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).   

Arras 1940 Re-fight (Part 1 of 4) Advance to Contact

The Allied set-up (see below, a static French Armoured Force [Composite Tank Force about the size of a battalion] guards the British Right flank [bottom of the photograph], a motorised battalion of British Infantry (8th DLI) are spread out along the Allied baseline [left hand side of the photograph], with an Infantry Tank battalion, the 7th RTR spread out in a armoured spearhead in front [middle of the photograph]):

Looking at the British Right Attack Column (see below, the line of red poker chits delimits the line-of-sight - static infantry in cover [and everything is deemed none table flat and thus can hide infantry  - stationary vehicles would be spotted up to three hexes away, moving vehicles up to eight hexes unless blocked by woods or town]):

The British advance as a closed up armoured column (see below, nothing as yet is revealed, but the British Commander is tensed up in nervous anticipation):

Adverse to closing into a "dangerous close assault from cover" situation British armoured column veers off to its right to bypass the grey village hex which could by hiding Germans (see below, the first turn was a "speeded-up" movement of three times the slowest speed [the Matilda I Infantry Tank]):

They discover to their horror that they have blundered into the "soft but spike " underbelly of Rommel's 7th Armoured (Panzer) Division - The Ghost Division. The soft being the rear echelon Artillery Regiment - the spiky being four batteries of 105mm artillery and a Flak 88mm battery deployed in direct fire mode against the British Armour (see below, yes sadly for the British, the smoke denotes that they are "live" firing):

The result being burning and damaged Matilda I's from the 105mm Howitzers and the revalation that the grey town and its surrounds is infested with German Infantry (see below, first blood to General Rommel):

This is followed by further devastation as the mighty 88mm Flak Gun (directed no doubt by Rommel himself) taking on the lightest of British armour, the Vickers MkVI Light Tank resulting in a predictable second column of burning British ex-tank smoke (see below, the results of a rather unfair fight):

The British Commander looked on in stunned silence pondering his next move.