This one was played ftf with Wayne Baumber, our second go at one from FOF, and boy have they been good so far !

This scenario will give both the defender and attacker many options of deployment, defensive sectors and points of attack, to make it eminently replayable with different opponents. It has defended bridges, minefields, Maginot line type casements, river crossings, tough French tanks and ........ well, just play it !

How It Started

The German attack began around 1000 hours. As expected it came from the west from Maubeuge itself. The main assault infantry units, coming along the north bank of the river, and other elements, such as two platoons of Panzers on the south bank. Another section of German troops also came from the south itself and set themselves against the casemates. The French positions appeared to have been well-thought out? Small headway was made by the German infantrymen, if any at all. When initial contact was made, French fire proved very effective! The Boussois fortress instantly repulsed a first probe against it, cutting down the enemy in a stroke. French bombardments were punishing, and the west flank held like a wall as each section of it appeared to be able to cover one anothers section and French command there was also of a good quality. By 1045, the Germans were already counting a 100 or so casualties. But the French troops now begun to sustain losses too. One outer casemate had been taken, and their reservist troops were the units suffering under German bombardment. In all, about the same amount of losses as the Germans. But the French lines on either flank were still solid.

Lone Mortar Platoon Scores A "Critical Hit"

At 1100 hours, the Germans secured their first success in the attack. A lone mortar platoon had been bombarding the entrenched area on the front of the French western line. In doing so, it inflicted some very surprising hits in the area and had forced some of the defenders there to seek cover. Seeing this rare moment of opportunity, the German line pushed forward as the French tried to rearrange their line. French armour here appeared not to be too well commanded and its target selection poor. Within 15 minutes, the German infantry had hit the French line in close assaults and were extracting a heavy toll on the enemy. In the 30 minute struggle, 50 German casualties were exchanged for 150 French losses, 8 tanks and the falling of the first line of defence. Most of the French here managed to extricate themselves and set about forming a new line of defence. As they did this, the Germans themselves needed to stop for breath and re-organisation. During this relative lull, the French managed to pick-off a few more German infantrymen, but by 1230 hours, the Germans had begun probing again. In one sector of the French line, 75 casualties were sustained during a 15 minute bombardment as demoralized troops ran into the line held by their good-order comrades. The over-crowding exacerbated the situation and the resultant losses upon the panic-stricken defenders seemed needless. From here on, for another hour, this second and reformed French line came under intense pressure as 4 more of their tanks and some 200 other troops had either fled, or become a casualty. Even the Lt Col of the regiment had deserted his post to the utter disgust of Wayne.

Across The River ! - Pontoons and Bridges

On the German right, persistent attempts by their engineer company at various points along the bank eventually succeeded in placing a flimsy wooden pontoon across the river. This had been done even though the plentiful French OBA had shelled them constantly. Nonetheless, 75 engineer casualties had been sustained in the attempt, but the whole French line was now being stretched. By 1400 hours, a small trickle of German infantry had begun to cross to the other side of the Sambre, but at this stage, this was not quite enough. On the German left, a platoon each of Pz IV’s and I’s on the southern bank were now shelling and machine gunning French defenders that were well entrenched on the bridge there, whilst German infantry, commanded by their Major were engaging French infantry protecting the northern approach to the bridge in a small village located there. The French here had been reduced to a platoon, but were holding off three times their number in a desperate struggle to keep control of the bridge.

The Bridge Is Taken

By 1415, the battle was on a knife-edge. The Germans had pushed forward well, but needed to complete the capture of at least one of the bridges and a few more entrenchments and town areas by the time evening drew in. Just 2 more hours and the French would have succeeded in stalling the Germans far longer than would have been acceptable. But the tipping point was not far off. At 1430 hours the German attacks on the bridge and the town north of it finally yielded success. The Frenchmen that had defended so ably there had finally taken all they could and were beginning to crumble against the forces being thrown at them. Casualties were mounting unacceptably and morale sinking. By 1445, both the bridge and its environs were firmly in German hands. The Panzers there would be able to cross now and push forwards against an ever-dwindling enemy.

The Pontoons Repulsed

The French did however score a success on the right. They continued to concentrate all their OBA on the German engineers trying to build a pontoon for the waiting infantry to cross. Though a to and fro affair, the OBA effectively curtailed any efforts across the river by continually disrupting the German efforts and this enemy force, having thought better of trying to cross the river, decided to swing round toward the French casements instead.

But by now, it was all over. German forces on the left were finally squeezing up having battled against and punctured successive French defence lines, and with German tanks speeding along the road ever deeper into the French ranks, the Allied commander conceded the battle.

Casualties

German - 13 steps (counting as 13 VC step losses) French - 41 steps (counting as 50 VC step-losses)

With the Germans also taking one bridge and 3 entrenchments and the result points for them, this meant that the Germans attained a Major Victory.

In my view, a great scenario. Play it with an opponent ! Major victory for the Germans is something of a flattery really. The French really did contest this battle and made it very hard indeed. Their positioning of the casements and minefields were perfect and to all purposes, these were not breached. Had the Northern sector held up with its morale better (and on another day, it may have), the result could certainly have been different. I guess the other factor was that they simply did not eliminate enough of the enemy. With all that OBA, maybe they should have ? This would have cut down the VC pts deficit