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Scenario and AAR Operation Capri Campaign 3 The Hard Road to Hir Ksar Koutine




The Hard Road to Hir Ksar Koutine


Our campaign map showing the progress of the Italian probe into the British position 

Column Bari of the Italian Spezia Division advances toward the town Medenine after breaking through the pass at Kef Ahbdala. Historically the column was held  at Kef Abdala now however in our alternative history they are threatening 131 brigade HQ. The Italien player as winner chose the next scenario The Hard Road East.
The Italians have now done better than they manage historically. We elected to fight the next battle for the small village at Hir Ksar Koutine on the main coastal highway where it crosses a deep wadi. The hastily assembled blocking force was from 131 Brigade with motorised infantry from the The Queens Regiment and Valentine tanks from the army reserve.

British 8th Army 22nd Armour Brigade

1 platoon Motorised Infantry with 3" mortar from  A Company The Queen's Regiment
1 6 pounder AT gun
1 squadron Valantine  Mk III Tanks
1 additional Valentine Mk VIII  from (8th Army reserve)
I foot patrol 4/10 Rajput Infantry (8th Army reserve)
1 Daimler AC
1 OP in BREN carrier
1 battery Self Propelled M3 GMC 75mm
1 battery 25 pounder guns (off table)
1 timed artillery barrage 4.5" guns (off table)
1 timed 3" mortar barrage

Column Bari

Forward Headquater M41 SPG
1 Infantry Platoon  with AT gun Mountain gun and HMG  from Spezia Division
1 M13/40 tank platoon from Spezia Division
1 M41 SPG platoon from Spezia Division
1 Bersagleri motorised patrol
1 Autoblinda AC
1 Auto sahara light truck with 28mm Autocanon
1 transport column with 2 medium trucks
1 supply truck
1 AA truck
1 stretcher party
1 timed airstrike  C242
FO in light car
1 priority artilery request
1 48mm AT gun

After Action Report

La Spezia  of Column Bari attacked with Bersagleri and a mix of tanks and assault guns.Hoping to clear the road toward Medenine.

The British attacked first and used their lorries to quickly occupy the village and surrounding orchards,
Queens deploy from there lorries seizing their only objective of the game 

British Infantry deply to hold the village

Infantry section make use of the roof tops 

Infantry advance out of town 

Platoon HQ get onto the 3" motar 
Indian Army recce patrol on the barren hills beyond the town . They wages a lonely game of cat and mouse with Italian foot patrol 

The Recce patrol use there radio to contact the mortar battery

The Italians probe forward with there best infantry the Bersagleiri. A battle ensues with he men of the Queens Regiment. The British making their own probe toward the cluster of buildings occupied by La Spezia infantry.  The men of the Queen;s regiment retire in some haste toward the village after the firefight  making a hasty line in the orchards near the town.
Infantry from the Queen's occupy the orchards near the town 

BREN team takes up position

BREN team engages the advancing Itallien infantry in the field beyond 


Artillery pounds Ksar Koutine. Direct fire from an Italien infantry gun and supporting fire from off table Italian big guns begins to pound the pre-registered targets in a timed strike. The pounding means that most of the British infantry are pinned in their cover.

Mortars under fire in Ksar Koutine 


Infantry mortar pinned by weight of Italien artillery and air attacks 


Semovente Assault guns west  of the town take up positions and await the British main force.

A couple of probe the road towards Ksar Koutine. Italien M13/40 tanks on road to east with most of the advanced force pinned down the Daimler AC uses its 2 pounder gun challenge the advancing Italien tanks . One tank is hit and the other withdraws for now. 
Under the cover of the artillery support the Queens are forced back out of the orchards into the cover of the buildings
Not many casualties but lots of pinned sections 

The mainforce of British armour arrives . The 3 Valentine Mk III tanks  shake out of column and begin to advance line abreast across the cactus field toward the farm which is the Column Bari base of fire and a  Valentine MkVIII cover with 6 pounder gun  whilst  rest advance to west of Ksar Koutine.
Valentine tanls arriving from 8th Army reserves. This six pounder armed tank takes up covering position 

Valentines advance into withering fire 

Royal Artillery FOO watches the tanks advance  into the fields 


A Valentine Tank mk III The two pounder guns proved no match for the best Italien self propelled guns 


They quickly run into heavy fire from  the Semovente who stay back out of range of the  six pounder gun on the MkVIII and the two pounder guns on the other Valentines are no match for the Italien's assaults guns.


Over the course of the advance two Valentines are Ko'ed  as run in to  heavy fire from assault guns
 Valentines also forced to retreat.


Valentines under heavy fire in the fields beyond Kef Koutine 

The extent of the advance 

Town continues to be pounded pinning The Queen's into  the buildings  the Regia Aeronautica  dive bombing adds to the woes. The  heavy air attack is costing men of Queen's regiment dear in Battle rating and the entire British position is close to collapse.

Only one thing for it hope the Italians are in an equally parlous state.  The Daimler Armoured Car guns his engine and tries to attempts to seize road junction But the ambush fire from destroyed by M13/40 Italian tank. No natch the Daimler careers fro the road knocked out as the crew bailout.
Daimler Armoured car and the dismounted crew

The British realise the situation is hopeless and  their withdrawal toward Medenine.
 The 8th Armies reserve will have one final chance to stop Column Bari before it forces the Gun lines of the Guards and New Zealanders to withdraw


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