Tuesday 24 December 2019

Talking about a "Matilda", but not the Roald Dahl one, even though it is Xmas!

The "Master of Leipzig" from Battleground 2019 placed a special request, to play some more Blitzkrieg France 1940 (Panzerblitz, Avalon Hill style) in early January 2020, with the BEF. To the spares box I went and found a covey Skytrex 1/200 Matilda I's and II's Battalion which beckons forth the Battle of Arras. A "Battalion of BEF infantry" and an "Infantry Tank Battalion" should suffice to represent "Frank Force". The only 'fly in t he ointment' being the Matilda I assembly process (see below, this tiny micro tank comes in 'four pieces' - out with the superglue):



The first company (Coy) of Matilda I's completed (see below, equivalent to the German Panzer I albeit much slower, armed with a single HMG - the redoubtable Vickers machine gun):



The 7th RTR had two companies of Matilda I's. Each model represents approximately 4-5 actual vehicles therefore the Company has three models [in the Arras battle 4th RTR had 35 Matilda I's and 7th RTR had twenty three Matilda I's and sixteen Matilda II's]. I have six Matilda I's and four Matilda II's tanks, along with two BEF Bren Carriers and a MkVI Light Tank to represent the 7th RTR (See below, that is thirteen models in total using Command Decision and Spearhead OoBs):


The three tanks of the heavy company (Matilda II's) are shown below, plus a fourth tank for the Battalion command tank (see below, the only issue I have with the metal models are the "Western Desert" external "extended range" fuel tank - I may have to "snip" them off):



The origins of this Order of Battle sates back to 1990 when I first started a rejuvenated interest into wargaming (a second birth) when I was living in Aberdeen, UK. I picked up Frank Chadwick's "Command Decision I" from Virgin Games on the high street, long before the Internet when you had to find stuff in shops. Inside the CD rule box was a quarterly newsletter (called The Command Post), in Section S-2 Intelligence the Order of Battle Section the British Infantry Tank Brigade, France 1940 by Jeff Glasco was given (see below, it seems to have lasted the test of time given my reading of France 1940 since 1990):

First Army Tank Brigade

  • HQ: 1 x Matilda I (Command Tank)

4 RTR (Battalion)

  • HQ: 1 x Matilda I (Command Tank), 2 x Carriers, 1 x MkVI Light Tank
    • Light Squadron: 1 x Matilda I (Command Tank), 2 x Matilda I
    • Light Squadron: 1 x Matilda I (Command Tank), 2 x Matilda I
    • Light Squadron: 1 x Matilda I (Command Tank), 2 x Matilda I

7 RTR (Battalion)

  • HQ: 1 x Matilda II (Command Tank), 2 x Carriers, 1 x MkVI Light Tank
    • Light Squadron: 1 x Matilda I (Command Tank), 2 x Matilda I
    • Light Squadron: 1 x Matilda I (Command Tank), 2 x Matilda I
    • Medium Squadron: 1 x Matilda II (Command Tank), 2 x Matilda II

Note on actual strength: Prior to engaging in combat, total Matilda strength dropped to 58 Matilda Is (12 stands), and 16 Matilda IIs (3 stands) due to mechanical breakdowns.

Background References:
http://www.4and7royaltankregiment.com/1940-1941/

3 comments:

Martin Rapier said...

Bob Mackenzie has a detailed OB and maps for Arras on his website. I used it to modify the relevant Memoir 44 scenario. All my Matldas are plastic! (Zvezda)

Geordie an Exiled FoG said...

Cheers Martin
I will be sure to take a look!

Geordie an Exiled FoG said...

Just read another post about the Matlida I and to my intense relief I see I have put the mudguard to the back ;)