Time for the concluding part of my Abbeville Bridgehead trilogy, the mini campaign from the Command Decision scenario book 'Birth of the Blitzkrieg'. In short the Germans seized a bridgehead over the Somme near Abbeville and it was subject to repeated Allied counterattacks, first by 1st Armoured Division, then by 4th DCR and finally by a combined attack by 2nd DCR, 51st Highland Division and 31st Alpine Division. The Scottish element of this operation is covered in the Chain of Command mini campaign 'Capturing Ceasers Camp'.
Battlefield from the south, the Somme is off to the right. It is fairly low lying boggy terrain so the various woods are impassable to armour. The German bridgehead is centered on the two hills mid right, the taller of which is Mont Caubert. The victory conditions required holding (or capturing) Mont Caubert and the village of Cambron plus various combinations of the other villages dotted around. The road leading east from Cambron goes to the German bridges over the river, which is ringed with Flak.
And here are the Germans, two Infantry Regiments from 157 Infantry Div, an artillery battalion and a Flak battalion. As they have been in position for some time, they have also laid extensive minefields.
In the north are two battalions from IR 217. The divisional anti-tank battalion was deployed in the bridghead so one battalion has AT guns and the other the regimental infantry guns. They are defending Miannay and Moyenville (two objective villages) with four minefields out front. One of the divisional supply columns can be seen. The Germans are well supplied due to their overwhelming air superiority.
In the south are two battalions from IR 179, a bit less elbow room here. Again one has AT guns and the other infantry guns. They are defending Houchenville and Mareuil Caubert, the latter is an objective while the former is not but covers the road junctions. The other LOG column, a horse drawn field kitchen, can be seen.
On Mont Caubert (Caesers Camp) is the 88mm Flak battalion and on the lower hill is a 105mm artillery battalion. These can both fire indirect and direct, Mont Caubert can see four hexes away over all surrounding terrain. Both artillery positions are protected by Flak, so harder to attack from the air. There is also the German divisional HQ: a radio truck and the CO on his horse.
As might be expected, the Luftwaffe is available in strength. Interdiction missions from Heinkels and Dorniers every turn, and Stukas on call.
John commanded the Germans with Russell as his ADC. I wanted a unified command for the Germans who I also rated as veteran not because the 157th was a great division but because they were in well prepared positions.
The Allied attack came from north, west and south! The main effort was 15th Alpine Regiment (two battalions) support by a battalion of R35s from 31st Alpine Div. They entered from the northwest.
Mark commanded the French infantry and was overall CO.
Northern flank protection was assigned to 1st Gordon Highlanders from 153 Brigade. Brigade HQ can be seen as well. Tim commanded 153 Brigade.
Western flank protection was 2nd Seaforths, also 153 Brigade, plus 15e BCC, a battalion of Char Bs from 2nd DCR. John and Ian commanded the French armour on alternate nights.
Pushing up from the south was 152 Brigade (Simon) with 4th Seaforths and 4th Camerons, plus 14e BCC (H39) from 2nd DCR. You can also see all the formation support stuff.
The Armee d'Air and RAF can put in some missions, but they need to be pre-planned. The bombers can only do interdiction missions while the Fairey Battles have the option of ground support. They have a total of four missions between them as the sky is black with Luftwaffe aircraft.
The French do have formidable artillery support though, no less than two entire Regiments of artillery (with two battalions each), as well as a preparatory bombardment. German air attacks have restricted the amount of ammo to three missions basic load though, and the fire has to be called in by FOO attached to French units only.
The French also have two Renault UE supply units, although given the round the clock Luftwaffe bombing, they will most likely only have one available each turn.
Finally, my Roco Charles de Gaulle figure is in command (the tall chap next to the Renaults)! I wanted to give the French lots of players, partly as they have so many units and partly as their force is such a dogs dinner of different formations. The Germans are outnumbered 2:1 in ground combat units and weight of indirect artillery fire as well as being largely static, lets see if their fortifications and superior quality, comms and air power can save them.
The battle opens with a French preparatory bombardment along the entire front, this looks rather more impressive than it is dangerous, but it does pin the Germans in place and chips a few hits off. Perhaps most importantly it suppresses the German 105mm artillery.
The Allies were pleasantly surprised not to find extensive German outposts and marched on fine style. The Gordons come up against the German minefields in the north.
15e BCC occupies Huppy. I really like the camo scheme on these two QRF Char Bs, even if it was a pig to paint.
The Germans have nothing better to do so the garrison of Miannay opens up on the Gordons supported by all the German artillery! The Scots take some casualties and hit the deck.
Dorniers bomb the French supply lines.
On turn 2 152 Brigade and 14e BCC come on from the south. Like 153 Brigade in the north, they seem a bit nonplussed by the German minefields and conveniently move into range of II/IR 179 in Houchenville while taking Limeux.
In the north the Gordons pull back out of sight to reorganise while 15e Alpine sorts itself out to tackle the German defences. There is a hasty O Group with the CO of 15e BCC.
The Germans hammer 14e BCC in Limeux, Stukas and the anti-tank guns with II/IR 179. The H39s suffer some losses. The Heinkels are driven off by Allied fighters though.
152 Bde and 14e BCC manouvre to bypass the minefields and attack Houchenville, or possibly Mareuil Caubert. The French can't seem to decide, but the moves put the French and Scots into range of no less than four German units. French artillery shells Houchenville.
In a bold move, 1/15e Alpine pushes straight down the main road into the woods adjacent to Houchenville followed by the Char Bs and 2/15e Alpine. It bypasses the minefields but every German unit in range opens up on them, causing enough hits to disorganise them. The woods provide cover against direct fire though, so the Germans would be better off firing at the various units in the open.
The Dorniers manage to hit the French logistics. Although no more parts fell off the model this time around, it did fall off its flight stand, twice. You can see why they were retired from service.
Much excitement as the Armee D'Air sends a squadron of Amiots to bomb the Somme bridges! Sadly no decisive hits were scored and numerous bombers were shot down by Flak and fighters.
152 Brigade and its supporting tanks shuffle further east. Fortunately for the H39s, the AT guns and 88s are busy firing at the Alpinists. Some of the Scots seem to have taken some hits though.
The battle for Houchenville rages. As soon as 1/15e Alpine reorganises, it is disorganised again in a storm of German fire. 2/15e Alpine starts to make its way through the woods in support while 15e BCC shells Moyenville. The tanks ae stuck in a traffic jam due to German ZOC.
RAF Fairey Battles bomb Houchenville! They even score a hit!! Sadly this is a turn early as 2/15e Alpine isn't in position to attack yet.
It does keep the Houchenville garrison busy while 142 Brigade and 2/15e Alpine manouvre into position. Suddenly there are no less than six Allied units able to fire into Houchenville as 2/Seaforths has made a timely appearance. Looks like the Allies are getting their act together.
The Germans persist in firing on 1/15e Alpine and once again only succeed in disorganising it. Under constant Char B fire, the Moyenville garrison has become disorganised and is resupplied. The Germans don't reorganise Houchenville (now carrying three hits).
The French fire off all four artillery battalions at Houchenville, exhausting almost all the remaining ammunition in the process, while the ring of units open fire. The Germans take three more hits and hang on by the skin of their teeth due to their veteran status.
But then 2/15e Alpine charges the disorganised Germans and overruns them. Houchenville has fallen!
The Germans finally remember to fire their 88s at the H39s, who duly burst into flames and are destroyed, but otherwise continue the ineffective fire against 1/15e Alpine. While Moyenville is reorganised (again).
The Germans are still strong in the north although with their centre gone, are possibly beginning to look nervously over their shoulders. The Allies still have to assault the German gun line, over very unfavourable terrain and have fired off all their artillery ammo, so still very much everything to play for.
With that we broke for the night, to resume tomorrow, when Ian will take over from John B.
The Allies had a bit of a shuffle around, moving troops to reinforce their success in the centre and to concentrate against Moyenville. The shattered Chasseurs fell back into the woods as the French didn't have the logistics to reorganise everyone and resupply all their artillery which was now out of ammo.
Then it was time for a big effort against Moyenville! The Gordons even moved up next to the village in the hope of assaulting it next turn. The French Airforce rocked up to join the party as more Blochs bombed the bridges over the Somme.
The German response was...devastating. Every gun in range opened up on the unfortunate Highlanders, and they even got bombed by Stukas. The battalion disintegrated.
Next turn the Allies tried to put more troops up against Moyenville, moving the Chasseurs west of the minefields. The German garrison was reorganising after taking heavy losses, but the German artillery and Stukas were enough to finish the Chasseurs off too.
Very few Allied units were intact now (the Seaforths in 153 Brigade) so the Allies would have to be careful. The LOG units which dodged the Luftwaffe were still busy moving up artillery ammunition.
The resupplied guns and and the Seaforths, Char Bs and remaining Chasseurs pounded Moyneville leaving the garrison at breaking point but just hanging on.
The Germans had to spend their turn reorganising the garrison (again) and resupplying the 105s who had shot off all their ammunition. The 88s engaged the Char Bs, knocking another hit off.
The Allied guns crashed out again and this time the Moyenville garrison disintegrated and the unit become combat ineffective. Hardly surprising as they'd been under heavy fire for five hours. Sadly the Allies didn't have any mobile reserves left to exploit and take the town.
That left the way open for the Germans carefully husbanded reserve to rush up and reoccupy the defences. They may have held the town but now had no reserves left.
With the sun setting and time running short, it was time for an all-out Allied effort, The entire Allied line surged forwards, 152 Brigade in the south, the remains of 153 Brigade and 15th Chasseurs Alpine in the north and the Char Bs in the centre, apparently accompanied by Colonel de Gaulle!
Colonel de Gaulle riding on the back of the Char Bs. The tanks were unable to advance inito Cambron this turn due to German ZOC from the hills. Artillery are very vulnerable to close assault however...
The Germans fired at what they could, but could only scatter casualties across the mass of Allied units. No decisive results were achieved. The 88s managed to miss the Char Bs at point blank range (double 1!) , perhaps they couldn't depress the barrels enough?
In the north the Chasseurs assaulted the 105s and the in south the Gordons assaulted the 88s, both on double dice due to assaulting artillery. Ideally the Germans would be disorganised too, but the Allied guns had shot off all their ammo again and failed to suppress the targets.
Both assaults were repelled, but both inflicted enough losses to disorganise the German artillery. I must have got out of sequence as the Char Bs also moved forwards and occupied Cambron, the route to the bridges! I allow units to move from one ZOC to another and then stop. Fire and movement and all that.
The Allies just needed to clear Mont Caubert now while hanging on to Cambron...
The German artillry fired ineffectiveely but the Stukas just managed to finish off the Char Bs in Cambron. The town was unoccupied but still counted as Allied controlled.
The Gordons rushed forwards once, ready to try another assault.
Despite the Allies firing off the last of their artillery ammunition, it wasn't quite enough. The 88s survived with one hit remaining and the assault was repulsed.
And in the German turn, the 105s limbered up and moved back down into Cambron, reclaiming it.
Time ran out at that point, but the Germans had (just) managed to retain enough obectives to claim a victory. The Allies had come so close to beating them though.
The final situation with the German centre smashed in and the exhausted gunners looking distinctly wobbly holding the final stop line.
The Allies have shot their bolt though, with just half their force remaining operational and all of those with varying degrees of damage, but having come with inches of overunning the German position. Poor old 51st Highland Div in particular, as their next destination is retreat and surrender at St Valery.
What a great game that was, and another very close run thing, a tribute to the original scenario. It worked very well having a large Allied team, although it was complete chaos at times and quite had work to adjudicate remotely, it produced the effect I was after. John was quite content to be the 'German punching bag' as he had lots of fun toys to play with, and it made up for being a large static defensive role. One thing I was pleased with was that the infantry commanders were quite canny, protecting their troops as much as possible and only exposing them to real danger when absolutely necessary. Very much as Rommel described infantry tactics as requiring 'supreme caution and then supreme dash at the right moment'.
Many thanks to the players for their enthusiasm. The previous two games in this trilogy are here on the blog:
