Counter Attack at Waldfeucht

21/1/45

Pictures of the Game

On the 14th of January 1945 the British 2nd Army launched operation Blackcock to clear the Roer Triangle of the enemy. It was a hard slog, in inclement weather, to take a series of small German and Dutch towns. Progress was slow and steady, the Germans resisting as best they could, but unable to hold-on in the face of superior British numbers.

On the 21st of January the Germans launched their only serious counter attack of the campaign. Elements of the 176 Infanterie Division, supported by the 301 Funklenk Abt and 341 StuG Brigade tried to re-take the small town pf Waldfeucht from the 5th Kings own Scottish Borderes (KOSB). A feeble attack was launched early in the morning followed by a much more serious attack later.

Map and Order of Battle

Deployment

The majority of the 5th KOSB is deployed in and around Waldfeucht. The limits of their deployment are indicated by the double pink lines on the map. Having only finally taken the town at 3:00am the previous day they are not dug in

B Coy 5th KOSB is deployed in an around Echterbosch. The limits of their deployment are indicated by the double pink lines on the map.

A Squadron 14th/18th Hussars is deployed within 12" of the windmill

HQ, Support, A and B company 4th KOSB are reinforcements. They arrive for the 13:00 turn (turn 14) on a 6(d6). Turn 15 they arrive on 4-6 and any turn thereafter on a 2-6. They enter the board anywhere between Bocke and point B

C & D company 4th KOSB are a reinforcement. They arrive for the 13:00 turn (turn 20) on a 6(d6). Turn 21 they arrive on 4-6 and any turn thereafter on a 2-6. They enter the board anywhere between Bocke and point B

The Brigade Staff of 155 Brigade is a reinforcement. He may only be rolled for if any British company goes demoralised or either of the battalion HQ's goes shaken. Start rolling the turn after. On a 6(d6) he arrives. The next turn he arrives on a 4-6 and any turn thereafter on a 2-6. He enters the board anywhere between Bocke and point B

3kp I/1219IR enters the board turn 1 anywhere between point C & D

176 Fusilier Battailon and 341 StuG Brig enter 10:00am (Turn 8) anywhere between points P & Q

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 table is 6ft x 4ft if plying 1" = 50m. North is to the top of the page

The grey areas are BUA. These are mostly stone buildings and give +3 cover. The simple town fighting rules are in effect for this scenario

The green area in the NW corner is a dense wood, other green areas are open woods

Red lines are roads. The British found them very slippery. If any stand tries to use its road movement along them roll d10. On a 1 or 2 the stand has slid off the road and will not move this turn. Tigers (with their wide tracks) need not roll.

The blue line is a brook, little more than a ditch. It is no impediment to movement. Personnel stands in the ditch get +2 cover. Towed guns can not use the ditch as cover.

The green dotted lines are tree lines, these provide light cover (+1) and break LOS (except to those stands which are in church towers or elevated)

The brown dashed lines are ridgelines. The countryside is almost flat so they are not good enough to provide hull down positions. They break LOS as long as the spotter is over 6" from the ridge and not in a church tower or windmill

The orb and cross symbols represent church towers. The cross represents a windmill. As the ground is so flat these prominent points provide good vantage points that can see over all tree lines or ridgelines. The exception are stands within 3" of the far side of tree line which can not be seen. Church towers and windmills will not see over towns. Each has a 1/2 stand capacity. If a full stand wishes to use the vantage point it may do so by being adjacent. Single figure stands within the windmill get +3 cover.

Air Support

The only air support available is a single Auster AOP for the British. This will not arrive until the British are convinced there is a major counter attack underway. The Auster will not arrive before the 10:30 turn at the earliest (turn 9), on that turn its arrival requires a 6. On turn 10 a 4-6 and subsequent to that a 2-6. Once arrived the Auster remains constantly over the battlefield - the model represents a relay of spotter planes

The Auster may not call fire on stands in cover

Special Rules

The game starts 06:30 and finishes 18:30 (inclusive) Darkness falls 16:30. 20 turns of daylight and 2 night time turns.

The weather is poor, with snow flurries. Max visibility is 20". The snow on the ground is not deep enough to impede movement (except on roads - see above)

German civilians in Waldfeucht helped the attackers spot the British. Each turn that there are German stands in good morale in Waldfeucht the German player may place a civilian figure 2" from a British stand(s) in Waldfeucht. This is done after the movement phase. The civilian will get no closer than 2" to any British stands. A British stand within 2" of the civilian is considered spotted by all German stands within LOS. The civilian figure is an abstraction to represent the help the Germans received from the populace. As such they can't be killed and can move as the German player wishes.

British stands may not approach within 9" of Bruggelchen, it is occupied by the Germans

3kp I/1219IR must make a proper attack, it may not run for the back of the board an wait for the rest of the German forces. A "proper" attack means shooting at one British stand every turn. Once two German stands are shaken or worse, or destroyed, it may pull back

B Coy 5th KOSB may not move from its deployment zone until a German stand comes within LOS

The rest of KOSB may not come north of its deployment zone until turn 9

Victory Conditions

The Germans win a marginal victory if Waldfeucht is contested

The Germans win a major victory if they hold Waldfeucht.

The German win a major victory if they contest Waldfeucht and end the game with at least 2 AFVs, that are not shaken or demoralised touching the ridge line overlooking Bocke, from point A to the eastern table edge

The British win a marginal victory if they hold Waldfeucht and destroy at least two enemy AFV's

The British win a major victory if they hold Waldfeucht and destroy four enemy AFVs

To Hold the town either side must have at least one non shaken or demoralised stand in the town and the other side must have no shaken or demoralised stands in the town. Waldfeucht is considered to consist of all BUA in the main British deployment zone except Bocke

Pictures of the Game