Bridgehead on the Escaut
Swallows of Death #9
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(Defender)
Germany
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vs |
France
(Attacker)
Morocco
(Attacker)
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Total |
| Side 1 |
0 |
| Draw |
0 |
| Side 2 |
0 |
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Total |
| Side 1 |
0 |
| Draw |
0 |
| Side 2 |
0 |
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Total |
| Side 1 |
0 |
| Draw |
0 |
| Side 2 |
0 |
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| Overall Rating, 0 votes |
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Scenario Rank:
--- of 940 |
| Parent Game |
Swallows of Death |
| Historicity |
Historical |
| Date |
1940-05-20 |
| Start Time |
20:45 |
| Turn Count |
14 |
| Visibility |
Day & Night |
| Counters |
27 |
| Net Morale |
0 |
| Net Initiative |
2 |
| Maps |
1: 30 |
| Layout Dimensions |
43 x 28 cm
17 x 11 in |
| Play Bounty |
212 |
| AAR Bounty |
227 |
| Total Plays |
0 |
| Total AARs |
0 |
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Introduction
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The Escaut (Scheldt) River gave the scattered French units some hope of forming a new defense line before they disintegrated. The Moroccans retreating from Gembloux became intertwined with French units pulling back from Maubeuge and the Mormal Forest. The French High Command had planned to form a new line of defense here anyway, but the situation on the ground bore little resemblance to that shown on their maps. Some bridges over the Escaut already had fallen into German hands, and if the river were to become the new line of defense, then someone had to take them back.
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Conclusion
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The battered Third Battalion of the 2nd Moroccan Tirailleurs had barely escaped from the Gembloux inferno. Over the previous three days the Moroccans had marched 140 kilometers, and now they drew the task of defending the Escaut around Bouchain. At the Boucheneuil hamlet a small bridge had been taken by the Germans, who repulsed a series of French attacks. Under the cover of growing darkness, the Moroccans attacked again, this time with tank and artillery support. Under clear skies the fierce Tirailleurs overcame mortar and machine-gun fire to take the bridge to that their sappers could mine it. But the explosives failed to completely destroy the bridge, and two S35 tanks were lost in the swamps.
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Additional Notes
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Swallows of Death may be played with the 1st edition pieces and maps from 1940: Fall of France.
When a French piece in the order of battle was apparently Moroccan and was in the Division Marocaine set, that piece was used in the order of battle list. Substitute equivalent French Army pieces Moroccan pieces when the Moroccan piece is unavailable. |
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).
- 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
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| 2 Errata Items |
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The reduced direct fire value of the Heer HMG became 5-5 starting with Fall of France.
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The morale and combat modifiers of German Sergeant #1614 should be "0", not "8".
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SwlD008 
