The German plan was to envelope the woods side of the ridge with a primary attack while a secondary attack fixes the forces in Stonne. Once the east (wooded side) was cleared the Germans planned to clear the ridge towards Stonne while the artillery softens up the town defenses. The the Germans would assault the town. Meanwhile AT defensed would set up on the ridge to await the French counterattack.

The French plan was to use the MC Cavalry forward to delay the Germans and the defend the ridge as long as possible with the infantry holding out until the French tanks could arrive.

The German left flank attack into the woods went pretty much as planned but he French H39s arrived early with one group going to attempt to reinforce the infantry in the woods. This didn't work an these H39s took casualties and the withdrew. But the other group had success heading to the center of the ridge to stop Germans from grabbing it quickly. The other H39s later reinforced this after withdrawing of the wooded sector of the ridge.

This with the ridge now split the Germans had to launch their attack on Stonne without a full envelopment. Thus they committed their reserve company to this endeavor. One town hex fell rapidly but the other held out until the end of the game.

The Char B1 bis tanks arrived early also and headed right the center to form up the defense there. The German armor and ATGs could do nothing against these tanks so the infantry had to close for the assault. This was tough to do with high DF opportunity fire for the B1s.

This one went right to the end. The French held on to the center of the ridge with the tanks and the Germans through their infantry right at them. They almost got all the French platoon demoralized as all of the French tank platoons had to take morale checks in the final assault combat. About half of them didn't demoralize but most were disrupted. It came down to the Germans having to fire their artillery on the assaults, 32 factors into the town hex under assault and 16 on the assault on a clear hex. The 32 factor had no effect and it was certain the French would have undemoralized combat units on the victory hexes. An exciting scenario.

This one showed the differences in the two forces. The German advantage es were high morale and high firepower infantry with many leaders. The French had superior armor in both numbers and in armor factors; plus the high direct fire factors of the Char B1 bis tanks was very helpful.

The French got the H39s on the second turn they could com in and the Chars on the first roll. This was critical in the tanks getting to the center of the ridge while the Germans were still reducing the flanks of the ridge.

Casualties (in steps):

French:

Cav 2 Inf 11 HMG 2 H39 4 B1 bis 3 ATG 2 P178 2 Ldr 2

German: Inf 4 HMG 2 PzII 1 Ldr 1

The scenario starts in the darkness of the early morning hours and moves to full daylight after a few turns, with the French defending Stonne and the hill hexes around it. The Germans moves to hit the French occupied area right away before they become visible. The German Infantry hits the French in force and flank the area with their tanks and anti-tank guns to try and block the expected French armor reinforcements.

The fighting on the hill goes on for many turns and the French reinforcement armor of two different groups both show up on turn 7. The Germans armor is too few in numbers to stop the flood of French armor, especially a stack of 3 B1-bis, which look unstoppable. In mean time, in the battle on the hill, the Germans take control of it and Stonne late in the game but the flood of French armor hits the hills as the Germans are now too weak and thin to stop them. So the French win, as the Germans do not control all the hill hexes anymore.

The Germans PzIVA, PzII and 37mm AT Guns are just too weak to stop all those French H39’s & B1-bis’s but have a strong enough Infantry force to knockout the French Infantry forces but not enough to do both.

The French set up in the town of Stonne and in the woods to the east. The Germans set up north of Stonne in the woods to the east and west of the road. The Germans cleared the woods to the east of Stonne relatively easy. The French held on to the center of town until the first armor reinforcements arrived. It was not enough though, as the Germans cleared the town with the French suffering heavy losses. The B1 reinforcements were not enough as they had almost no infantry support when the tanks arrived. German win.

Author	Schoenwulf
Method	Solo
Victor	France
Play Date	2021-10-31
Language	English
Scenario	FaoF016

Battle: In the pre-dawn hours of May 15,1940, Heinz Guderian had ordered an attack to continue the German advance south of Sedan. The Grossdeutschland IR and 10th Panzer Division pushed toward Stonne, a small village atop a high ridge that was garrisoned by French units from the 3rd Division d’Infanterie Motorisée. French troops were stationed in the surrounding woods and in the village proper. At 0545, H39 units from the 3rd Division Cuirassée de Reserve began rolling north to reinforce the village. By 0630, the Germans were pressing the French units on both flanks of the ridge, but the French were holding their ground and keeping the Germans from getting to Stonne. Shortly thereafter, the French received word that three platoons of Char B1-bis tanks were moving north to further reinforce the beleaguered hilltop position. German combined arms forces entered the west end of Stonne at 0815 hours and met stiff French resistance. Even though the Germans controlled the east part of the village by 0900, they were unable to control the ridge. Although the French had taken heavy casualties while maintaining the reinforced position, Commandant Lapierre and men had held long enough to slow the German advance.

Analysis: This scenario is a two map, 16-turn scenario with victory based on German occupation of the two village hexes; failure to accomplish this gives the French a win. The French set up with units on either side of the north/south road and in the village & adjacent ridge hexes. The Germans advanced on both flanks with armor and truck-borne AT waiting for the road to clear. The flanking units moved through the woods to establish a protected road corridor to the town. Once the woods were cleared of all French units, they moved to attack the French units on the ridge from both flanks. The French got a fortunate turn when both sets of armor reinforcements joined the fray on the first die roll turn. This allowed them to have armor superiority in the latter stages of the game, and that was a key to holding the ridge. In the final analysis, the French had lost 33 steps to only ten lost by the Germans, and only had two leaders (and one tank leader) remaining. In contrast, the Germans had not lost a single unit, but morale issues kept them from seizing control of the ridge. One village and one ridge hex were still being contested, and the French still has a single armor unit holding one of the other ridge hexes, resulting in a French victory. The scenario accurately reflects General Bertin-Bossu’s attempt to hold the village with the 3rd Motorized Division, a battle that actually went back and forth for a couple of days in mid-May 1940.

In continuing our tour of the French scenarios, Wayne and I looked at the attack on Stonne by the Grossdeutchland Division during the early stages of attack on France. On paper this looked challenging for both sides. Germans needing to take and hold the town of Stonne and the hieghts that command the area, while the French trying to deny them with pulled adhoc forces of the 3rd Motorized Division and some monstrous B1bis tanks. Both sides have weaknesses, the French lower morale, lack of OBA support and piecemeal forces. For the Germans they are attacking the high ground, held by the French, they also lack armor support to deal with the French tanks. But one of the biggest advantages for the Germans is the early morning attack.

In the night the Germans lineup just out of sight of the French defenders. In a semi-circle from board 31 903 to 704 and over to 402, 5 companies of GD troops ready for a dash to the town of Stonne. They are to race to the town overwhelm the defenders and push them off the hill before the French can react. Also, they will need to keep the casualty rate down as the French tanks will be rolling in later.

The Germans begin with the initiative and race though the last bits of night toward the town. The commanding Major moves up just out of range to direct the units as the first infantry units start taking fire from the French garrison. Five platoons make it to the edge of town, but a six is shot-up and destroyed by French HMG fire. The Germans call in OBA fire on the town that kills one step of French infantry. But there reinforcing units behind the town advance up to bolster the defense. But the Germans still pile in for the assault.

The German LT masses a company of GD troops into the small village just as the reinforcing HMGs are setting up. Several stick grenades and rifle fire take down he HMG teams. The remaining infantry and leader are demoralized. The other Stonne hex is also assaulted in the next turn reducing the HMG and eventually wiping out the remnants as they try to pull themselves together. An 25mm AT crew is also eliminated in the fight, giving the Germans the town on a quick assault.

At this point, the French defense on Stonne crumbles as German OBA pounds the remaining troops as they pull back to regroup and await the tanks. The GD troops begin to climb over the hill and setup defensive positions in the south side. Calling up the AT's and digin in the troops the Germans look to hold on at this point.

But they don't wait long, four platoons of H39's arrive and are brought up by the French. The GD troops rapidly finish their foxholes on the hill as the PZII and IV's maneuver for the best shot. The French tank move the the west of Stonne to attack the woods on the hill. A leading GD Captain takes charge of the hill and orders troops forward to hold the woods line from the advancing tanks. This works are the GD troops are able to hit the French tanks with small arms fire and grenade bundles to disrupt and demoralize the advancing tanks. For well over and hour the GD troops slow the French tanks while German OBA keeps the French infantry well back from the line and forcing them to recover their morale status. Eventually the French tanks pull back from their attack once the other French tanks arrive, the B1bis.

With these monsters lumbering down the road the Germans reposition AT guns and the tanks to try to deal with them the best they can. But to the west French armored cars and a H39 platoon, pulled from the action in the east, look to probe the German defense. The GD Captain commanding this side of the line decides to take matter into his own hands and attack the tanks before they get close or team up with the monsters. He takes a platoon and half of troops and assaults them. Scoring hits with both grenades and their Panzerbusche, the knock out one step of H39 and one step of armored cars. French troops try to race over to support the tanks plunging into the assault. The wily GD Captain knows that being caught with B1bis in the open will be certain death opts to get out of the melee before they get there. They make it out to fight again as the French INF and demoralized H39 attempt to stop them.

The B1bis make it to the west side battle. With and armor of 4 and a combined DF of 33, they will be hard to stop and it will be up to the infantry again to stop the tanks. The French drive them right into the fight, looking to storm the hill with them leading the way. But one key component is missing, supporting infantry. Stripped away from the other fighting the infantry cannot support and the GD Captain takes advantage. Plunging into the company of B1bis with grenades and small arms they pummel the B1's with fire, knocking out five of them. The Germans take their lumps but luck out with disruptions and demoralizations.

To the west one more daring move by the French to try to take the woods. With the last of H39's tied up in an assault the French eye a lone AT on the knoll in the woods. German troops to cover it, but the French also try to race a reduced P178 around to take the hill. Fire from the PzIVA removes the P178 threat and a company of GD troops advance to cover the ground that the French were pushing for. In the end the hill stayed in German hands to with the game.

I rated this game lower as both Wanye and I though that the French have much less of a chance once the hill is taken. The Germans can digin and hold against the French attack. the French being lower in morale will have tough time in getting any assaults going particularly if the Germans mount small spoiling attacks. German OBA is enough to be overwhelming to any French force that tries to counterattack and will leave the tanks exposed. Wayne had commented about coordinating the H39s with the B1bis, which may have helped but German force is very dominating if they have the heights. We discuss some options for the VC's as we felt that this was what was out of balance, such as adding hexes to control once the town was taken or something else to keep the Germans moving. In the end nothing conclusive, but was surprised the this was an even battle with wins and losses on PG-HQ.

Played against young Alan in our ongoing tour of France in 1940. Alan has described the situation well in his excellent AAR so I won't repeat here. I had set up in the town and just behind plus a force in the woods on one flank, I did think of actually completely giving up the town and deploying to to the rear to wait for the tanks. I an sure if I had done so I would have lost even more comprehensibly than I did, and to be honest well beaten anyway. The Germans have the advantage of darkness as they sweep towards the village, I had hoped to inflict some casualties and hold the town for at least an hour but his first artillery shot demoralized the stack, then straight into assault and in less than 30 mins four steps lost and Stonne in German hands. The problem then is there is no where for the French to go as there is no cover from the Germans on the ridge and their off board artillery just peppers away at the French troops causing little in the way off losses but disrupting and demoralizing the PBI at will. The French imitative was zero as in fact the French never went first in the entire game. The French H39 tanks arrive on time but I felt that I had to throw them into combat straight away in an attempt to disrupt the fine defensive line Alan had built on the ridge, not sure if this was an error, but they failed to make any headway against the German INF/HMG who just kept blasting them with small arms fire which caused morale checks which they promptly failed. In fact I though Alan was a bit cautious at one stage and if he had assaulted those tanks could well have wiped them out before the B1's arrived. The B1s were in fact late arriving and all they could do was surge towards the front line, the H39's tried to support them but this time Alan threw his INF forward in spoiling attacks and stopped the assault cold. I had move my sole a/car into his rear in a sneaky attempt to grab a ridge hex but the PZIV out paid to that. A final desperate assault by reduced INF platoons was brutely crushed by the German artillery and that was that. *This gets a low rating from me, for several reasons (a) It appears to be unbalanced (b) Once the German player has taken the ridge he digs in and sits tight waiting for the frantic French counterattack (c) The VC are strange I had a chance to win this on even though Alan had played well and had the luck of the dice, the reason is that the French need to have one undemoralized unit on the ridge to win, this statement may contradict point (a) but if my reduced INF or A/Car or B1 had survived one more turn I would have gotten the win, which would have been totally undeserved. This may be a good replay of what occurred at Stonne but it makes a very average game *