Night Sortie
West of the Mormal Forest, France, 21 May 1940
Moroccans withdraw at night whilst being attacked from multiple directions
On 10 May, the 5th North African Division had advanced into Belgium as the southern division of the French defensive line along the Dyle River. When the French withdrew, the division withdrew south and was caught up in the maelstrom of the 9th Army's withdrawal as Hoth's XV Motorised Korps swept through the Mormal Forest. Surrounded, the Division Commander decided to withdraw further from the Forest to the Escaut River at Cambrai, knowing that German motorised and panzer troops were already astride the withdrawal route.
The stage is set for a difficult withdrawal at night that needs to break through a German force blocking its path and get off the board before daylight allows long-range fire.
Health Warning: before reading further I think I should note that I enjoyed constructing the terrain board, which I think looks pretty good; I enjoyed deploying lots of Moroccan infantry, but the game itself I would give myself a reasonably solid 'fail'. Read on if you must!
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To give some further context to the game, the screenshot above shows the terrain between Cambrai (west) and the Mormal Forest (east). The operational mission was to withdraw from the Mormal Forest to the Escaut River, which can just be made out flowing through the dark green foliage north-east of Cambrai. The game features the first eight kilometers of the withdrawal; the board area is shown by the red rectangle.
Some further views of the board explaining the location of key features.
The eastern edge of the board looking south. The village of Ghissignie is in the centre foreground, the Grand Gay Farm and the railway station are in the midground, and the outskirts of Salesches is in the right background. The French withdrawing troops will enter the board from the east/left.
The centre of the board looking south towards Salesches and Neuvill-en-Avesnois in the background.
The western end of the board looking south. The towns of Vertain and Romeries are on the western edge to the right and are the exit objectives for the French.
The eastern end of the board again, this time looking north past Poix-du-Nord past the railway station towards Louvignies-Quesnoy.
The centre of the board looking north across the twin villages of Neuville-en-Avesnois and Salesches.
The western end of the board looking north with Vertigneul in the centre and the villages of Romeries and Vertain on the left.
The Forces
The French have a very large force of four infantry battalions and an artillery battalion. This is both a blessing and a curse as the French have to move this force across the board and exit. From the bottom to the top are the Regimental Headquarters and Weapons Company of the 6th Moroccan Infantry Regiment, 5th North African Infantry Division, then its three infantry battalions and then I Light Battalion of 12th Artillery Regiment. A company of H35s from 38th BCC is in support. A further battalion will enter on Turn 7.
The Regimental Headquarters, and the 25mm AT gun and 81mm mortar from the Weapons Company.
Two of the Infantry Battalions. The Moroccan Figures are from FAA Miniatures.
The German force from 4th Panzer Division is a very different force. It is fully motorised offering the German player a significant advantage in mobility.
A motorised infantry battalion from the 76th Motorised Infantry Regiment and an attached Motorcycle Company from 20th Reconnaissance Battalion will enter first from the west astride the French withdrawal route.
A mixed battalion of a tank company, engineer company and 88mm Flak battery will be available once the French are identified. A second battalion may also become available.
The Game
The French withdrawal begins. The H35 company leads the first infantry battalion on to the board through Louvignies-Quesnoy.
A closer view of the tank company.
The second battalion and the Weapons Company withdraw on the southern route through Englefontaine.
The Machine Gunners hump their weapons through Englefontaine.
The withdrawal continues as the two columns converge on the railway station. No sign of the Germans yet.
Moroccan machine gunners. Machine guns have an amazing habit of getting heavier and heavier the further you carry them.
The southern column continues its withdrawal. The mortar team are also starting to feel the weight of their weapons: never believe any label that says: 'man portable'.
Another view looking north as the two columns converge at the railway station.
The H35s continue to lead the northern column while the southern column takes the cross-country route direct to Salesches.
Like something out of the Napoleonic wars, the artillery battalion enters on the northern withdrawal route.
Another shot of the two French columns in the vicinity of the railway station.
The French need to control the routes through Salesches and Neuville-en-Avesnois and so the tank company leads the northern route through Salesches while the southern route head around Salesches towards Neuville-en-Avesnois.
A short explanation of some of the key night rules in the Command Decision rules might be in order. Maximum observation range is 4"/10cm; Troop Quality is reduced by one for firing and two for Morale; and there is no rallying during night turns.
The Artillery battalion continues to withdraw.
A German company dismounts and prepares to establish a defensive block just east of Pont a Pierras to try and prevent the French using the northern route.
The Germans also dismount just west of Salesches to contest the French. It is becoming obvious that the initial fight will be for passage through Salesches and Neuville-en-Avesnois.
The first contact: the H35 company confronts the dismounted motorcycle company on the western outskirts of Salesches.
The southern column withdraws around the southern edge of Salesches towards Neuville-en-Avesnois while the northern column follows the tank company through Salesches. The French tanks will attempt to break the morale of the lead German troops while the French infantry will attempt to use the limited visibility at night to infiltrate past the Germans.
Another shot of the initial contact between the German motorcycle company and the French tank company. The French tank company fires with limited effect in the urban areas and has no real effect on the motorcyclists. In the morale phase the French tanks throw the worst possible result and immediately become Demoralised. A bad start for the French, particularly because the tanks cannot be Rallied until daylight.
The Germans move forward into Salesches.
The French columns begin to slow as the lead troops try and find a way around the Germans.
The German motorcycle company occupies a town block in Salesches and exchanges fire with the lead company of the northern column trying to skirt around the northern edge. The lead company is Shaken and withdraws to the north.
One French company has managed to infiltrate through Neuville-en-Avesnois and moves as swiftly as it can away from a nearby German machine gun team. Luckily, it is still dark so the MMG cannot see it. But dawn is only a few turns away.
A German infantry company is now static in Neuville-en-Avesnois blocking any further advance by the southern column.
The Northern route reorientates away from Salesches and looks to either cross the stream near Mesnil Farm or closer to Pont a Pierras. But night is almost over, and the daylight will allow the German MMGs and mortars to come into play.
The lone company and reconnaissance platoon that managed to infiltrate through Neuville-en-Avesnois continue to withdraw, conscious that dawn is coming.
The French pause in Salesches and Neuville-en-Avesnois conscious that a delay is necessary until dawn to Rally the tanks (in particular) but also aware that waiting both burns time and allows the Germans to fire from greater range. A wicked problem for the French.
An overhead view of the two French columns stuck around Salesches and Neuville-en-Avesnois. The French player is stuck with the choice of either continuing a difficult withdrawal as the sun rises or finishing off the left-over ham from Christmas dinner. He wisely chooses the latter choice and concedes the game with five turns to play.
A tricky problem for the French in this game, and they do need a lot of luck to go their way. While 'hope' is never a method, a few better rolls for the French and some bad ones for the Germans, particularly for Morale, might have allowed the French to withdraw further. But time would also have allowed the Germans to bring on additional forces. So not much fun for the French - at least the ham tasted good.
I hope you at least enjoyed the terrain and some unusual troops in play. This scenario is from my French pack amongst which you will even find some balanced scenarios!
