The Gembloux Gap Campaign Battle 03 - Blitzkrieg on Villeroux II

Since the Germans were (just!) held off in the previous battle, they have to have another go at the Blitz on Villeroux scenario, the third scenario (and now the fifth engagement) of the Too Fat Lardies' pint-sized campaign Taking the Gembloux Gap.

 

As usual, I am using "The Farquhar Variant", John D Salt's variation of the WRG 1950-85 modern rules re-imagined for the WW2 period.

 

 

The Forces:

The French:

1 Rifle command group

1 Rifle grenadier group

1 Rifle + LMG group

1 Rifle group

1 25mm ATG and limber

1 Renault R35

1 Panhard

The French platoon is really weak now after suffering heavy losses in the previous two engagements

The Germans

1 SMG command group

4 Rifle groups

2 GPMG groups

Plus the following additions:

1 SMG company command group

1 le.IG18

2 Stuka dive bombers

1 car

1 pioneer team

support from a 105mm howitzer battery

The Set-Up:

The same battlefield, although losses have forced the French to redeploy: the top wood has been abandoned, the remaining infantry section is in the bottom wood, the anti-tank gun is by the junction, the tank and the armoured car are behind the L-shaped building with the platoon command group in, and the rifle grenadiers are in the big building (top-left)

Another view

The single consolidated rifle section in L-formation in the woods, with the anti-tank gun guarding the junction

The AFVs are sheltering behind the L-shaped building

The Battle:

A German squad arrives: it has commandeered a car from somewhere and four Landsers are in it.  The remainder advance on foot.

This time the Germans are being more methodical: a battery of 105mm howitzers shells the village

Most of the French troops are suppressed, and the anti-tank guns horse team is wiped out

And then, in an early and heavy blow to the French, the rifle grenadiers are eliminated by some direct hits on the big building!

The bombardment lifts and the Germans instead bring up the smaller, but still useful, infantry gun

Then the Stukas arrive! (Okay they are 109s, but I amongst friends, no?)

Not that they spot much...which is fine, since they both miss by a mile anyway! Fortunately the Germans hadn't begun advancing much yet (the foot soldiers are sneaking through the wheatfield (top-right))

In a bold (foolhardy? rash?) move, the Germans adapt the failed tactics from the last battle and instead use the car to drive very quickly up to the building and jump out!

Another view.  The unfortunate gap left in the French arcs by the elimination of the rifle grenadier group allowed the Germans to get away with their bold move!

Most of the rest of the German platoon arrives (2 squads), led by the company commander in person and a pioneer team. 

Another view

The Renault R35 moves forward: the advanced German rifle group has hopped into the building, abandong the car; the tank therefore concentrates on pinning the Germans trying to advance by the road; however, the remainder of the first German squad has managed to get to the corner of the top wood (top)

Some devastating MG34 fire cuts down the anti-tank gun crew! Meanwhile, the French platoon command is coming under heavy fire from the rifle group in the building, plus the German infantry off to the right

The French platoon commander can stand no more, and he, followed by the rest of his platoon, beat a hasty retreat! However, just as the French rifle section is running across the road...

They are gunned down by the German MG34 and riflemen in the corner of the top wood!

Waiting for a gap in the firing, the surviving French riflemen try to escape...

But they are cut down too!

The position at the end of the battle: the German infantry is mainly by the hedge in the centre

Game Results:

The French lost 6 KIA and 12 WIA (all taken prisoner), plus the anti-tank gun and the horses.  The Germans lost no-one, only a couple of soldiers received minor wounds.

Game Notes:

The French managed to combine being unlucky and outnumbered and outgunned in a pretty terrible combination! The French casualties were distributed evenly between those from artillery fire and those cut down by machine gun fire: all very realistic and it is very possible that no one was incapacitated by rifle fire on either side...

Not much to say on this one, really.  If not using semi-realistic command and control, the French armour could have wreaked havoc on the Germans but since orders in this game have to be defined (they are supposed to be written, but since it is just me, I simply declare it) then those kind of omniscient-gamer moves just don't happen...it might have worked in this game, but on the other hand, they might well have been spotted and knocked out by the Stuka strike in short order, so who knows?  I am a bit unhappy that the Germans in this campaign don't carry anti-tank rifles though, just in case...

There should be another fight with this French platoon before it gets replaced for the final battle, but since it is literally just the lieutenant, a sergeant and a runner left, not sure how realistic that is?!? But they would have some attachments..thinking that one over.

Figures by Baccus 6mm and Adler, vehicles and guns by Heroics & Ros, aircraft by Plastic Soldier Company.