Sidi Bou Zid
Tunisia 15th February 1943
v2.1
Pictures (from v1.0)
The battles around Sidi Bou Zid were the US 1st Armored Division's baptism of fire. Fought several days before the more famous Battle for Kasserine Pass, the 1st Armored received a bloody defeat at the hands of the 10 and 21 Panzer Divisions.
The scenario represents the counter attack by Combat Command C of the 1st Armored on the 15th March. The attack was a complete disaster, the green US troops fought valiantly but performed little or no reconnaissance and totally neglected flank security. As a consequence they were caught unawares by a pincer movement by Kampfgruppe Gerhardt of the 10 Panzer Division and Kampfgruppe Stenkhoff of the 21 Panzer Division. Only 4 Sherman tanks of 54 escaped the battlefield.
Map and Order of Battle
US Deployment
US units are deployed in the areas shown by the pink dashed lines. The 81st Recon is deployed in the same zone as the armour. All US infantry starts the game mounted and all guns start the game towed.
German Deployment
2Kp 104 PzGr Regt starts deployed on table. It must deploy within 3" of Sidi Salem or Sidi Bou Zid. It may not move turn 1
The Flakkampftruppe starts deployed on table. It must be deployed in the olive grove
Kampfgruppe Gerhardt enters the table on turn 1 anywhere in the yellow zone indicated. On turn 1 the Germans automatically gain the initiative. The KG's movement on turn one is limited. The move distance is halved and no German stand may move to with 6" of a US stand
Kampfgruppe Stenkhoff enters the table on turn 3 anywhere in the yellow zone indicated. The zone extends 18" down the table edge from corner A. On turn 3 the Germans automatically gain the initiative. The KG's movement on three one is limited. The move distance is halved and none of the KG's stands may move to with 6" of a US stand
Terrain Notes
The map is 5ft by 8ft if playing at 1" = 50m. North is towards the top of the page. The ground is mostly flat, dusty and covered in scrub though there will be open fields around the habitations.
The brown dotted lines are low rises which break LOS and provide hull down cover for any touching AFVs vs. fire that crosses the ridge
The dark red road is tarmac and gives a road bonus. The pink line indicates a dirt track, it does not give a road bonus
The grey squares are buildings made of stone (+3 cover). Only one personnel stand (not AT gun) may be placed in the smaller BUAs. The simple town fighting rules are in effect
The dark green areas are olive groves which give +1 cover and half the movement rates of all vehicles. The light green area is a cactus patch. It gives light (+1) cover to personnel, AT guns (not 88's) and jeeps within. It does not break LOS
The sandy lines are wadis (dried up rivers). Where there are double lines or roads crossing them they can be crossed without penalty. Entering or leaving the wadi outside of the designated crossing points takes a BMA Vehicles may drive down the length of the wadi without penalty. Stands moving down the wadi are not visible to stands not in the wadi unless they are touching the sides. The wadi offers +2 cover to stands within touching the edge against fire from stands outside the wadi that are not touching it. The wadi is blocked (both for movement and LOS) where the track crosses them. There is no way to get from the wadi directly up to the track
Special Rules
The game last 10 turns or until all all US stands have fled or been destroyed
The 2/1st Armoured may not move out of its deployment zone, unless its getting closer to Sidi Bou Zid, until turn 4
US troops may not opportunity fire on turn 1
The US side may not use the "trucks to the rear" order
Victory Conditions
The game should be played TWICE with players alternating sides. Only the US side scores victory points. The player who scores the most points as the US wins. Its recommended that the most experienced player takes the US side first
The US player gets 4 points for killing any German AFV. 2 points for getting a Sherman off edge AB on or after turn 6, or for having an intact Sherman on the table at at the end of the game. 1 point for getting any other US AFV off edge AB on or after turn 6, or for having an intact AFV on the table at the end of the game. In all the cases morale state is irrelevant
The US forces get 4 bonus points if a US stand is within 6" or Sidi Bou Zid at the end of any turn, as long as it is not shaken or demoralized. This bonus can be earned once.
If there is only time for one play-through it is a victory if the US side gets 15 or more points
References
21 Panzer Division, Jean Claude Perrigualt
German Kampfgruppen in North Africa: http://www.cgsc.edu/CARL/nafziger/943GMXA.pdf
Kasserine Pass, Martin Blumenson
Kasserine Pass 1943, Campaign 152, Steven Zaloga
US Army Kasserine Staff Ride: http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/books/Staff-Rides/kasserine/kasserine.htm