Crusader – Episode 1 – “Unter der sengenden Sonne”

19.11.1941 14.30 Uhr In the sweltering, November heat, the 21. Panzer-Division has been tasked with acting as the Alarmeinheit for the Generalleutnant’s planned assault on Tobruk. Spread out over the vast desert between Tobruk and the frontier, the 21st and the 15. Panzer-Division cover an area the size of Cyprus. Before the renewed attack on the city can begin however, fresh reports of large-scale British Aufklärungs along the siege’s Sud flank means the 21st must investigate. A Kampfgruppe of men and Panzers heads southward into the Libyan wilds. Heading into the desolate, dusty unknown the KG must pick carefully through the alien terrain and uncover the source of these worrying claims of a new, British presence. If you are interested in joining the 23. Panzer-Division, please visit our discord to apply:   / discord   Note: We do not condone radical beliefs. Fascism, Nazism, and Anti-Semitic behavior will not be tolerated. Timestamps: 0:00 Intro 2:54 Overview 5:11 Kampfgruppe “Keppler” leads the movement south into the Libyan wastes to find the reported British contacts. 9:46 Dismounting our 251 to scout the KG’s route, discovering several groups of British infantry and Anti-tank guns in long line in front of our advance. Panzerzug rolls forward to engage the British positions 17:03 Hauptmann Keppler orders Erste Zug to prepare to Angriff through the British positions after Zweite Zug “Wagner” has secured the flank. Briefing the Gruppenführen. 24:20 A Panzerangriff of leichte “Honey” tanks suspend our forward movement, the Angriff is destroyed by Panzerzug. 30:13 Erste Zug’s Angriff forward begins. Hitting and clearing through the British positions. 34:43 The rocky and undulating terrain hides many possible places for the British to hide and advance toward our positions. Several British sections attack out of the hidden low ground to our front. Tabea sweeps into our southern flank as we plan to move south further into the rocks. 41:29 More light tanks spill across the desert as Erste Zug pushes over the rocks southward to join Zweite and Panzerzug. 46:23 Erste Zug begin planning its simultaneous movement with Zweite to clear southward. 49:52 the Zugtrupp 251 is heavily damaged by incoming Panzer fire, joining in with Dritte Gruppe to carry out the assault. 58:54 During the Angriff, Erste Gruppe is decimated by British grenades, the rest of the Zug clears the area and attempts to patch up what’s left of Gruppe “Zeiser.” 1:05:03 Surveying the carnage of Erste Gruppe. 1:09:37 The Zug is ordered to move back down to the Südwest to relink with Zweite Zug. 1:14:39 Leading the Zug back out into open ground, linking up with Hauptmann Keppler, who directs me further southward to Tabea. 1:20:36 Linking up with Tabea, surveying their and Panzerzug’s handwork in the open, upwards of 10 Honey tanks killed. British Artillery comes alive and a long barrage lands amongst the Kompanie. 1:26:30 Hauptmann Keppler hands out the orders for the next phase of movement southward. 1:31:11 Erste Zug navigates westward to go south in the open, right into the sights of a British AT-Gun. Pulling the Zug back into the rocks for cover. 1:37:25 There is more than one AT-gun, trying to find their exact location as the Zug ducks into cover. Erste Zug is blocked from moving southward in the open. Watching as Panzerzug deals with several Stuart tanks at a distance. 1:45:59 Panzerzug and my 251/10 engage Honey tanks as they attempt to flank wide to out west in the open. Several go up in smoke. Moving Erste Zug forward toward Tabea and up onto the ridgeline. 1:54:20 A company of Brits are caught out in the open attacking into Tabea’s flank, bringing the Zug to bear on the unlucky attack. The Zug pushes forward to link up with Tabea. 2:01:04 Pulling into line with Tabea. Telling Unteroffizier Zeiser to watch the low ground to his direct front just as a Honey tank pops up in his blind spot. The light tanks is immediately destroyed by Panzerzug. 2:06:06 Erste Zug holds the right flank of the Kampfgruppe. 2:10:03 Under increasingly heavy British artillery fire. A rapid Panzerangriff presses from the open ground on our west flank 2:14:23 One honey slips through and manages to destroy Dora SPW, I am knocked down by the blast. 2:15:03 The Sani’s bring me back to consciousness quite a long time later, a Panzer III is destroyed immediately to my front. Riding back up to the Erste. The Zug and the attack have progressed forward to the next ridgeline. Erste Zug is in heavy fighting to control the ground. 2:19:49 Surveying the positions, solidifying our defenses, and trying to get the Zug back on its feet. 2:25:05 The situation is stabilized, the ridgeline is captured and the British pushed back to a safe distance, Zweite Zug pushes up to watch our right flank. 2:27:41 Ende.