Anti-Tank Guard on the Flank
Duisans, France, 21 May 1940
4th Royal Northumberland Fusiliers and 260th AntiTank Battery Cover the Flank
When Rommel's motorised infantry brigade was hit in the flank southwest of Arras by the tanks of 4th and 7th RTR, his own tanks were nowhere to be seen. This is because, earlier on the morning of 21 May, Rommel had sent the whole of 25th Panzer Regiment in a wide circling movement to the west of Arras. This separation of the panzer regiment and the motorised infantry brigade was common German practice at this stage of the war; the mixed kampfgruppe evolved later by learning from experiences such as Arras.
While the British had not identified the move of the panzer regiment before they made their plans for their own advance, they still prudently deployed a flank guard on their western flank. The flank guard was deployed between Duisans and Warlus, and consisted of 260th Ant-tank Battery with the potent 2lb anti-tank gun, elements of 4th Royal Northumberland Fusiliers on their Norton motorcycle combinations, and 8th Battalion, The Durham Light Infantry. There were also some French remnants from 3e DLM and 22 BCC in the area.
Late on the afternoon of 21 May, after his infantry had been attacked by the British tanks, Rommel recalled his panzer regiment to assist. This scenario features the whole of 25th Panzer Regiment as it attempts to penetrate the flank guard under a severe time constraint, while the British and French have to ideally stop or at least delay the wave of German tanks.
The British force includes a motorcycle infantry company and a company of anti-tank guns. The anti-tank guns will be critical capabilities for the British and so the British player will deploy two companies, one of them being a phantom company of dummy guns. This allows some level of deception without the need for an umpire.
The British also have an infantry battalion that is split with two companies in Duisans and the battalion minus in Warlus. The battalion is supported by a 25mm antitank gun. In addition, there are two companies of French tanks, one company of three R35s and another company of an S35 and H39.
The British will also receive as a reinforcement a company of infantry tanks.
The Germans have an entire tank regiment of three battalions. They will be reinforced by an SS infantry battalion.
One battalion will arrive on Turn 1, another on Turn 3 and the third on Turn 5. The SS battalion may arrive from Turn 3.
Each tank battalion has a headquarters, two light companies and a medium company.
The SS battalion is from SS Totenkopf so is rated as only Trained in quality.
The board looking north past Warlus towards Duisans.
Another shot looking north towards Gouves. The small cubes show the deployment area for the French tanks.
Two companies of 8th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry occupy Duisans. They may have little to do in the game but holding the village at the end of the game will give some victory points to the British.
The British player deploys one company of anti-tank guns at the edge of the ridge to block any move on a northern axis. The other company is deployed in depth behind the French tanks. Of course, one of these companies is a dummy phantom company.
The French have a fairly constricted deployment area, so the French player puts the R35s forward with the S35 and H39 back. Their biggest problem is if their morale fails: they have no higher battalion stand to rally them and cannot come under command the British.
A broad overhead shot showing the French tanks, the two anti-tank companies, and the motorcycle company between the anti-tank companies.
The British and French are ready. Now, where are the Germans?
The German player appreciates that time is not on his side: with only eight turns to get as many companies off the eastern board edge as possible he has to move fast. He suspects that the dummy anti-tank company is the one behind the French tanks and appreciates that the French tanks might charge him early on. So, despite the need for speed, his initial move is reasonably conservative as he moves his first battalion across the small stream.
The Allied player had planned to move forward to the edge of the ridge but, after seeing the cautious move by the Germans, stays put and avoids contact. In so doing, the Allied player achieves delay and increases the pressure on the German player.
Turn 2 and the German player surges forward, moving one light company directly at the R35s while the medium company risks long-range shots from the British anti-tank guns and flanks to the north.
The second light tank company flanks to the south.
The 1st Battalion headquarters stays out of sight below the ridge.
The exchange of fire sees both companies of French tanks withdraw but the Germans lose one tank from their first light company which is Shaken in the morale phase, and the second light company rolls poorly in the morale phase and Pins. So, the 1st Battalion will have to sort itself out. The second German tank battalion winds itself through the stalled first to take up the advance on Turn 3 while the French scurry backwards.
1st Battalion's reconnaissance platoon, in its mighty Pz I, pushes forward to maintain pressure on the withdrawing French tanks. Specifically, it moves to within 12" of the two companies so they have to contend with its presence during the morale phase. The French are Disengaging so cannot fire.
Two shots of the second battalion advancing through the first while the first battalion commander moves forward to Rally the Shaken company from the first.
The Allied player appreciates that the Germans are taking the southern axis so thinks this is an opportune time to redeploy the anti-tank guns. As the German player suspected, the real guns are to the north and the guns behind the French tanks are dummies.
The French tanks continue to withdraw towards Duisans, conscious that, without a superior battalion headquarters, they cannot afford to be Shaken or Demoralized.
Some good news for the Allies: the Matildas have arrived. They slowly grind forward on the road to Duisans, the Matilda II moving at the same speed as the Matilda Is to maintain company cohesion.
The German player senses an opportunity and charges the withdrawing antitank guns with the medium company from his first battalion. Long-range shooting on a Hasty Advance but one of the anti-tank guns is destroyed.
In the Morale phase the S35/H39 company is Demoralized. With no battalion command stand to Rally it, it is effectively out of the game unless a lucky Fog of War card is drawn. The soldiers of the DLI look on in disbelief.
On the other flank the anti-tank company fired at by the Germans as it withdrew is Shaken. A tough morale phase for the Allies.
The Germans surge forward on Turn 4. Their second battalion races for the gap between the Shaken anti-tank company and the French tanks.
The German medium company that shook up the anti-tank company rolls through the British gunners. It advances to the edge of the ridge, confidently eying the exit to the east of Duisans. Nothing can stop it now.
But the plucky British gunners have one final shot in the locker. They play their Expert Gun Crew Fog of War card allowing them to deploy one gun platoon. They do so and shoot into the rear of one of the Pz IVs.
The French R35 company also has visions of glory. Despite losing a tank it charges into the side of the advancing German column.
On the other flank the anti-tank platoon hits a PzIV but does no damage! Curses! And the German player has been hoarding a Fog of War card for such an occasion and so manages to pass morale. The gunners when they throw for morale throw disastrously and surrender. So much for being the stars of the scenario.
It is now Turn 6 and night has fallen. The German second battalion continues to advance. What looks like a thermonuclear fire template in front of it is actually some illumination fired by the British mortar.
The third German tank battalion enters and moves quickly down the road towards Warlus.
The Allied player makes the painful choice to leave the Matilda Is behind so that the Matilda II may actually get into the fight. It heads north to try and get amongst the German tank columns.
The Germans have had enough of the marauding French R35s so line up a light company to sort out the remaining platoon. Maximum visibility is only 4" now so engagements are up close and personal.
For the Germans it is now a race to the edge of the board. Have the Allies done enough to slow them down?
The Allies have redeployed their motorcycle company and entrenched it to guard the southernmost exit as best they can.
The Matilda II is 'racing' as well as it can to try and be relevant while the Matilda Is are now stationary hoping the Germans come to them.
The German tank columns continue to advance.
In the night the Germans and French blaze away at each other. Night rules drop troop quality so neither do much to each other.
Turn 8 and the end of the game. the Germans have managed to exit one tank company and a second and third comes agonizingly close, but no cigar.
What looks like a nightmare for the Germans is actually just a strange noise in the darkness: the Matilda II moved first, and the Germans have managed to stay more than 4" away so there is no visual contact. The night shields the Germans. Phew!
The SS have finally graced the game with their presence and have had the same impact on the situation as they did historically: none.
The game ends. While there are German tanks streaming across the board, and the French have either been destroyed or withdrawn, it is close when the victory points are tallied. The Allies hold Duisans and Warlus so, even though the infantry did not fire a shot they hold those two villages for victory points. The British deployment caused the Germans to take a rather serpentine advance meaning, despite the mass of tanks they had, they were delayed and only managed to get a single tank company off the board. The end result was a Minor German victory.
This was a fun game. It emphasised manoeuvre more than combat and was a fine example of how shaping and dislocation are important parts of tactics. The Germans studiously avoided the anti-tank guns until they were vulnerable, and then, once the Matildas committed to the southern axis, charged for the northern exit knowing the Matildas could not intervene. It did mean the Germans had to take a circuitous route and they almost ran out of time: even just one different roll could have delayed the Germans enough so that they did not get a single company off. If they had not, the Allies would have won the game. The game played very quickly in four hours and was a great opportunity to play with an old Army mate.
This game is one of my fifty scenarios featuring the BEF. It is also in my smaller compendium of Arras games, noting that the latter is drawn from the former. I would value any comments in the comments area below and if you are interested in exploring the scenarios you can follow the links below.
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