content piece on the 17-Pdr Anti-Tank gun (and printed on a replacement counter sheet Download) are now the Official Ratings, published in games like Cassino '44, Grossdeutschland 1946, and Indian Unity. These are:

5-5 / 8-8 Full Strength and 3-5 / 8-8 Reduced Strength.

(caryn on 2012 May 03)
Overall balance chart for 20

The reduced direct fire value of the Heer HMG became 5-5 starting with Fall of France.

(plloyd1010 on 2015 Jul 31)
Overall balance chart for 41

All SS PzIVH tanks should have a movement of 8.

(Shad on 2010 Dec 15)
Overall balance chart for 63

The morale and combat modifiers of German Sergeant #1614 should be "0", not "8".

(Shad on 2010 Dec 15)
Overall balance chart for 47

All SPW 251s have an armor value of 0.

(Shad on 2010 Dec 15)
Overall balance chart for 484

Liberation 1944's Tiger movement and armor ratings are backwards. They should be Armor 7 and Movement 5.

(petermc on 2014 Feb 14)
Overall balance chart for 51

One Wespe (ID# 1201) should have an armor value of 1 on the front and back of the counter.

(Shad on 2010 Dec 15)
Overall balance chart for 25

The M18 has a special rule in Battle of the Bulge but it applies globally: "A two-step M18 unit can fire one anti-tank shot and move half its movement allowance (retain fractions) in a single impulse. The order in which it does these two actions is the player's choice."

(Shad on 2010 Dec 15)
Display AARs (1)
Afrika 1944 #18 - The Mother of All Battles
Author Juiceman
Method Solo
Victor Germany, Italy
Play Date 2024-04-01
Language English
Scenario Af44018

This scenario lived up to its name, 12 maps and 432 counters, you could play this scenario with up to 6 players.

The US forces held their own for the first quarter of the game, they were able to occupy favorable defensive terrain, especially for their armored infantry. Their armor on the south road took a beating from the German Lions (PzIVHs), Tigers and Panthers but they held their own forcing the Germans to their front to regroup.

Meanwhile the Italian reinforcements arrived out flanking the American northern positions per the setup rules, it was at this time the German Kampfgruppe along the north road launched their attack, they had waited till the slow moving Tigers got into position, but the Axis attack was uncoordinated, the Italians hit the Americans first with a brief but intense armor battle pitting M26s and Jumbos against the improved Italian armor that included a platoon of Tiger IIs.

Then the cavalry arrived, elements of a UK armored brigade caught the surviving Italian armor on the flank, the Firefly's helped redress the situation, but their Shermans died a quick once the German Lions, Tigers and Panthers arrived to help their Italian allies.

The Allies scraped together their remaining armor to try and keep the northern road in their control, but the Axis armored forces were just too strong, too many Tigers and Panthers. The Axis managed to control two of the VCs for a minor victory.
0 Comments
You must be a registered member and logged-in to post a comment.
PG-HQ Library - Panzer Grenadier Hall > Scenarios > Af44018
Errors? Omissions? Report them!
Page generated in 0.501 seconds.