Operation Jupiter

10/7/44

Pictures of the Game

Operation Jupiter was a the British plan to capture the dominant Hill 112 and the villages to its east, after the capture of Caen. This scenario depicts the attack of the 130 Infantry Brigade of the 43rd Wessex division on the Villages: Eterville and Maltot. They were being defended by the 22SS Panzergrenadier Regiment of the 10SS Panzer Division. Although the Germans were hampered by lack of artillery ammunition the 10SS were a veteran unit from the Eastern front and were likely to put up a tenacious defence.

The British attack commenced at 5:00am on the 10th with a push by the 5th Dorset battalion against the farm at Les Diams. As with any British attack of this time it was accompanied by a maelstrom of artillery fire and many Typhoon strikes. Once the farm was captured the 4th Dorsets would take Eterville. The 7th Hampshires would them push between and assault Maltot accompanied by the Dorsets on the flanks, the flanking battalions having been relieved by the 9th Cameronians and 7th SLI. The British believed that Maltot was largely undefended which was to prove a costly error

Map and Order of Battle

British Deployment

C&D Coy 5th Dorset Battalion accompanied by B Coy 9th RTR are deployed on table in deployment zone 3. A&B Coy are in deployment zone 4 or may enter the board turn 1 behind C&D coy. The heavy weapons and BHQ may be in either deployment zone

A&B Coy 4th Dorset Battalion accompanied by C Coy 9th RTR are deployed on table in deployment zone 1. C&D Coy are in deployment zone 2. Neither battalion may move until start turn 3 unless a German stand approaches within 6" or they are shot at by direct fire and they spot the shooter. 141 RAC with the Dorsets will be withdrawn start turn 6 (the pressure in the flame trailers would have dropped too low by that point). The heavy weapons and BHQ may be in either deployment zone

7th Hampshire Battalion & A Coy 9th RTR are a reinforcement at 0800 (turn 7) - they may enter the table anywhere between points Y & Z

The 9th Cameronians are to replace the 4th Dorsets in Eterville once it is captured and the 7th SLI the 5th Dorsets in the Chateaux. Once the respective objective has fallen (i.e. no German stands within), there is a two turn delay. After that time the replacement battalion has moved up and the 6pdr is placed in within 6" of the BUA. If during the delay the BUA is re-taken then it must be cleared again. Once both BUA's are taken no German personnel may be to the NW of road PX.  If any are "caught out" they must get a minimum of a 6" nearer the road each turn, unless morale state or lack of orders prohibits it. They may not approach within 12" or LOS of either BUA. German AFV's are not restricted.

A Squadron 43rd Recce is a reinforcement that enters 0900 (turn 9) along road Y. They must enter in column, each vehicle after the first will be able to move 3" less than its predecessor in the first turn.

17pdr Troop of 130 Btty is a reinforcement 10:00 (turn 11). It enters along road Y. It is self ordered but must move closer to the BHQ of the 4th Dorsets each turn or deploy for action. Once within LOS of the BHQ it loses it self order status.

German Deployment

Stab, Kradschützen & Pioneer 22SS; I/22SS and II/22SS are deployed in the areas indicated. All troops are dug in (-3 entrenchments)

Zug 5Kp 12SS Panzer Regt is a reinforcement entering at 0800 (turn 7). It arrives anywhere between X and S. The rest of 5Kp 12SS arrives and hour later (turn 9) anywhere between X and S

1Kp 102SS Pz Abt arrives 0900 (turn 9) within 6" of point P

III/22 & 10SS Panzer Aufklärungs arrive at 10:30 (turn12) anywhere between R & Q

II/12SS Panzer Abt arrive at 10:30 (turn12) anywhere between S & T

Reinforcement Summary

Unit Turn Location
4th Dorset 3 On table
RAF 3  
141 RAC 6 REMOVED
7th Hampshire 7 YZ
Zug 5Kp 12SS 7 XS
A Sqn 43rd Recce 9 Road Y
5Kp 12SS Pz 9 XS
1Kp 102SS Pz 9 6" of P
17pdr 130 Bty 10 Road Y
III/22SS + Pz Auf 12 RQ
II/12SS Pz 12 ST

Terrain

The map is an 5ft x 8ft area assuming 1"=50m. North is indicated by the arrow

The grey areas are built up areas. These are mostly stone buildings and give +3 cover. The big square is a 4"x4" BUA, the smaller squares are a 1"x1" BUA capable of holding a single stand. Note they are surrounded by 1.5" of gardens and orchards (+1 light cover)

The green areas are mostly orchards except that in the top right hand corner of the map which is normal wood. Treat all as an open woods

Red lines are roads. They all have dense hedges alongside. Due to undulation in the road and overhanging branches the max visibility down a road is 12". Any stand on a road is assumed to be adjacent to both hedgerows.

The thick blue lines are rivers and impassable for game purposes. The blue line is a  small stream. Outside of  the wood it is no impediment to movement and for the most part offers no cover, within the wood it enters a steep valley this makes all stands require a BMA to cross the stream

The green dotted lines are hedges, these provide light cover (+1) and break LOS

The brown area around point P is higher than the surrounding country side. It covers an area 3" deep and 6" either side of point P. Any AFV in the area is counted hull down. Any stand on the area can see 24" over any terrain that breaks LOS, though there is a 3" "dead zone" behind all terrain that breaks LOS

The open areas are fields.

Air Support

The RAF was very much in evidence during the battle. A Squadron 43rd Recce reported being attacked by the Luftwaffe

The British player rolls for air support every turn from turn 3 (d10): 6-9: 1 Typhoon or Tempest. 10: 2 Typhoons or Tempests. These are configured as ground attack (bombs or rockets) but one may drop its ordnance and revert to the fighter roll if the Germans have a fighter

The German player rolls for air support every turn (d10): and needs a 10 to get a Bf-109G fighter. This can only be rolled once. If their are no British planes on table on the turn the fighter is deployed it may strafe a ground target.

Germans place their planes first.

Special Rules

Game starts 0500 and lasts 18 turns until the 14:00 turn

Please note their are a couple of "specials" in the British deployment notes

The British fired a huge barrage to support the attack. To represent this before the game starts roll d10 for each German company in I & II/22SS. On a 9-10 they start the game pinned. For the first three turns of the game ALL German stands are suppressed

Victory Conditions

The British lose automatically if the Germans have any stands in good morale in the BUA of les Diems, the Châteaux de Fontaine or Eteville at the end of the game

To win each side much occupy Maltot. This means that they must have personnel stands in as many of the 5 2x2 BUA as possible. At the end of the game for each stand in good morale occupying one of the BUA score one point. The side with the most points wins.

Good morale means NOT Demoralised or Shaken

References

12SS The, Volume 1, Meyer

Fire Brigades, Kamen Neverkin

Hill112, Tim Saunders

Normandy 1944, Niklas Zetterling

Only the Enemy in Front, Richard Doherty

Tank Tracks, Peter Beale

Waffen SS Panzer Units in Normandy 1944, J Dugdale & M Wood

Pictures of the Game