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 > DeRa037
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Te Ope Maori Hikoi Kia Toa ("Maori Battalion, March to Victory")
Desert Rats #37
(Defender) Italy vs Britain (Attacker)
Maori (Attacker)
New Zealand (Attacker)
Formations Involved
Britain 1st East Kent Buffs Infantry
Britain 32nd Army Tank Brigade
Britain Army
Italy 102ª Divisione Fanteria Motorizzata "Trento"
Italy 62º Reggimento Fanteria Motorizzata "Sicilia"
New Zealand 28th "Maori" Infantry Battalion
New Zealand 2nd New Zealand Division
Display
Balance:
Overall balance chart for DeRa037
Total
Side 1 2
Draw 1
Side 2 1
Overall Rating, 5 votes
5
4
3
2
1
3
Scenario Rank: 754 of 940
Parent Game Desert Rats
Historicity Historical
Date 1941-12-11
Start Time 07:00
Turn Count 44
Visibility Day
Counters 106
Net Morale 2
Net Initiative 1
Maps 1: DR5
Layout Dimensions 88 x 58 cm
35 x 23 in
Play Bounty 131
AAR Bounty 165
Total Plays 4
Total AARs 2
Battle Types
Inflict Enemy Casualties
Rural Assault
Conditions
Entrenchments
Off-board Artillery
Reinforcements
Terrain Mods
Scenario Requirements & Playability
Desert Rats Base Game
Introduction

Despite huge losses and many tactical defeats, Operation Crusader proved an operational success and the Axis began to pull back from Tobruk. The Maori joined the chase, running into an Italian position at Sidi Mgherreb. A British battalion from the 5th Indian Brigade would make the first assault, with the Maoris in reserve.
Conclusion

The Italian gunners and infantry stood their ground against the British, mowing down dozens of the attackers and destroying the battalion as a combat force. With the first wave shattered, the Maoris surged forward aboard their trucks. The drivers took the infantry right up to the Italian lines, surprising the defenders who kept waiting for them to disembark.

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).
  • 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
  • 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
  • Mechanized
Italy Order of Battle
Regio Esercito
  • Motorized
  • Towed
New Zealand Order of Battle
28th "Maori" Infantry Battalion
New Zealand Army
  • Foot
  • Motorized
  • Towed
Display Errata (2)
2 Errata Items
Overall balance chart for 855

Two British infantry have their full strengths printed on the back. They should both be "2-3" when reduced.

(Shad on 2010 Dec 15)
Overall balance chart for 353

INF unit 1112 has full firepower printed on the front and back of the counter. Back should be 4-2.

(garbare83686 on 2022 Feb 08)
Display AARs (2)
Sometimes it's better to wait, sir.
Author ricer
Method Solo
Victor Italy
Play Date 2011-01-01
Language English
Scenario DeRa037

I played this one to see if it was possible for the British to achieve a decisive victory. That requires that they capture 6 entrenchments by turn 12, at which time their Maori reinforcements arrive. The British start too far away to have enough time to take them all. Also their step losses count double for British foot units and triple for tanks, and the Italians eliminated enough steps to win a decisive victory. My next play would be for the British to wait for the Maori arrive and use their superior morale and assault bonus to assault the entrenchments, and go for the marginal victory.

0 Comments
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Ah, Patience is a Virtue, Tommy Atkins.
Author treadasaurusrex (Italy)
Method VASSAL
Victor Italy
Participants Tambu
Play Date 2024-08-27
Language English
Scenario DeRa037

This was a 10-session play-though with the redoubtable and relentless Tambu handling the combined British & New Zealand side in this overlong, 44-game turn marathon that we began in March 2024. I led the defending Italian side in this poorly designed & nonplaytested scenario.

We used the FOW, consolidation, excess initiative and smoke optional rules, plus these 2 house rules: 1) Road Movement for Mechanized & Foot Units All FOOT & MECHANIZED - units may move on roads at the rate of 1/2 of a Movement Point (MP) per road hex, just like MOTORIZED units, and 2) Standardized Movement for Mechanized Units - All mechanized units may move through clear hexes at a movement cost of only 1 movement point (MP) per hex, instead of 1 1/2. Add one to this cost if moving up, across, or down slopes hexes. We agreed that the house rules simplified and improved game play in this monsterous fight.

Others have already reported on this one, which requires that the Commonwealth force capture 6 entrenchments by turn 12. Alas, the Brits failed to achieve this by game turn 12, and never took all 6 while taking far tooo many casualties in the process. The victory conditions are in need of a thorough rewrite, as Commonwealth step losses count double for British foot units and triple for tanks, making it surprisingly easy for the Italians to pull of a win in this muddled & frustrating scenario. As published, the Brits should simply wait for the reinforced Maori battalion to arrive before beginning their combined-arms, assault to be able to have a decent shot of at least gaining a marginal victory.

This one needs serious revision and a shortened length to make it more suitable for SHARED and SOLO play. A generous 3, is my rating in shared play.
1 Comment
Tambu
2024-08-27 17:36

Concur with the T-rex, but I think that this one is probably beyond fixing for shared play. With rewritten VCs it might be okay for solitaire play.

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