Mont St Eloi

23/5/40

V1.1

Pictures of the game (v1.0)

On the 21st May 1940 the British and French made their famous counter-attack at Arras. Although this slowed the German advance it failed to cut-off the leading German Panzer units. However the Germans felt they could not ignore the forces on their flank and proceeded to attack to the north across the River Scarpe and round the west of Arras towards Vimy Ridge. To the west of the British positions around Arras were the depleted French 1e & 3e DLM. Designed for the cavalry role, the DLM's were not equipped for defensive warfare. They struggled against the German onslaught but on the 22nd they held their own. Indeed early on the 22nd the Germans took the town of Mont St Eloi, but they were thrown out by a French counter attack.

Things looked worse at dawn on the 23rd. The German 5 Panzer Division now had all its strength ready to push north and try to surround Arras. The Allies had received no reinforcements and the air swarmed with Stukas

40's Map of the Battlefield from: http://digitalarchive.mcmaster.ca/islandora/object/macrepo:8876

Map and Order of Battle

Allied Deployment

Allies deploy first

The units of the 17th Brigade are deployed in the areas delineated by the pink dotted lines on the map. All units except the brigade reserve are in foxholes (1L). Logistics is in the same area as the brigade HQ

The 6th DLI is deployed touching Givenchy, it is in foxholes (1L)

The 7th RTR starts the game within 6" of point J

I/4 RDP is deployed touching  Mont St Eloi or touching Berthonval Farm, it is in foxholes (1L)

II/4 RDP is deployed within 6" of Carancy,

Patrouille Gabet 6 Cr is deployed within 6" of Ablain St Nazaire

PC 4 RDP and its logistics is deployed touching Souchez

4 Escadron Groupe S is deployed in the zone delineated by the pink lines on the map

I/74 RATTT is deployed within 6" of Souchez but not further west than road AJ.

II/74 RATTT is deployed within 6" of Neuville St Vaast but not further west than road AJ.

Logistics 74 RATTT is deployed anywhere west of road AJ

4th RNF is a reinforcement on turn 6. It enters on either table edge within 6" of point K

German Deployment

The Germans deploy second. No German unit may start within the ZOC of an allied unit

I/110 SR is deployed within 6" of point C

I/13 SR starts within 6" of point D

Aufklarungs 11 SB starts anywhere south of the Scarpe River and east of the railway.

II/110 SR, Stab 11 SB and logistics enters the table turn 1 within 6" of point C

I/31 PR, Stab 13SR and logistics starts enters the table turn 1 within 6" of point D

II/14 SR, Stab 14SR and logistics enters turn 3 within 6" of of point F

II/13 SR, Stab 31PR and logistics enters turn 4 within 6" of of point D

II/31 PR enters turn 5 within 6" of of point D

I/14 SR enters turn 5 within 6" of of point H

I/15 PR, 8 AA and logistics enters turn 9 within 6" of of point H

Terrain

The table is 6ft x 4ft if playing 6" = 1km. North is towards the top of the page.

The open ground is farmlands without significant field boundaries.

The light brown areas are level 2 hills,

The dark brown areas are steep slopes and count as rough ground.

The green areas are unmanaged woods.

The grey squares are suburban BUA.

The grey circle representing Berthonval Farm is just a marker and has no game effect.

Roads have no game effect.

The brown dotted lines are level 2 ridgelines. Remember BBWW2B is designed to use ridgelines OR hills, not both. I recommend ridgelines.

The blue line is the Scarpe River, described by the British as "an indifferent tank obstacle".

The church symbol in Mont St Eloi represents the twin towers of the ruined Abbey which dominate the ground to the south. For the purposes of line of sight the Abbey counts as a level three ridge verses any target within the black dashed  lines to the south.

The remains of the Abbey at Mont St Eloi, looking very similar to 1940, from: http://academie23.blogspot.co.uk/2011/01/mont-saint-eloi-2007.html

Aircraft

For the most part the Luftwaffe had air supremacy, though this was contested by a handful of RAF Hurricanes and Blenheims.

Each turn the German player may roll 1d6 for aircraft  - on a 5 they get a single Ju-87B an a 6 they get a pair of Ju-87B.

Each turn the Allied player may roll 2d6 for aircraft on an 11-12 a single Blenheim is available. It may only attack targets south of the Scarpe River.

Special Rules

The game is 12 turns long. Germans move first.

Victory Conditions

The victory locations are: any bridge over the Scarpe River; Mont St Eloi; the Heights of Loretto (ridge IX) and Givenchy Heights (ridge YZ)

For a victory the Germans have to hold or clear 3 or 4 objectives, one of which must be a bridge.

For a draw the Germans must hold or clear 2 objectives, one of which must be a bridge AND the Germans must be contending another objective.

Any other result is an Allied victory.

Although there are 4 bridges the Germans only have to hold or clear one of them to count as holding an objective. Holding or clearing multiple bridges still only counts as holding one objective.

To count towards a German victory Mont St Eloi and a bridge must both be cleared or held, the ridges must be held clearing them is not enough.

To clear an objective there must not be an Allied unit touching it at the end of the game.

To hold an objective there must not be an Allied unit touching it at the end of the game and a non spent German unit must be touching it.

An objective is contended if both  a German and Allied unit is touching it at the end of the game.

References

2nd Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment's War Diary - extract posted on WW2 Talk Forum: http://ww2talk.com/index.php?threads/17th-brigade-22nd-23rd-may-1940.21304/

3rd DLM's History: http://3dlm.net/spip/spip.php?article393

4th Regiment Dragoons Portes' History - http://pagesperso-orange.fr/ph.dam/Le_4e_RDP_%284%29.htm

5 Pz Div. in the French Campaign 1940 - posted on the Axis History Forum: http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=137378

5 Pz Div's Organisation in 1940 - from Leo Neihorster's site: http://niehorster.orbat.com/011_germany/40_organ_army/div-pz_05.html

5th Infantry Division's History - extract posted on WW2 Talk Forum: http://ww2talk.com/index.php?threads/17th-brigade-22nd-23rd-may-1940.21304/

6th Cuirassiers' History - on the Chars Francias site: http://www.chars-francais.net/2015/index.php/journaux-de-marche/liste-des-journaux?task=view&id=643

11 Schützen Brigade Organisation in 1940 - from Leo Neihorster's site: http://www.niehorster.org/011_germany/40_organ_army/sch-brig_11.html

18th Regiment Dragoons' History - on the Chars Francias site: http://www.chars-francais.net/2015/index.php/journaux-de-marche/liste-des-journaux?task=view&id=111

92nd Field Regiment War Diary: http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C162974

151st Brigade War Diary: http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C162877

British Tank Operations in the Vicinity of Arras May 19-23 1940: http://ww2talk.com/index.php?threads/the-arras-tank-attack.59130/
 

RAF missions over Arras: http://www.epibreren.com/ww2/raf/40_squadron.html#2305, http://www.epibreren.com/ww2/raf/242_squadron.html#2305, http://www.epibreren.com/ww2/raf/15_squadron.html#arras, http://www.epibreren.com/ww2/raf/32_squadron.html, http://www.raf.mod.uk/bombercommand/diary_france.html