O Group. The Canal at Dunkirk.

The North Durhams have been sent to hold the line at the canal at the northern extremity.  General Gott has ordered the battalion to counter attack towards the canal to give the beaches some temporary respite.  

SITUATION

The Durhams have been ordered to redeploy to a new defensive line based on the La Basse canal.  This new defensive front is the Canal Line, running from the French coast between Calais and Dunkirk, following the Aa Canal then continuing south, merging into the La Basse canal as it nears the towns of St Omar and Bethune.

Just to the north of Bethune is the small village of Robecq with its four crossings over the canal and this is now the area into which the North Dutham must attack to delay the SS Germania regiment, leading the Germans, who have only just moved forward units over the canal and into the area.

Mission

a. The British must take and hold two of the three BUA sectors of Robecq village and continue to hold them at the end of the game, or

b. Capture three out of the four canal bridges and continue to hold them at the end of the game, or

c. Inflict three FUBAR markers on the Germans.

The Germans win by avoiding the British victory conditions.

The game ends after 16 turns.

Deployment:

The British are the Attackers. The Germans are the Defenders. Both battalions use the standard game deployment.

Given that we were using this game scenario to learn the game the forces actually favoured the Germans, who had three rather than two companies, and armoured support.  The British were given my Vickers MkVI, which technically count as armoured vehicles, but are ill equipped to fight their German equivalents.

The Game

The terrain map in situ.  Quite pleased with the result.

The Germans set their ambushes, and are interdicted for the first two turns.

The British move against the centre with B Company, A Company taking the right.

Aggressive use of Patrol markers

The elevation of the railway embankment is an advantage.  The Vickers tanks prove surprisingly effective up there extending their range.

But our Colonel rolls four ones for orders and A Company goes hesitant for a turn.  It breaks our smooth advance.

And a B Company platoon is mortared back over the embankment.

Reluctantly I advance the Vickers, nervously since even the German 222 armoured car out classes them

But we brew up the German armoured car lurking the centre.

But the Germans unveil their ambushes, driving a platoon backwards, with our first casualties.

The game was left in situ, for Game two, the highly anticipated "the Germans strike back"