BRIEFINGS, FORCES, and MAP

I have not given full OOB details as this is something of a hypothetical scenario and players will probably want to adjust the forces involved to fit in with the troops, time and table available, or adjust them to take account of the scale and rules used.

FRENCH BRIEFING

You are to defend the bridges over the Somme and its tributary until the engineers have prepared them for demolition. When both have been blown up you should withdraw. The engineers were ordered to join you last night and they should reach your position early this morning. You will have to defend the bridges until they arrive. The engineers are to be given every assistance when they prepare the bridges for demolition.

To your right is a battalion of British infantry. The arrangement is that they will hold your flank and then cross the river to join your main position prior to the bridges being blown. They will cooperate with you but are not directly under your command. Obviously ensure that French interests are looked after first - the British would make a very heroic rearguard.

The French force comprises of 2 battalions. The first is dug in between the two bridges. The second is just arriving on the south bank of the Somme and so has no time to prepare defence works. Both units are average. Each has one small support company (1 mortar and 1 horse drawn 25mm AT gun). Both are without transport. Radios are only present at company level. There is one regimental support company with 2 x 47mm AT guns towed by small trucks. The Bunker has one 75mm field gun which cannot be removed.

Reinforcements consist of 3 Hotchkiss H39, 3 Renault R35, 2 Somuas and 1 Char B bis. Note - these were held back under the umpires control. The French also have the support of a fighter bomber - but they are unaware of this (when it appeared in the game it made 3 passes to little effect - but the impact on the player's morale was in inverse proportion to the actual damage done!).

BRITISH BRIEFING

The French to your left are preparing to blow the bridges across the Somme and its tributary. The arrangement is that you will hold their right flank and then cross the river before the bridges are blown. You should be seen therefore to be moving generally in that direction.

However the French are prone to panic and so you are to build a pontoon bridge out of sight of the French and evacuate your forces independently should the German pressure become too strong. Your first priority is to ensure that your force survives.

The British force comprises of 1 battalion (without transport) rated as average. It has one support company with a light mortar, 2 AT rifles and a heavy machine gun section. Radios are at company level. In addition, attached to the battalion HQ were 2 towed 2 pdrs, 2 mortars and 2 HMGs together with 1 Matilda 1, 1 Matilda 2, 2 Mark VI and 1 armoured car.

GERMAN BRIEFING

The pace of your advance has been such that you have unfortunately run off the edge of all available maps. You know that the Somme river is to your front. You are to locate and seize the crossing points and then radio back for whatever support you consider necessary.

A group of 'French engineers' has been dispatched before you. They are in fact men of the elite Brandenberg division in captured French uniforms. These should be 'chased' by your forces and fired at (but take care to miss them!). Once across the river they will pose as French engineers and pretend to prepare the bridge for demolition. They will be in contact with you and will signal when it is safe to cross the bridge.

German forces comprised of 3 battalions. The first two to arrive were average, the third was elite. All were mounted in trucks except for the first company of the elite battalion which had 1/2 tracks. These were supported by a 37mm AT gun company and an infantry gun company.

There was also a recon battalion mounted in motor bikes and light trucks accompanied by 1 SdkFz 232, 2 222s and a radio vehicle containing a Luftwaffe liaison officer. In addition there was a reinforced engineer company present equipped with assault boats, dinghies and pontoon bridge building equipment.

Finally there was armoured support of 1 company of 35T and 38Ts, 2 companies of Panzer lls, one company of Panzer Ills and 1 company of Panzer IVs with attached Stugs. The Panzer commander had a Panzer I HQ vehicle and a section of self propelled 47mm AT guns. Air support was expected but could not be guaranteed (owing to demand from a large number of quarters). Effectively air support was under the direction of the umpire.

Remember that initial German advance is down a single road and that this could lead to awkward traffic congestion.

Operation Red Background and Introduction

This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web.
Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com