Presles

3rd August 1944

Pictures of the Game

On Sunday 30th July Montgomery launched Operation Bluecoat. The British VIII and XXX Corps attacked south into the German lines. They broke the German front and made steady progress. By the 2nd August Panzergruppe West began to organise countermeasures to defeat the attack. The 2nd of August was a day of messy fighting as the forces of the British offensive and German counter attacks intermingled. On the 3rd of August the Germans made a more coherent effort.

This scenario depicts the counter attack by the Kampfgruppe Meyer, part of the 9th SS Panzer Division, into the flank of the 11th Armoured Division. This was part of the eastern side of a pincer movement orchestrated by Panzergruppe West, 10km to the west the Tigers of Kampfgruppe Weiss were attacking from Vire. The aim was to cut off the head of the British penetration and then annihilate the trapped British forces.

The British advance had left the forces of the 11th Armoured Division scattered over a wide area with large gaps in between. The First echelon was about 3-4km in front of the second line. Kampfgruppe Meyer headed straight for the gap aiming for the important town of Presles

Map and Order of Battle

Deployment

Ned Force is deployed on the map. The infantry must be deployed in the field indicated or within 3" of it. The tanks are deployed in laager in the field. Their crews are dismounted at the start of the game and figures will be needed to represent them. The crews can be anywhere in the field. The infantry are dug in (+3 cover), the tank crews, vehicles and 6pdr are not dug in.

The tanks are deployed in the following formation:

Pics from http://www.juniorgeneral.org/

3rd RTR and 4th KSLI are deployed within 12" of Les Bertaries north of the road as indicated. All personnel stands, except gun crews, are dug in

The REME Detachment (which is supporting 28th Hussars who are off table to the south) is deployed in Presles

The 2nd Warwickshires are a reinforcement. Start rolling turn 10, they arrive on a 6. Turn after 4-6 and any subsequent turn 2-6. They can arrive anywhere on the eastern table edge or on the North table edge within 24" of the north east corner. They can't arrive within 12" and LOS of an un-demoralised enemy stand.

KG Meyer is divided in to two parts: Nord & Sud. The KG HQ can be deployed with either grouping as can the command observer for the nebelwerfer. The Northern group can deployed anywhere within 12" of Les Grandes Bofants but must not be in LOS of any British stand. The Southern group enters along the road indicated on turn one

Terrain

The map is an 6ft x 4ft area assuming 1"=50m. North is towards the top of the page

The grey areas are built up areas. These are mostly stone buildings and give +3 cover. The big squares are 4"x4" BUA, the smaller squares are a 2"x2" BUA capable of holding a single stand

The small green patch near Les Grandes Bonfaits is an orchard, treat it 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"

The blue lines are small streams. They are no impediment to movement and for the most part offer no cover, with the exception of the stream marked with a triple line which gives +2 cover to personnel within (not gun crews)

The streams (with the exception of the triple line) are in steep narrow valleys. the edges of these valleys are marked by the broken brown lines. You can not see into or out of the valleys unless touching the lines. Stands in the valleys can be shot over by units not in the valleys

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

The open areas are fields. This is bocage country and there are many more hedges than shown on the table. All cross country movement is at half speed

Air Support

The British have Typhoon support. On turn 4 onwards roll before the start of each turn. On a 5-6 (d6) a rocket firing Typhoon is available that turn

Special Rules

The attack starts midday. The game progresses until sunset at 21:30 (inclusive) - 20 turns

British orders were to hold positions, they may not move turn 1

Ned Force was under observation. On turn 1 all German artillery pieces can fire at stands of Ned Force. This fire will automatically be on target and does not require observation. The morale roll for the tank squadron is based on casualties for the crews not the tanks. The tanks can not move and fight unless mounted by their crews. Unmanned tanks are destroyed by direct fire as if crewed by green crews.

The REME fitters fire as other. They can not make an anti-tank close assault

Victory Conditions

Presles and Les Bertaries are the victory locations. For a decisive victory one side has to hold both. Any other result is a draw

To hold the town there must be TWO friendly stands within who are neither shaken or demoralised; there must be no enemy stands within that are neither shaken or demoralised.

Historical Note

In reality the 2nd Warwickshire's attack didn't go in until midnight. The scenario assumes they arrive early

Pictures of the Game