AAR Rearguard action on the Aa Canal, May 1940
This week the Mechanicsville TUES Night skirmishers played a Bolt Action WII game. It was a play test for a game I will be running at Historicon. The Rearguard scenario is a modified game that was posted on the WWPD forum page a few weeks ago.
The battle is based on the French counterattack against a small Wehrmacht bridgehead made across the Aa Canal in late May 1940.
The Germans were the defender and had to set up the entire force of 9 out of 10 teams within 12" of the center line. The 10th team was the PzIII and it must come on after turn 1 as a reserve unit. Once deployed the defender chooses 2 Objectives all within the 12" box along the center line and each OBJ must be at least 12: away for each other. The Germans must hold the center line for at least 3 turns and cannot move out of the 12" box until turn 3. The Defender can also choose to use "hidden placement."
German Inf defend the pasture
The French (attacker) can select up to 1⁄2 of his units (12 teams) to act as a reserve. The French commander chose only to place the FT -17 in reserve. It was also held off board for 2 turns for a flank attack. The French deployed the 3ea Inf Sqd's in the center, the MMG and 57MM AT gun on the right flank and then the 2ea 75MM artillery and Souma Tank on the left.
French Commanders deploy their forces
The Attacker rec'd a preliminary bombardment. the defender "may" also rec'd massive defensive bombardment. Same rule as preliminary but must be rolled for and ordered by surviving FWD OBV! The first turn al the attackers must be given only an advance or run order!
Forces: The Germans had a HQ (1LT & NCO) 2ea Inf Sqd's, 1ea Pio Sqd, ATR Tm, FWD Obv tm, 50mm Mtr, MMG, PaK 37, PzIII ,
The French had HQ (2lt & NCO) 3ea Inf Sqd's (w/ VB grenades) Medic Tm, FWD OBV Tm, MMG Tm, 57mm AT w/ track AFV, S-35 tank, Ft 17 tank, 2ea 75mm Artillery (1ea 75mm was free of pt cost due to Fr doctrine)
Game Length: Minimum 6 turns; at the end of turn 6 roll 1D6 on a 5-6 battle ends, otherwise continues anointer turn. Add ‘1" to each die roll the next turn (4-6 ends fight) etc..s or until there are NO surviving Germans on the field whichever comes first. If the game ends and there are surviving defenders on the field when the game ends they are considered captured abut NO VPs' are awarded for them.
Objectives & VP: The Germans selected 3 OBJ's. 1st was the church corner (almost center of board) , the 2nd Chateau wall (far right of board) , 3rd was a destroyed truck far right and behind the chateau. (On the very edge of 12" box). 5 VP goes to each OBJ captured by the French. 2VP rec'd for each OBJ not under FR control after turn 3. The Germans rec'd 2VP for every team that withdraws off the battlefield. One VP for each Fr team KIA and 2 VP for ever German Team KIA's.
The Battle:
Turn 1: The French preliminary bombardment while causing many pin markers only kills one Infantry man and MMG gun crewman. The Germans think they dodge a bullet… The Germans replied with the next couple of chits and were able to rally most of the force and removing almost all the pin except on the two on the Anti tank Rifle and only one two pin markers on the 1LT himself. The French next gave the chit to the FT 17 but announced it was on a flank march. The German 50mm Mtr tries to acquire the enemy MMG as a target but rolled a 2! The rest of the turn the French force advances using the woods as cover.
German ATR team helps defend the village
Turn 2: On the first chit pulled the French FWD OBV calls in a strike on the Church steeple…hitting 4 nearby teams and raining down terror! Placing on multiple Pin markers and killing the Germans FWD OBV hiding on the top floor of the chateau! OUCH!!! Next the 75mm on the hill start "direct fire" against the church steeple but due to the hidden troops and hard cover prove very hard to hit (takes 2 sixes) The French Ft 17 is still on the flank attack off board and the seeing the French all advance forward the 50mm Mtr team picks up their tube and runs away towards the woods. The ATR again fails to rally but the rest of the troops in and around the church roll well with help of their steady combat vet 1LT.
French attack starts…
FT-17 on flank attack
Turn 3: The 1st chit pulled brings on the PzIII. The 2nd chit was French and the 75mm gun takes a long shot at the Panzer…The French player next rolls three "6's" in a row for hit, penetration and kill! This equals to one burning tank! The Germans now place ambush on most of their units allowing the PaK 37 to fir on the advancing S-35 tank, hitting and immobilizing it for a turn (gave it a down marker and one pin) the FT 17 arrives on the field on the far German left flank and the Pioneers in the woods move towards it to defend against the flank attack. The 50mm Mtr keeps running back but halts at the edge of the 12" box. (Cannot leave box until after turn 3) many of the French move up and fire into the church but again the hidden placement and stone walls are tough to crack…they did rec'd one pin marker.
PzIII arrives
French 75mm sees a target….
Burning PzIII….OUCH!!!
Turn 4: All three French Inf teams are within assault distance of the church. They had hoped to lead the attack with the S-35 but the Germans placed the PaK 37 on ambush again and once more hit the tank and again forced it to go down and rec'd a2nd pin marker. They then switch to the FT 17 but after it advanced failed a CMD to allow it to both fire and move (One man turret rule) The turn ended with the Germans rec'd 6 VP for holding all three OBJ's that turn. The Pioneer next assault the Ft-17 but only one out of 6 of the engineers hit the small tank and does NO damage! The French are laugh as they fall back. They later lose 2 pioneers to MMG fire from the FT 17 and MMG on the hill. The German Plt Ldr fires to fire his SMG but fails his CMD roll due to one pin marker and FUBAR'S firing on his own troops in the church but misses!
S-35 leads the attack
French Infantry advances
Turn 5: the first chit drawn is the PaK 37 and it fires but misses! Feeling game time may be slipping the orders 1st Fr Sqd assault the PaK37 killing the crew and capturing their first OBJ. With that success the French orders the S-35 to advance but it fails the Command check due to two pins and falls back but not before taking a shot from the ATR…the ATR discover he does NOT have enough punch to kill a Souma from the front! The 1st German squad withdraws across the bridge pass the burning PzIII followed by the 50mm Mtr. The French 2nd Sqd now assaults the church but after a tough fight loses 4-5! Only three surviving Germans are now defending the church rubble. The Germans are ahead on VP's! The French drop a luck indirect fire on the steeple and kills off the MMG.
French MMG supports the attack but has been targeted by the German 50mm Mortar
Turn 6: The French 3rd Sqd now successfully assaults and captures the church losing only one man. And captures the 2nd OBJ. the ATR picks up his gun and runs towards the bridge and safety. He is followed closely by the French 1st Sqd when they are assaulted by the German PLT leader in a desperate attack. The German 1Lt loses without killing a man! Even with the death of the 1LT and capture of the church the French are only now tied in VPs'. To remedy this, the FT-17 makes a desperate assault on the surviving Pioneers. Despite being shot up and 1 pin marker the Pioneers still have morale of "9" BUT rolls an " 11" on the assault and lose the fight…that dammed FT-17 is winning the battle. Unfortunately for the French the battle continues into turn 7.
French Infantry assault a German squad
FT-17 wins assault vs German Pioneers
Turn 7 with the French now up by 2 VPs and only one German team on the field (ATR TM) the Germans pull the first chit and runs the ATR across the bridge…giving the Germans 2 VPs and with No enemy on the field the battle ends in a tie! If the French would have pulled the first chit they may have captured the last OBJ and 5VP's!
A tough fight for both sides…
