RAPID FIRE!

TUNISIAN BATTLEGROUPS

MEDEDINE - Rommel’s Final Offensive

A series of balanced battlegroups and scenarios

for the Tunisian Campaign 1942-43
For use with Rapid Fire! fast play WWII wargaming rules

by Richard Marsh
 MEDENINE - March 6th 1943
Rommel’s Final Offensive
The Road to Medinine
In November 1942, as the Battle of El Alamein drew to a
close, Allied forces landed in Morocco and Algeria to begin
the final campaign to expel both Axis powers from North
Africa. The battleground was Tunisia and an influx of large-
scale German reinforcements – far greater than anything
provided to Rommel prior to El Alamein – would ensure
that bitter fighting continued until May 1943.
As British, American and French forces advanced from the
west against the German and Italian defenders, 8th Army
slowly pursued Rommel’s retreating army along the North
African coast. When the Libyan capital of Tripoli was
finally captured 8th Army celebrated in style and then spent
many weeks re-organising and replenishing its exhausted
units, ready for the next stage of the campaign.
In February 1943 Montgomery’s 8th Army was finally able
to add its weight to the onslaught, advancing into Southern
Tunisia from Libya. By this time Rommel’s desert army
and the forces poured into Tunisia by Hitler had been
unified under the Desert Fox’s command. In the far South,
where 8th Army fought its first battles in Tunisia, the land
was desert or semi-desert, with a landscape not unlike
parts of Eygpt and Libya, but broken by extensive areas of
rugged hills and large wadis.
8th Army’s first significant encounter on Tunisian soil took
place outside the town of Medinine, where the bulk of the
German armour in Tunisia was launched against the British
spearhead, hoping to catch it off balance. By then the
original Afrika Korps panzer divisions, the 21st and 15th,
had been refitted and the ranks of their panzer grenadier
Page 2
regiments bolstered with replacements. Nevertheless, both
panzer divisions were still well below full strength and 8th
Army was now a seasoned opponent with sky-high morale.
The Forces and Games
The Tunisian Battlegroups series extends our battlegroup
concept of point-balanced units to North Africa and this
final crucial campaign. ‘Medinine’ includes 400 point and
200 point (plus 4 x 50 point options) forces for both sides
as well as an historical scenario. We have deliberately
started the series with 8th Army’s entry into Tunisia to
provide a natural continuation from Rapid Fire’s ‘Monty’s
Desert Battles’ book, enabling players to use many of the
figures and models they have acquired to play the MDB
scenarios.
Game Design
Medinine was a large battle fought over a wide front,
but it was rather one-sided and I decided to focus on the
most closely fought sector where 15th Panzer Division
was in action. This also neatly provides two divisional
battlegroups, 15th Panzer and 7th Armoured, which with
their various options can provide hard hitting mobile forces
for encounter games as well as attack/defence scenarios like
this one. Little change has had to be made to the historical
composition of the units involved to fit the battlegroup
points limit, but I did add the option of a Pheasant 17pdr AT
gun to the 7th Armoured Division force, although strictly
Below: 17 pdr anti-tank gun barrels were rushed to
Tunisia to counter the recently encountered Tiger 1.
Temporarily mounted on 25 pdr gun carriages and towed
by Quads they were codenamed ‘Pheasant’.
speaking they were only attached to 2nd New Zealand
Division at Medinine and were held well back on the
battlefield.
Orbat variations from ‘Monty’s Desert Battles
By the time of Medinine 7th Armoured Division’s tank
regiments had been fully re-equipped with Sherman
medium tanks and the equipment of its lorried infantry
battalion anti-tank companies appears to have been
standardised at an equal mix of 2pdrs and 6pdrs. Some
of the new 17pdr ‘Pheasants’ (a stop-gap ‘lash-up’ of the
new 17pdr gun on a 25pdr chassis) were also in theatre and
entering service with 8th Army’s anti-tank regiments. 15th
What Really Happened
A week after the capture of Tripoli, Eighth Army crossed
the Tunisian border and cautiously advanced north. By
February advanced elements of 7th Armoured Division’s
22nd Armoured Brigade had moved to within a few miles
of Medinine, the largest town in the far south of Tunisia.
160 miles to the northwest, Rommel was launching his
panzer divisions into the Kasserine Pass, in what seemed
to be the final act of his successful offensive against
American II Corps. However, Montgomery’s advance to his
rear seems to have unnerved the Desert Fox and when his
leading units were narrowly repelled he uncharacteristically
seemed to lose all hope of victory. Withdrawing on the 23rd
February, Rommel determined he had to deal with this new
threat from the south and planning began for ‘Operation
Capri’, the counter-offensive that would culminate in the
Battle of Medinine.
Page 3
Panzer Division, the last of the Afrika Korps divisions to
be refitted, had received enough PzIV G’s with long 75mm
guns to equip more than one medium tank company, thus
starting to replace some of the less effective Pz IIIs. Its
panzergrenadier regiments, following the massive losses
of the retreat, were re-built, most likely following the
‘European’ organisation of 10th Panzer Division, which
was better suited to offensive actions in the Tunisian
landscape.
Below: 8th Panzer Regiment Pz IV Gs advance at
Medenine. These are new tanks finished in the darker
Gelbraun that was common in Tunisia.
The Two Armies
In a potentially exposed position west of Medinine, 8th
Army’s spearhead of 51st Highland Division and 7th
Armoured Division was reinforced by 301st Guards
Brigade and 2nd New Zealand Division. Montgomery had
been forewarned of an Axis attack by ‘Ultra’ intercepts and
he adopted a strictly defensive pose, his infantry dug in
along an L-shaped line without the benefit of mines or wire.
8th Army had far more anti-tank guns than the Axis – the
majority 6pdrs, but with some newly-arrived ‘Pheasant’
17pdrs on 25pdr carriages – and they were positioned
to kill tanks, not protect infantry. Montgomery held his
own plentiful armour in reserve. He was aiming to outdo
Rommel, using the Desert Fox’s favourite tactic of drawing
enemy tanks on to an anti-tank screen.
In fact, although Rommel was now in command of all
Axis forces in North Africa (grouped into the recently
formed 1st Italian Army), the forces at Medenine were
under the control of Italian General Messe. After Rommel’s
suggestion of a pincer attack on 8th Army was rejected,
Messe and his divisional commanders opted for a multi-
pronged frontal assault under the title ‘Operation Capri,’
with the 15th, 21st and 10th Panzer Divisions attacking
from the west and elements of 90th Light Afrika and the
‘Spezia’ Divisions from the northwest.
The Attack
After several false alarms, scouting carriers reported the
Axis advance at 6.00am on March 6th. The tanks were
shielded by mist but there was no mistaking the rumble and
squeaking of massed tracks to the well-tuned ears of 8th
Army. Across the defensive frontage three panzer divisions
were each aiming for sectors held by different formations.
10th Panzer lunged at the New Zealand lines on 8th Army’s
left flank, 21st Panzer focused on the Guards Brigade in
the centre and 15th Panzer drove into the positions held by
7th Armoured Division’s 131st (Queens) Lorried Infantry
Brigade on the right.
Axis artillery opened fire at 6.30am, but the British artillery
waited until the massed tanks and transport were in clear
view and closing on the defences. 10th Panzer Division
struck first on the Axis right, aiming for Medinine, but
accurate New Zealand Division anti-tank fire repelled the
panzers when they were channeled into a wadi held by 28th
Maori Battalion. To their left, the armour of 21st Panzer
veered left on spotting a dummy minefield constructed from
bully beef tins. 2nd Scots Guards’ 6pdrs peppered the flanks
of its Pz IIIs and IVs, knocking out a dozen tanks.
However, it was on the far left Axis flank that the most
determined attack developed. 15th Panzer Division,
Page 4
Above: Sgt Andrews of 1/7th Queens’ AT company
single-handedly knocks out a Pz III with his 6 pdr. If you
wish to allow this in your game use a heroic action test
to see if a single crewman can continue to fire their gun.
only recently re-fitted following the battle for Kasserine,
launched a two-pronged attack with tanks and
panzergrenadiers against 7th Armoured Division’s Queens’
Lorried Infantry Brigade.
The Queens’ Defence
The Queens’ Brigade had all three battalions ‘up’ and in the
front line. On the right 1/5th linked with the neighbouring
Highland Division and covered the narrow Hararza Pass. In
the centre 1/7th covered the gap between this and the much
wider Wadi Hallouf and to their left 1/6th formed the link
with 201st Guards Brigade. The jumble of low hills and
wadis offered the defenders plenty of cover, but gave the
attackers the benefit of covered approaches.
15th Panzer threw two columns against the 1/7th and 1/5th
Queen’s and immediately the battle devolved into a duel
between individual gun crews and panzers. Sgt Andrew’s
6pdr crew skillfully knocked out the last and leading tanks
in a file of six and then systematically destroyed the rest.
German tank commanders exploited the terrain to fire from
hull down positions, but Sgt Andrews knocked out two
more whilst handling his gun alone.
Deflected south, 15th Panzer’s tanks then tried an approach
through Wadi Hallouf, but the 6pdrs of Sgts Crangles and
Vincent knocked out two tanks before the latter’s gun
was put out of action. Crangle’s 6pdr then went on to
destroy fourteen panzers before it was also wrecked and
the sergeant and his crew captured. 1/6th Battalion was
also involved in this attack and later, at about 10.00am,
21st Panzer joined the attack on the battalion, only for
concentrated artillery fire to drive it back.
The Afternoon Assault
At 2.00pm a renewed assault by panzers and infantry hit
both 1/7th and 1/6th Queens’ battalions. The divisional
artillery and corps medium batteries once again pummeled
the German forces and, once again, they withdrew.
Following this, elements of the Italian Spezia Division were
thrown against the left flank of 1/5th Queen’s, having failed
to penetrate the defences of 51st Highland Division. They
too were beaten off and as darkness fell the Axis withdrew,
recovery parties trying to salvage tanks being harassed by
8th Army’s guns.
Aftermath
As at Alam Halfa, Montgomery’s choice of a defensive
posture had thwarted Rommel and 1st Italian Army lost
52 out of its 152 tanks. British losses were negligible.
Although only nominally in control of the battle Medinine
was to be Rommel’s last offensive in North Africa and on
March 9th he left for Rome, never to return.
Below: A Pz IIIN gives covering fire to
panzergrenadiers. By 1943 these tanks were replacing
other Pz III models and offered useful HE support from
their 75mm guns.
Page 5
Medenine - The Game
This is a medium-sized game representing 15th Panzer
Division’s attack against 7th Armoured Division’s 131st
Lorried (Queens’) Infantry Brigade at Medenine on
March 6th 1943.
................................................
German Deployment
German forces start the game south of the road at the
southern end of the table. They move first, but only up
to 12” in the first move. Artillery may be off-table or all
ready deployed south of the road.
British Deployment
All infantry and anti-tank guns may be deployed dug-in,
but without wire or minefields, anywhere north of the
dashed blue line marked on the Battle Map. Any tanks
and artillery must begin the game north of the tarmac
road. Artillery may also be dug-in.
................................................
Victory Conditions
British to win: prevent the German player achieving
their objective .
German to win: cross the tarmac road that passes by Hir
Ksar Koutine with a minimum of 2 tanks and 8 figures.
Above: Two companies of 2nd Battalion/115th
Panzergrenadier Regiment deploy from their transport in
front of the divisional artillery position. It seems likely
that the organisation of the recently re-formed 115th
was based on the ‘European’ model with fewer integral
anti-tank guns and more ‘foot’ infantry. The trucks are
German Ford V3000Ss, quite common in Tunisia, but
often greatly outnumbered by captured British and,
particularly, American vehicles.
The Forces
British
► 7th Armoured Division 200 point force plus any
one of either the artillery, tank or infantry 50
point options
German
► 15th Panzer Division 400 point force
Tactical Tips
• British
Follow Monty’s lead and make sure your anti-
tank guns are positioned to kill tanks. Remember
you’ll be using the ‘Monty’s Desert Battles’
variation on defining front and side/rear armour
making the panzers more vulnerable. Defence in
depth is essential.
• German
The wadis provide useful cover but also channel
your attack and provide the British with ambush
opportunities. Make the most of the limited
visibility of the first 3 moves. Combined arms
assaults are essential. Remember that there are no
enemy minefields to limit manoeuvre and shield
the enemy infantry.
Page 6
Special Rules
................................................
Morale
The British battlegroups are classed as Regular. The
German battlegroups have Elite tank units with all other
units classed as Regular.
................................................
Observation
Because of the early morning mist, visibility for
both sides is limited to 18” for the first 3 moves. It is
suggested that markers are used to represent the German
forces for these moves until British units can claim
observation. We also suggest that all British units in
defensive positions are mapped and not placed upon the
table until they fire or are observed. Vehicles and figures
in the wadis may only be observed by units also in the
same wadi with line-of-sight, or by units within 3” of the
wadis’ edges.
................................................
Movement
Unless on one of the two roads, all movement is at
normal cross country rates. All high ground and the
edges of the wadis are impassable to vehicles, except at
the points marked where they are broken by a track or
passable gully as indicated on the Battle Map.
German to win: cross the tarmac road that passes by Hir
Ksar Koutine with a minimum of 2 tanks and 8 figures.
...............................................
Firing
All German panzergrenadier companies add 2 to their
fire effect throws for small arms fire. Units and weapons
further than 3” from wadi edges may only fire at targets
in the wadi (and vice versa) if firing through one of the
gaps at points marked , with line-of-sight between
firer and target.
................................................
Other Special Rules
Use any relevant rule variations in the Alamein Rules
chapter of ‘Monty’s Desert Battles’.
 MEDENINE BATTLE MAP (8' x 5')

N
Hir Ksar Koutine
Table Layout
The maps for this scenario and the
two on pages 16 and 17 are based on
the standard terrain boards used in our
‘Monty’s Desert Battles’ book. The
relief features with lighter edges are
built on to the standard boards and
the darker edged features are drop-on
 scenery. Alternatively, a cloth can be
used, with relief built up underneath it or

El Hararza Pass
represented by separate drop-on terrain
pieces.



= depression


= wadi edges


= ridge/high ground

eb


egu

Wadi Hallouf
iNd
Wa

Below: One of the Queens’ Brigade’s



 lorried infantry battalions in ‘desert

formation’, as used in any advance
across open country. The carrier platoon


 is out in front to scout the route ahead

with anti-tank platoons on the flanks.
The lorried infantry companies are
carried in a Bedford QLB and QLT and
the HQ is carried in an M3 White scout
car, more common in early 1943 and
used for a variety of roles.

Page 7
 7th Armoured Division - 400 PTS

The ‘Desert Rats’ fought through the entire Western Desert campaign, earning their famous nickname
and invaluable experience. At Alamein 7th Armoured had played a diversionary role in the south and
retained its older Grant and Crusader tanks, but by the time it crossed the Tunisian border as the spear-
head of 8th Army it was fully refitted with Shermans. The division was a well-balanced force with
lorried infantry supporting the armoured regiments, backed by plentiful artillery and anti-tank guns.

131st Infantry Brigade Group HQ Field Artillery Regiment

CO + 5 figures, Battery
15 cwt radio truck, Dorchester ACV 10 gunners, 2 x 25 pdr, 2 x Quad tractor, Jeep, Bren carrier OP

5th Royal Tank Regiment

Regimental HQ
CO: Sherman III command (75mm),
Recce troop: Turretless Stuart tank (2 x VMG) Motor Company
13 figures, 6 pdr portee AT gun, Vickers MMG, Bren carrier,
2 x 15 cwt truck

A Squadron
3 x Sherman III (75mm)

Morale Values
B Squadron Unit Status Strength
3 x Sherman III (75mm)
HQ N/A Force CO only
5th RTR HQ Regular 2 independent AFVs
5th / A Sqdn Regular CO AFV + 2 AFVs
5th / B Sqdn Regular CO AFV + 2 AFVs
Motor Coy Regular 13 figures
1/5th Bn Regular CO + 49 figures
1/7th Bn Regular CO + 48 figures
Field Artillery Artillery unit N/A
AT Regiment Artillery unit N/A

Page 8
 1/5th Lorried Infantry Battalion 1/7th Lorried Infantry Battalion
Battalion HQ Carrier Platoon Battalion HQ Carrier Platoon
CO + 4 figures, 2" mortar, 3 figures, Bren carrier* CO + 4 figures, 2" mortar, 3 figures, Bren carrier*
M3 scout car (VMG) M3 scout car (VMG)

Mortar Platoon Anti-Tank Company Mortar Platoon Anti-Tank Company

3 figures, 3" mortar, Bren carrier 6 figures, 2 pdr portee AT gun, 3 figures, 3" mortar, Bren carrier 6 figures, 2 pdr portee AT gun,
6 pdr portee AT gun 6 pdr portee AT gun

A Company B Company A Company B Company

8 figures 8 figures 8 figures 8 figures

C Company D Company C Company D Company

8 figures 6 figures 8 figures 8 figures

RASC Transport Attached MG Company

2 x 3 ton truck 3 figures, Vickers MMG, RASC Transport
15 cwt truck 2 x 3 ton truck

* Bren Carrier has a VMG whilst carrying the crew.

* Bren Carrier has a VMG whilst carrying the crew.

Below: A lorried infantry company debuses.

Page 9
 7th Armoured Division - 200 P0ints

131st Infantry Brigade Group HQ 1/7th Lorried Infantry Battalion

CO + 5 figures, Battalion HQ Carrier Platoon Attached MG
Dingo scout car (VMG), 15 cwt radio truck, Dorchester ACV CO + 2 figures 3 figures, Bren carrier* Company
3 figures, Vickers MMG

Mortar Platoon Anti-Tank Company

3 figures, 3" mortar, Bren carrier 6 figures, 2 pdr portee AT gun,
6 pdr portee AT gun
Morale: Force CO.

1/5th Lorried Infantry Battalion

Battalion HQ Carrier Platoon Attached MG
CO + 2 figures 3 figures, Bren carrier Company
3 figures, Vickers MMG

A Company B Company
8 figures 8 figures

Mortar Platoon Anti-Tank Company

3 figures, 3" mortar, Bren carrier 6 figures, 2 pdr portee AT gun,
6 pdr portee AT gun C Company D Company
8 figures 6 figures

Morale: CO + 47 figures (Regular).

A Company B Company
8 figures 8 figures
Field Artillery Regiment
Battery
10 gunners, 2 x 25 pdr, 2 x Quad tractor, Jeep, Bren carrier OP

C Company D Company
8 figures 8 figures

Morale: CO + 49 figures (Regular).

Morale: Artillery unit.

Page 10
 +50 PoinT Option +50 PoinT Option
Squadron, 5th Royal Tank Regiment Artillery Batteries
3 x Sherman III (75mm) Field Artillery Battery
10 gunners, 2 x 25 pdr, 2 x Quad tractor, 2 figure OP team

If chosen remove D Company from the 1/7th Lorried Infantry

Battalion.

Morale: CO AFV + 2 AFVs (Regular).

Anti-Tank Battery
7 gunners, 25 pdr ‘Pheasant’ AT gun, 6 pdr AT gun

+50 PoinT Option

1/6th Lorried Infantry Battalion
Battalion HQ Mortar Platoon
CO + 4 figures 3 figures, 3” mortar

If chosen remove 2 figures from, A, B and C Companies of the

A Company B Company 1/7th Lorried Infantry Battalion (total 6 figures).
8 figures 8 figures
Morale: Artillery unit.

Anti-Tank Company
+50 PoinT Option
6 figures, 6 pdr AT gun,
C Company 2 pdr AT gun Battlegroup Transport
8 figures
For 1/5th and 1/7th Lorried Infantry Battalions
2 x M3 Scout Car (VMG), 2 x 15 cwt truck, 4 x 3 ton truck,
2 x 2 pdr portee, 2 x 6 pdr portee

For 1/6th Lorried Infantry Battalions

M3 Scout Car (VMG), Bren Carrier, 3 ton truck,
2 pdr portee, 6 pdr portee

For Artillery Batteries

Morale: CO + 37 figures (Regular). Jeep, Bren Carrier, Quad, 6 pdr portee

If chosen remove C company from 1/6th Lorried Infantry Battalion.

Morale: N/A - transport only.

Left: Queens’ lorried infantry dug in. For the play test of
Medinine I created some new sangars to represent dug-in
positions. Sangars were piled stone emplacements built
when the ground was too hard to dig into. Mine are
pebble dashing stones (off my house!) super glued to
a base. Just represent the front to make them easier to
place on drop-on ridges and wadi edges.

Page 11
 15th Panzer Division - 400 PTS

Part of Rommel’s legendary Afrika Korps, 15th Panzer Division played a key role in his desert victo-
ries, but was nearly annihilated at El Alamein. Reinforced, but still drastically under strength, it fought
under Rommel with the DAK at Kasserine, but was then refitted before the Battle of Medinine. Lacking
many of the veterans of earlier years, the 15th of this period was nevertheless a formidable opponent,
with four motorized panzergrenadier battalions supporting 8th Panzer Regiment’s new tanks.

Kampfgruppe HQ 8th Panzer Regiment

CO + 5 figures, Kübelwagen, radio truck Battalion HQ
CO: Panzer III command (VMG)
Recce Platoon: Panzer II (20mm)

Company
1st Bn, 115th Panzergrenadier Regiment Panzer III (long 50mm) (CO), Panzer III (long 50mm)
Battalion HQ 4th (Heavy) Company
CO + 2 figures, heavy car 3 figures, PaK 38 50mm AT gun,
prime mover

Company
Panzer III (short 75mm) (CO), Panzer III (short 75mm)
1st Company 2nd Company
9 figures, MMG, truck 9 figures, MMG, truck

Company
Panzer IV (long 75mm) (CO), Panzer IV (long 75mm)

3rd Company SP Infantry Gun

7 figures, 81mm mortar, truck, heavy car Company
sIG 33 (150mm) SP
infantry gun

Company
Panzer IV (long 75mm) (CO), Panzer IV (long 75mm)

Page 12
 2nd Bn, 115th Panzergrenadier Regiment 33rd Artillery Regiment
Battalion HQ 8th (Heavy) Company Battalion
CO + 2 figures, heavy car 3 figures, 75mm infantry gun, 10 figures, 2 x 105mm howitzer, 2 x Sdkfz 11 prime mover,
prime mover Kübelwagen, Sdkfz 253 OP half-track

5th Company 6th Company

9 figures, MMG, truck 9 figures, MMG, truck

Morale Values
7th Company
9 figures, 81mm mortar, truck, heavy car Unit Status Strength
HQ N/A Force CO only
8th Pz HQ Elite 2 independent AFVs
Pz Companies Elite CO AFV + AFV
CO + 33 figures (inc
1st Bn / 115th Regular
independent AFV)
Below: The 15cm self-propelled SiG 33 provides 2nd Bn / 115th Regular CO + 32 figures
supporting fire alongside the 75mm infantry gun.
33rd Art Regt Artillery unit N/A
These SP guns fought through the desert and Tunisian
campaigns, although greatly reduced in numbers by
early 1943.

Page 13
 15th Panzer Division - 200 P0ints

Kampfgruppe HQ 1st Bn, 115th Panzergrenadier Regiment

CO + 5 figures, Kübelwagen, radio truck Battalion HQ 4th (Heavy) Company
CO + 2 figures, heavy car 3 figures, PaK 38 50mm AT gun,
prime mover

Morale: Force CO. 1st Company 2nd Company

9 figures, MMG, truck 7 figures, MMG, truck

8th Panzer Regiment

Battalion HQ
CO: Panzer III command (VMG)
Recce Platoon: Panzer II (20mm)

3rd Company Regimental

7 figures, 81mm mortar, truck, heavy car Infantry Gun
Company
sIG 33 (150mm) SP
infantry gun

Company
Panzer III (short 75mm) (CO), Panzer III (short 75mm)

Morale: CO + 31 figures (Regular).

Company
Panzer IV (long 75mm) (CO), Panzer IV (long 75mm)

Morale: HQ is a CO independent AFV and an independent AFV.

Companies are a CO AFV + AFV. (All AFVs are Elite).

Page 14
 +50 PoinT Option +50 PoinT Option
Company, 8th Panzer Regiment 2nd Bn, 115th Panzergrenadier Regiment
Company Battalion HQ 8th (Heavy) Company
Panzer IV (long 75mm) (CO), Panzer IV (long 75mm) CO + 2 figures, heavy car 3 figures, 75mm infantry gun,
prime mover

5th Company
9 figures, MMG, truck

If chosen add 2 figures to 2nd Company of 1 / 115th

Panzergrenadier Regiment

Morale: CO AFV + AFV (Elite).

6th Company (Part)

7 figures, 81mm mortar, truck

+50 PoinT Option

33rd Artillery Regiment
Battalion
10 figures, 2 x 105mm howitzer, 2 x Sdkfz 11 prime mover,
Kübelwagen, Sdkfz 253 OP half-track

Morale: CO + 21 figures (Regular).

+50 PoinT Option

2nd Bn, 115th Panzergrenadier Regiment
6th Company (Part) 8th (Heavy) Company
4 figures, heavy car 3 figures, PaK 38 50mm AT gun,
prime mover
If chosen add a company of 6 figures to 1 / 115th Panzergrenadier
Regiment (2 each to the HQ, 2nd and 3rd Companies)

Morale: Artillery unit

7th Company SP AT Platoon

9 figures, MMG, truck Marder III (76.2mm)

If used without the other part of 2nd Battalion nominate one figure
to act as battalion CO.

Morale: CO + 40 figures if combined with other part of 2nd

Battalion or CO + 18 figures if used alone or with other 50 point
option(s) and independent AFV (Regular).

Page 15
 Alternative Scenarios
Medinine provides an opportunity for the 15th Panzer 400 point battlegroup to attack and the 200 point 7th Armoured
Division 200 point (plus a 50 point option) to defend, but how can you use the other forces in games? Here are some ideas
for non-historical scenarios.

Battle for the Pass

(400 points v 400 points: Table size 8’ x 5’)

Pitch both 400 point battlegroups against each other in this encounter
battle. In a rare Rommel-like moment Monty thrusts 7th Armoured
Division into Tunisia ahead of 8th Army in an attempt to capture the The Game
vital El Jarra Pass. Rommel has a similar idea and sends the newly We suggest a game length of 16 moves.
refitted 15th Panzer Division to capture the same objective. ................................................
Movement
Movement is at cross county speed. All
high ground is passable to vehicles at half
cross country speed.
................................................
Victory Conditions
To win: drive the enemy force out of the
area between the green dashed lines.

To draw: both sides have active units

inside the area between the green dashed
lines.

The Forces
British
► 7th Armoured Division 400 point
force enters from the red arrow-
marked area of the table edge.

German
► 15th Panzer Division 400 point
force enters from the blue arrow
marked area of the table edge.
2nd Bn/115th Panzer Grenadier
Regiment may substitute a PAK
38 AT gun for the 75mm infantry
gun.

Both forces may only move 12”

on to the table on move 1.

Page 16
Delaying Action
(400 points v 250 points: Table size 8’ x 5’)

In this scenario the 400 point 7th Armoured Division force tries to push
past and through a 15th Panzer Division rearguard. The Tunisian border
has been crossed and elements of 15th Panzer have been rushed forward
to slow the advance of 8th Army’s spearhead.
The Game
We suggest a game length of 16 moves.
................................................
Movement
Movement is at cross county speed. All
high ground is passable to vehicles at half
cross country speed.
................................................
Victory Conditions
British to win: reach the German end of
the table with a minimum of 2 tanks and
8 infantry.

German to win: prevent the above.

The Forces
British
► 7th Armoured Division 400 point
force enters from the red arrow-
marked table edge. This force
may only move 12” on to the
table on move 1.

German
► 15th Panzer Division 250 point
force. The 200 point battlegroup
may deploy anywhere below the
dashed green line. Infantry and
guns may be dug-in.

One of the 50 point options may

enter from the German table edge
as a reinforcement from the blue
arrow-marked table edge from
move 8 onwards. It may only
move 12” on its first move.

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Below: a crucial moment in a Medenine game as a Panzer IV and panzergrenadier company spearhead an attack along
the upper reaches of Wadi Hallouf. As in the real battle, the British player has kept his 2 pdr anti-tank gun to the rear
of the defences, well supported by a dug-in infantry company. One of the attached Vickers MMGs covers the other
side of the Wadi, whilst a carrier platoon (also as in the real battle) provides a mobile strike force to blunt infantry
attacks. Remember that dug-in infantry and supporting weapons need to be within 3” of the wadi edges to be able to
observe and fire at enemy units moving along the wadi floor. In the background it looks as if an artillery OP has taken
up residence in the village of Hir Ksar Koutine. This may mean that the 50 point artillery option has been selected, so
as well as the 25 pdrs, an additional 6 pdr and the dreaded Pheasant 17 pdr may be concealed nearby, ready to fire. Of
course, the German player has probably got at least one other attack going in on the flank, splitting the British fire and
threatening the rear of these positions.

TerrainTip
I created my wadi edges from a number of irregularly shaped drop-on terrain pieces, some of which can be seen in this
shot. These were built up from dense foam glued to hardboard bases and then cut and sanded to shape before coating
with ceramic tile adhesive and then textured paint. They all follow the same cross section, with one steep edge and the
other sloping gently downwards. They can also be used to provide some of the drop-on high ground needed for the non-
historical scenarios on pages 16 and 17. No matter how flat the desert in Libya or southern Tunisia there were always
slight dips and undulations; difficult to represent other than by using these versatile terrain features.

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