Platamon #3*
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Anzac Delay vs German 2 Pz Division Advance*

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16 April 1941*

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Scenario Design: Pyros Lambert*
Map Design: Pyros Lambert*
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Primary Objectives:*
You should deploy in the South-East end of the trail and you must assist the local defense.*
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Secondary Objectives:*
You should try to delay the enemy.*
You should try to inflict maximum damage to the enemy.*
You should be very cautious with the casualty rate of your Core Force because you might face total destruction during this battle!*
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INTEL:*
You will face one Bn of Infantry troops, one MC Bn and 100 Tanks and AC vehicles advancing from the North.*
The village will be target of a multi-directional attack, and the enemy patrols will try to infiltrate your lines and attack the village from the rear.*
I suggest you to deploy your artillery assets somewhere to the SE corner of the map (but also provide them a couple of close combat security troops).* 
The castle will face a frontal combined attack but most of the Tanks will get stuck before they can reach the other side of the ridge.*
Be cautious with the enemy ON-Map artillery units and try to counter-strike them at any occasion (look for smoke traces).*
The enemy will receive as reinforcements several ammo unit (resupply) next to each on map artillery after turn 50.*
If everything fails try to make a last hold next to the artillery park in the center of the map.*
Whenever possible try to take advantage of the tall buildings.*
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Historical Background*
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The Coastal Route and the Platamon Tunnel*
(text from www.nzetc.org)*
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That night, 15-16 April, 2 Panzer Division sent up reinforcements—1/304 Infantry Regiment and more engineers and artillery. The Germans now had 100 tanks, one battalion of infantry (1026 men), the reinforced Motor Cycle Battalion (more than 1050 men), 1/74 Artillery Regiment (twelve 105-millimetre and four 150-millimetre guns), and other artillery and specialist units. These opposed 21 Battalion, one troop of 25-pounders and one section of engineers, a total of little more than 700 men. So effective had been the fire from the four 25-pounders that 2 Panzer Division estimated that from two to three troops (8-12 guns) were in support of the castle position.*
Balck decided to attack again from front and flank. The 2nd Motor Cycle Battalion was to re-attack Pandeleimon, supported this time by 1/304 Infantry Regiment; ? Panzer Regiment, with one company of infantry under command, was to attack frontally; the artillery was to fire a preliminary bombardment and would then give close support. To Balck's annoyance contact was lost during the night between tanks, infantry and motor cyclists, and it was not possible to synchronise the attack. *
At nine o'clock in the morning of the 16th, following a deception attack at first light, the bombardment started against the castle and surrounding field positions. On the flank the Motor Cycle Battalion attacked with one company moving up behind Pandeleimon, the other three on front and flank. After a very bitter struggle with little success the appearance of 1/304 Infantry Regiment coming up to give support turned the tide, and Pandeleimon was captured with all field positions in the area. Success gave the opportunity to move down the ridge along a good track to roll up the rest of 21 Battalion.*
The tanks had been accompanied by engineers to help force a passage, and their story is well told by a participant:*
The right-hand company of tanks forced its way forward through scrub and over rocks, and in spite of the steepness of the hillsides got to the top of the ridge. The country was a mass of wire obstacles and swarming with the enemy. In the thick scrub visibility was scarcely a yard from the tanks, and hardly a trace was to be seen of the enemy except an occasional infantryman running back. The tanks pressed forward along a narrow mule path. Many of them shed their tracks on the boulders, or split their track assemblies, and finally the leading troop ran on to mines … and completely blocked the path. A detour was attempted. Two more tanks stuck in a swamp and another was blown up on a mine….*
Colonel Macky withdrew his battalion a few minutes before ten o'clock, and Balck signalled to 2 Panzer Division that the castle had been captured at five past ten; he said that his forward units had suffered 25 per cent casualties. The 21st Battalion got clean away, crossed the Pinios River, and by nightfall reached the village of Tempe at the western end of the gorge; its casualties had been light—36 killed, wounded and missing.*
The Germans tried to press the pursuit, but immediate advance was impossible as the tanks could not get down the castle ridge. The infantry, badly mauled, needed reorganising. The tunnel through which the railway passed the castle ridge almost at the edge of the sea had been so thoroughly blown that the engineers estimated it would take five days to clear. Actually temporary repairs were effected sooner, but as late as 20 April engineers reported that the tunnel kept falling in and no set time could be given for repairs. One company of tanks tried to get forward along the edge of the sea but found this impossible. In the end the tanks were towed over the ridge, such a slow process that only 25-30 tanks had been got across by eleven o'clock next day.*
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