Campaign Game - Taking the Gembloux Gap turn 3-4 - Chain of Command

Same day we played the first scenario, we also managed to play scenario 2, The Culverts at Noirmont. In this scenario the French have to demolish 2 culverts to win the game.

While the French start with a fresh new platoon, the Germans decided to continue with their first platoon. Although the German platoon had lost about a third of its number, they did decided to give it a chance after their great performance in the last game. To aid the platoon an extra infantry squad was given as support, as well as a PzII tank.

The French jump-off points were situated on their right flank and back just by the one culvert. So concentrating around their objective.

The German jump-off points were spread evenly across the field to allow for a flexible attack. One jump-off point is barely seen behind the hill to the left.

The German started their attack on their right flank, sending the support infantry squad forward. Meanwhile the main platoon squads (of which 2 were reduced to teams due to casualties) began taking position in the big central field to provide fire against the French position behind the hedge at the road.

The Germans also brought forward a PzII to increase their firepower. The French immediately responded with a 25mm AT gun, who hit the tank with its first shot making the tank unable to activate in the following turn. Fortunately for the Germans they rolled a double phase, so managed to get the tank away from the AT gun's field of fire.

The French then brought on a squad of infantry to prepare to halt the German advance on the French right flank, and to protect the demolition team when it arrived to demolish the culvert. Unfortunately for the French the combined lack of 1s and effects of a pre-game barrage meant the demolition teams where unable to arrive.

The French forces in the center began to take heavy casualties from the German fire. A squad took position in the house close by to strengthen the defence, but it soon came under fire from the PzII, who had advanced forward.

As one French platoon arrived to take position in another house, the French forces in the center began to pull back, while they still were able to move.

This gave the Germans the opportunity to advance forward in the field and they promptly took it. In fact they were now seriously threatening the French forces' line of retreat, which was problematic as this French platoon was assigned to defend scenarios 2-4.

Even worse the Germans managed to capture the 2 French jump-off points on their right flank, making even more difficult for the French to retreat. Fortunately for the French their Force Morale was pretty solid, so they were still fully in the fight.

In the mean time a French demolition had finally arrived to set charges to the culvert furthest to the back and managed to destroy it.

The French did manage to kill 2 teams and a junior leader, and thus preventing a total overrun.

But the Germans relentlessly continued their advance, and the French finally decided to withdraw, leaving the field and one intact culvert in the German hands.

So another win for the Germans, and this time even more devastatingly as the French platoon was left severely mauled. The destruction of the one culvert meant that the Germans couldn't deployed wheeled support for the next scenario, but that was unlikely to stop them much. So the French commander decided to give ground and surrender the third scenario to the Germans. So turn 5 will be the Germans attacking scenario 4. Once again the German first platoon took little casualties, so even though they still lacked a third of their numbers, it would probably continue the attack against the weakened French platoon.

So we managed to play 3 games on the same day, and they were quite fun and interesting. I even managed to employ some better tactics, at least in the second and third games, which I'll probably forget all about, when we find time to play again.