Kasserine Pass

19 & 20/2/42

v1.2

Defeated at the Battle of Faïd Pass and Sidi Bouzid, American forces fell back on 17 Feb 1943 to Kasserine Pass in western Tunisia. Axis commander Erwin Rommel immediately proposed a plan to strike further west into French Algeria to further undermine American efforts in the region before the arrival of the British and Commonwealth forces from Libya. On 18 Feb, he submitted this westward attack to Field Marshal Albert Kesselring for approval, which came down at 1330 hours on 19 Feb. His attack plan, however, had been altered by his superiors; while he wanted a concentrated westward attack toward Tébessa in French Algeria, the plan had been altered so that his forces were divided against two separate passes. He nevertheless commenced the attack later on the same day despite his complaints. Although at this point he had never engaged in major combat with American forces, he did not think the Americans were up to the task of defending against his armoured attacks

From https://ww2db.com/battle_spec.php?battle_id=270

The scenario commences about halfway through the morning of the 19th February. The 33 Panzer Aufklarungs Abt's attempt at a coup de main has failed and the Germans have brought up Panzer Grenadier Regiment Afrika to continue the attack.

Map and Order of Battle

Axis Deployment

The Axis deploy second but move first

Panzer Grenadier Regiment Afrika deploys north east  of river CH. It may not be deployed on Djebel Sammama and must be deployed over 6" from any US unit

Artillery Regiment Afrika may start the game deployed off table, or deployed touching edge BC

33 Panzer Aufklarungs Abt is deployed south west of the railway line and south east of Djebel Chambi

The Logistics for Kampfgruppe DAK may be deployed anywhere on table edge BE

Panzer Abteilung Stotten is a reinforcement on Turn 2 on the 19th. It enters the table between points C and D

Stab DAK (Rommel) arrives during the night interval, and may be deployed within 6" of any axis unit.

The XIV Battaglione 5º Bersaglieri and CCIV Gruppo Artiglieria arrive during the night interval and deploy north east  of river CX, no further north west than point X. They may not be deployed on Djebel Sammama. They must be deployed over 6" from any allied unit.

The 86 Panzer Grenadier Regiment arrives turn 3 on the 20th. It enters the table between points C and D

The 90 Artillerie Regiment arrives turn 5 on the 20th. It may be deployed off the table or enter  between points C and D

Battaglione Carri Centauro arrives turn 4 on the 20th. It enters the table between points C and D

Allied Deployment

The Allies deploy first and move second

I/26 Infantry deploy in the green area of Djebel Sammama

The 805 Tank Destroyer Battalion and the 19 Engineers deploy within 9" of T junction X, The engineers are lightly dug in behind sangars (1 left shift cover). The engineers have 12" of antitank mines placed within 6". The mines have no effect on non-mechanised infantry stands.

2e Batterie, 67e RAA  is deployed on the road CX anywhere north west of ridgeline Z.

HQ TF Stark is deployed within 6" of any US unit.

US Logistics can be placed anywhere on table, accessible to vehicles

Battery D 105th Coast Artillery Battalion is deployed within 6" of any US unit in a location accessible to vehicles

3/6th Armoured Infantry is deployed during the night interval. It is deployed, dismounted, on Djebel Sammama, over 6" from any Axis units and no further south east than the most north westerly Axis unit on the Djebel. If these conditions are impossible to meet it is deployed, mounted, on the board edge within 9" of point A.

3/39th Infantry Battalion may be deployed during the night interval as the US player chooses, over 12" from any Axis unit. There are special rules regarding this unit's deployment options, see below. It must be able to trace line, that does not pass through enemy ZOCs, back to table edge FH. The line may start on a Djebel but not enter then exit an Djebel area. In effect this is likely to limit the unit to north west of point X.

Gore Force and its associated Logistics are deployed during the night interval. They must be touching road AX and deploy no more than 18" from point A. They may not deploy within 12" of the Germans. If these conditions are impossible to meet they are deployed on the board edge within 9" of point A.

894 Tank Destroyer Battalion arrives on turn 4 on the 20th between points G and F.

Terrain

The table is 4ft x 6ft if playing 6" = 1km

The red lines are roads made of crushed rock. The recent rains mean they are in poor condition. Other than providing a bridges they have no game effect

The black dotted line is a railway. Other than providing a bridges it has no game effect.

The thick blue lines are rives with very steep banks and are treated as wide rivers. It has been raining and the water level is high.

The thin blue lines are rocky streams and are counted as normal rivers

The brown dotted line is a level 2 ridgeline. It may not be touched by vehicles

The brown area is the rocky slopes of Djebel Sammama. This area is counted as level 2 for spotting purposes. No unit may dig in on the Djebel.

The olive green areas are rocky scrubland with bushes and stunted pine trees. Units in this terrain are treated as level 3 for spotting purposes. The Djebel Chambi is the highest mountain in Tunisia and is very steep. There is an additional -1 activation penalty (for a net -2) for units touching this area. No unit may dig in on the Djebel.

The bright green area is scrub.

Djebel Chambri from: http://www.worldatlas.com/articles/highest-mountains-in-tunisia.html

Aircraft

The allies made some desultory attempts to support their forces during the battle. Each turn roll 2d6, on an 11or 12 an RAF Hurricane or USAAF P-39 arrives

Special Rules

The game runs over two days the 19th and 20th of February. There are 8 turns on the 19th followed by a night interval then 8 turns on the 20th

The 33 Panzer Aufklarungs Abt is passive on the 19th February but normal on the 20th.

During the night interval, any Allied minefields, that are not within 6" of an Allied unit will be removed. Historically the Germans lifted the mines overnight.

Off table artillery is assumed to be 6" off the German table edge, so 6" is added to all measured ranges. The German player may bring the artillery, and supporting units, on table if he wishes. The artillery must not fire for a friendly and enemy tern. The turn after it may enter though its original deployment zone as if a reinforcement.

Historically the 3/39 Infantry was spilt up and did not fight as a coherent unit. During the deployment phase of the night interval its stands can be added to any other allied unit with a big base. It is up to the player how many stands are so allocated. If this reduces the strength of the 3/39 to one or two stands then place the remaining stands on a small base before deployment.

Any unit entering the Djebels will have to abandon its AT guns and will get an AT rating of "pure".

The start of the 20th is foggy and al ZOCs, not on the Djebels, are cluttered. Maximum visibility in all cases is 6". No aircraft missions will arrive. The fog clears on turn 4.

Note that all logistics in the game is motorised. It can not be used to supply units that are entirely on terrain that is impassable to motorised units i.e. the Djebels, or across the central river if friends do not hold the bridges.

Victory Conditions

To win the Axis must achieve three out of the four victory conditions.

There are four victory locations: Djebel Sammama, Djebel Chambi, road exit A and bridge Y.

To count the Djebels there must be no, large base, Allied unit within, or partially within, each individual Djebel area.

To count the road exit there must be no, large base, Allied unit within, or partially within, 9" of the exit (measured from the middle of the road).

To count the bridge there must be no, large base, Allied unit within, or partially within, 9" of the bridge (measured from the middle of the bridge).

References

5th Bersaglieri Regiment: http://home.earthlink.net/~frenchgreg/id2.html

10 Panzer Division Gliderung: http://www.yeide.net/Public/10thPanzerDivisionOOB.pdf 

105th AA Battalion: http://www.airdefenseartillery.com/online/ADA%20In%20Action/WWII/WWII/Kasserine.pdf

805th Tank Destroyer Battalion Diary: http://www.tankdestroyer.net/images/stories/ArticlePDFs/805th_Bn_Diary_Jan_17_43-May_29_43-9_pages.pdf 

An Army at Dawn, Rick Atkinson

British Armies in WW2 an Organisational History, Vol 1. David Hughes et al

Centauro Division: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/italianisti/message/4674

Engineers in Battle Part 3 - Defensive Operations: http://www.wood.army.mil/usaes/library/documents/EngineersInBattlePart3DefensiveOps.pdf 

Kasserine Staff Ride: http://www.history.army.mil/books/Staff-Rides/kasserine/kasserine.htm

Northwest Africa: Seizing the Initiative In the West, George F. Howe: http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/USA-MTO-NWA/USA-MTO-NWA-24.html

The Operations of the 894th Tank Destroyer Battalion (II Corps) in the Battle of Kasserine Pass 19-26 February 1943, Lt. Col. David Ramsey

Panzertruppen Vol 2, T Jentz

RAF in the battle for Kasserine Pass: http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=26315

USAAF Chronology: http://paul.rutgers.edu/~mcgrew/wwii/usaf/html/Feb.43.html