Battle of Hannut

This game was the first of three played in a week, starting Monday 8th June 2009. John and I were the Germans whilst Dave N and Chris were the French. The game was played in my conservatory, Dave and I supplied the French forces and I supplied the Germans supplemented with a few bits from Dave's collection.

II Abt 35 Panzer Regt in its start positions behind the railway. They have borrowed an SdKfz-253 (MMS) as a command "tank" as I don't have enough PzBefWg models. PzKfw-III are SHS, PzKfw-II are a mix of MMS and Matchbox and the PzKfw-I are Fujimi and I suspect one is Esci (on the right)

2e Escadron 2e Regiment de Chars in the II/35's path around Crehen. FAA S-35's

S-35's looking along the front lines

3e Escadron 2e RC around Thisnes supported by a company of I Btg 11e Regiment de Dragons Portes. Milicast H35's

H35's in close up. "G" is actually and H39

The French 2nd line. 47mm AT guns lurk behind the trees to the east of Thisnes. the French FO can just be seen lurking behind the green hut

H35's from 1e Escadron de Reconnaissance Mixte defend objective Q

FAA S35 in close up

II Abt 35 Panzer Regiment takes up position to fire upon the S35's of 2e Escadron. As the French had chosen an all round defence posture in Crehen the Germans managed a 3:1 superiority at the point of attack, though the Pz-II is somewhat in adequate against a Somua

The Luftwaffe makes its first sortie and rather ineffectually bombs the H35's of 3e Escadron

II Abt attacked Crehen frontally whilst I Abt slipped around its northern flank. John, commanding I Abt sent a company south to stab the French in the flank. The S35's hastily pulled back to restore their front line.

I Abt, with attacked recce assets, pushes up against 3e Escadron

I Abt Mittler Kompanie pushes in to the outskirts of Crehan. Note the French motorcycle combination to the right which was to charge after the Panzer and try a close assault (flinging grenades from a moving motorbike!). Unfortunately its bravery went unrewarded and the stand expired in a hail of MG fire. Pz-IV is an  Airfix conversion

II Abt advances towards objective "Q"

Halfway through the battle, I Abt in the north is making excellent progress but is about to make some nasty morale checks and grind to a halt , II Abt has taken objective Q and is moving to take out the last few French tanks.

As I Abt encounters the French Infantry the Germans move up their Gepanzerte Schützen Kompanie. Matchbox SdKfz-251

French reinforcements. 4e Escadron 2e RC arrives with 4 shiny new S35's; painted by Dave, they are mostly Heller with a single IXO diecast. The French were to come off much worse in this encounter. Chris's morale dice were poor and the S35's fled from the combat demoralised

The forward units of  I Abt push for the bridge (objective P). The lead Pz-II is a PzKfw-IIB from Cromwell.

For a wonder the RAF fly a patrol over the the battlefield preventing the Luftwaffe bombing the French AT line (Airfix Hurricane Mk I)

Obviously distracted by the RAF the Luftwaffe bomb their own side, luckily for the Germans they miss (Airfix Stuka)

The French gun line prepares for the final German onslaught. The 47mm is a very good gun by 1940 standards and its more than capable of punching holes in all types of German panzer from a considerable distance. The guns are SHQ. The P17 and P19 halftracks are by Toms Tins and the Laffly car in the foreground is by Cromwell.

The German armour makes a lunge for the bridge. Time is running out for the Germans

French couter-attack. Having rallied on the very last turn 4e Escadron 2e RC makes a desperate lunge to contest objective "Q". Luckily for the Germans they'd placed the Panzerjäger Kompanie to guard the road. There were just too many guns for the French to overcome and the assault failed.

Final victory for the Germans. There are just too many panzers for the French to fend off. The defenders of the bridge die in a hail of MG fire.

The battle ended in a decisive German win, though they had to fight hard for it. Dave, one of the French commanders, misinterpreted the scenario deployment rules and didn't realise he could have troops north of the bridge which may have made a difference. The Germans had to fight hard to make their objectives and it was far from a pushover, a couple of different dice rolls and the outcome may have been different

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