Frantic French Blowing Bridges

Note: Score will be denoted by (x-y), where x=German casualties, y=French casualties.

THE BATTLE

1200

German forces enter from the east. One German truck is hit and destroyed by a French Anti-Tank battery. The transported infantry platoon is lost (2-0)

French anti-tank fire reduces some SK222s (4-0) before the French in turn are eliminated by German artillery. (4-2)

French engineers blow up the northernmost bridge! The Race is On!

1215

Early Fog of War sets in after the Germans initiate a couple assaults.

1230

French Armoured Car in the woods eliminated by assaulting German infantry (4-6). The French AT Guns continue to wreck havoc on the light German tanks and armoured cars. Some Pz Is and SK222s falling victim to the French 25mm. (8-6)

German motorcycles and cavalry race toward the river. French blow a bridge up in the south.

1245-1300

German artillery eliminates another AT Gun but not until after another truck unit loaded with infantry is destroyed (10-7)

Germans continue to push their motorcycles and cavalry who get behind the French lines in the north.

1315

French Armoured car is hit by German anti-tank guns which advanced and unlimbered last turn. (10-9)

Motorcycles race into the French engineers in the northwest. One platoon is lost as they quickly advance past the French (12-9)

French engineers blow up a second bridge in the south.

German infantry near the first blow bridge in the south.

Gameplay Note: The Germans were so intent on obtaining their victory objective (capture of an intact bridge) that they paid little attention to casualties. Unfortunately, causing casualties is one of the alternate French objectives. So nearing 15 German steps eliminated, the French are already close to their Minor Victory objective!

1330

A northern bridge is captured and the French engineers eliminated. (12-10)

Further French foot troops are eliminated (12-12).

German armoured cars break past the French to get to the bridges in the south. French motorcycles purse them, who are in turn pursued by German infantry.

Gameplay Note: This was a big German blunder. Having captured a northern bridge, the Germans should not have pushed to capture a bridge in the south as well. This advance left the armoured cars too exposed to French assault.

1345

German anti-tank fire eliminates French armoured cars (12-14). Further armoured cars are eliminated in assault (12-18). French cavalry is reduced at the bridge and is eliminated fleeing (12-20)

German infantry is eliminated approaching French DRG (14-20)

1400

German infantry takes reductions at the bridge (assault) and in the centre (artillery) (16-20).

French minor objective obtained.

1415

French cutting back to the north bridge.

In the south another bridge is blown. French DRG are taken out in the south (16-22)

1430

French suffer further casualties (16-26) but succeed in overrunning some German infantry and reducing some armoured cars in the heated south battle (19-26)

French mortar eliminated (19-27)

1445

French armoured car is hit (19-29)

1500

French are desperate to inflict one more step loss. They initiate assault in the north town. Both sides take a reduction (20-30).

Both sides currently have obtained their Major Victory Conditions. It is extremely unlikely the French could repel the Germans from the west side of the river or cause an excess of casualties.

The battle is mutually declared over.

IT’S A DRAW!

Aftermath

This was a good fun battle. In hindsight, the Germans were a bit too gung-ho to get to the bridges and suffered too many casualties. They should have concentrated their forces a bit more and held back from the south river town once the northern bridge was captured.

A very entertaining and fun battle.

Scenario Rating: 4/5. Recommended.