Contre-Attaque à Bulson

14/5/40

On the 13/5/40 Guderian's Panzers penetrated across the Meuse River at Sedan. The French command was desperate to stop the breakout of the Germans from the Bridgehead, however the response was shambolic. One of the few counter attacks to be launched on time was that by the reserve of the 55e DI, the 213e Regiment d'Infanterie, supported by the 7e Bataillon de Chars. German recce planes spotted the attack long before it got properly underway and launched a spoiling attack of their own. The 4 Kompanie 2 Panzer Regiment was dispatched to the town of Bulson. This was a weak response in the face of the the French assault, but the traffic jams on the Bridges over the Meuse precluded a more robust response. The 4 Kompanie had to halt the French advance until more units could be brought over the river.

Map and Order of Battle

French Deployment

The French units are deployed as shown on the map. Their deployment zones are delineated by pink dashed lines. All stands of the 295e RI are entrenched (-3 cover). There are a couple of log bunkers (-5 cover) in the deployment area south of Bulson, these can take a singled non-vehicle stand.

German Deployment

Only two units: 4 Kp 2 Panzer Regt and the Panzerspahtruppe are deployed on the table at the start of the game, they are placed in their respective deployments zones. All other units are reinforcements arriving within 9" of road A.

No reinforcement can arrive within12" and LOS of an un-demoralised enemy stand. If entry is impossible, the reinforcements can enter a turn later up to 12" from  their indicated entry location. If entry is still impossible move 12" further away every turn until entry is possible.

Terrain

The map is 5ft x 8ft if playing at 1" = 50m. North is towards the top of the map

The open areas on the map are fields

The green areas are woods. Within 3" of the edge are light woods. Further in they become dense woods (impenetrable to vehicles & man-handled guns, 1/2 speed for personnel). Although the edges are open vehicles and manhandled guns may only move perpendicular to the wood edge, they may not move parallel (i.e. no sneaking along the edges of woods with tanks)

The grey areas are 4"x4" BUA's. These are stone (-3 cover). Within the BUA there are quite large gaps between buildings. Tanks and towed guns placed in the BUA get -1 cover (there is also no firing penalty if using the simple town fighting rules on this site)

The dark red lines are roads

Green dotted lines indicate tree lines which break LOS (unless stand is adjacent) and give light cover (-1)

The tan lines are crest lines. Crest lines break LOS and give hull down positions to AFV's touching them (-2 cover)

Air Support

The Germans may get Stuka support starting on turn 3. Roll d10 on a 10 a Stuka attacks that turn. From turn 7 onwards the chance of a strike increases to a 9-10

Special Rules

Game starts with the 08:30 turn and last 10 turns until 13:00 (inclusive)

Victory Conditions

The 4 BUA in Bulson and points B, C, D & E are victory locations.

The 4 BUA are worth a point each. C, D & E are worth 2 points each. Point B is worth 3 points to the French, if they hold at least one BUA in Bulson. Otherwise its worth only a point to them too

The French lose 2 points if the Germans hold all the BUA's in Bulson

To hold a BUA one side must have at least one personnel stand in good morale in the BUA, while the enemy must not have any personnel stands in good morale in the BUA(s). Stands must be wholly in the BUA to count

To hold points B-E one side must have at least one personnel stand in good morale within 3", while the enemy must not have any personnel stands in good morale within 3"

VPs are assessed at the end of the last turn. Previous occupancy of BUA's does not count, BUA's must be garrisoned. Previous occupancy of points B-E does count. If they were never occupied they count as being French occupied.

The "break even" point is 8 points to the French. If the get 9 or more its a French victory. 7 or less they lose

Good morale is not shaken and not demoralised

Historical Outcome

The French gave a good account of themselves, virtually destroying the 4 Kompanie. However they took heavy casualties, and could not continue in the face of increasing German pressure. Ultimately the counter attack was a costly failure

References

Blitzkrieg Legend - Karl Heinz Frieser

http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=104065&start=0