The Eightieth Anniversary of D-Day Commemorative Game - 02 Hundred Hours.

Editors Note: Continuing with our 80th D-Day Anniversary theme for this month's club meeting, some of the chaps got together to run a clandestine attack on a German D-Day gun battery with overtones of the attack on the Merville Battery on the eve of the landings.

Devon Wargames Group - The Eightieth Anniversary of D-Day Commemorative Game - Chain of Command

If you missed the first AAR in this series of games you can pick it up in the link above.

In addition, if you would like to read about the other D-Day inspired game run at the club this month then I attach a link to Nathan's, 'Stumpy's Wargaming Blog' where you can read his AAR on his 'A Walk in the Park, Le Mesnil Patry' game using Rapid Fire Reloaded, link below.

Stumpy the Toxic Blog - A Walk in the Park, Le Mesnil Patry

JJ

Scenario: 0200hrs, 5th June 1944. The Normandy coast. 

A German gun battery threatens the landing ships due to arrive later that day. The battery is patrolled constantly, with dog handlers and sentries roaming all over the site.

Main objective: Destroy 2x 88mm guns with dynamite.

Secondary objective: Destroy 2x munitions dumps to prevent supplies being sent to reinforce other positions on the coast.

British paratroopers chose to attack the site from three different directions (each a corner of the table), the ‘characters’ carrying dynamite entering nearest each gun emplacement and other men (troopers) acting as diversions and support.

Maintaining stealth for as long as possible, the officer crept down a slope and despatched three sentries in succession without raising the alarm level unduly. He was able to plant the dynamite on the more exposed gun and retreat towards the nearest munitions pile before it went off. Supported by a trooper with a silenced pistol, they removed two sets of guards who had come to investigate…

On the opposite corner, the Sergeant was leading his group stealthily across a field to attack the second gun in the bunker.

Without complete detection, he placed a charge.

To his surprise it went off before he could make his escape and he was in line with the bunker aperture as it went off. The main objective had been achieved.

Fortunately he escaped serious injury, and was able to continue into the compound towards the munitions piles.

By now of course the element of surprise had been lost.

The German officer led the counter attack through the trench works, taking shots at targets of opportunity on the adjacent hill as the third team of paratroopers tried to suppress German reaction to the explosions.

Despite his better aim, the German officer’s pistol failed to deter the troopers on the hill, and they were able to eliminate a pair of sentries and a dog handler to relieve the pressure on the sergeant who was going for the munitions.

Keen to achieve the secondary objective also, so as to give their comrades the best chance possible for a successful beach landing later that day, the British men fought to the bitter end.

Despite a well marshalled response by the site’s guards, the attack was a pyrrhic victory with both objectives achieved in the end, despite almost total losses of men on both sides.

This game was really good fun to watch as the two sides tried to outmanoeuvre each other.

My thanks to Mark, Matt, Lawrence, Rob and Paul for playing out an entertaining game in good spirits.

The Eightieth Anniversary of D-Day Commemorative Game - Chain of Command.

Editors Note:

The significance of the 6th of June 1944 cannot be overemphasised in its importance as the beginning of the final chapter of the Second World War in Europe and its immeasurable contribution to the Allied powers victory over the Axis powers as a whole, leading in the wake of their defeat to the establishment of a new democratic World order that faces significant challenges today as the generation that landed on the beaches of Normandy grow fewer every year.

Our county here in the south-west of England was in the cockpit of the invasion of Europe in 1944 with the US 28th and 4th Infantry Divisions training here and sailing from its ports and harbours and with the 101st Airborne flying from its airfields on the eve of D-Day, and with US troops training for landing on Utah Beach in April 1944 off Slapton Sands suffering more casualties (749 killed and 200 wounded) during Exercise Tiger at the Battle of Lyme Bay than they would lose on D-Day itself. 

Historical wargaming has a very unique capability of vividly retelling the story of the sacrifice made by 'The Greatest Generation' and allows those of us involved in the hobby, and in this instance the Devon Wargames Group, to pay our own tribute to their sacrifice with deep respectful gratitude that, whilst enjoying the games we play, everyone gets to walk away from the table, hopefully with a deeper appreciation of their efforts that freed the world of tyranny.

JJ

SCENARIO

The Allies have left the Normandy beaches behind them and are now pressing South and East to liberate more of occupied France. An American force is approaching a village which their scouts inform them contains a not insignificant German force comprising infantry and armour. 

The village itself covers the western side of the board. To the East are fields and woods. A road runs North to South through the centre and separates the village from the woods and fields to the East. Any armour on either side must enter within six inches of this road. The Americans close in on the village, their infantry sections are supported by an armoured platoon.

ACTION

The Americans' initial approach is tentative. They manage to set up a mortar concealed in a farm yard in front of the village. An infantry section advances down their far left flank, concealed by woods and an M5 Stuart tank positions itself on the road at the north side. The Germans quickly react calling for armour support and two Stug IIIGs appear together with a Pzkpfw 35H with 32cm rockets attached to its sides. 

The Stugs open fire on the Stuart tank and successfully knock it out. At this point one of the German players rolls four sixes. Not only does this mean it is the end of the turn and he will also be able to start the next phase, but it requires a dice roll on the random events table. The result is torrential rain which reduces visibility to just 18". Far from ideal for the German defenders who want to throw everything they have at the advancing Americans as they close in.

The Germans use this opportunity to run a section out from the village to take position behind a stone wall surrounding a field on their right flank. A PaK 40 gun is set up on the crossroads where the village street meets the north south road. The Americans continue to probe and a scout team separates from the section on the Eastern side and moves up through the woods. The Germans set up their command halftrack in woods on their base line near the Eastern end of the village and two Marder IIIs position themselves to the East of these woods. Perhaps wisely, the German side decides to spend a COC dice to end the turn. As a result the torrential rain ceases and visibility immediately improves.

The Americans have brought more armour in the form of two M4 Shermans and another Stuart into the fray. They also use a COC dice to move a friendly jump off point on the Eastern edge (their left flank) 18" towards the enemy positions. It is concealed behind woods and from this they launch two more rifle sections to support the one earlier deployed. These units emerge from the woods to target the German section positioned behind the stone wall. 

As they break cover, they are hit by rifle and LMG fire from the German section they were hoping to dislodge. In addition to this a tripod mounted HMG in on the first floor of a building overlooking the woods also opens fire. All three American rifle sections start to take casualties and shock also begins to accumulate.

While this action has been taking place on the Eastern side, German and Allied armour has been engaged in a long range slugfest with the Americans losing two Shermans. The Marders are unscathed, but the two Stugs have taken some damage and shock and one is forced to pull back. The Germans now take this opportunity to fire all the rockets from the Pzkpfw 35 H and all watch in wonder as they all end up evrywhere except where they were aimed. Fortunately there was no live stock in the fields where they land.

At this point in the game with most of the American armour completely out of action or with engine damage, and the infantry assault on their left flank being robustly repulsed, it looked like the Germans would carry the day and retain control of the village. However, the Americans were not yet beaten. As their infantry units are forced back into the woods, two LMG teams are deployed from the jump-off point behind the woods together with a Bazooka team. 

From the cover of the woods the LMGs target the German infantry behind the stone wall and inflict casualties and shock. At the same time the American mortar team in the farmyard successfully targets the German tripod HMG in the building causing a casualty and some shock. The Bazooka team target the nearest Marder and hit its more vulnerable side armour. Instead of using the Marder's mounted LMG to return fire, both Marders continue in their long range duel with two newly arrived Shermans on the North edge of the board.

When the German section behind the wall is forced to retreat due to excess shock, the two American LMG teams are able to turn their attention on the tripod HMG in the building. Eventually the HMG team breaks together with a section with a senior leader who were in the same building. Meanwhile the Bazooka team, having knocked out the first Marder start to target the second one beside it. Again hitting it in its weaker side armour.

It was now clear that with most of their armour knocked out or incapacitated and with two infantry sections breaking (including a Senior Leader), the German position was no longer tenable and a victory was awarded to the Americans.

A big thank you to Jason for planning the game and letting us use his wonderful models, buildings and terrain. He got the scenario beautifully balanced and was an excellent and very patient co-umpire.

Mike