The Germans need to attack the British in St. Manvieu and control three of five possible hexes. To do this they have a mixed force of SS and Army Panzer troops with significant armor support. The British have the better part of two battalions and are well endowed with AT and armor support themselves. The British also have some air support and importantly a TON of artillery (the exact amount is dependent on die rolls but they have a lot of firepower in this one).

The key for the Germans is to get close enough to the towns with an intact combined arms force to take the town hexes away from the British who will have substantial infantry numbers in those towns. Along the way it will be important for the Germans to eliminate the British armor to avoid close quarters AT gunnery. Their force is, however, loaded with 5 and 6 factor AT guns and the British can at best have a 3 armor defense factor (up to a 4 in town or dug in).

In my play the Germans come down both roads with the SS on the northern road and 21st Panzer on the southern road. The SS are targeted first by the British who decimate them (4 infantry step losses and 3 tank steps). The 21st Panzer does a little better and is able to close in. During the second turn the 21st exacts some revenge for the German armor as it eliminates five steps of British armor.

The Germans then try to dance around the falling artillery and whittle down the remaining British armor and finally on turn 6 enter three of the target hexes. After turn 1 I was ready to call this one for the British but with a never say stop attitude the Germans at least had a shot at it.

In the end it wasn't much of a shot as the British were able to continue to funnel troops into the assault hexes and the Germans had no reserves. The final result was that the three hexes entered never completely resolved the assault but at game end all three situations greatly favored the British. A solid British victory and a fun scenario. I give it a "4".

Mixed force of SS and Whermacht attack parts of 2 British battalions holding several town hexes. British had just about maximum artillery support all through the game with none on turn 4 while the Germans got just a little bit on only 4 turns. British air came in as Typhoons on 2 turns but had little effect. The SS and Whermacht infantry got into assault in 3 of the needed 5 town hexes early on but just couldn't finish off the British defenders. When a British unit died or fled, another unit moved up to take it's place. At the north edge of the British line, an SS assault eliminated both steps of a defending platoon, and the surviving LT called in a large artillery strike on his own position, going down but taking two steps of SS with him, leaving only an SS officer standing alone in the empty hex, but all that for a hex that wasn't part of the victory condition. Final loss count: 23 German to 13 British, most of which was armor, transport and AT guns. Great little scenario

Germans advanced from East, but early hits by Typhoons and artillery slowed them down. Eventually their advance ran out of momentum and they didn't capture any of the objective hexes - although they were close. With some different strategy this scenario could have turned out very different. Definitely worth playing more than once.

THE BATTLE

Heavy rain obscures visibility and the terrain is soggy.

1615 (visibility = 4)

Germans advance through the haze. A few shells fly through the air and the StuG IIIG is eliminated by the Firefly.

1630 (visibility = 6)

German armour retaliates and elements of the 29th Armoured Brigade are shattered, losing all but 2 Shermans.

The German Marder III tank destroyer is lost.

1645 (visibility = 8)

German armour advances and the StuG IIIH is reduced by the British 17-pounder. (Which in turn is targeted by German artillery and destroyed).

1700 (light rain, visibility = 7+)

British 6-pdrs eliminate the remaining StuGs. Germans move into assault in the South.

(half time)

1715

British HMG eliminate by Grenadier fire. PzIVH move to town and are hit by British Typhoons!

1730

6th King’s Own Scottish Borderers are pounded in the south. The Fusiliers move south to assist.

Another Typhoon passes and wrecks havoc eliminating 2x PzIVH steps!!!

German morale took a big hit here. Those panzers were sorely needed and the Typhoon was incredibly lucky making that air strike.

SS infantry surrounds South St. Manvieu.

1745

SS foot troops assault the town, but they are alone as no SS armour remains. German army armour is demoralized and fleeing.

1800

The British hold out.

BRITISH VICTORY!!!

Aftermath

This mission is very similar to Scenario 6, but with a few more Germans, a few less British and one less turn to complete.

The British were incredibly lucky with their air strikes, but I still feel that even without, they still have a huge advantage over the Germans. As was historical, the counter-attack failed.

Scenario Rating: 2/5 – Quick battle. A few more Germans, but still quite imbalanced.