A spokesman for 21st Army Group has reported yet another successful pinning attack by 7th Armoured Division to the west of Caen. Designed to hold German forces in the area, a surprise attack in Brigade strength was launched soon after dawn. Several battalions from the division's infantry brigade launched a silent attack towards known German positions, pinning the defenders in place to allow British artillery battalions to wreak devastation. One of the limited aims of the attack, according to the spokesman, was to locate additional German artillery assets and bring them under fire in order to further weaken the defenders material and moral strength. Strong medium artillery units quickly located one of the rare German rocket artillery units, and destroyed these units in place. Other German artillery assets were also identified and neutralised. Moderate casualties were the price for the longer term strategic goal of forcing the German invaders form the continent.
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| The view east across the French countryside, Caen hidden in the distance by early morning mists. |
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| German defenders entrenched in front of a small Norman village. German positions were well forwards. |
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| Cromwells of 7th Armoured Division advancing towards the German flank. |
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| Infantry from 7th Armoured working their way silently forward in the early morning mist. |
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| A barrage of Nebelwerfer rockets fell on one of the infantry battalions. |
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| The view from behind the armoured regiment positions as they engaged
German Jadgpanzer IVs and Stug IIIs. The Achilles anti tank platoons are
positioned in support of the Cromwell tank squadrons. |
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| The effect of British tank gunnery on the defenders. |
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| German left flank infantry positions feeling the weight of British artillery fire. |
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| British infantry infiltrating through a gap in the German defences.
German defenders are seen pinned as they tried to escape back into the
village. |
This was our first WW2 Spearhead game in far too long. Keith and I had forgotten far too much, and also managed to have a darned good yarn in the process of playing the game towards a conclusion. Truth to tell, my British undertook a deliberate attack against Keith's German defenders and, having forgotten to use a pre-planned bombardment (how stupid is that for a veteran WW1 general!!) my troops were actually pretty much 'hung out to dry' attacking dug in German defences. The defenders were thin on the ground, and both of us made a few deployment errors. We are hungry for more games, this was a huge amount of fun, with plenty of laughs!
Good photos Robin. Of course the German war ministry has a different view of events.
ReplyDeleteIndeed, reports received in Berlin from the front indicate uncoordinated British infantry attacks were repulsed with little loss to the German defenders. In addition thick smoke chokes much of the French countryside, a result of burning Cromwells spread far and wide. Further, Adolf has been advised that German Panzers (Stugs) were advancing in a series of counter-attacks.
The truth of course is somewhere in between. Certainly the British objective of uncovering and destroying German artillery was very successful. There is no doubt that German artillery casualties were significant. Clearly I need to consider some entrenchments for the artillery to enable them to survive the 5.5" guns, or not fire them!
Obviously I was very pleased with the ability of the entrenched German infantry to withstand the British infantry attacks. I only wish I had some HMGs to breakup the advancing infantry. Clearly I can't base my defence on the German artillery! It would also have been interesting to see how your attacks would have played out in the centre against the German veteran battalion, but of course you outflanked the position stuffing up the defence! As we discussed a push directly in the centre would have been a complete German disaster.
A great game which illustrated all the great aspects of WWII Spearhead.