Elements of the French/ Moroccan 1st Régiment des Tiralleurs defending the town of Gembloux, Belgium were attacked by units from the German 4th Panzer Division early on the morning of May 14, 1940. The Allied units were in strong defensive positions on and west of the railroad embankment, and well protected by both wire and minefields. At 0700 hours, a German Stuka squadron opened the battle and destroyed a 25mm gun emplacement on the north flank of the Allied line. The Germans did a feint to the north but moved primarily on the center and south of the Allied position, advancing behind the large ridge east of the railroad. Although French OBA slowed the German advance, wire and mines were cleared from the south flank by 0800. By 0930 hours, a gap was opened in the south line that allowed a Pz.II platoon supported by a single infantry unit into the south end of the city. At 1000 hours, an 47APX anti-tank emplacement located by the Gembloux railroad station was eliminated, and the station was under siege. Within the next hour, it was clear that the Allied line was crumbling, as another gap had opened in the north, followed by one in the center near the railroad station. Two more panzer platoons and an infantry unit had broken through, and the panzer units controlled most of the town by noon. Both the railroad station and cemetery remained under attack, but the Moroccans managed to hold the station. Shortly after noon, with the German lines east of the railroad in disarray, the Moroccans pulled back and cleared north and central Gembloux. The battle ended at 1245 hours with the town divided pretty equally, but the Germans had paid a hefty price to hold their section of the town, and the Allies claimed a major victory.

This scenario is played out on a single map played horizontally with the railroad bisecting the map from north to south. The layout provides a number of options to save control of town hexes which are worth two points each, one of the two objectives, with the other being step losses. The Germans need to advance west to have a chance, but do so against strong Allied OBA. They are helped by multiple aircraft on the first two turns, and single aircraft on six other turns. These can be a tremendous help in softening up the formidable French/Moroccan line (the red Division Marocaine chits from AP were used where appropriate). The scenario can be tedious at times with all the units in play, but is very enjoyable and well balanced. After the first eight turns, it didn’t appear that the Germans would have a chance to penetrate to Allied front line. In this regard, the French were helped by fog-of-war rolls on eight of the first nine turns. But six turns later, it appeared that the Germans might be in the best shape, having broken through the Allied lines. After that, it was back-and-forth with the balance for VP’s in constant flux. However, in the end, the German leaders & units that remained east of the railroad were not a threat to advance as very few were in good order. This allowed the Moroccans to pull back and reclaim about half of the town. In the final analysis, the Germans had lost 38 steps to 22 for the Allies, many due to the deadly Allied OBA. The Germans held 22 town hexes to 21 for the Moroccans, but the latter units held the railroad station for a four-point bonus. So, the Allies ended up with 84 VP’s to 66 for the Germans, a major Allied victory by a very narrow margin. This is a really enjoyable scenario that is well balanced, has great ebb and flow, and a lot of action.

Author	treadasaurusrex (France, Morocco)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	Germany
Participants	waynebaumber
Play Date	2022-03-28
Language	English
Scenario	DiMa005

This 6-session, online play-through was one in which I played the French/Moroccan side. We played the entire scenario to the bitter end and it resulted in a very costly major victory for the hard-fighting, German troops.

Please see my short AAR for 1940: Fall of France, Scenario 51, and I respectfully refer the reader to Wayne Baumber's succinct & insightful AAR for this scenario.