Bulson Pictures

The game was played at my house Saturday 4/4/09. The game was played twice with the players changing sides. All the pics are from the first game where I was the Germans and Dave N was the French. Nearly all the kit on display is mine but Dave helped with the three more colourful H39's

Looking north from the French lines towards Bulson. 2eme Btl 213IR & 1er Cie 7eme BC can be seen in the bottom left, with 1er Group 78 RA in the wood to their right. Further right, just out of the picture are: 1er Btl 213IR & 2eme Cie 7eme BC in their start positions. On the right are half way up are the HQ elements of  295 RI. In the distance 4Kp 2 Panzer Regiment lurks behind the ridgeline

1er Btl 213RI & 2 Cie 7e BC in start positions. These are Dave's nicely painted H35's (actually one is an H39) The scenario is supposed to have FCM 36's but I only have one.  All the Hotchkiss are from Milicast

Looking towards Bulson in the distance

2eme Btl 213IR & 1er Cie 7eme BC in close up

1e Groupe 76 RA armed with the famous French 75 (SHQ guns)

Just behind the ridge in front of Bulson the HQ elements of 295e RI. The brown squares represent log bunkers (I really must get some bunker models) Dave skilfully placed the guns as close to the ridge as he could but far enough away that they were invulnerable to shots by the PzKfw-IV

4 Kompanie 2 Panzer Regiment outside Bulson. Set-up restrictions stopped them actually being on the ridge at the start of the game. PzKfw-IV are Airfix conversions. PzKfw-II from Milicast

SHQ SdKfz-223 standing in for the 221

At the start of the battle 5e Compagnie 213 Infanterie Regiment moves forwards as does the German SdKfz-223. MG fire from the armoured car was telling and the 5e Compagnie fell back shaken

I decided on a bold attack with the panzers. I expected one casualty but French shooting was good and both PzKfw-IV burned

To add insult to injury the final panzer in 4Kp was close assaulted by the French infantry and destroyed by hand grenades. At this point in the battle the Germans were down to a single SdKfz-221

In the absence of German defenders the French swarm forward to capture Bulson

The Sdkfz-221 sneaks around the French flank to create havoc in the rear areas. For a while it created mayhem but eventually its luck ran out and it was riddled with bullets from a French MG

German reinforcements arrive: 2 Kompanie 2 Panzer Regiment. They need to prise the French infantry out of Bulson and Grossdeutschland are still a couple of turns away

Stab 2 Panzer Regiment oversees the counter attack

GD arrives and the lead elements dismount from the trucks (Airfix & Frontline Opels). They have to charge into the attack as time is short.

Some elements of GD travel cross country

GD's leIG-18 in support

The Luftwaffe finally makes and appearance and promptly misses all the French targets

GD surges in to Bulson - however the French defenders are numerous and time is short

GD's StuG (SHQ with S&S running gear) moves to outflank the town. Only to be shot in the flank by an H35

Ten turns were up and GD had only cleared two town blocks which gave the Germans three points and the French eight. Dave and I then swapped sides, I took the French and Dave the Germans. No pics from the second game unfortunately. Dave was more cautious with the Panzers than I hiding them behind the ridgeline around Bulson. However three panzers vs 6 H35's is a reasonably fair fight and the Germans had ceded the ridgeline to the French. The German and French tanks duelled which allowed the advancing French infatry to slide in to Bulson unmolested and occupy it. Again GD had to make a frontal assault to prise the French infantry out of the town. They did exactly as well as in the pervious battle and took the two northerly BUA's, 8:3 to the French

Historically the French forces dithered in front of the ridge, this probably means that in the game I have rated the French morale too highly and it should be 7 rather than 8. However instead of changing the troop quality v1.1 of the scenario has altered victory conditions, now 8:3 to the French is a considered a draw rather than a French victory

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