Chain of Command BEF v German

Another outing for the BEF, this time using a Regulation 1940 Platoon against Dave's 7th Panzer Division Schutzen.

We played the 'Swift to Support' scenario from the 1940 Blitzkrieg book with the British defending. I had 23 points of support and, looking at Dave's list which has 2 LMG's per squad, I decided to go for maximum field defences (barbed wire and minefields) plus a pre-game barrage, an extra section, a Matilda and a Bren Carrier. The objective for the Germans is to capture three of the four British jump off points while the British reinforcements are delayed in arriving.

The table had a road running from one end to the other with a village and orchard along the road and some fields. This was the view from the British side:

The British deployed their defences blocking off some of the table and awaited the German attack. First to appear was a Panzer II and some German infantry. The British 2" mortar started to lay down smoke:

 In response to the German advance No. 3 Section deployed behind a building on the side road:

Another Panzer II appeared and the German infantry advanced. Meanwhile the first Panzer II advanced through the smoke:

The advancing German infantry made it to the edge of the field while the first Panzer II continued to advance:

On the left flank the German's had deployed another squad which made a dash towards one of the buildings with a British jump-off point in it but didn't quite make it to the building. No. 2 section deployed into the building to fight off the German attack. The resulting combat ended with 7 men down on either side and the German survivors falling back:

 The British survivors hold on but start to take HE fire from the Panzer II:

As No.2 section was so depleted the British deployed No. 1 section on the upper floor above them with two objectives, to finish off the retreating German squad and take a shot with a Boy's AT rifle at the Panzer II. The firing at the German squad was ineffective but the AT rifle hit home forcing the Panzer II to retreat a little:

The Germans deployed another squad to attack the building held by No's 1 and 2 squads. The resulting fight led to both No.1 and the German squad being largely wiped out again! There was still no sign of the British reinforcements:

The two Panzer II's were now blasting the survivors of No 1 and 2 squads in the building with HE causing them both to break. Both sides only had one effective infantry group left but the British had suffered more force morale drops and were approaching defeat:

At last the first of the British reinforcements arrived in the form of the Matilda! It took a shot at a Panzer II but missed. The Germans then deployed a third tank, a Panzer III this time, which fired at the Matilda. Against all the odds the shot struck home and destroyed the Matilda!

 The victorious Panzer III:

With this loss the British force morale was reduced to two and with no prospect of survival they decided to withdraw.

Dave selected a very effective army, two LMG per squad gave his infantry huge firepower so even when he 'charged' the British sections in the building behind cover the odds were still even. The Panzer II's HE fire is also extremely effective against infantry.

Added to the extra 'red dice' the Germans get the odds seem very much stacked against the British as they fire much worse, have less ability to activate and don't have any effective HE support from their tanks. Given that, similar to other TFL rules sets, there is no time limit on the attackers the British can't even hope to hold out long enough to win.

This may of course reflect history and it is easy to see how the Brits would become demoralised. Perhaps next time I can persuade Dave to use a less effective army list...….