Author	Schoenwulf
Method	Solo
Victor	Draw
Play Date	2021-11-20
Language	English
Scenario	FaoF017

Battle: On the morning of May 15, 1940, French units from the 1st Division d’Infanterie Motorisée were situated in a developed position between Perbais and Ernage, Belgium. They were attacked by two squadrons of German Hs.129’s followed by another squadron of Ju.88’s, so they awaited the German ground advance. They were not disappointed as units from the German 3rd Panzer Division appeared across a broad front at 0900 hours. French artillery responded and let the Germans know that they would be in for a fight. An hour later, German artillery eliminated the French 155mm gun unit. German panzer reinforcements arrived at 1015, and an hour later both French flanks had been turned by German units in vicious hand-to-hand combat in both Perbais in the north and the sunken railroad in the south. More German ground units arrived at 1145, and the powerful French 47APX unit was neutralized. However, German tanks continued to brew up from the other French AT platoons. The Germans continued to press both flanks and the French center, and by 1445 they were in a strong position despite still being engaged along the sunken railroad and stalled in their attack on the French right. The Germans had established a clear corridor for east/west movement along the French left.

Analysis: This scenario is a two map, 24-turn scenario with victory based on either German hex control or step loss from French attacks. The French set up a line of either units, roadblocks or minefields running north to south five hexes from the east edge. Seven units covered the north village, with the remainder behind the front line protecting the southwest village and sunken railroad hexes. Most of the artillery barrages and airstrikes of the first turn did little damage to either side, but the Germans had some units in an open field of fire at the end of the turn. Other German forces were held behind the south hedgerows and protected from French spotting. The German mortars and artillery that were being trucked were held back until recon could identify the potential AT risk. The sunken railroad hexes are difficult to take since they can only be spotted from adjacent hexes, but the Germans eventually had enough good units to assault. Unless the dice are very kind, the German player will take significant step losses compared to the French in the early going, but as they press forward, the Germans can even things out. The French OBA also delivered some serious strikes after the first couple of turns and remained a factor in slowing progress of the German reinforcements. Besides control of town hexes, the Germans want to establish a 5-hex east/west corridor free of un-DM French units. This is more readily accomplished by using either the north or south map edge to serve as one flank of the corridor; then, only a single flank of the 5-hex corridor needs to be protected. As the final turns approached, their only chance for establishing the 5-hex corridor was in the north sector, as the assaults in the sunken railroad and French control of town hexes in the south made a corridor impossible. On their last two turns, the Germans had cleared a path using the north edge of the map for one border and a line of units 5-6 hexes to the south. The Germans also controlled 10 of the 16 town hexes to four for the French, with two still contested; this would have given the Germans a Major Victory, except for the loss of over 20 steps to the French. So the scenario ended in a draw with a total of 35 German steps lost to 30 for the French. This one is well balanced, as it is tough for the Germans to gain the control needed for victory without the loss of twenty steps due to the French OBA and AT power.