Panzer Grenadier Headquarters - Library: Road to Dunkirk #26

Panzer Grenadier Battles on November 21st:
Desert Rats #16 - The Panzers Pull Back	Desert Rats #19 - The Panzers Return
Desert Rats #17 - The Tomb Of Sidi Rezegh	Jungle Fighting #7 - Line Of Departure
Desert Rats #18 - A Pibroch's Skirl	South Africa's War #5 - Irish Eyes

PG-HQ Library - Panzer Grenadier Hall > Scenarios > RtDk026

Errors? Omissions? Report them!

Panzer Grenadier Headquarters Library - select the previous scenario item

Panzer Grenadier Headquarters - select the next scenario item

Reliable Friends Road to Dunkirk #26
(Attacker) Germany	vs	Britain (Defender) France (Defender)

Formations Involved

	Total
Side 1	2
Draw	0
Side 2	3

Overall Rating, 4 votes
5 4 3 2 1 3.5
Scenario Rank: --- of 940

Parent Game	Road to Dunkirk
Historicity	Historical
Date	1940-05-24
Start Time	09:00
Turn Count	24
Visibility	Day
Counters	68
Net Morale	0
Net Initiative	0
Maps	1: 121
Layout Dimensions	43 x 28 cm 17 x 11 in
Play Bounty	154
AAR Bounty	227
Total Plays	5
Total AARs	0

Battle Types
Inflict Enemy Casualties
River Crossing

Conditions
Off-board Artillery
Reinforcements
Smoke

Scenario Requirements & Playability
Road to Dunkirk	Base Game

Introduction
The Royal Irish Fusiliers had been holding a long six-mile stretch of canal since 21 May. During the night, battered but not entirely dispirited remnants of French units had trickled at intervals over the Bethune bridges. D Company of First Royal Irish Fusiliers covered Gorre with its two road bridges across the canal, one of which remained intact to allow retreating French troops to cross. On the company’s left was a mixed company of Frenchmen who held a footbridge and then came a platoon of C Company.

Introduction

The Royal Irish Fusiliers had been holding a long six-mile stretch of canal since 21 May. During the night, battered but not entirely dispirited remnants of French units had trickled at intervals over the Bethune bridges. D Company of First Royal Irish Fusiliers covered Gorre with its two road bridges across the canal, one of which remained intact to allow retreating French troops to cross. On the company’s left was a mixed company of Frenchmen who held a footbridge and then came a platoon of C Company.

Conclusion
The British fought off German attempts to cross the canal throughout the morning, assisted by French reinforcements. The British destroyed the bridge, but the Germans continued their attempts to get across and brought up tanks to assist the infantry with covering fire. In response a single French tank commanded by Sous-Lieutenant Morat crawled to the lip of the broken bridge and shot it out across the canal with the panzers for 20 minutes before a German anti-tank gun finally put Morat’s tank out of action. A few small German groups briefly made it across, but the Allied defense held.

Conclusion

The British fought off German attempts to cross the canal throughout the morning, assisted by French reinforcements. The British destroyed the bridge, but the Germans continued their attempts to get across and brought up tanks to assist the infantry with covering fire. In response a single French tank commanded by Sous-Lieutenant Morat crawled to the lip of the broken bridge and shot it out across the canal with the panzers for 20 minutes before a German anti-tank gun finally put Morat’s tank out of action. A few small German groups briefly made it across, but the Allied defense held.

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 Tank Destroyer: do not provide the +1 Assault bonus, even if closed-top (SB) APC – Armored Personnel Carrier: These are Combat Units, but stack like Transports. They can transport personnel units or towed units. They are not counted as combat units for the +1 stacking modifier on the Direct Fire and Bombardment Tables (4.4). They may be activated by regular leaders and tank leaders (1.2, 3.34, 4.3, 5.43). They do not provide the +1 Assault bonus (ACC). 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.

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
Tank Destroyer: do not provide the +1 Assault bonus, even if closed-top (SB)
APC – Armored Personnel Carrier: These are Combat Units, but stack like Transports. They can transport personnel units or towed units. They are not counted as combat units for the +1 stacking modifier on the Direct Fire and Bombardment Tables (4.4). They may be activated by regular leaders and tank leaders (1.2, 3.34, 4.3, 5.43). They do not provide the +1 Assault bonus (ACC).
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.

Display Order of Battle

Britain Order of Battle

Army
Foot Leader Mechanized Motorized Towed

Army

Foot

Leader

Mechanized

Motorized

Towed

France Order of Battle

Armée de Terre
Foot Leader Mechanized Motorized

Armée de Terre

Foot

Leader

Mechanized

Motorized

Germany Order of Battle

Heer
Foot Leader Mechanized Motorized Towed

Heer

Foot

Leader

Mechanized

Motorized

Towed

Display Errata (6)

6 Errata Items
Scen 26	Rotate map config 90° clockwise (leonard on 2019 May 19)
	All Bren carriers should have a movement value of 7. (Shad on 2010 Dec 15)
	Two British infantry have their full strengths printed on the back. They should both be "2-3" when reduced. (Shad on 2010 Dec 15)
	Ignore the direct fire values. (Shad on 2010 Dec 15)
	This is actually another ½track vehicle, simiar to the AMR33 & AMR35. It used the mechanized movement rate. (plloyd1010 on 2013 Apr 20)
	The reduced direct fire value of the Heer HMG became 5-5 starting with Fall of France. (plloyd1010 on 2015 Jul 31)

RtDk025

RtDk027

PG-HQ Library - Panzer Grenadier Hall > Scenarios > RtDk026

Errors? Omissions? Report them!