Hal Far Airfield

1/7/42

v1.1

The Axis forces had detailed plans for the invasion of Malta as part of an effort to protect the supply routes to the Africa Corps. This hypothetical scenario depicts the push of the "Larnaca" group against the Hal Far airfield in an effort to link up with the Italian divisions that would land on the southern coast.

Map and Order of Battle

British Deployment

The Forces of the CinC Hal Far Airfield, 4th Troop A Squadron 6th RTR and A Coy 3rd KOMR must be placed within 9" of Hal Far Airfield. They may be "dug in" in Sangars (+2 Cover)

D Coy 1st Dorsetshire Regt is deployed within 9" of Birzebbuga. They may be "dug in" in Sangars (+2 Cover)

2nd Battalion Devonshire Regiment is a reinforcement arriving turn 5. The personnel stands (not towed guns) may arrive at any point between D & F. Vehicles and towed guns arrive in convoy down road E. For each vehicle after the first subtract 3" from the move.

There are two pill boxes available (-4 cover), which may be deployed as the player wishes. The pill boxes accommodate a single stand. Any stand within becomes a MMG stand with ROF 1 unless close assaulted. Once the bunker is occupied by the enemy the MG's are rendered inoperable

Infantry Stands (self order) of the Malta Volunteer Defence Force (MVDF) appear at random throughout the game. Each turn (including "turn 0") in the orders phase roll 1d6 on a 5-6 as stand is placed. It must be placed in a BUA.

Axis Deployment

Both battalions of the Camicie Nere da Sbarco, excluding the tanks, may be deployed within 9" of edge AB. They must be over 9" from the British or out of LOS which ever is the shorter distance

The panzers of 66 Panzer Kompanie ZbV enter the board turn 1 along road B. For each vehicle after the first subtract 3" from the move.

I Luftlande Sturm Regiment is a reinforcement entering turn 3. It enters the eastern edge of the table within 9" of point B

Infantry Stands (self order) of the X Arditi and miss-dropped Fallschirmjager  appear at random throughout the game. There is a 50% of either though in game terms they are treated identically. Each turn (including "turn 0") in the orders phase roll 1d6 on a 5-6 as stand is placed.

See special rules for placement

Terrain

The table is 6.5ft x 5ft if playing 1" = 50m

Apart for the airstrip there is no open terrain in the map. The "open" areas acre a mosaic of small walled fields. Stands adjacent to walls get +2 cover vs. direct fire that crosses the wall. All stands adjacent to walls are considered in cover, if LOS crosses the wall, for spotting purposes

Stands can see over, and be seen over, any wall they are adjacent to, and one other. So if the spotter and target are adjacent to walls they can see over a single intervening wall.

Stands touching ridgelines, in BUA or bunkers can see over all intervening walls, though stands adjacent to walls are still considered in cover and concealment.

Tracked vehicles moving through the walled areas do so at half speed, wheeled vehicles are at quarter speed

The airstrip is open terrain, though its dotted with craters by the pervious Italian bombardment and air raids

The red lines are roads

The brown dotted lines are ridgelines. All AFVs touching the lines get hull down vs. fire that crosses the line

The blue lines are rocky streams. They do not impede personnel but are impassable to vehicles and man-handled guns

The blue area is the sea - its impassable

The grey squares are stone BUA, giving +3 cover. The simple town fighting rules are in effect

The brown square are the remains on the airfield buildings, they give +2 cover

Aircraft

For the most part the Axis forces have air superiority, however the majority of Luftwaffe close support is being provided to the Fallschirmjäger further west.

Each turn the Axis player rolls d6.On a 4-6 they get a MC.200 fighter

The British have an handful of Swordfish (1 model) on the airfield. They are carefully camouflaged and will not be spotted until an enemy stand is within 6" and can not be spotted from the air, at least until they take off. The British may use their Swordfish, armed with rockets, any turn they desire, but on the turn they do so its vulnerable to being shot down. It must be declared as taking off BEFORE the axis air support is rolled for. If using the aircraft rules and fighter is in the sky it shoots down the Swordfish on a 4+ (d10) If it avoids being shot down, after two turns on the airfield adjacent to the airfield building it may be used again. Its no longer camouflaged. In order to land it needs 9" of airfield to land on. The 9" must be free of the enemy and vehicle wrecks and must touch the airfield buildings

Special Rules

The game is 12 turns long, with a 50% chance of a 13th, rolled at the end of turn 12

The X Arditi, miss-dropped Fallschirmjager and MVDF stands do not move onto the table but are PLACED on the table before the opportunity fire phase. They are not considered to have moved that turn. MVDF must be placed in a BUA, the axis stands are unrestricted.

Stands must be placed in cover to all enemy stands, but may be in LOS. So placing stands behind a wall is OK as long as there are no enemy stands on the same side of the hedge as the stands being placed.

Stands may be removed from the table at the end of a turn when there are no enemy stand in LOS. They must remain off the board for a turn before being placed on the table the turn after that.

Italian mortars are considered to be on the edge of the table for the purposes of measuring range

Victory Conditions

At the end of the game the Axis forces must have at least 5 stands, in good morale on the objectives. There must be at least one stand on (and wholly within) each objective. Only one of the objectives may have allied forces, in good morale, within it, i.e. two objectives must be captured outright and one may be contested.

If the Axis forces fail in gaining the objectives they lose

Objectives:

Good morale means not shaken and not demoralised

Note the MVDF, miss-dropped Fallschirmjäger and X Arditi in no way count towards the victory condidtions

References

Axis History Forum: http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=56&t=82303&sid=df20c3725342720c7a1e4272ada51653&start=15

HAA RMA: http://www.thegarrison.org.uk/history/maltaOrbat.php

Malta, Blitzed but not Beaten - Philip Vella

Malta Garrison 1942: http://maltaramc.com/regsurg/rs1940_1949/rmo1942.html

Panzerkompanie zbV 66 - 1942 aufgestellt zur Landung auf Malta - Von Helmut Ritgen

Royal Malta Artillery: http://www.afm.gov.mt/rma

Sci.Military.Naval group: https://groups.google.com/forum/?hl=en&fromgroups=#!topic/sci.military.naval/PD66iimwAwg

Various discussions with  Arturo Lorioli