Crossfire Wargame Rules - Operation Crusader

                                                     http://mapandcounters.blogspot.pt/2009/05/gdw-operation-crusader-1978.html

After the defeat of Operation Battleaxe in June, a lull ensued in North Africa. German demands for the offensive begun in Russia in June relegated Africa to a secondary front. Rommel was ordered to sit in his present position and was not given enough reinforcements and supplies for another major offensive. The siege of Tobruk continued. The Aussies were withdraw from Tobruk over the summer and replaced by the British 70th Division and a brigade of Polish troops. Meanwhile, with the help of U.S. Lend-Lease, the Brits built a whole new army partially equipped with American built tanks and fortified with Commonwealth troops from the far corners of the empire. The 8th Army was formed, consisting of XXX and XIII corps. British tank strength soared to almost 800, giving them nearly a 2 to 1 edge over the Axis forces. Axis strength also increased during this period but the Royal Navy severely limited the Axis supply line.

By November, the 8th Army was ready to strike. The newly planned operation was named for the new Crusader tank, which had just seen its first action in Operation Battleaxe, but was now present in large numbers. The plan was similar to the two earlier failed offensives. The infantry of XIII Corps would advance to the south of Halfaya Pass this time and then circle north to cut the coastal road, with a brigade of Matilda and Valentine infantry tanks in support. XXX Corps, led by the reinforced 7^th Armored Division, would swing far to the south and attempt to destroy the German panzers of the 15th and 21st Panzer Divisions in the open desert. They would then help trap the retreating Italian and German infantry and would link up with an breakout offensive by the defenders of Tobruk. With the siege broken, the whole force would then advance as far as possible to the west.

As before, the plan did not survive intact against Rommel. By the time the 7^th Armored was ready to tackle the German panzers, the division had become too spread out. Rommel defeated the 7th Armored Division in detail with the panzers of the 15^th and 21st Panzer Divisions in a battle at Sidi Rezegh and then advanced to the border to deal with the infantry. He missed them, however, and before he could get back to Tobruk, they had linked up with the defenders of Tobruk and the siege had been lifted. Heavy losses incurred so far compelled the Axis forces to withdraw all the way back to their original start point at El Agheila and the British were able to claim a temporary victory over Rommel and his Afrika Korps.

                                   http://www.wargameacademy.org/OCD/

ALLIES

8th Commonwealth Regiment

Headquarters - RC, 3x Rifle, Truck

Anti-tank Company - 2-pdr AT Gun Portee

Anti-Aircraft Battery - 2x 40mm LAA Gun & Trucks

2nd South African Company

Headqquarters - CC, 2x Rifle, HMG, 2" Mortar

Reconnaissance Squad - Marmon-Herrington

1st Infantry Platoon - PC, 9x Rifle

2nd Infantry Platoon - PC, 9x Rifle

3rd Infantry Platoon - PC, 9x Rifle

Artillery Battery - 2x 25-pdr Gun-How & Trucks

Tobruk Garrison - 70th Infantry Company

Headqquarters - CC, 2x Rifle, HMG, 2" Mortar

Reconnaissance Squad - Marmon-Herrington

1st infantry Platoon - PC, 9x Rifle

2nd Infantry Platoon - PC, 9x Rifle

3rd Infantry Platoon - PC, 9x Rifle

Polish Infantry Platoon - PC, 12x Rifle

Motor Squad - 3x Rifle & Bren-Carrier

Australian Infantry Squad - 3x Rifle

Tank Platoon - Mk-VIB, 2x Matilda II

Anti-Tank Company - 2-pdr AT Gun Portee

Artillery Battery - 3x 25-pdr Gun-How & trucks

Anti-Aircraft Battery - 2x 40mm LAA Gun & Trucks

Engineer Platoon - PC, 9x Engineer

South African Platoon - Matruh Garrison

PC, 9x Rifle

XIII Infantry Battalion

Headquarters - BC, 2x Rifle, Truck

Support Company

Mortar Squad - 3" Mortar

Anti-Tank Squad - 2-pdr AT Gun Portee

Engineer Platoon - PC, 9x Engineer

Carrier Platoon - PC, 9x Rifle, Bren-Carrier

4th Indian Company

Headquarters - CC, Rifle, HMG, 2" Mortar

Reconnaissance Squad - Indian Recce Tp, Marmon-Herrington

Indian Infantry Platoon - PC, 9x Rifle

Indian Infantry Platoon - PC, 9x Rifle

Indian Infantry Platoon - PC, 9x Rifle

Tank Squad - Matilda II

Anti-Tank Company - 2x 2-pdr AT Gun Portee

Artillery Battery - 2x 25-pdr Gun-How & Trucks

Anti-Aircraft Battery - 40mm LAA Gun & Truck

2nd New Zealand Company

Headquarters - CC, Rifle, HMG, 2" Mortar

Reconnaissance Squad - Bren Carrier

Infantry Platoon - PC, 9x Rifle, Truck

Infantry Platoon - PC. 9x Rifle, Truck

Infantry Platoon - PC, 9x Rifle, Truck

Maori Infantry Squad - 3x Rifle, Truck

Anti-Tank Company - 2-pdr AT Gun Portee

Artillery Battery - 25-pdr Gun-How & truck

1st Army Tank Platoon

Valentine, Matilda II, Bren Carrier

XXX Armoured Battalion

Headquarters - BC, 2x Rifle, 3" Mortar, Truck, M3 Honey

Anti-Tank Company - 3x 2-pdr AT Gun Portee

7th Armored Squadron

Headquarters - CC, Rifle, HMG, 2" mortar, Truck

Reconnaissance Squad - Marmon-Herrington

Reconnaissance Squad - Marmon-Herrington

Reconnaissance Squad - Humber

Reconnaissance Squad - Marmon-Herrington

Tank Platoon - 3x M3 Honey

Tank Platoon - 3x Crusader A15

Tank Platoon - 3x Crusader A15

Motor Platoon - PC, 9x Rifle, Bren-Carrier

Anti-Tank Company - 2-pdr AT Gun Portee

Artillery Battery - 25-pdr Gun-How & Truck

Anti-Aircraft Battery - 40mm LAA Gun & Truck

1st South African Company

Reconnaissance Squad - Marmon-Herrington

Reconnaissance Squad - Marmon-Herrington

Infantry Platoon - PC, 9x Rifle, Truck

Infantry Platoon . PC, 9x Rifle, Truck

Artillery Battery - 25-pdr Gun-How & Truck

22nd Guards Platoon

Reconnaissance Squad - Marmon-Herrington

Motor Platoon - PC, 9x Rifle, Bren-Carrier

Anti-Tank Company - 2-pdr AT Gun Portee

AXIS

Regiment Afrika

Stab - RC, 3x Rifle, Truck

Compagnia controcarro - 47mm ATG & Truck

Flak-Batterie - Sdkfz10-4

Flak-Batterie - 88mm HAA Gun & Truck

Deutsches Afrika-Bataillon

Stab - BC, 2x Rifle, 251

schwere-Kompanie - 81mm Mortar, 75mm IG, Truck

Squadra mitraglieri - MG

Panzerjaegerzug - 2x 50mm AT Gun & Trucks

Artillerie-Batterie - 105mm Feld Haubitzer & Truck

Batteria artiglieria - 75-27 Field Gun & Truck

Flak-Batterie - 20mm LAA Gun & Truck

15. Panzer-Kompanie

Stab - CC, Rifle, 251

schwere-Zug - 2x HMG, 50mm Mortar

Panzerzug - 1Pz-IIc, 2x Pz-IIIh, Pz-IVe

Panzerzug - 1Pz-IIc, Pz-IIIh, Pz-IVe

Schutzenzug - PC, 6x Rifle, 251/1

Schutzenzug - PC, HMG, M/C, Truck

Pioniertrupp - 3x Engineer, Truck

21. Panzer-Kompanie

Stab - CC, Rifle, 251

schwere-Zug - 2x HMG, 50mm Mortar

Aufklarungstrupp - 2x Sdkfz221

Panzerzug - 1Pz-IIc, 2x Pz-IIIh, Pz-IVe

Panzerzug - 1Pz-IIc, Pz-IIIh, Pz-IVe

Schutzenzug - PC, 6x Rifle, HMG, 251/1

Pioniertrupp - 3x Engineer, Truck

z.b.V. Afrika-Kompanie

Stab - CC, Rifle, Truck

schwere-Zug - 2x HMG, 50mm Mortar

Aufklarungstrupp - Sdkfz222

Schutzenzug - PC, 9x Rifle

Schutzenzug - PC, 6x Rifle

Schutzenzug - PC, 6x Rifle

Pioniertrupp - 3x Engineer

55ª Compagnia fanteria "Savona"

Comando - CC, Rifle, HMG

Plotone fanteria - PC, 12x Rifle

Plotone fanteria - PC, 12x Rifle

XXI Battaglione fanteria

Comando - BC, 2x Rifle, Truck

Squadra fanteria - 3x Rifle

Squadra carri leggeri - L3-35

Compagnia controcarro - 4x 47mm AT Gun & Trucks

Batteria artiglieria - 3x 75-27 Field Gun & Trucks

Batteria artiglieria - 2x 75-27 Field Gun & Trucks

Batteria contraerea - 2x 20-35 LAA Gun & Trucks

Squadra genio - 3x Engineer & truck

Artillerie-Batterie - 105mm Feld Haubitzer & Truck

Flak- Batterie - 20mm LAA Gun & Truck

17ª Compagnia fanteria "Pavia"

Comando - CC, Rifle, 2x HMG, Truck

Plotone fanteria - PC, 12x Rifle

Plotone fanteria - PC, 12x Rifle

Squadra carri leggeri – L3-35

25ª Compagnia fanteria "Bologna"

Comando - CC, Rifle, 2x HMG, Truck

Plotone fanteria - PC, 12x Rifle

Plotone fanteria - PC, 12x Rifle

27ª Compagnia fanteria "Brescia"

Comando - CC, Rifle, 2x HMG, Truck

Plotone fanteria - PC, 12x Rifle

Plotone fanteria - PC, 12x Rifle

102ª Compagnia fanteria "Trento"

Comando - CC, Rifle, 2x HMG, Truck

Plotone fanteria - PC, 12x Rifle

Plotone fanteria - PC, 12x Rifle

Plotone Berasaglieri - PC, 9x Rifle, Truck

Batteria controcarro - 47-32 AT Gun & Truck

XX Battaglione di Manovra

Comando - BC, 2x Rifle, Truck

Compagnia controcarro - 2x 47mm ATG & Trucks

Squadra Semovente - Semovente-M40

Batteria artiglieria - 2x 75-27 Field Gun & Truck

Batteria contraerea - 20-35 LAA Gun & Truck

132ª Compagnia carri "Ariete"

Comando - CC, Rifle, HMG, Truck

Plotone carri leggeri - 2x L3-35

Plotone carri medi - 3x M13-40

Plotone Bersaglieri - PC, 9x Rifle, Truck

101ª Compagnia motorizzata "Trieste"

Comando - CC, Rifle, HMG, Truck

Plotone fanteria - PC, 9x Rifle, Truck

Plotone fanteria - PC, 9x Rifle, Truck

Plotone Bersaglieri - PC, 9x Rifle, Truck

Compagnia controcarro - 47mm ATG & Truck

Raggruppamento Esplorante di Battaglione di Manovra (REBAM)

Comando - CC, Rifle, HMG, Truck

Squadra recognoscimiento - AB-40

Plotone fanteria - PC, 6x Rifle, Truck

Squadra carri leggeri - L3-35