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Race to the Meuse
Fall of France 2 #9
(Attacker) Germany vs France (Defender)
Formations Involved
Germany 7th Panzer Division
Display
Balance:
Overall balance chart for FoF2009
Total
Side 1 1
Draw 0
Side 2 0
Overall Rating, 1 vote
5
4
3
2
1
4
Scenario Rank: --- of 948
Parent Game Fall of France 2
Historicity Historical
Date 1940-05-12
Start Time 08:30
Turn Count 52
Visibility Day
Counters 203
Net Morale 0
Net Initiative 3
Maps 7: 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33
Layout Dimensions 196 x 43 cm
77 x 17 in
Play Bounty 243
AAR Bounty 166
Total Plays 1
Total AARs 1
Battle Types
Covering Action
Delaying Action
Exit the Battle Area
Inflict Enemy Casualties
River Crossing
Conditions
Off-board Artillery
Randomly-drawn Aircraft
Terrain Mods
Scenario Requirements & Playability
Fall of France 2 Base Game
Introduction

On the evening on May 11, General Corap ordered the vanguard elements of the Division Legeres de Cavalerie in the Ardennes to fall back to the Meuse. The size and power of the enemy was simply too much for the French light cavalry divisions, and they were in danger of being encircled. The withdrawal was carried out early on May 12, with mobile elements covering the retreat of the slower units.
Conclusion

The French infantry divisions on the Meuse were far from ready to hold the line at this stage, so the retreating units had to make a fighting withdrawal. Taking every possible advantage of terrain, the dragoons and chasseurs succeeded in slowing down the Germans so that the less-mobile French units could cross the Meuse in safety. Quite a few panzers were destroyed all along the different retreat routes, and a sole 25mm French anti-tank gun claimed no less than 12 German tanks destroyed in one day. Around 1600 the bridges at Dinant and Bouvignes were blown within view of the first approaching panzers, just after the last French elements had crossed to safety.
Display Relevant AFV Rules
AFV Rules Pertaining to this Scenario's Order of Battle
  • Vulnerable to results on the Assault Combat Chart (7.25, 7.63, ACC), and may be attacked by Anti-Tank fire (11.2, DFT). Anti-Tank fire only affects the individual unit fired upon (7.62, 11.0).
  • AFV's are activated by tank leaders (3.2, 3.3, 5.42, 6.8). They may also be activated as part of an initial activating stack, but if activated in this way would need a tank leader in order to carry out combat movement.
  • AFV's do not block Direct Fire (10.1).
  • Full-strength AFV's with "armor efficiency" may make two anti-tank (AT) fire attacks per turn (either in their action segment or during opportunity fire) if they have AT fire values of 0 or more (11.2).
  • Each unit with an AT fire value of 2 or more may fire at targets at a distance of between 100% and 150% of its printed AT range. It does so at half its AT fire value. (11.3)
  • Efficient and non-efficient AFV's may conduct two opportunity fires per turn if using direct fire (7.44, 7.64). Units with both Direct and AT Fire values may use either type of fire in the same turn as their opportunity fire, but not both (7.22, 13.0). Units which can take opportunity fire twice per turn do not have to target the same unit both times (13.0).
  • Demoralized AFV's are not required to flee from units that do not have AT fire values (14.3).
  • Place a Wreck marker when an AFV is eliminated in a bridge or town hex (16.3).
  • AFV's do not benefit from Entrenchments (16.42).
  • AFV's may Dig In (16.2).
  • Open-top AFV's: Immune to M, M1 and M2 results on Direct and Bombardment Fire Tables, but DO take step losses from X and #X results (7.25, 7.41, 7.61, BT, DFT). If a "2X" or "3X" result is rolled, at least one of the step losses must be taken by an open-top AFV if present.
  • Closed-top AFV's: Immune to M, M1 and M2 results on Direct and Bombardment Fire Tables. Do not take step losses from Direct or Bombardment Fire. If X or #X result on Fire Table, make M morale check instead (7.25, 7.41, 7.61, BT, DFT).
  • Closed-top AFV's: Provide the +1 modifier on the Assault Table when combined with infantry. (Modifier only applies to Germans in all scenarios; Soviet Guards in scenarios taking place after 1942; Polish, US and Commonwealth in scenarios taking place after 1943.) (ACC)
  • Tank: all are closed-top and provide the +1 Assault bonus, when applicable
  • Armored Cars: These are Combat Units. They are motorized instead of mechanized. All have their own armored car leaders, who can only activate armored cars (6.85). Do not provide the +1 Assault bonus (ACC).
  • Reconnaissance Vehicle: 8.23 Special Spotting Powers Both foot and vehicle mounted recce units (1.2) possess two special spotting abilities. The first ability is that they can spot enemy in limiting terrain at one hex further than the TEC specifies for other units and leaders. For example, an enemy unit in town can normally be spotted at three hexes or less, but a recce unit can spot them at four hexes.Their second ability is that they can place a Spotted marker on any one enemy unit they can spot per turn, just as if the enemy unit had "blown its cover" by firing. Such Spotted markers are removed as described earlier.
  • Portees: Trucks with mounted Anti-Tank guns, Anti-Aircraft weapons, or artillery. Stack as combat units. Move like trucks, but fire like guns. Do not limber or unlimber. Have the truck's -1 armor value. Truck and gun are treated as a single unit, and do not transport other units. (SB)
Display Order of Battle
France Order of Battle
Armée de Terre
Germany Order of Battle
Heer
  • Towed
Luftwaffe
  • Towed
Display Errata (3)
3 Errata Items
Overall balance chart for 623

In 1940: Fall of France, the units show Direct Fire. All units are Indirect Fire.

(rerathbun on 2015 Jun 06)
Overall balance chart for 20

The reduced direct fire value of the Heer HMG became 5-5 starting with Fall of France.

(plloyd1010 on 2015 Jul 31)
Overall balance chart for 63

The morale and combat modifiers of German Sergeant #1614 should be "0", not "8".

(Shad on 2010 Dec 15)
Display AARs (1)
Fall of France 2 #9 - Race to the Meuse
Author Juiceman
Method Solo
Victor Germany
Play Date 2023-04-01
Language English
Scenario FoF2009

This is a large and long scenario (52 turns) that I needed to break out another folding table just to fit the 7 maps to play this French delaying action against a German pursuit.

Victory is based on which side scores the most points, each side can earn points for enemy steps lost and good ordered steps that cross the Meuse (map 30), and the Germans have a slight edge since they have the most multi step units, especially panzers. The French receive 1pt for each step that exits the west map edge and the Germans get two points for each intact bridge that they control.

The French are saddled with 15 weapons units (including HMGs), if you add the engineers, 18 units that need transportation, but the French only have 9 trucks and 5 wagons, so plan accordingly. Keep in mind the turn count and potential German air support. The French have to be mindful of losing any engineers before they can get into position to demo as many bridges over the Meuse as they can.

For the Germans, well the quickest way over the Meuse is down the road, be prepared to lose steps with loaded trucks or motorcycle troops as they are the quickest mode of transportation, but do not discount using the German mobility (not the trucks) to try and out flank the French blocking forces or possible catch some of the other retreating French forces loaded on their transports, remember the scenario is 52 turns long and the French cannot defend all of a given map. Save your OBA for any spotted French ATGs, depending on how you play ATGs they might only get 1 shot per activation and if unsupported well it might not take too much close range DF to eliminate them. Keep in mind the French 47mm have an AT value of 5 but there are only 3 batteries, the majority of French AT have a value of 1 or 2.

This was a challenging scenario for both sides.
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