20th May TBL_2

    • The 20th dawned and the French moved first. 11 SP arrived for them.
  • Their plan was simple, they desired to put some localized hurt on the German attackers in Belgium, reinforce Namur and begin building a second defensive position along the Maignot – Tournai axis. They realized that the Couvin Charleroi positions were thin at best, but hoped for the terrain to make the difference.
  • The Allies move forces and conduct supply assessments. The Belgians lose the 10th and 1 Arty unit, the 2nd XXXX HQ and 2nd Cav also evaporate due to supply woes. Liege remains in trace by a hair.
  • Several French barrages in the Ardennes fail to DG advancing Germans. The 4th Panzer‘s 7th AC unit is destroyed by 2M.
  • The opportunities to attack were limited and the desire to retreat was muted by the confidence of the French who feel solid and able to react with several strong formations in striking distance in reserve. There are however a disappointing number of German units DG‘ed. No where near as many as hoped for, that and only 2 units eliminated make for a less than stellar performance this turn on the back of a great turn or two.
  • – Looking at the map the Allies wonder if a wholesale retreat by the Belgians is not indeed a wise move, using them and the Brits to protect the ports and the French to cover France…..maybe next time.

  • German Turn.

    With the French winning initiative again it has stalled attempts at momentum. Surveying the board the Germans realize that Metz and Verdun are perilously under strength. The Allies have stripped that area thread bare. Time to fix that. Then they will seek to finally penetrate the dense woods once and for all and regain the upper hand in the Charleroi area.


  • Hipshots at the Thionville fortress DG it with a reduced Stuka formation! A natural 12. Dice Gods smile on the German Player.

    That alerts the FR!


  • The 8th Pzr attack South and penetrate to Stanay south of Stonne. Successive airstrikes @ the 52nd MG II for France fail to DG it north of Charleville. Crossroads near Couvin the Stukas score again with another 12! This clears the road junction. GD 12-4 advance to support the DG‘d 1st Panzer in its desperate attack down the road.


  • Arty moves forward aggressively to attempt to pop FR units off of Reserve status, and prepare the battlefield for the combat phase and subsequent Exploit of Reserves. The Germans place several divisions in the Ardennes (5/7/10th Pzr + SS:T) in reserve mode.

    Final air missions mostly fail and 2 air formations are lost to flak 111‘s and 109E‘s.


  • 20thMotorized and 3rd Pzr arty are used to swipe at the Reserved FR 1Motorized. The 3rd Pzr AC moves to Gembloux.

  • Note the thin wedge at Gembloux! Can something be made of this ?


    The 4th Pzr who overruns a weak unit at the end tail of the river just north of Namur takes a loss with an Option, on a 6% chance of losses….ouch, 1/35 dies for the Fatherland. Additional forces move to reinforce that break thru. Arty prepares to fire at forces hedge hogged near by.

  • Namur undersiege, or is it? The German fight to get back into supply

    The Reserve/Reaction phase sees the French Arty DG 6 Pzr, 2nd Armoured arty DGs the GD Regiment and 1M Dg‘s the advanced 3rd Pzr and 20M. The rest of 1M moves out of German Arty range.

    A BIG Reserve effort for the French. Even the Brits are impressed.


  • The German combat phase begins with the highly risky assault of the Maginot line in the South. This attack will use up a load of SP, the attack is 37 CF with an AR of 4, versus 4 CF with an AR of 3, but a level 4 Hedgehog. OUCH. – We are not using the 2 step rule here for fortresses. It was not in the original rules and I prefer RAW versus a 100 house rules. IF the designer wanted it that way he would have wrote it that way. Just saying.


  • The attacker takes a step loss and forces an option on the defender. This eliminates the Fortress. German Infantry pour into the breach. Further West that pesky MG II finally meets its maker with 6 units ½ DG‘d attacking. 2nd Armoured had reinforced 2XXXX HQ and German Arty hits it DG‘ing the armor reducing its strength to 3 from 6. In a bold but likely stupid move GD III and 1st attack this DG‘d stack of French. Yep…. A Pzr Bn bites it, and only 1 step dies for the FR. The 1st Armoured holds the crossroads still. Son a gun. Getting thru the Ardennes is taking FOR EVER!!!!


  • The force buildup around Namur was to allow an attack on Namur. This is cancelled. We are blowing thru SP like a crack whore.

  • A close up on the minor breakthru at Gembloux.

    The Exploit phase comes. 5th Panzer pick up where the GD Regiment left off. Killing one step and forcing the 2nd Amroured back one hex. FFS, please let me clear the road say the Germans!!

    In a fit the Germans overrun again with just enough MPs. No losses are incurred for the Germans and they advance to hex 34.01. YES!!!

    That final overrun frees the rest of the forces in Reserve to attack Cavalry Arty on the roads to the West. 10th Pzr executes attacks and then doubles back to cut off the rest of 2nd Armoured, suffering no losses (22%). SS:V and 7th push thru the gap toward the south of Charleroi.

  • German Losses todate


    Back towards the tail end of the river north of Namur,the HQ in a Level 1 Hedgehog has 2 more units in the stack. All are DG. With some units in Reserve that were to be used for an attack on Namur the Germans decide to take ANOTHER chance. They attack AND succeed! There is now a two hex wide hole NW of Namur, above Charelroi.

  • Total Loses for Allies todate

     

2 thoughts on “20th May TBL_2”

  1. Great AAR.

    It was interesting how you had to ramp up your intensity on the attacks (and the risk) to change the situation in the German’s favor. As Guderian says, Nicht Kleckern sondern Klotzen! (Boot them, don’t tap them).

    I’ve followed the various house rules on Maginot. I don’t know of any real historical evidence that the original conception is incorrect – that if you want to hold it, you better man the line with real units as well. The fact that there aren’t great strategic targets behind the line is probably in practice the best defense, in 1940 and now.

    As in any OCS, the sympathy meter for someone who denudes a front of men and reserves and gets smacked is running pretty low.

    Was there supposed to be pictures on the AAR a couple of editions back (the 14th?).

    1. no.. it got a bit tense that turn, and I spaced out and forgot , no video either!!! Details for all the rest! Promise!

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