The Germans are vastly outnumbered. Their strategy is to hold back the British at Colleville until their reinforcements arrive.

British strategy is to bash through into Colleville to release the 7th Seaforth and then march en masse into Tourville. At least this was their strategy before the mission began…

Casualty count is noted as (x-y), where x=British step losses, y=German step losses

THE BATTLE

0730-0745: German Anti-Tank Gun picks off a Bren as the 2nd A&S advance. The Hussars advance under fire of the 88s. One Sherman is reduced. (3-0)

Some Germans in the west fall back toward Tourville. (The Marder III has no chance holding back 10 armoured platoons!)

0800: German 88 misses the Shermans which quickly move south to get out of their sights. Second 88 takes out an Achilles in the north.

The 2nd A&S continues down the road. Some Grenadiers fall back to Tourville. (5-0)

0815: Shermans overrun the 20mm AA Gun and advance on Tourville. The waiting Marder decimates one and a half Sherman platoons! (11-1)

British Armour Command was overheard exclaiming “Oops!”

0830: Germans take the initiative and a 3rd Sherman is reduced. Fireflies and the Stuart enter Tourville.

.88 picks off two A&S Bren Carriers towing 6-pdrs.

0845: Marder misses the Fireflies and the British armour opens up! Marder III and German Armoured Cars are eliminated (7th German step)

British forces flood Tourville. Is all lost already?

German 75mm is eliminated by British artillery (8th step).

0900: British continue to advance. The Germans in Colleville are trapped and wait for the German reinforcements.

0915-0945: SS motorcycles in Tourville are reduced and flee to the south. No reinforcements arrive and the SS Grenadiers are reduced.

German Officer: ”We can’t hold out much longer! Where is the 15th Company!”

1000: Still no reinforcements and the SS Grenadiers in Tourville are hit again. The reduced Grenadiers surrender.

1015: As the last Grenadier in Tourville is eliminated the 15th Company, 25th SS Panzer Grenadier Regiment arrives!

Infantry arrives just east of Tourville. The Motorcycle enters to the southeast while the Marder and AT Guns arrive to the north (just east of Colleville).

German Question: How does an .88 advance toward British armour?

1030: Desperate, the Germans, although greatly outnumbered assault into Tourville. Both sides suffer a reduction. (not good for the Germans)

Having suffered too many losses, the Germans only hope at a draw is to retake Tourville. Every step lost takes them closer to impossibility

British Shermans move to the north side of town to great the Marders.

1045: British win the initiative and the Shermans eliminated the Marder and APC reinforcements in the north.

German mortars are eliminated by an air strike by British Typhoons.

Germans have all but lost

1100: Germans lose another half platoon of Grenadiers in assault. Down to one HMG and one GREN platoon the Germans surrender.

BRITISH VICTORY!!!

Aftermath

Although completely decimated, this scenario remained interesting from a tactical point of view.

The Germans need to choose whether to defend Colleville, or just pull all their forces back to Tourville. Likewise, the British need to decide if an advance on Colleville or Tourville is in order. Although grossly outnumbered, 2 of 3 British Infantry Battalions have orders to stand fast. So, the Germans have only the 2nd A&S and Hussars to take the town.

The 2nd A&S begin to have a chance to be free to advance beginning on turn 13 (1030), which is greatly increased if the British control at least some of Colleville.

I think one of the German’s problems is that I am too aggressive setting up on the defence. Once placed, those .88s were pretty immobile. How do you move an APC or Truck to the front line while 6-pdrs and 17-pdrs are staring down on you?

Scenario Rating: 3/5 – Interesting decisions, even though the Germans were completely decimated and the scenario only played half of its’ allotted turns.