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Kasserine Axis Briefing

In early 1943, following the Allied invasion of Algeria and Morocco, and Rommel’s defeat at El Alamein, remaining Axis forces throughout North Africa have been streaming back to Tunisia, pursued by tenuous Allied forces badly hampered by supply bottlenecks. Whatever fresh Axis forces are available in Southern Europe have also been hurried over to Tunisia to form the new 5th Panzerarmee under von Arnim.

The British 8th Army advancing from the east has been temporarily halted in front of the fortified Mareth line, waiting for their bulk of the army to close up and enough supply to arrive to allow a major attack to be mounted. This has allowed Rommel, with the remaining mobile forces of Deutches Afrika Korps, to join with the mobile elements of 5th Panzerarmee in an attempt to inflict a serious defeat on the Allied forces advancing from the west.

These comprise Allied 1st Army, with roughly a strong US corps, a British corps, and a weak French corps formed from the colonial army units of the old XIXth military district. The British have the northern flank, the French the centre and the Americans the fairly open southern flank. The Americans in particular are advancing very fast indeed, trying to reach the east coast of Tunisia and cut the Axis forces in two. To this end the Faid and Fondouk passes through the Eastern Dorsale mountains – last obstacle before the sea – were seized by the Allies, but not in force.

Two weeks ago 5th Panzerarmee mounted a local offensive that took back the Fondouk pass from the weak French Division that was holding it, badly mauling the French into the bargain as they have only obsolete equipment and little armour or air. This prompted the Allies to realise they were over-extended and the French incapable of defending against a Panzer assault. In response, American formations were hurriedly sent north to strengthen the French line.

Now Rommel’s mobile group, having moved west to Gafsa, is approaching from the south, driving scattered US and French elements before it, and the mobile elements of 5th Panzerarmee are poised to strike through either the Fondouk or Faid passes or both. Rommel’s plan is to have them strike at Faid and then unite with his corps to form a single large armoured thrust far into the Allied rear through Thala or Tebessa, hopefully destroying the American corps in the process. Von Arnim’s plan is far more limited: inflict a bloody nose on the Americans yes, but have the armoured formations separate and have 5th Panzerarmee turn north far sooner to take some pressure off other passes in the Eastern Dorsale, which have very thin scratch defences and are barely holding against British pressure.

Allied dispositions opposite the proposed assault area are believed to be roughly

- Fondouk area: remnants of French Division Constantine plus a regiment of the US 34th Infantry Division

- Faid area: Combat Command A of the US 1st Armored Division, including a regiment of the US 34th Infantry Division

- Sbeitla area: centre of gravity of Combat Command C and HQ of US 1st Armored Division, although these forces are dispersed. Administrative base.

- Feriana area: one RCT of the US 1st Infantry Division

- Scattered across the rear areas: assorted odd French and American garrison battalions.

- Off-map SW, withdrawing from Gafsa: a few US Rangers plus a weak division of French.

- Off-map to the north: more French including a brigade-strength corps reserve, plus the remainder of US 1st Armored, 34th Infantry, and 1st Infantry Divisions, all corseting French positions

- Further north still, the British could choose to halt offensive operations and send aid from their corps of one armoured and two infantry divisions.

In total the Allies have at least 9 divisions in the field in Tunisia (3 each US, French and British). With the combined Axis mobile forces numbering no more than 3 weakish German divisions plus a few Italians, it is necessary to defeat the Allies in detail, and quickly too. The supply situation is tenuous at best. It is hoped to capture fuel (and vehicles) from the Americans.

Initial air strength of the two sides is comparable, but the Axis air strength represents all of the aircraft available in theatre. Whilst your aircraft will initially operate at maximum effort, they cannot all be employed in ground-support missions indefinitely so support will drop off over time. The major American forward airbase is at Thelepte (near Feriana): overrunning this would disrupt the Allied air effort.

There is not much time available in which to mount this attack. In not more than 10 days some of the DAK units will have to be sent south to bolster the Mareth line. Additional US forces are available in Algeria and Morocco: up to 1000 miles from the front it is true, but the 2nd Armored and 3rd Infantry divisions are known to be fully ashore and more are arriving, and the Americans have already demonstrated astonishing mobility in this campaign.

The Axis objective is to inflict as serious a defeat as possible on the Allies, particularly the US II Corps. If possible, exiting supplied Axis units from the game area northwards from the Thala (exit A) or westwards from Tebessa (exit H) boxes into the Allied rear area would have a profound effect on the 1st Army build-up.

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