Mont St Eloi BBWW2B

This game was played between Keith and I in my conservatory in March 2017. Keith played the allies and I played the invader. Keith supplied most of the British and I did the Germans and the terrain. Nearly all the vehicles on display are H&R though there is a a smattering of Scotia. German and French infantry are Adler, the Brits are H&R.

The battlefield looking south the the Allies in their defensive positions. The muddy brown Scarpe River can be seen in the distance

The defenders of Givenchy heights in position overlooking Souchez

Albain St Nazaire

The British front line. There is a lot of ground to cover with just three battalions

The leading German units poised to cross the Scarpe by Agnez and Duisans

In a very ballsy move the 2nd RSF move to counter attack the Germans. This was absolutely the correct decision, otherwise the British unit would have been isolated and by-passed. Meanwhile the Germans are struggling to advance, being disrupted by the Allied artillery.

110 Schützen Regiment responds to the 2nd RSF. The Germans are now pointing at right angles to their objectives so the British attack has already had an impact.

The Luftwaffe attack the British off-table artillery. It did silence the guns for a turn but otherwise the Luftwaffe were a big disappointment all game

The Germans cross the Scarpe in strength and push, rather slowly, north

The Germans begin their attack in the north-west. They turn south to approach Mont St Eloi from the north.

The bloody 6th Seaforths just refuse to die. Despite being outnumbered and flanked for several hours they just would not budge. Definitely the Allied hero unit of the game

Although the Seaforths refused to move the rest of the British line was looking more shaky. The reserve units were very weak and would not hold up the panzers at all.

In the north I/15 Panzer Regiment confronts 7th RTR. 7th RTR is a formidable unit but fragile being one casualty away from being spent. However a 1:1 attack is very much a challenge.

The Germans approach Mont St Eloi, but without a breakthrough in the south, they have insufficient forces to take the town.

The Seaforths are still gallantly holding out despite being heavily outnumbered. The red cross tents are my new "spent" markers

The 2nd Northamptons prove less resilient than the Seaforths and pull back under German pressure, leaving Mont St Eloi vulnerable to the south. However, by this point time is running out for the Germans

14 Schützen Regiment pushes east. II/4 RDP needs to be eliminated to allow the Germans to take the Heights of Loretto.

Patrouile Gabert in Albain St Nazaire. As it could drive out any moment and occupy the heights, the Germans needed to eliminate it.

The Germans throw everything they can at Mont St Eloi. I/4RDP never stood a chance, but it did manage to hold out until the penultimate hour of the game

14 Schützen Regiment forges ahead

Although I/15 Panzers destroy the 7th RTR, with remarkably few casualties, they are held up so long that they can't reach the 4th RNF and clear the heights by the end of the battle

In the final hour of the battle the RAF finally turn up, much too late to make any difference

The game ended in a draw, the Germans captured a bridge and Mont St Eloi and were contending the Heights of Loretto. To be fair to the Keith a British win would have been a tough challenge and they did well to get a draw.

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