Monday 13 January 2020

Arras 1940 Re-fight (Part 2 of 4) - Hitting the Soft Underbelly

While the Middle of the British Column is being attacked the leading elements (Recon/Scout Carriers - see below, top left in the photograph and middle respectfully) have encountered a juicy soft target, an undefended lorried column of German Infantry (see below, top-middle right in the photograph). This Motorised Infantry Battalion is part of the SS Totenkopt formation that is keeping pace with Rommel's 7th Panzer Division (see below, it has been caught completely unawares by the rapid British advance, two companies are exposed between the two villages):


Carnage ensues, as the lorried infantry are in "the worst case possible scenario" for defence purposes (see below, the passengers suffering the same fate as their transport):


One company of German Infantry is completely destroyed and the other company is routed and loses its transport for game purposes (see below, the British Carriers will follow through and claim the white Victory Hexes off the German baseline):


The final "cut scene" of the aftermath of the "charge of the British Bren Carriers" (see below, OK, technically Scout and Recon Carriers but Bren sounds more BEF 1940 period to me):


Meanwhile back in the middle of the British Column another British Infantry Matilda I troop goes up in smoke under direct fire from the German 105mm artillery (see below, the trouble is that the Matilda I has such a slow speed it has terrible problems disengaging from long range fire and those lorried 8th DLI infantry look terribly exposed to the casual observer):


The most advanced British Carrier discovers a very unpleasant secret in the adjacent village as a German Support Company (Pak 37 and 75mm Infantry Gun) open up at point blank range (see below, the trouble with these mad cavalry charges is that they can end up with a"sticky end"):


The British Bren carrier succumbs to a "sticky end" but it has sold itself very dearly (see below, it still keeps the "white victory" marked as it has sown sufficient disorder and confusion in the ranks of the advancing Germans - who thought they were "as safe as houses"):


Both sides seem to be trading telling blows in different parts of the battlefield. Confusion seems to be mounting on both sides. Urgent messages of recall are being sent to the lead elements of the 7th Panzer Division asking the Panzers to about face and return to "help out". This advocates more British "white" victory markers (one per Panzer battalion is ordered to return - Rommel elects to recall two which means the Allies have earned four victory points already). By way of contrast Rommel gains two VPs if he destroys/mauls the 7RTR, 2 VPS if he destroys the French Char Battalion, one VP if he makes the French Char Battalion retreat and 1 VP for destroying the 8th DLI. The British can attain addition VPs per German Battalion Destroyed (2 per Panzer, 1 per Infantry, 2 per Artillery, 1 per Flak 88 Battery).   

2 comments:

Martin Rapier said...

Are you playing this using Panzer Leader? I've just noticed the counters from the PL 1940 expansion scattered over some of the playing pieces.

I loved those 1940 PL scenarios... (although the Arras one left something to be deired!)

Geordie an Exiled FoG said...

Yes well spotted , we are developing a set of rules based on hexes being a less of a fiddle than multiple measurements

We were hoping to take it to CoW in some form .. maybe the full Arras?
The goal would be to make it play quick