Author	treadasaurusrex (France)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	Germany
Participants	Jockulus
Play Date	2024-06-14
Language	English
Scenario	FaoF019

This was an 8-session introductory play-through with the capable & gracious, Jockulus, commanding the 1st Battalion of the German Grossdeutschland Infantry Regiment defending the high ground around the 2-hex village of Stonne. I led the relatively-high-morale, attacking French contingents of the 6th Infantry Division. We used with the FOW, smoke/illum, hidden units, strategic movement, extended assault and excess initiative optional rules. We also used 2 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, and 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 or down slopes hexes. Both sides drew decent sets of leaders and the entire German force started the game in hidden mode. The rule set we used worked very well in this play-through.

The initial session (game turns 1- part of 4) featured an uncharacteristically daring French movement to contact from the west edge of the Map 27 in 3 divergent prongs. The French were under long-range and direct opportunity fire almost immediately as the left flank column moved to the East on the northwest margins. Probing French units moved slowly from northwest to southeast across the battle map identifying the locations of dug-in German positions in & around Stonne clustered on the 40-meter contour line. This was costly as the Germans drew first blood be halving a pair of snooping French infantry platoons. Meanwhile, scouting French armor on the right flank moved into staging position on the converging roads. The central French infantry column made very slow progress on the winding road on the southeast margins of the large hill mass topped by the 2-hex town of Stonne, on Map 27. As the first 2 platoon of German appeared by the end of the session, driving off the French recon elements. Both sides were now in contact at decisive ranges in the vicinity of Stonne, and the first German-held 40-meter hill hex was liberated by an intrepid French probe at the start of game turn 4. A combined 4 combat 7-die rolls were thrown in this very entertaining session.

Our second session (last half of game turn 4, and the start of 5) featured a steady & slow French advance into decisive action range just west of Stonne on the 20-meter contour. They also managed to draw first blood in a combined arms close assault, as the Germans began a tactical withdrawal upslope. Elsewhere, the constrained French advanced in a couple of minor probes & feints, hoping to lure elements of German armor & infantry out of position on the ridge, and into crossfire, or adjacent-hex firefights. Alas, my quick-thinking opponent did not take the bait offered, but instead reinforced the Landser’s defenses on the ridgetop adjacent to Stonne. The step loss tall now stood at 2 for the French, and only a single step lost for the Third Reich. The updated victory points were: 24 for the defending Germans, and 4 to the French. A combined SIX combat 7-die rolls were thrown, this session.

The fun-filled, 3rd session (game turns last half of 5-7) was a grim one for the hapless French side that lost an additional 2 steps in adjacent-hex fire fights just west of Stonne. In terms of combat die & OBA rolls, the PG Fates were very hard on the attacking French, and definitely favored the German’s morale recovery and close range fire rolls. The updated step losses were still only one for the Third Reich, but were up to 5 for the French side , resulting in the loss of one level of initiative. The victory point tally was now: 25 for the determined German defenders, and 7 for the struggling French. A combined 3 combat 7-die rolls were thrown.

Our extremely costly & frustrating, fourth session (game turns 8-start of 9) featured several catastrophic French close range firefights & close assaults on the margins of Stonne’s 40-meter hill. Steps lost were now a mere 5 for the resolute German defenders of Stonne – and reflecting the thrashing that they received today, a startling 15 steps lost for the struggling French! Both sides’ initiatives were reduced to zero in the intense fighting during this prolonged session. The highlights of this session were a litany of disaster for the rapidly weakening French attack: 2 tank platoons and an entire company of infantry were eliminated in close assault, along with a leader, thanks to a well-timed, German counter attack. Oddly the French had a series of lucky morale recovery rolls and their right flank units entered decisive engagement range on the east margins of the 40-meter ridge.

The intense, yet entertaining, fifth session (game turns 9- first part of 10) featured consolidation of the German defenses along the crest of the 40-meter ridge; limited endurance French probes on the eastern & southern margins of Stonne; some heavy & relatively accurate OBA bombardments, and the slow and very tenuous tightening of the weakly-held, French positions around Stonne. Step losses this session totaled: 3 for the Boche and 5 for the French, mostly due to adjacent hex firefights and accurate opportunity fire. The updated victory point tally was around: 20 for the hapless French, and 44 for the Third Reich.

Our sixth session (end of game turn 10-11) was a costly, but perhaps decisive, episode as the French finally established a precarious foothold in the town of Stonne at the cost of another 3 steps of infantry – that’s seven platoons of their men in the graveyard! The Germans lost 2 more steps (four infantry units so far in this play-through) as well as their senior leader, which caused barely a ripple of concern to the remaining Boche defenders. Remarkably, the French had the initiative for the 11th game turn, allowing a cascade of adjacent hex fire to proceed the close assault in both Hex 27-0816 and 27-0815 on the crucial 40-meter contour line. The updated victory point tally was now around: 23 for the hapless French, and 42 for the resolute Boche.

The costly seventh session (game turns 12-14) became a bloody seesaw affair going back-and-forth with the Germans dropping an additional 5 steps, plus 2 leaders, and the French losing 6 more steps and also a leader. These casualties were sustained in fierce adjacent-hex firefights, some unexpectedly accurate opportunity fire & OBA strikes, and in a successful Boche close assault in the hilltop woods. The fighting shifted uphill as the Germans carried out a successful fighting withdrawal, while the French consolidated their limited territorial gains by surrounding Stonne on 3 sides. The victory point tally was now: a pathetic, 30 for the French, and 47 for the German defenders.

The eighth and final session (game turns 15-16) was a disasterous one for the hapless French who suffered the loss of 11 steps, to only 4 to the defending German force. While they did managed to liberate 5 hexes on the 40-meter contour line, and also maintain a close assault in the contested western hex of Stonne, this came at a terrible cost in steps. The Germans seized the initiative on both game turns and aggressively targeted exposed French units, while the French had incredibly bad luck, particularly in combat & morale recovery die rolls.

The final result was a major German victory with a score pf 53 for the victorious Germans and 34 for the disgruntled French. My hard-fighting opponent and I give this fine scenario a rating 4, which would have been a 5, but for the unbalanced nature of this encounter, with very little chance for the French to achieve a draw or a minor victory. In all, there were 6 FOW-shortened game turns of the 16 played. This one is well-suited for SHARED and SOLO play.

En este escenario nueve pelotones de tanques franceses B1-bis, H39 y FCM36, apoyados por dos pelotones de carros blindados (armored cars) P16 y un batallón de infantería, atacan las posiciones alemanas en torno a Stonne. Los alemanes despliegan un batallón del regimiento de elite "Grossdeutschland", apoyado por algunas baterías AT.

Los tanques pesados franceses B1-bis, junto con los tanques medios H39, atacan el norte de la colina donde se halla Stonne. Los alemanes defienden este sector con varias unidades de infantería y HMG y un magnífico líder con modificador moral de "2". Los alemanes sufren considerables bajas, pero su superior moral (y la de su líder) les permite resistir. Por su parte los blindados franceses FCM36 atacan un pelotón de StuGIIIA y medio pelotón de PzIVD alemanes. Los franceses consiguen destruir el medio pelotón de PzIVD, pero el StuGIIIA alemán se muestra indestructible ante la escasa potencia de fuego de estos tanques franceses. Al final el ataque blindado francés fracasa, ya que son destruidos dos steps de FCM36 gracias al fuego cruzado alemán de cañones AT y el pelotón de StuGIIIA.

Al final, los alemanes son incapaces de conquistar un sólo hex de colina en Stonne.

Victoria mayor alemana.

La mejor moral del regimiento Grossdeutschland y de sus líderes ha sido decisiva en esta partida.

The French decided to attack with infantry against the west side of the hill and the village of Stonne. The plan was to move up under the cover of smoke and have the Char B1bis tanks in support. This plan worked to get the French through the German outpost and to grab a foothold on the hill but once on the hill, the German firepower stalled the French attack. The German panzer reinforcements came early and put AT fire on the B1bis tanks, killing some and driving off others. Soon the Germans counterattacked and pushed the French off the hill. The French tanks and rest of the infantry tried to move to and gain a hold on the east side of the hill. The tank portion of that attack was successful, killing and driving off the Pz Mk IVDs and PZIIs but the lone Stug IIIA platoon supported by the 37mm Antitank Guns held the French armor in check. The infantry was pinned behind the hedges and by 12:30 pm it was apparent the French attack failed.

This was a Skype play with Wayne Baumbar over the course of two sessions. Wayne played as the French and I as the Germans. The leader draw was average to good for both sides, but it is a tough one for the French as they have lower morale and they are attacking a hill town. They do have the massive Char B1's to help force assaults but they face the elite Grossdeutschland regiment that has better morale and infantry weapons. They also have the terrain, being able to setup on the hill and adjust to the the French attack.

The French start by advancing down the west end of the road on board 27 with there tanks. Other infantry and Char B1's enter from the west, directly opposite the end of the ridge that the town of Stonne sits on. To the south the French advance their H39's to join the attack.

The French face a dugin Grossdeutschland regiment on the 40m hill and in wrecked town of Stonne. They have arranged HMG's and AT guns to cover the advance as well. They are all grouped on the hill but they are stretched out east-west along the hill.

The French push at the western tip of the hill where the German defense is the thinnest. A company of Char B1's begin to blast away at the dugin Germans scoring demoralizations and set losses. They eventually reduce the point of the defense and take the edge of the hill. French infantry try to move to the flanks of the hill to put pressure on but German fire demoralizes them and are forced to flee and recover. French H39's try to flank the hill and gets caught in an assault on the east end of the hill. German infantry are able to tie them down until the German armor arrives. The German PzIVD is able to score a kill on the H39's and they begin to fall back.

Back on the west end of the hill the German units defending the tip have fled back into the town of Stonne and the Char B1's get excited and chase after them. They are able to score losses in the town, but fear of German counter attack force the French armor to get out of the town and let the infantry handle it. In the pause the disorganized Germans are able to get fresh units, including an HMG into the town to keep it uncontrolled. Meanwhile other French FCM36's move to reduce a German dugin position to the south of Stonne, French armor try to get in but German grenade bundles demoralize the tanks. But where was the French infantry.

During there advance German OBA and OP fire targeted the infantry and failed morale checks took there toll. Much of the French infantry need to spend time recovering from the German fire to make it had to support the armors assaults. This left the tanks on their own to attack but many became demoralized during the attacks.

This left the battle up to the tanks which became vulnerable to German AT fire. To the south if the Stonne ridge the PzIVD engaged the H39's for a second time scoring a reduction to one. The French responded with armored cars to try to flank the PzIVD, but lost one step. Eventually, they were able to and the supporting German 37mm AT were not able to stop them. This put the vulnerable PzIVD in a bad spot and eventually a shot from a FCM36 took it down.

But the damage was done as this tied up valuable armor from getting the Grossdeutschlander's out of Stonne. Two assaults by the Char B1's failed as they became demoralized by dugin infantry in the town and the ridge. This allowed the Germans to easily hold the ridge and the with the game with a wide margin, 35-12.

The scenario is quite interesting, but it is very hard for the French. They must attack a hill town with lower morale troops and tanks. The Germans, while on the defensive, but disadvantaged at the start have the edge. So this is another the is historically correct but tough as a two player game.

This was played via Skype against Alan Sawyer over toe sessions. A French combined arms force have to retake Stonne against a equal (in terms of foot units) force of Germans, halfway through the scenario the German side receives AFV reinforcements and plentiful OBDA. I try not to ever say a scenario is not winnable for any side, and I note that the French have recorded one victory, and not to take anything away from Alan who set up very well and played a good solid game, this is one unbalanced scenario. The one French advantage is the 3 B1 bis who can lay down some heavy firepower. however they are slow and it will take three turns at least to get in positions to use that firepower. A flanking attack would take even longer. The French artillery is OK but will be hitting on the 21 or 16 columns as the Germans will be dug in or in Stonne itself. The French have 7/6 morale which given the open ground around the village will result in lots of disruptions and demoralization's from German OF. Alan had set up with every 40m hill hex occupied, the ATG's to the rear and ENG units occupying the town. As the French advance the B1 bis went straight for the town, supported by the main bulk of the foot units, a small force was sent to flank the south side of the town to join with the FCM36 company in an effort to split the defenders. After several turns of maneuver the French began to pour fire into Stonne but all to no great effect with the German player able to pull out disrupted units, replace with fresh units and easily rally his troops while all the time though not inflicting any huge losses of the French the frequent disruptions were causing a headache. When the German AFV's arrived they reinforced the town and drove of the French armoured cars, it was when the German OBDA became active that the tide really turned and losses began to mount for the French. Finally with time running out the B1's assaulted the town initially this was a success but failing to completely clear the first town hex left them very vulnerable to A/T attacks from the STUG in the ruined part of Stonne. The B1's pulled out to be replaced by INF/HMG who could not make any headway against the brave stubborn trooper of GD division. The B1's tried again but were beaten back by the STUG backed up with accurate HMG fire. By the end of play all of Stonne was still in German hands for a major major victory. I rated this at first as a 1 but will increase that to a 2 just, but this scenario needs some tweaks to become balanced, I would suggest French morale to be 8/6 and a decrease in the German OBDA to 16 x 2. Even then it would be a tough slog for the French. Avoid this one if looking for a good game, I would even question if it's a good simulation of the action as the French won this encounter according to the conclusion, it does though show why French forces struggled against the better firepower and more mobile German invaders.