Encounter at Faïd Pass
30/1/43
v1.1.1
On the 30/1/43 the Axis launched an attack of his own against Faïd pass, committing 21 Panzer Division, directly under 5 Panzer Army control, aided by elements from the Italian 50th Special Brigade (General Imperiali) and by army troops. The mission was to control the Faïd pass, to install security detachments on the chain of mountains from north of Faïd pass to Sened village, and to reconnoitre halfway to Sbeïtla. At the conclusion of the operation, the attacking force was expected to withdraw all but strong security detachments. These detachments, with others from Brigade Imperiali, would occupy key points in the Eastern Dorsal. Italians would hold the area of Station de Sened, blocking the narrow plain
(from: North-West Africa: Seizing the Initiative in the West: http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/USA-MTO-NWA/USA-MTO-NWA-20.html)
The scenario depicts the frontal assault by Gruppe Mitte (Middle Group) on the French held pass. They sent 2 Kp T2 Bataillon to out flank to the north and Kampfgruppe Grun assaulted from the south. However KG Grun had to first overcome the French defenders of Rebaou. The US response was somewhat tardy and marred by poorly though through orders, however TF Stark was (slowly) on its way to aid the French
US wartime map of the pass, from: http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/tunisia/
Map and Order of Battle
Allied Deployment
II Bataillon 2e Régiment de Tirailleurs Algériens and the attached 1er Batterie 67 Régiment de Artillerie Algériens set up in the areas on the map delineated by pink doted lines. Note that towed guns can not be deployed in the tan coloured heights on the map. The Allied player can attach any of the weapons in the 8e Compagnie to the 5, 6 or 7e Compagnie or to the artillery battery. All strands not on the tan heights can be dug in in foxholes (-2 cover) including the towed guns. Stands in brackets start "trucks to the rear"
2e Escadron 2e Régiment de chasseurs d'Afrique and the Peloton de Défense are possible reinforcements. Throw 1d6 for each before the orders phase for turn 3 (ie the orders phase at the end of turn 2). On a 6 the reinforcement will arrive. They arrive within 6" of point A. Roll for each every turn until they arrive.
The Recce of 601st Tank Destroyer Battalion is a reinforcement turn 5. It enters the table between point A and G
Taskforce Stark enters the battle on turn 7 it enters the table between point A and G. The infantry may not enter within 18" of the tanks
Axis Deployment
Much of Gruppe Mitte enters turn 1 within 18" of point E. The Gruppe Stab enters turn 2 and the FlaK Batterie turn 3 both within 18" of point E. The 2 Kompanie T2 Bataillon enters on turn 3 either down road D or road C.
Gruppe Grun enters on turns 4-6 between points G and F. Panzer Aufklarungs Zug enters turn 4. the panzers enters turn 5 and the Stab enters turn 6.
Terrain
The table is 5ft x 8ft if playing 1" = 50m, north is towards the top of the page
The open ground is for the most part desert though there is some dusty cultivation around Faïd
Red lines are roads, the thicker, darker lines are tarmac, the others are tracks.
The thinner brown dashed lines are ridgelines. They break LOS. Vehicles touching get a hull down bonus
The double brown line is an escarpment - "l" is the low side and "h" is the high side. It is impassable and breaks LOS unless stands are touching it. Stands touching the line do NOT get hull down. Stands with any point within 3" of the low side can not shoot or be shot by vehicles or towed guns on the high side.
The tan areas are high and rocky. Only personnel may enter (not man handled guns) and they move at half speed within. All halted personnel get +2 cover within, they may not dig entrenchments
The dark green area is an olive grove. It is open blocking terrain and does not otherwise provide cover. Max LOS within the grove is 4".The olive groves are not thick enough cover to prevent air attacks. However if using the Simple Air Rules when attacking a target wholly within a grove the deviation roll is 8-10 rather than 9-10. AA guns may not fire at aircraft out of the grove.
The lighter green areas are patches of cactus. Personnel within get -1 cover. Personnel and un-armoured vehicles within move at half speed. LOS between personal stands and between class I guns is limited to 2". LOS to or from larger guns and vehicles is unimpeded.
The grey square is a mud brick BUA (-3 cover). It can only hold a single personnel stand
Aircraft
Each turn the Germans may roll for aircraft. On a 6 (d6) they get a Bf-109G which will make a strafing attack
Special Rules
The game is 12 turns long with a 50% chance of the 13th. The 13th turn is rolled for at the end of turn 12.
Victory Conditions
There are 4 victory locations. Faïd, high ground marked X and Z and the junction marked Y. To win the Axis must hold two locations and contest another plus they must destroy more Shermans than they lose tanks (PzKfw-III, PzKfw-IV, PzBefWg & Semovente). If they hold the required number of locations but lose too many tanks the game is a draw. Otherwise the game is an Allied victory
For the Axis to hold the high ground they must have the only stands, in good morale, in the area at the end of the game. If the Germans have stands in the area in good morale and so do the Allies the area is considered contested.
For the Axis to hold the junction or Faïd they must have the only stands, in good morale, within 9" at the end of the game. If the Germans have stands in the area in good morale and so do the Allies the area is considered contested
Good morale is not shaken or demoralised.
Historical Notes
1) The historical make-up of Gruppe mitte is debateable. JC Perigault gives 1 Kp 104 Panzergrenadier. US sources give 1 battalion. I suspect JC is correct as in US sources the battalion attacking Rebaou is numbered and it seems odd the "battalion" attacking Faïd would not be numbered in the original German orders
2) It unclear if the French reserves were ever committed, hence the rather random chance of their showing up. There is also a chance they may have been committed to Rebaou, Having said that the Germans claimed to have captured a great many armoured cars so they may have been in the vicinity.
3) The Panhard AMD 165/175 is a very rare armoured car and as far as I know no one makes a wargames scale model; so unless you are a talented scratch builder you will have to substitute. I suggest an AM-80 or similar
4) Historically the US forces abandoned their counterattack at 2:30pm electing to attack the next day. I've assumed the US commanders in this scenario have a little more gumption.
5) The US artillery was subject to counter battery fire and Stuka attacks which means it has lower than usual calling numbers
6) The German sIG was only a pair of guns, but is included for game balance
7) The amount of armour from Gruppe Grun that pushed north (and thus into the battle depicted) is unclear for the documents I have available.
References
5 Panzer Army report for Dec 13 - from British radio Intercept. Public Records Office ref: HW 1/1227
8 Kompanie 8 Panzer Regiment: http://www.feldgrau.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=25893&p=184622&hilit=faid#p184622
21 Panzer Division, JC Perigault
26th Infantry Regiment: http://usacac.army.mil/cac2/CSI/docs/Gorman/06_Retired/03_Retired_2000_11/02_01_Centennial_26Inf_02Feb.pdf
580 Panzer Aufklarungs Abt: http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=106132
1943 US Map of the Battlefield: http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/tunisia/txu-pclmaps-oclc-6542667-sidi-kralif-49.jpg
Cavalleggeri di Lodi: http://www.modellismopiu.net/ci/pdf/C14.pdf & http://www.comandosupremo.com/forums/topic/6790-15-raggruppamento-esplorante-corazzato-reco-cavalleggeri-di-lodi/
Defeat at Kasserine: American Armor Doctrine, Training, and Battle Command in Northwest Africa, World War II: http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a416174.pdf
Kasserine Staff Ride Vol 1 Part 1: http://www.history.army.mil/books/staff-rides/kasserine/vol-i-part_1.pdf
Les Forces Francaises dans la Lutte Contre L`Axe en Afrique - La Campagne de Tunisie 1942-43: Marcel Spivak and Col. Armand Leoni. My thanks to Richard Baber for looking up the battle in his copy of the book. His blog with many interesting Tunisian themed entries: http://baberonwargames.blogspot.co.uk/
North-West Africa: Seizing the Initiative in the West: http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/USA-MTO-NWA/USA-MTO-NWA-20.html
