Date: May ??, 1940 (January 23, 2016)
Situation: After Dunkirk 7th Panzer Moves West
Rules: Blitzkrieg Commander II With Home Rules
Scale: 15mm
This Game Serves As A Prelude To Our Battle of Britain Campaign
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Click on photos to enlarge them significantly.
PRELUDE
After the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) was evacuated from Dunkirk back to Britain, Rommel's 7th Panzer Division turned to the westward. Near Dieppe....
GERMAN LEFT FLANK
A panzer platoon found a bridge over the Rivi
ère Brassard undefended and crossed taking advantage of a little cover.
Rommel (Morgan E.) rushed his tanks westward not stopping to attack and become bogged down engaging the French in the village of le Rocher.
French armoured vehicles came forward out of le Rocher. Fighting was intense in and aroundthe village. Rommel lost quite a few tanks and a Stuka was shot down.
However, Rommel continued advancing westward beginning a turn to the northwest spotting a small airfield at the top of the photo. Thinking it might be useful for resupply he....
Sent tanks and engineers to occupy the position. (A game victory condition)
GERMAN CENTER
To the right of the big bridge the Brassard continues north. German infantry lined the river viewing the defended village of le Rocher in the distance. They became reluctant to cross because....
A powerful force of French tanks arrived to hit Rommel in the flank. For the balance of the day, Germans and French traded shells indecisively. Toward the end, the French began a slow withdrawal because of Rommels capture of the airfield (far off the top of the photo) and because of events behind them on the....
GERMAN RIGHT FLANK
French infantry lined the Brassard to the left and right of this photo. To the far right....
Thinking a small bridge needed to be demolished, artillery fired upon it. The North Sea is just off image to the right.
Blitzkrieg Commander II has a Blunder Rule. Early in the game a "Blunder" occurred causing the French to retreat away from the river. The Germans then crossed to the other side.
The advance continued. What is not shown was a remarkable amount of luck for the Germans taking out defending French infantry. As a result French tanks arrived (top center) from the German Center to help.
At this point it was 4:00pm and the game was called with a German victory. Reason: The airfield was taken and other panzers arrived behind the French off image far beyond the top of this photo.
CLOSING REMARKS
1. The scenario was an adaptation of what happened in May 1940. Panzer Divisions broke through, moved westward as fast as possible mostly ignoring flanks to cause as much commotion and discombobulation as possible. Stopping in the minds of officers like Rommel and Guderian was unthinkable. Indeed they occasionally disobeyed orders to stop. Their senior commanders feared a grave possibility of being overextended --- way out in front. It didn't happen.
2. Harking back to earlier decades playing Tricorne, "Tactical Orders" were in reintroduced.
Before Turn 1 each commander in chief issued written mission orders to all players including himself. After this each player played his own game without tactical assistance or suggestions from others. This helped speed along the game and added more realism preventing total control via constant deliberation.
During lunch commanders were able to consult with their officers and change orders. No further changes were allowed after chow. One can only do this fairly if most players know the rules.
3. French: Jim H., Michael M. and Dan E.
4. Germans: Morgan E., John B. and Bill P.
5. All topographical names are fictional.
6. Thank you for looking in. Your remarks are welcome below at the word, Comments.
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The irony is that the "blunder" roll on the German right giving them the opportunity is the polar opposite of the overly dramatic orders given to Dan by me. But that is why we use dice. :-)
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