Historical Plan of the Germans.

I Battalion attacked Stonne from the North.

II Bn screened Bois Raucourt and maintain contact with the Pzer forces. While III Bn protected the right flank by defending the woods to the west. The Sturm Pioneers took the Bois de Grand Cote and south. The 4^th Auf. Screened Bois Mont Dieu.

The French 4^th BCC and 205^th R.I remnants held the Village and the 6^th GRDI held the area south of the Village.

The German initial assault was inside Stonne by 0700. By 1100 the French center fought back and retook the village by this time. 1700 the Germans counter attack and re take the village. IIIBn, 10^th Pzr and Pzr Jager company lead that effort.

At night the French counter attack. On Day 2 the 16^th the French counter attack and re take Stonne. Over the course of the battle the village is destroyed and taken and lost many times.

http://www.cheminsdememoire.gouv.fr/en/battle-stonne-trail-battle-may-june-1940

You can read a very nice over view of the battle at the above link.

Lets now turn to look at each sides plans. Our goal is to play thru the opening scenario and then if it is interesting and or worthwhile we will expand the game play on into the campaign.

 

In this article here the Char B1’s get some love. https://warisboring.com/47857-2/

https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/warisboring.com/images/B1_bis__Flandres_-970×350.jpg

“That morning, the Panzer IIIEs and IVDs—then the best tanks in German service—deployed to stave off a French counterattack.

Suddenly, a squat green tank lumbered around a street block directly before of the German unit. This was Eure, a 31.5-ton Char B1 bis tank commanded by Capt. Pierre Billotte. His driver, Sergeant Durupt, triggered the 75-millimeter howitzer fixed in the front hull roared, smashing the Panzer III to the rear of the column. At the same time, Billotte swiveled the smaller 47-millimeter high velocity cannon in the turret and picked off the lead tank—a mere 30 meters away.

The wrecks trapped the Panzer company in a head-to-head confrontation with the Gaelic behemoth. 37-millimeter rounds cracked from the long barrels of Panzer III tanks and ricocheted off Eure’s turret. Low-velocity 75-millimeter shells made basso thuds as they spat out the stubby guns of Panzer IV tanks, only to shatter in clouds of shrapnel against the French tank’s glacis.

More than 140 shells cratered Eure’s armor—but none penetrated. Billotte coolly blasted one Panzer after another.

Once he had destroyed the entire company—11 Panzer IIIs and two Panzer IVs in all—Billotte …”

Well you get the idea, hit the link for the rest of the article. Now in my experience with this title, this does not bear out in anyway possible that I am aware of. What has been your experience if you have played either – This title or some tank on tank situation with equivalent units? I’ve always seen the German armour to end up being ‘superior’.

 

 

Wouldn’t it be nice to play on a larger single map with bigger hexes! Its crowded mein Herr!

The French Deploy.

 

Opening moves and the scouts and tanks approach the valley below Stonne to the East.

Summary:

0400

Arty strikes begin on suspected Axis movement and continue thru 0500

0420

5-II make contact and take heavy fire as the approach the hill. [-1 step and SYR]. The French company from 3-3, really put the hurt on.

4-II take fire SE of Stonne

0440

7-II drop smoke and suffer FR arty.

16-IV lose a Stug on the road via assault!

4-II-8 kill units of 4 BCC. BCC element return fire and knock out a PIII.

 

 

End of both move phases.

The opening shot…66,, the Germans take a step loss then roll a 65 for the morale check. On the 3 column…that fellas is an SYR [Save Yourself Retreat], or as I call them a Save Your aRse retreat.

0420

Both sides trade ineffective Point Fire [AFV fires]

 

The dance of approaches via woods is always tricky…Someone has to get adjacent, and that someone is going to get blasted. 5-II platoon commanders argue about who goes first.