The Battle at Girba, Bumfluff's second fight.

For his part in the attack on the ridge south of Fort Capuzzo Bumfluff was favourably noted by his commanding Officer.  He has been promised that he will get his second pip if he continues in this fashion.

16th June 1940, 2nd Lt Bumfluff Farthingdale`s Troop of the 11th Hussars is patrolling on the Italian side of the Wire in their Rolls Royce armoured cars.

At about 7.30am, the Hussars spot an Italian column heading north along the track from 

Sidi Omar to Fort Capuzzo. The column, under command of Colonel Roerto De Niro consists of: 

*  Elements of one motorised Libyan battalion of infantry 

* 3rd Company, 9th Light Tank Battalion (L3 tankettes) 

* one platoon from 9th Light Tank Battalion HQ  (L3 tankettes) 

* One section of four 77/28 guns from the Libyan 17th Battery 

A total of 200 soldiers, four 77/28 guns, sixteen L3 tankettes and thirty trucks. 

The Hussars spotted the main body containing trucks and tankettes, as well as an advance guard of a company of infantry in trucks and four more tankettes slightly separated from the main column. 

The Troop of the 11th were ordered to withdraw  whilst anti-tank guns were brought up from 4th Armoured Brigade HQ, but had by then already attacked the column in front of him. 

Leading his three  Rolls Royce armoured cars past the L3s at the rear of  the column the British Lieutenant opened fire on the truck-born infantry causing heavy casualties. 

At that moment, and No.5 Troop arrived, marching to the sound of the guns, but then an Italian field gun came into action and the Hussars retreated to the cover of a small rise and radioed in the latest situation. 

Meanwhile, although the original request for anti-tank guns had gone astray, elements of J Battery, 3rd Royal Horse Artillery rolled up and joined in.  

This is a classic L3 vs Rolls Royce A/C fight in open terrain.

Map & Terrain

The terrain consists of a large, gently undulating but open plain totally devoid of any cover. Along the northern edge is a rough track running east west. There is no bonus for movement on the track, but any vehicle that moves off the track must roll 2d6 at the start of its turn. If it rolls a ‘double 1’, then it has become temporarily bogged down, and cannot use its initiative dice for movement that turn. Otherwise it moves as normal over rough ground. The southern edge of the battlefield comprises a gentle slope running down to the north.

The Road to Girba

And a convoy of the 10th army, deep inside Libya.

What's that coming over the hill?  Is it a troop of the 11th Hussars?  Well yes..

The Vickers in the R/R turrets hammer away at the convoy

The Italian response.  The Charge of the L3 tankettes.  Two of them bog down immediately. 

An exchange of fire - goes the Hussars way

The Motorcyclisti platoon are decimated on the move by the Vickers Mmg from just one Armoured Car. that of Sergeant Pitkin.  Steady Norman my boy...

Bumfluff breaks through to the convoy and a target of opportunity.

The Hussars spend a COC dice to bring on reinforcements.  It's Mr Grimsdale and his troop, with two portees in support.

But the Italians are reacting too.  Two guns deploy on the road.

A second wave of L3 tankettes is broken by the 2pdr A/T gun portees, and more Vickers fire.

Bumfluff is brewed up.  He escapes with his crew intact

As a third Italian gun deploys

The L3 tankette graveyard has a lone survivor.  But now the Italians can spend a COC dice and bring on the reserves from the tail end of the convoy.

Tenente Macaroni eyes up the portees on the ridge.  

He quickly loses two more L3 tankettes, and another bogs down.   Italian morale fails.  Time to retreat!  

The second troop of the 11th Hussars advance into a sea of burning tankettes.  The remains of the motorcyclisti platoon have taken cover in the sand dunes and are keen to surrender.   

Bumfluff has lost two armoured cars but won a major victory.  I dice to find his reward.  A promotion!  Finally Bumfluff has his second pip and is now Lieutenant Bumfluff Farthingdale.  

Unfortunately the campaign table also reveals that the Colonel is upset about the loss of two of his precious cars.  Could Bumfluff be facing a future transfer as a result of his heroics?

Troop Sergeant Major "Mr" Grimsdale and Sergeant "Norman" Pitkin also survive the battle intact.