Providing that Lincoln Airsoft Club are forthcoming after our meeting this sunday, about hosting a North Africa game, I was wanting to propose the following key points for a game based on the battle over the Kasserine Pass.
Site: Kirton Linsey site (Site Reccie Sunday 23rd August) Matt, Carly, Craig, Dean and David attending.
If they're receptive about having a private day/days there, I think it would be great to propose this sorta game:
Things to consider:
* First North Africa game across the board for all WW2 games
* Unique in which as it *should* be held at a site which creates the immersion of being in a desert.
* US Contingent - Big Red 1
* Axis Contingent - DAK (21st Panzer Division)
* Kasserine Pass - 1st time the US met the Germans in WW2
* Regular US infantry kit, with the addition of an extra waterbottle
* Quite a few of the Germans already have temperate kit, would we allow the temperate versions of the SS, FJ etc in the absence of folk managing to get a full DAK kit?
* Might encourage Germans to get Temperate gear if more games were proposed to use it (cue discussions on Crete/Italy/Egypt/North Africa games)
* Base it around the area where Task force 'Stark' were situated, in the 2km wide Pass Northwest of Kasserine
* Could run a number of attack and Counter-attack games, where there is no real premise or expectance for any side to "fall back" historically (Well the US fled, but Rommel ran out of resources and backed off in the end)
* In the battle the US suffered from bad leadership, and were regularly asked to defend positions which the Germans had already seized, a defensive game could be turned on it's head and be made into an assualt and vise versa.
* Terrain suited for utilising whatever the Blaggers have, should they chose to want to play, create the feel of being overrun by superior armour.
* The US artillery strikes often missed in the conflict, due to the co-ordinates being delayed, so the rounds would fall in behind the germans,... could ring up a barage to land on the ground in the distance.
* LAC charge £15 a head for a walk-on open-dayer to play, which is quite inexpensive when it comes to charging punters.
* Sides.... would 15 vs 15 be suitable numbers (to be checked on site on Sunday regarding capacity, facility and gaming area size)
* 24 hour game with break in the evening, or all day game?
* Saturday or Sunday (LAC depending)
* Event timing - June time ish, and hope it's hot, will aid in creating the impression of being in a desert
* Any other points to consider.
Yes, nice. We'll see what the site people say on Sunday.
Game leangth wise I think a single day would be best, it alows them to run anything else on the otherday and doesn't put people off who only want to play a single day.
I think we'll get the numbers, given that it is DAK, which are popular, and people like an excuse to wear their yellow shirts. Though it is the US infantry that might be harder to precure enough of... Still, after speeking on Sunday we can announce giving people pleanty of time to get kit together if so wanted.
An extract from my researching, a Lt in E company, 16th Infantry remembers North Africa (typically boiling down Kasserine itself to a single sentance).
Then at 1100 hours, November 8, the landing was made on ARZEW BEACH, without casualties, and the Company moved inland over 15 miles of sand to bivouac at LOGRANDE. The next day Company "E" took up the advance guard for the Battalion's march on ORAN. The first sign of the enemy came at 2305, when a flare was sighted and 75mm artillery fire began falling to their rear. The advance continued, and at 2315, the enemy opened up with machine gun and rifle fire, wounding 3 men in the point. At 2335, as the Company deployed to meet this resistance, Pfc Smith became the first man in Company "E" to die a hero's death in the war, when he was killed by enemy fire as he emptied his automatic rifle into the enemy line. Another bad piece of luck occurred immediately afterwards�enemy shell fire ripped into a high-tension wire overhead, which fell on and killed 3 men, in addition to lighting up the whole area and disclosing the disposition of every man. The Battalion formed a new line, and the next day drove on to ORAN, which surrendered.
Road blocks and pickets were set up and operated, and raids were carried out for Nazi sympathizers. Awards were presented; a ceremonial parade held with units of the French Army, the Company moved to VALMY, ALGERIA to form a security guard for an airbase. The men got their first look at foreign women Arabs, who were off limits, and French, who weren't! there was plenty to drink, souvenirs to buy, and the amazing filth and ability to steal of the Arabs was a source of constant wonder. The first Christmas away from home will be hard to forget wading knee deep mud to the kitchen in anticipation of a promised turkey dinner with "all the trimmins", they were greeted with cold salmon. The howls of rage were loud and long. The turkey came three days later.
The end of January, 1943, found Company "E" back in the fight near REBAA, TUNISIA, and there were skirmishes and patrols for a month, leading up to a defensive position at KASSERINE PASS. The Jerries attempted to break through, they were stopped and the Battalion pulled back for a rest, when Jerry struck again, this time with all he had. The Battalion was thrown back into the defense, and though subjected to heavy 88mm and tank fire, assisted in completely routing the enemy and practically annihilating the 10th Panzer Division.
Continuing to EL GUETTAR, Companys "E" and "F" made the famous bayonet charge to take Hill 606, driving the enemy from dug in positions with hand grenades, and stopping only when the Company Commander and one platoon were captured. In the attack of Hill 374, Lt. General McNair, then Army Ground Force Commander, was injured while in Company "E" Area, which was being subjected to heavy shelling.
The entire engagement at Kasserine only lasted a few days, of which nothing outstanding other than "we got dicked on and had to fall back" would have been recorded lol! 