Tonights Battlegroup Blitzkrieg game was set during the German push for the coast. We used 500 point armies, drawn from the BEF and the German Panzer lists, with 'Take the High Ground' as the scenario with the BEF aptly defending.The British were set up dug in around the hill with a forward MG bunker dominating the centre ground, and unknown to the Germans, no less than four minefields! It would be a tough nut to crack.
The German attack therefore weighted one flank heavily, with all but a recce patrol arriving on the church flank, aiming to use the hill and woods, and then church ro screen the advance. The task was made easier by a first turn salvo of German mortar fire on their pre registered target point. One 80mm mortar bomb had the British FAOs name on it andnit landed inside their foxhole… a double one for their save seeing the team wiped out. This first turn calamity put the British on the backfoot with no spotter now available to support them, they would have to wait for reinforcement.
The German advance was cautious enough. Though an MG team who tried to sneak up on the MG bunker got riddled for their trouble. But the advance, well screened and with no British observer, moved forward under cover of mortar fire. As the Germans reached the church they ran into the first minefield, but got out unscathed by a miracle. They waited for their supporting armour to arrive. When it did the Germans heldmthe advance to allow the vehicles to catch up to the infantry. As they did so, British reinforcements arrived and one was able to observe for the mortars and a short barrage did little. In return, a wild German mortar salvo scattered and by the devils own luck, put a bomb on the British observer, whomwas also the Forward HQ. The resultant effect saw them all killed or wounded. Scratch the last observer… it was all getting rather like 1940!
As the German vehicles arrived, the attack resumed. Several bursts of 20mm cannon fire finally knocked out the MG bunker, though they did manage to pin a 38t who ventured too close to them. As the Germans advanced, a morale chit for the British was a mine strike, and with a roll of six, a 38t was blown to bits! But the German advance slowly rolled forward, the constant mortar barrage hammering the hill defenders and keeping them pinned down. In order to get supporting fire, one of the British platoons despatched their runner, but that too proved ineffective. But the Matildas began to oush, and as round after round pinged off them, they first took out the German 37mm AT gun, before one despatched a 38t with a long range round up the rear!
The Germans reacted with all they had. The remaining vehicles directed fire at the Matildas, and while doing no damage they became pinned, given a brief respite from their marauding. The Germans now took the church and an MG34 team in the steeple cut down a Boyes AT rifle team as it made a dash for the british trenchline to give them some support against the advancing German armour. More German fire saw more troops pinned and units lost. With command units lost, the British needed one good turn to blunt the German attack. Sadly a poor command roll saw them unable to do much, and then while trying to unpin the Matildas, the BEF battle rating finally cracked.
The BEF began the retreat to the coast…
Battlegroup Blitzkrieg is due for release at Salute 2015.
More pics here…
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