Iraq 1941 - Battle of Fallujah (pic heavy)

[dadlamassu]

Yesterday we fought out a game based on the Battle of Fallujah.  Not much lead in this game.

Situation:
The RAF base at Habbaniyah is no longer under siege and the breakout towards Baghdad is about to begin.  The ground has been deliberately flooded an virtually all of the approaches are almost impassible.  However, ingenuity and determination have allowed the British, Indians and Assyrian Levies to approach Fallujah.  The plan is based on the real one.  The main assault will be made along the road from Habbaniya to Fallujah to capture the bridge intact.  Meanwhile flanking forces cross the Euphrates and circle round to attack from the north.  A company of the KORR will be flown in behind Fallujah to cut the main road.  British forces - 3 companies Assyrian Levy, 1 Company KORR, 1 Company Gurkhas, 2 x 3" mortars, 2 x 25 pdr (off table), 1 Armoured Car Company with air support of 2 x Audax (2 x 250lb and 8 x 20 lb bombs), 2 x Oxford (8 x 20lb bombs), 1 x Gladiator, 1 x Valentia.  Mission:  to capture the bridge intact and clear the road to Baghdad.

The Iraqis have, for some reason, not prepared the bridge for demolition.  They did not do this in real life. The town is defended by a battalion of 3 companies of Iraqi infantry, 2 x 18pdr guns and some supply and medical units.  The local militia did not take part in this action (bad die rolling).  A relief column of 2 motorised infantry companies and on engineer half-company is on its way from Baghdad.  Mission:  to hold Fallujah in order to allow the engineers to destroy the bridge.

The town of Fallujah (The river should be much wider)



The Bridge (it should be much longer)


For a few hours after dawn the RAF and artillery pound the town breaking the morale of one of the Iraqi companies and the local militia.  The others re-deploy and hold firm.   Then mid-morning the assault begins.


Under cover of the constant air raids the KORR arrive.


The Iraqi artillery is strafed and put out of action.


The KORR deploy as off table the Iraqi reinforcements are pounded by the RAF just as happened in the real battle but the Iraqi player thought he was really going to gt them.  Silly boy!


The fighting at the bridge intensifies as the Iraqis put up quite a fight.


Iraqi AA fire damages one Oxford.


The Audaxes exact their revenge!  The 18pdr and its tractor are destroyed, the infantry half-company battered and their morale breaks.


Wheeling round they support the Levies clearing of the bridge. The flanking forces appear much to the surprise of the defenders.


Circling overhead the Audaxes support the attack wiping out the Iraqi AA Teams as they do so.


The bridge is taken as the Iraqi artillery tries to flee only to be strafed by the Audax overhead.


With the British closing in the battle ends.


The Iraqi commander suddenders to the KORR on the Baghdad road.


Alan

[Raz]

Nice battle report. Looks like good fun Thanks for posting!

[njetkulturny]

Nice report.

I have found some eyewitness accounts of the german air support in the theatre. ( A few Heinkel planes and the worst planning on german behalf one could imagine.) But this is, of course, all in the beginning of the campaign.

Good to see some old favorites again. The Airfix Ponton Bridge and a Yesteryear Rolls Royce. Please correct me if I am wrong.

Cheers Alexander

[dadlamassu]

I have found some eyewitness accounts of the german air support in the theatre.

Good to see some old favorites again. The Airfix Ponton Bridge and a Yesteryear Rolls Royce. Please correct me if I am wrong.

Alexander,

I'd love to see the Luftwaffe accounts (translated if possible - my German is pretty weak from lack of use).  I have seen and read almost everything in English that I can lay my hands on including General Clark's own account.

Yes you can see the Airfix Pontoon Bridge (over the much too narrow Euphrates).  The three Rolls Royce armoured cars are resin from Frontline wagaming with crew, additional MGs and Boys Anti-tank rifles added by me from Airfix soldiers, wire and Raventhorpe or Tumbling Dice weapons on wire Scarff rings.


Alan

[Helen]

Great report Alan.

Helen

[postal]

very nice 20mm right?

[dadlamassu]

very nice 20mm right?

Definitely.  The figures are almost all plastics from Airfix, Revell, Esci/Italeri, HaT and Emhar with a few metals as officers and specialists.  The Light Dragons, limbers and some weapons are Raventhorpe metal models.   The armoured cars are resin, the wagons from Imex ACW range and the cars are toys picked up quite chreaply wherever I can find them!

Eventually I may do some 28mm figures but nobody makes Iraqis in that size,  Thus making it a bit of a non-starter as a collection.