Author	treadasaurusrex (Germany)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	Draw
Participants	Col. Sonichu
Play Date	2024-09-08
Language	English
Scenario	RtDk003

This was a 6-session play-through with the cunning and audacious, Col. Sonichu leading elements of the British 1st and 2nd Infantry Divisions holding positions along the River Dyle in Belgium. All British units began the game in hidden mode. I led probing elements of the German 31st Infantry Division seeking contact on 14 May 1940. The German leader draw was better than average in this well-balanced scenario.

We ignored the RTD Random Events, but used the FOW, hidden units, excess initiative, extended assault, strategic movement and consolidation optional rules. We also used, these two house rules: 1) Road Movement for Mechanized & Foot Units All FOOT & MECHANIZED units may move on roads at the rate of 1/2 a Movement Point (MP) per road hex, just like MOTORIZED units. Unfortunately. we did not use the extended assault rule, 2) Standardized Movement for Mechanized Units - All mechanized units may move through clear hexes at a movement cost of only 1 movement point (MP) per hex, instead of 1 1/2. Add one to this cost if moving up, across, or down slopes hexes. These latter 2 rules significantly improved playability for both sides.

The initial session (game turns 1-2) featured a 3-pronged, probing German movement to contact in the south, center and north. Surprisingly, no British units showed up in this region of the battle map, as the Jerries advanced in open order.

Our exciting second session (game turns 3-5) featured an ill-coordinated & rather disoriented Wehrmacht movement to contact – mostly in strategic movement mode – while the same 3-pronged front. This probing advance resulted in the disruption & subsequent capture of a half-strength SK-221 armored car in an urban ambush at Hex 125-0805! The British immediately escorted the prisoners of war off the board to claim a minor victory for the Tommies with a single step loss for the Jerries. The southern German probes were also ambushed, but were saved from joining their compatriots in Valhalla by an amazing SEVEN combat 7-die rolls that plagued the many British defenders along the banks of the Dyle. Tommy units managed an effective tactical withdrawal in the face of the now-disorganized, German advance in the central and southern portions of Map 125, though they twice failed to blow the vital bride in Hex 125-0509. Miraculously Landser scouting elements in the south were able to cross the Dyle using the footbridge at Hex 125-0513 in spite of very heavy defensive fire from the newly-revealed, combined arms Tommies on the west bank of the river. A German leader was eliminated by cross-river opfire, that further discombobulated the overall Axis movement in the direction of the crucial bridge hex. This southern probe was immediately halted in a close assault on a platoon of stubborn Tommies dug-in on the trail. In the far north, additional German probes encountered well-sited, British elements overwatching 2 more footbridge hexes.

The probably decisive & bloody third session (game turns 6-7) was characterized by close assault fighting at 3 widely separated river crossings on the Dyle. In the northern sector, counter attacking Tommies were able to limit the Germans advance to the footbridge with lashings of machine gun & rifle fire, but at the cost of a platoon of Bren carrier AFVs.

In the central, intact bridge (Hex 125-0509), a stubborn British defense held off the Wehrmacht, but at a heavy cost in men & vehicles. The senior British leader was eliminated by close assault during the 7th game turn in this hex. The highest concentration of both side’s troops was in this vicinity and further south to the next foot bridge. At the southern river crossing, the Jerries had more luck and were able to cross the foot bridge (Hex 125-0513) successfully, and initiate a close assault on the west side of the Dyle by dint of fierce fighting. By session’s end, the step losses were: 11 for the Tommies, and 3 for the slowly advancing Germans.

Our costly, fourth session (game turns 8-10 ) featured a great deal of adversity for both sides and may well have been decisive in this combined arms fracas. There were multiple close assaults, adjacent-hex firefights and long-range AT exchanges. The Tommies lost 6 steps and the Germans dropped another 3 – crucially causing a reduction in the Jerry’s initiative level – and putting them over the step loss threshold. This means that scenario may become a draw at the end of play, IF the Germans are able to maintain at least one undemoralized unit on the west side of the Dyle.

The no-holds-barred, fifth session (game turns 11-12) was a true free-for-all, with some amazing DF and AT shooting by both sides. It was decidedly grimmer for the defending Tommies with 6 more steps lost and another leader eliminated in the pair of fiercely contested close assaults in the center and southern portion of Map 125. The Jerries were able to hang on to their 3 embattled footholds on the west side of the Dyle during this session. This one is becoming a likely draw.

The very grim sixth session (game turns 13-15) did result in a hard-fought DRAW in the final turn. The Germans were able to hang on to their 3 footholds in costly close assault & adjacent-hex fighting in all three combat zones across the Dyle. Step losses this session were heavy and included: 6 more for the defending Tommies, and 5 for the attacking Landsers, plus a leader loss! This was a heck of a fight, but in the end, a draw was the best that either side could manage,

I give this exciting, knife-edge, balanced scenario a solid 4. However, the dry and unimaginative victory conditions need a rewrite as it is way too easy for either side to cross the 6-step loss threshold and fall into a forced draw, if both opponents manage tenuous minor victories. This scenario is recommended for both SOLO and SHARED play.