Kampfgruppe Von Luck #4 - Scenario 3: Attacking the Corridor of Death

Time: early hours of June 6th, 1944

Location: La Bas de Ranville, British main position

This is an attack-defend scenario in the main British defensive position. At least in theory, each house may become a strong point and the Germans have to clear it out paying a high price in blood

The British decided to deploy a new fresh platoon and the Germans played with the platoon used in Scenario 1, with only 1 man missing at this stage. The Germans also have 19 support points which were used to reinforce the kampfgruppe with an additional squad and bring an artillery forward observer and a self-propelled 105cm gun (Lorraine Schelepper)

The British spent their support points in one 6 pounder AT gun and roadblock.

After the patrol phase (see jumpoff points in map above), the Germans went for a quick deploy in 3 phases, bringing three squads, the SPG and the FOO in short order. The British roadblock forced the SPG to stop at the first crossroads and stay in overwatch in case a British unit emerged, while the FOO initiated a pre-emptive bombardment in the area marked with a flame.

The game first few phases saw both opponents taking a conservative approach: all German units in overwatch while no British units showing on the field. At a point, the British rolled three 6s and took the opportunity to lift the German artillery barrage, and to deploy an infantry squad and fire on the Germans next to the orchard during two consecutive phases, alas with very little effect (just one shock).

The German reacting reforming the squad and and the SPG (13 HE capability) to return fire on the reckless British, killing 5 men in total. 

The British saw the opportunity in turn now to fire at the SPG by the flank, deploying the 6 pounder on the main road of Ranville. But luck was not on the British side and failed to hit the behemoth. The SPG now turn left and fired, wiping out the ATG crew and gun in one salvo. The British player saw no point in continue fighting and called a retreat.  

Three victories to the Germans so far. This scenario was supposed to be a bloodbath for the German but it was otherwise. The Germans need to win another two scenarios in five possible games. The three German platoons are in very good shape, while the British are by now scrapping the bottom of the barrel. In my opinion, very challenging for the British to win the campaign in these current conditions.      

--UPDATE  JUNE 21 --

The Allied player reassessed the situation and concluded that he had no real opportunity to turnaround the game and conceded defeat. The campaign is concluded with a decisive German victory

- Photo Report -

    

British Jumpoff Points

German Jumpoff Points

German deployment #1

German deployment #2

German SP Gun

British Airborne Squad

British 6 Pounder

British 6 Pounder

Kampfgruppe Von Luck #3 - Scenario 2: Probe Among the Hedgerows

 Time: early hours of June 6th, 1944

Location: British forward positions on the southern outskirts of Le Bas de Ranville

Having pulled back form the outer outposts, the British platoon stops to hold the enemy in the outskirts of La Bas Ranville. In Chain of Command terms this is a "Scenario 2 - Probe" game.

The British forces are the remnants of the decimated platoon that played Scenario 1. Bad dice rolls and none of the scattered platoon teams after the drop appeared. The British had 4 support points invested in an HMG.

For this scenario the German has a new fresh platoon plus 13 support points. These were invested in a second senior leader, a Forward Observer team and a Lorraine Schlepper self propelled 150 mm gun. 

To win the scenario, the Germans must reach the British starting line with at least one team.

The following illustration shows the jump-off points after the patrol phase and a opening moves of both players.

 

In these first phases the British decided to delay as long as possible deploying troops on the table, facing overwhelming odds and fire power. He only deployed a sniper team to make opportunistic pot shots on the German troops.

The German on the other hand brought on the table two sections and the artillery observer, placing successfully a barrage in the second activation. The first section deployed in the road and started moving towards the farm compound, while the second section followed the artillery walking barrage towards the British base line. 

The game looked at this stage a done deal when, as usual "friction" created an unexpected situation: the British ended the turn with a Chain of Command dice and therefore the barrage lifted catching half a German squad in the open, in the ploughed field.  

When the German FO failed to contact the battery to resume the mission, a doble British turn was used to deploy the HMG team a the edge of the ploughed field and two Bren teams behind the wall at the farm compound. 

 

Firing at close distance, the British made 4 KIAs and first pinned and then broke one of the German teams, fleeing towards the orchard below in the map. Considering the overwhelming fire power of the combined 6 LMG teams, the 150 gun and the off-board mortars, the British took a conservative stance, and pulled back in good order and with no casualties.

A second German victory in the campaign, he will need another 4 victories in a total of 6 remaining games to win the campaign. 

- Photo Report -

   

British Jump Off Points

German Jump Off Points

Schnell!

German Artillery Observer

British Sniper

  

Ups! German Team Caught Naked

British Airborne Vickers HMG

British Airborne Bren Teams

Lorraine Schlepper self propelled 150 mm gun

German Squad and Artillery Walking Barrage

 

Kampfgruppe Von Luck #2 - Scenario 1: Patrol on the Ring Contour

Time and Date: early hours of June 6th, 1944

Location: High ground South of Ranville

The first scenario takes place in the outposts line of the 12th Para. Being the early hours after the first landing, the British platoon forces are widely scattered, with groups of men regrouping towards the landing zones.  In Chain of Command terms this will be a "Scenario 1 ´The Patrol" game. 

The British had a weak platoon missing several teams of their three sections. They had no support points in this first game. The Germans fielded a full Panzer Grenadier platoon with two LMG teams pr section (a lot of firepower) and 4 support points (an Adjutant and a Forward Observer)  

The terrain is basically flat with dense wheatfields covering the area. These wheatfields provide light cover to stationary troops.  After rolling for moral, the British started the patrol phase followed by the Germans. The final location of the jump off points is marked in the map attached.

Although my role in the campaign is to act as umpire, the two German players had conflicting family agendas today, and thus I took their side and played against the British. 

This was a short game. The British opted for an early fast deployment along the hedge line from the two jump off points; the third jump off point far in the bottom of the map was intended to deploy the snipers (but this was not finally the case).

The three German sections deployed from each of the jump off points, while the Senior leader and the artillery observer  deployed from one at the bottom of the map. The German plan was simple: two sections (located mid and upper part of the map) used the overwhelming fire power to pin the British concentration. The third German section moved to captured the isolated jumpoff point and initiate a flank movement, while the artillery observer tried (unsuccessfully) to call the mortars.

The fire of the two German sections killed and routed a significant number of paras,  wounded twice the senior leader and reduced the British Platoon morale level to 4. With their flank now under threat, the British player pulled back and left the field. A first victory to the German side with just casualties.

 - Photo Report -

British Jump Off Points

German Jump Off Points

British Sections Deployed

 

 

German Panzer Grenadiers Firing to the British Line

Third German Section and Forward Observer

  

British Jump Off Point Captured and Initiating Flank Attack

Kampfgruppe Von Luck Campaign #1 - Introduction

Some of my boardgame opponents are having problems to attend the Sunday morning club sessions for a few weeks. I'm turning my attention again to miniature wargaming and will spend the rest of April and most of May umpiring one of my favourite Chain of Command campaigns: Kampfgruppe Von Luck.

The start of the campaign is set for Sunday April 23rd and there will be one British and two German players involved. It will also be an opportunity to put on the table for the first time, my British Red Devils platoon painted in 2019! 

My plan is to do a series of after action reports for each of the games of the campaign over the following months. This first post will introduce the main elements of the campaign.

First the historical context. Kampfgruppe Von Luck (KVL from now on) is focused on Operation Tonga, the operations undertaken by the British 6th Airborne Division on the east flank of the Normandy landings and the reaction of the German 21st Panzer Division defending that area during the first hours after the airborne landings

6th Airborne Plan of Operation

The campaign is organised around five maps or "rungs" with the Germans on the offensive. The objective is to capture Le Bas de Ranville, the gate to the German armoured forces to attack the rivers over the Orne. This should be achieved in a maximum of 8 turns or games.

The Germans play with a battalion of the 125th Panzer Grenadier, mainly infantry with some limited armour support, including some of the panzer "rarities" built ad-hoc based on chassis from old 1940 French armour. 

On the other side, the British forces belong to the 12th Para. Although having superiority in men, the British starts the game widely scattered, receiving increasing reinforcements as the campaign advances, but are also light on AT weapons to defend against the armoured German elements.

For more information on the Chain of Command campaigns system, I advise you to take a look to the supplement publication "At the Sharp End"  

From the publisher website:

At the Sharp End allows you to follow the exploits of your force throughout a series of linked games. To succeed you’ll need to keep your men safe, your CO happy whilst ensuring the effectiveness of your key leaders. Included is a complete campaign system covering everything you need to run a campaign with an absolute minimum of effort and paperwork (almost none in fact).

 Three types of campaign options are presented so the gamer can select one to suit the amount of time he has available and the degree of detail he is looking for. The most simple option allows the gamer to start campaigning straight away, whilst the others allow the building of historical campaigns. It’s all there, even down to gallantry awards so you can see your characters develop in action.. The whole At the Sharp End PDF Handbook will serve as a key to be used with Chain of Command campaigns produced by us in our Specials, in magazine articles and as stand-alone supplements, as well as allowing the gamer to build his own campaigns with a minimum of effort.

 

-UPDATE-

Last Sunday was Madrid's Marathon. The access to our club premises was an inferno and some players could not even reach the area. We have postponed the campaign start to Sunday April 30rd