Perhaps the most time consuming part of the DUNKIRK project was the determination of the orders of battle for the opponents. The continued help of John Lundstrom, Chris Johnson, and Bill Hoyer made it possible to eventually compile highly accurate data on all of the divisions and smaller independent formations. The vast number of units involved forced the elimination of the use of the various battalionsized support units and air units. The upshot of all of this was to bring home just what a tough job the Germans faced in the campaign, for the Allies had near parity of numbers.

In order to give the Germans a chance against an Allied player bound to react more intelligently to the invasion in the light of historic retrospect than the Allies actually did, it was mandatory to do two things:

First, the Allies would have to be tied down to their historic dispositions; and, second, the Germans would have to be allowed complete freedom to place their forces however they wished. As a corollary to the second point, all possible units would have to be made available to the aggressors immediately, or they would lack the punch necessary to have any chance of success.

However, in talking with various wargamers during GenCon V, there was considerable interest expressed in the actual German dispositions. While I don't recommend that they be used, the placements are given below for those of you who desire to give it a try as "it really was":

INFANTRY DIVISIONS
1 V50
2 Reinf.
(3) GG52
4 Y52
5 CC54
6 FF55
7 Y48
8 CC51
9 CC57
10 CC59
11 X51
12 AA54
14 X47
15 GG54
16 II53
17 II55
18 Z48
19 W47
21 DD54
23 HH52
24 HH52
25 CC54
26 JJ 60
27 AA56
28 CC51
30 V47
31 Y48
32 EE51
33 DD58
34 LL55
35 Z48
36 II53
44 M
45 AA59
46 Q
50 PP
51 Res
52 # 60 ****
55 Res
56 U46
57 DD
58 # 56
60 LL61
61 X50
62 DD51
69 JJ54
70 Res.
71 KK58
72 Res.
73 LL58
75 MM59
76 # 56
78 0067
79 # 57
81 Res.
82 DD
83 L51
86 Res.
87 Y51
88 Res
. 93 MM58
94 # 64
95 MM58
96 OO66
98 # 65
104 AA55
139 GG
161 LL63
162 GG
164 Reserve
167 VV70
168 Res.
169 JJ62
170 Res.
181 Res.
183 MM
196 Res.
197 Res.
351 Res.
366 Reinf.

ARMOR
1 Panzer EE54
2 Panzer DD53
3 Panzer V48
4 Panzer AA49
5 Panzer AA53
6 Panzer CC58
7 Panzer BB53
8 Panzer JJ58
9 Panzer R45
10 Panzer GG55

CAVALRY AND MOTORIZED
1 Kavalry J 44
 SS LAH 047
SS Tot. U*
SS Verf. P50
SS Pol. TT
Senger Bde. Res.
1. R. GD GG55
2 Motor DD59
3 Motor Res.
9 Motor Bde. Reinf.
11 Motor Bde. J51
13 Motor AA58
20 Motor W49
29 Motor DD60

LW DIVISIONS
205 UU***
206 Reinf.
207 Q46
208 Q49
211 Z51
212 VV
213 Res.
215 NN64
216 S48
217 S52
218 Res.
221 Res.
223 V51
225 T51
226 Res.
227 L46
239 Res.
246 NN65
251 BB50
252 NN60
253 B650
254 R45
255 U52
256 S45
257 NN61
258 MM59
295 H
260 YY62
262 NN63
263 BB54
264 Reinf.
267 Z50
268 NN62
269 AA49
290 G
291 Res.
292 Res.
293 Res.
294 Res.
(296) Res.
(297) Res.
298 Res.
299 Y
311 Res.
(351st) Res.
526 Res.
554 WW69
555 QQ68
556 ZZ69
557 TT68
(VW)602 DD

SPECIAL TROOPS
1 Mt. CC52
4 Mt. Reinf.
6 Mt. Reinf.
7 Fl. P52**
22L.L. P52**
46/42 Rgt. P52**

* This unit and all others bearing only letter co-ordinates were in OKH Reserve, well behind the front in Germany. It is suggested that they not be moved until at least the second turn.

** These units, under the rules of the game, should be placed in a city in order to be operable--or else hex P52 can be designated an air field from which they can take off. Actually, the paratroop units were under command of the Luftwaffe, and their dispositions are not shown on Wehrmacht maps of the campaign.

*** The 205th division was a reserve unit that wasn't released until 1 June, and thus it is part of the "Reinforcements" in DUNKIRK. However, for the sake of this variant it can be employed sooner under the first note above.

**** There is a line of hexes on the board without letter co-ordinates; it is between row LL and row MM. I have taken to calling it 'W', so a unit indicated *60 is on the 60th row numerically on the unlettered row.

Units far to the rear are indicated as "Res." They were brought up only after the campaign was wel I under way. It is suggested that a minimum of 7 turns must elapse before they can be brought in from the German edge of the board.

Certain units are shown in parentheses. This is because the counters for them are not included (yes, fans, I goofed). Using the spares, make up the following units:

3rd Infantry Division 4-4-3
170th Infantry Division2-3-2 (static)
296th LW Division 3-3-2
297th LW Division 3-3-2
351st LW Division2-2-2 (static)

You are now ready to try the game using historic dispositions for all units involved. If you do try it, please let us know how it turned out!

(As an aside, it has been reported that the "mini-game Fortress Holland" is a sure win for the Germans in only two or three turns, for they can drop paratroops. Thus, 1 unit each on Amsterdam and The Hague, while the other three attack the Dutch unit (G Inf.) on O36 from Rotterdam. While this is quite possible, I would like to point out that the attack is at odds of 2-3 and stands a good chance of failing. If it does go sour, the Germans will probably be hard put to win in six turns. If this isn't satisfactory, try dicing for the placements of the 1st and 3rd divisions which were strung out between The Hague to I33. A roll of 6 for either (or both) would allow the Dutch player to place them at M34 and K35 respectively.

* The G Inf. is doubled defensively regardless of which hex it is attacked from because of the particular pattern of waterways around its hex.