VERTEFEUILLE FARM - an 'O Group' encounter

 For this year's WorLard event, I decided to put on a game of 'O Group'.

The rules, by Dave Brown and published by Reisswitz Press (a TooFatLardies offshoot), are aimed at Battalion sized actions, in WW2.

The action I had in mind was one that I have wanted to game for about 20 years now, but just couldn't find the right set of rules. 'O Group' are perfect for what I had in mind.

 My chosen battle was based on an account by Kenneth Macksey and was first published, as 'Anatomy of a Battle', in 1974. My copy is the 2001 reprint; 'Battle. Normandy 1944: Life and Death in the Heat of Combat'.

The book describes a British attack as part of Operation Bluecoat and, although fictitious, has its foundation in real events and experiences. The author was an officer in the Royal Tank Regiment (commanding Churchill Crocodiles, I believe), in the Normandy campaign, and based his book on his own experiences.

During our game it was apparent that not all players were conversant with the concept of a battalion level infantry attack. Perhaps not surprising given the popularity of platoon level skirmish games. One player failed to  grasp the requirement to allocate his supports to the attacking infantry companies, insisted on deploying all his armour from the outset and only utilised a mere 2 platoons of infantry (out of a potential nine), at the very end of the game. So, with that in mind, I thought I'd examine the mechanics of an infantry battalion attack and compare how well the rules reflect reality; of course bearing in mind that this is, first and foremost, a game.

One of the most enlightening sections of the book describes the orders for the coming attack – a real life ‘O’ Group in fact. 

The attack was assigned to the 1st East Hampshire Regiment, part of the 11th Armoured Division, supported by the tanks of the Pentland Yeomanry, and Lt. Colonel Simcox, of 1st E. Hants gave the briefing.

Simcox begins by outlining the general situation: '...11th Armoured Div.......is going to attack to the south of Caumont. Fifteenth Scottish are going in on our left and the American 5th Division is taking part on our right.'

'Now, on our own front we've adopted the new system of grouping, mixing the armour in heavier proportion to ourselves, and that's why 'A' Squadron of the Pentlands is with us along with the rest of the regiment's tanks coming on behind...........We've been given a lot of extra artillery, some Flails and some Crocs too.'

Intention: '1st East Hampshires will seize and hold the Vertfeuille crest.'

Method: 'We will advance two up, 'A' Company on the right, 'C' left with 'B' in reserve. (i.e. Company boundaries are established)

Objectives, Phase I:

Right, line of the lane from junction with the orchard to crest of the ridge.

Left, Vertfeuville Farm with exploitation into the copse.

Phase II. 'B' Company to pass through 'C' Company on the left to secure the crest copse, moving on my order. (Objectives are defined)

Start line: line of the hedge which is the existing FDL.

'A' Squadron of the Pentland Yeomanry will be under command and will allocate a troop each in support of 'A' and 'C' Company - the remainder of the squadron will give general support and, of great importance, will position itself to deal with any German armour coming into action across the ridge. (Supports are allocated)

The commander of the Pentland Yeomanry adds some details: 'I'll probably keep what's left to me fairly central - the Firefly troop in particular - and be ready to go with 'B' Company when you commit them.'

There then follows a complicated summary of the fire plan, for both artillery and mortars. (Most of this is abstracted in the rules via the mechanisms for pregame bombardment effects and interdiction.)

The Flails are placed in reserve and the commander instructed to - '......position yourself close to the start line at H plus 10 and wait for things to happen.'

There are a couple of things of note here.

Firstly, the plan is very light on detail. Companies are allocated to the left, right or reserve but the fine detail of how they are to achieve their objectives are left to the company commanders (presumably working within the doctrine to which they have been trained).

Secondly, the description of the phase lines, objectives etc., are not totally clear. However, we as readers, only see the transcription of the verbal briefing but in reality the officers present at the O group would be following along on their maps.

My interpretation of the initial part of the plan is shown below. The second part of the plan involves 'B' Company moving through 'C' to clear the ridge as far as the copse.

1st East Hants. battle plan, as described in the battalion 'O' group.

The themes encountered, in the above ' Orders Group', are dealt with in the rules under section 4.4 PLANS & OBJECTIVES.

Players are instructed that the Battalion Commander must allocate each company its own objectives and area of table in which to operate and may also designate one or more companies as their battalion reserve.

Each Company deployed on the table must have its own deployment area. This can be as

simple as saying "A Company on the left flank holding the village of Tilly, B Company on the right flank holding the farm of La Haye and its environs and C Company in reserve." 

Companies should not overlap or intermix, and there should be a clear boundary between each.

This is exactly the method employed in the 1st East Hants. 'O Group' described above, i.e. 'A' on the left, 'C' on the right, with 'B' in reserve.

The way in which supports and reserves are used is also largely reflected in the rules. The rules define two differing doctrines for dealing with supports. American and German battalions have 'Flexible Reserves'. This means that off-table supports can be assigned to companies, as required, at the point of deployment. In contrast, British battalions have 'Fixed Reserves' and must assign their supports to individual companies before the start of the game.

On the whole, this is the method employed by the 1st East Hants. with a platoon of tanks being attached to each infantry company, during the planning phase. However, note that the flails are not attached and are held in a general reserve - so we also have an element of  'Flexible Reserves' here. That said, for rule purposes, it is reasonable that battalions are defined as either Fixed or Flexible.

In this specific case, there is a work around. The Flails could be held off table and assigned to the reserve infantry company. They can then be released using a 'RESERVES!' order, which allows AFVs to be redeployed to a different company.

So we have seen that the orders and planning process, within the rules, is an accurate reflection of WW2 practice, but do the game mechanics also mirror reality as well? The following is a summary of the battle for Vertfeuille, as described by Macksey, with my rules interpretations added in red.

On the left, a platoon of  'C' Company is given permission to sprint across a field to seize the opposite hedge line. This it achieves (Rapid Move) but the remainder of the company, following along at a slower pace (Fire & Move) are hit by German defensive mortar fire (MORTARS!).  The exposed platoons are badly hit (Suppressed) and the survivors retreat back to the start line (failed 3D6 RALLY! attempt). One of the company's supporting tanks hits a mine and the attack stalls at the outskirts of the farm.

On the right, 'A' Company and its supporting tanks cross the adjoining field unscathed. However, on entering the next field some tanks are knocked out (KIA) and the accompanying infantry suffer casualties from mines. The infantry go to ground (Suppressed) and the attack stalls.

This necessitates a change of plan and ‘B’ Company is ordered to attack on the right (instead of the left) supported by flail tanks to clear the minefield. (CONSOLIDATION!  – 2 orders for unplanned objective). 

The Tanks come under fire from a Jagdpanther on the ridge (FIRE) but the Jagdpanther is destroyed by fire from the supporting Fireflies (REACT FIRE).

‘B’ Company is then an hit by an American bombardment. (ARTILLERY! Danger Close!)

The Germans take advantage of the confusion and counterattack with their reserve company. (CONSOLIDATION! or RESERVES!) The German attack is spotted by the British FOO and an Uncle (all guns of division) target called for (ARTILLERY!  Divisional Support) which destroys the German reserve company. (Germans damaged and forced to Retreat from artillery fire).

So, once again, we see that all the important aspects of the battle are covered satisfactorily by the rules.

Although I had to wait 20 years, I'm really glad that 'O Group' has finally provided the tools to refight this interesting action on the table top. I was also lucky in that an 'O Group' scenario, for this very action has been published in Miniature Wargames (Issue 466); and can be downloaded from https://www.tabletopgaming.co.uk/information/downloads

 

This month we will be mainly playing 10mm

 By sheer coincidence, this month was to be devoted to 10mm figures. We had 2 really good games and it was great to see some old collections on the table once again.

First off was a game of O Group; Normandy 1944, pitting a US battalion against a German battalion.

The Normandy battlefield 

This was the example scenario, from the rules, but swapping a US battalion for the British.

The game had a great feel and I liked the pre game planning aspect. The US plan was for Baker company to put in a spoiling attack right of the road, whilst Able company advanced onto the line of the farmhouse. Charlie company would then consolidate on that position, followed by an advance on the objective (the town), while Able company swept around from the flank.

Amazingly, the plan worked despite a mid game set back from a well placed artillery stonk.

Unfortunately, although successful, the Americans took too long about it, so we gave the win to the Germans. (We were so immersed in the game that we forgot about the 16 turn limit.) Sadly, I also forgot to take any photos of the second half of the game.

 

A platoon of Able company comes under mortar fire

Able company advance from the phase line.

Charlie Company consolidates

I'm not sure about all the players but I thought it was a cracking game and was enthused enough to send off to Pendraken for a British battalion.

Game two was Bloody Barons 2. This was only its second outing, at the club, and a test case for my alternative pre game set up. The game played really well with 2 players per side and was in my view our best game, using the version 2 rules, so far.

I was also really pleased that, unless you were in the know, you couldn't really tell that this is a grid based game.

The armies deploy

Seeing a Yorkist unit, apparently exposed, the Lancastrians launch a disastrous cavalry charge.

Leading the mercenary centre, Lord Whippersnapper smashes the Yorkist line

On the Lancastrian right, the unreliable Count Catchmole flees before the Yorkist advance.

The remnants of the Yorkist centre are penned into Pogle's Wood. Lord Pea leads a frontal assault whilst Lord Whippersnapper takes the Yorkists in the flank. What could possibly go wrong?

Lord Whippersnapper gets lost in the wood and fails to attack, that's what could go wrong! 

After a hard fight, with both Lord Pea and the Earl of Dawlish falling in combat, it's a draw. Unfortunately, the defender wins draws - Lord Pea's ward is thrown back.

A well timed counter attack by Yorkist cavalry - unfortunately it was as successful as the earlier disastrous Lancastrian cavalry charge.

Lancastrian left flank collapses

Lancastrian centre pushed back, after the death of Lord Pea.

At that point the battle clock ran out but it was obvious, that with  Whippersnapper lost in the woods, the Yorkists had won the day. A great game, played in great spirit - we shall have to do it again sometime.