The Second Battle of Mechili (Part 2: ORBATS and Scenario Rules)

Axis ORBATs

Axis forces are divided into 4 battlegroups, with a certain amount of potential cross attachment (see below). The ORBATs are largely based on those published in Frank Chadwick's excellent Bengahzi Handicap. Stand numbers are shown as a total and then as platoons excluding towing vehicles and transport, divided by a /. German armour was cross attached in the actual battle orders, indicated with an asterisk.

KG Schwerin

Elements of KG Schwerin Outside Mechili

UNITS

1 X IT BERSAGLIERI MG PLATOON

1 X IT 75MM FIELD GUN

1 X L3/33 TANKETTE

1 X GERMAN AT COMPANY

• 2 X PAK 36

• 1 X PAK 38

1 X GERMAN COMMAND STAND 

1 X SP BREDA 20MM AA 

STANDS (14/9)

1 X BERSAGLIERI INF TRUCK

3 X PAK TOW TRUCKS

1 X SP BREDA 20MM AA

1 X GERMAN HQ CAR

1 X BERSAGLIERI MG PLATOON

2 X PAK 36

1 X PAK 38

1 X 75MM FIELD GUN

1 X 75MM FIELD GUN TOW TRUCK 

1 X GERMAN COMMAND STAND

1 X L3/33 TANKETTE

Colonna Fabris

Colonna Fabris Approaches Mechili from the East

UNITS

1 X ITALIAN AT COMPANY

• 2 47MM ATG 

1 X BERSAGLIERI MOTORCYCLE BATTALION COMPRISING

1 X BATTALION HQ

• 1 X HQ MC 

• 1 X RECON SMG MC

2 X MC COMPANIES EACH

• 3 X RIFLE COMPANIES

• 1 X HMG MC

• 1 X GERMAN PAK 36

1 X ITALIAN 65MM FIELD GUN COMPANY

STANDS (22/16)

2 X ITALIAN 47MM ATG

2 X ATG TOW TRUCKS

1 X HQ MC

1 X RECON MC

6 X RIFLE MC

2 X HMG MC

2 X PAK 36

2 X PAK 36 TOW TRUCKS

2 X 65MM FIELD GUNS

2 X FIELD GUN TOW TRUCKS

KG Streich

KG Streich Approaches Mechili from the North East

UNITS

HQ 5TH LIGHT DIVISION 

ELEMENTS 5TH PANZER REGIMENT

1 X AT COMPANY

1 X RECON GROUP

1 X ARTILLERY BATTERY

1 X ENGINEER COMPANY

STANDS (26/17/15*)

1 X DIV HQ 251 HALF TRACK

1 X COMMAND STAND

1 X SIGNALS TRUCK

1 X HQ PANZER 111

1 X PANZER 11 RECON

1 X PANZER 111

1 X PANZER 1V

2 X PAK 36

2 X PAK 36 TOW TRUCKS

1 X PAK 38 

1 X PAK 38 TOW HALF TRACK

2 X 20MM SP AA

1 X 150MM FIELD GUN 

1 X FIELD GUN HALF TRACK TOW

3 X INF ENGINEER TRUCKS

3 X INF ENGINEER PLATOONS

2 X RECON ARMOURED CARS (222 AND 231)

1 X RECON MG STAND

*A Panzer 111 and the 222 A/C were attached to Colonna Montemurro in this scenario

Colonna Montemurro

Colonna Montemurro Approaches the Wadi Al Rahmid from the South, with Attached German Armour

UNITS

1 X BERSAGLIERI BATTALION COMPRISING

• 1 X HQ STAND

• 1 X RECON MC STAND

2 X INF COMPANIES EACH

• 3 X RIFLE STANDS

• 1 X HMG STAND

• 1 X PAK 36

2 X 47MM ATG

1 X 20MM BREDA SP AA

1 X 75MM FIELD GUN

STANDS (25/15/17*)

1 X BERSAGLIERI HQ

1 X STAFF CAR

1 X BERSAGLIERI RECON MC

6 X BERSAGLIERI RIFLE 

4 X INF TRUCKS

2 X BERSAGLIERI HMG

2 X HMG TRUCKS

2 X PAK 36

2 X PAK 36 TOW TRUCKS

2 X 47MM ATG 

2 X 47MM ATG TOW TRUCKS

*See above 

British and Commonwealth ORBATs

A short note on 3rd Indian Brigade. This was an ex Indian cavalry formation comprising 2nd Lancers (Gardner's Horse), 11th Prince Albert Victor's Own Cavalry (PAVO) and 18th King Edward's Own Cavalry. Each "Regiment" actually comprised 4 Squadrons of 3 Platoons each, broadly the equivalent of an infantry battalion, mounted in trucks. The equivalent of 2 "Regiments" or battalions of the 3rd fought at Mechili. Their Support Group never arrived for the battle, so the Brigade was short of HMGs, Mortars and Field Guns, although see below.

2nd Armoured Division HQ comprising

STANDS (6/4)

1 X A13 CRUISER TANK

1 X DAIMLER DINGO

1 X DORCHESTER ACV

1 X COMMAND STAND

1 X RIFLE STAND

1 X TRUCK

Attached Armour from 2nd Armoured HQ Leads the Advance Guard

3rd Indian Brigade comprising

STANDS (52/31)

1 X HQ DORCHESTER ACV

1 X COMMAND STAND

1 X RECON INF STAND

1 X RECON TRUCK

2 LORRIED INF BATTALIONS EACH COMPRISING 

• 4 SQUADRONS/COMPANIES OF 3 PLATOONS (8 TRUCKS PER BATTALION)

• 1 HQ STAND PLUS STAFF CAR

SUPPORT WEAPONS

1 X VICKERS HMG STAND

1 X TRUCK

1 X BOFORS 40MM AA GUN

1 X BOFORS TOW

1 X 25PDR FIELD GUN

1 X FIELD GUN TOW

Units of 3rd Indian Form Up to Debouch from Mechili

2/3 Australian AT Regt

STANDS (6/6)

2 X BATTERIES BOFORS 37MM PORTEES (3 GUNS EACH)

M Battery RHA

STANDS (2/2)

1 X BATTERY BOFORS 37MM PORTEE (2 GUNS)

1 LRDG Squadron comprising

STANDS (2/2)

2 X CHEVROLET RECON TRUCKS

An LRDG Squadron Lurks in a Wadi Near Mechili

Infantry Trucks 

In order to minimise the number of infantry trucks required to fight battles, I generally use 2 trucks per 3 infantry stands for larger formations e.g. the 3rd Indian Brigade. A truck carrying 2 stands is only destroyed when it is successfully fired on twice, although one infantry stand is removed from the roster after the first successful fire. 

Spearhead generally encourages infantry trucks to be removed once infantry have debussed. I did not play this rule during the refight because British units needed to move, debus, fight, remount and escape.

Cross Attachment

There is evidence that the Axis attacked with German armoured vehicles from different directions on the day of battle. As the only German armoured vehicles were in KG Streich, cross attachment of 1 tank stand and 1 armoured car stand to another battalion is permitted.

Based on the available accounts of the battle, British and Commonwealth anti tank portees may cross attach by battery to any battalion or battlegroup. 3rd Indian may split into up to 3 battlegroups, essentially reflecting the Advance Guard/Main Body/Rear Guard escape plan adopted by the British during the battle. 2nd Armoured Division may cross attach its armoured vehicles and its remaining command elements may also cross attach. Again this reflects the actual British battle plan.

Other Scenario Rules

I played the battle as a scenario pitting the British escape plan against a concentric Axis attack occurring at broadly the same time. 

The British are therefore allowed to set up within their defensive perimeter in escape formation, with any Rear Guard already in place. British anti-tank guns are allowed to set up off their portees, if required, which is what actually happened in the Rear Guard. Axis battle groups can attack from any table edge as long as one enters or is held in reserve on the Western table edge, reflecting the need to have at least a blocking force to the West. 

The Axis win the battle if they capture Mechili and destroy or rout the equivalent of 2 British battalions. The British win if the Axis fail to achieve both their victory conditions. Any British stands exiting East of the Wadi Al Rahmid are assumed to escape without penalty. Any British stands exiting West of the Wadi Al Rahmid are assumed to lose half their stands. 

Rommel may decide to "lead from the front" in accordance with Blaze Across The Sand rules.

The LRDG squadron may enter from a concealed location on a 6 dice roll on any turn, with a pre-determined entry and exit route, with no order changes permitted unless fired upon. They may target HQ stands if spotted (e.g. Rommel's stand if leading from the front) in breach of standard Spearhead target priority rules and may only be spotted as if in Rough Ground.

Game length is up to 16 turns. 

A sand storm blew during the initial stages of the battle. A 1-3 dice roll at the beginning of the game means a sand storm during the first 6 turns, during which spotting distances are reduced and command and control penalties apply to British forces (treat as Russians 44-45), whose infantry were in any event short of radios.

Alternative Scenario

The sources indicate that, prior to the battle, the Axis set up gun lines around the Fort, which was periodically bombarded. The British sent patrols out to attack these guns, with mixed success. The British escape plan involved a dawn raid on the gun line to the North East of the Fort by an Advance Guard of 1 squadron/company, reinforced with the garrison's only tank. The Main Body and Rear Guard were to follow in a box formation, with Portees defending the flanks against armour. The cruiser tank was late but the advance guard attacked anyway, albeit now in daylight, but assisted by a sand storm. They drove past the gunline apparently unmolested, turned round and formed up for a bayonet charge. This successfully overran the Axis gunners and supporting infantry. Had the main body then followed up promptly, it seems likely that the majority of 3rd Indian would have escaped Mechili. As it was they were held up by the late arrival of 2nd Armoured HQ and, by the time they were ready, the Axis attack was in full swing, reinforced with armour. General Gambier-Parry surrendered in order to avoid unnecessary loss of life, although one suspects that, even at this stage, the prevailing chaos would have allowed much of the Brigade to escape.

A Battery of Italian 65mm Field Guns of Colonna Fabris Deployed South East of Mechili

There is therefore an argument for a scenario following the actual turn of events more closely, in which Axis guns are set up emplaced at the start of the game. These gun lines would be largely known to the British and it would then be a question of chance as to the timeliness of the British escape, light and visibility, against the background of the virtually simultaneous Axis attack on the fort. I did not go down this route, because it seemed to me that the whole game would be largely determined by a dice roll on the ability of the British to turn up when they were supposed to, and prevailing visibility. If the British had actually co-ordinated their escape at dawn, immediately followed by a sandstorm, they would surely have escaped the Axis trap, but perhaps it's worth playing that out.