Airborne Assault on Eban Emael

Airborne Assault
on Eban Emael

WWII Skirmish Scenario

by Pete Panzeri

On May 10th, 1940 the armored might of the German Army sat poised to thrust into Belgium and (eventually) defeat the combined armies of Belgium, Holland, France, and the British Expeditionary force. But first, they had to conduct a forced crossing of the Meuse river and the Albert Canal, all under the nose of Belgian heavy caliber guns in the seemingly impregnable Fortress Eban Emael.

Advancing German forces would be subject to accurate long-range artillery fire as they massed for the offensive, or passed through the bottlenecked bridgehead. The vital support elements would also be vulnerable. Eban Emael covered over four square kilometers, and was protected by a moat, cliffs, obstacles, minefields, and a concrete wall. The artillery positions were protected by reinforced steel turrets. All of the main troop facilities were underground, and connected by tunnels. Any ground assault on the fortress would take extensive resources, and precious time, without a guarantee of success.

The German solution to this strategic obstacle was to assault the fortress from the air. Paratroopers could not drop accurately enough, nor could they consolidate rapidly enough, to take out the fort's guns. Thus, the Belgians did not prepare an anti-airborne defense. The neutralization of Fortress Eban Emael was entrusted to glider-borne troops. This daring stunt would completely surprise the Belgians. The Germans prepared and rehearsed extensively, planning to introduce a new secret weapon, the hollow shaped charge. The charges would enable German sappers to penetrate the steel turrets protruding from the underground fort.

Other simultaneous glider assaults were to be made, including one on the well defended Albert Canal Bridge (wired for demolition). The entire operation depended on these two objectives being quickly subdued by their attackers. The bridge team would have armored columns fighting to relieve them. The troops at Eban Emael would could not expect an early relief. Once they had blown the guns, the crippled fortress would be bypassed. The glider-troops would be on their own for some time.

OPPOSING FORCES

DEFENDERS: Belgian Army

Garrison d'Eban Emael Albert Canal Bridge Garrison (*One Company, one Fire Observation Section) (Only combat troops and those exposed to the German attackers are listed here, several hundred support and outer perimeter defense troops were omitted.)

A: Garrison Headquarters (GHQ) Staff:

B: Artillery (ARTY) Regt. HQ, Staff

C: Fire Direction Center * (FDC) 4 Sections

D: Fire Observation (FO)Sections (4 each)

E: Battery Gun Crews (18 total)

F: Infantry (INF) Regt. HQ, Staff (2 each)

G: Infantry Co. HQ* (maximum 4 available)

H: Infantry Platoon Headquarters* (3 per company)

I: Infantry Squad* (3 per platoon, under-strength)

1 NCO, 7 Soldiers 8 rifles

ATTACKERS

German Falschirmgruppen:

Command Section

Alternate Command Section

Glider Assault Sections, (*9 of each)

OBJECTIVE GRANITE GLIDER LEADERS:

C. COURSE OF THE BATTLE

Two of the eleven German gliders didn't make it to the fortress, one of them carried Lt. Witzig, the assault force commander. Still, their elaborate planning and preparation paid off. The operation was a complete success, with many of the casemates being shattered in a matter of minutes.

Most of the Belgian defenses did not have fields of fire across the top of the fortress. Most important, Belgians were too surprised to react,. After the key gun positions were blown they made no serious forays out of their tunnels to attack the small force of Germans.

The Germans did act a little too bold at times (one sapper, while placing a charge, was straddling a cannon like a horse), and some strayed into machine gun fields of fire. Despite these scattered fire-fights, the Germans were able to consolidate after completing their primary mission, and even chase the Belgian defenders deeper underground. Lt. Witzig managed to commandeer another German tow-plane and arrived later to re-enforce his victorious troops.

The glider landing at the Albert Canal Bridge met with a more stubborn resistance. Despite heavy resistance, and serious casualties the attackers were able to suppress the Belgian bridge garrison and cut the demolition wires.

With the help of close air support and indirect fire, the armored spearhead was able to relieve the bridge assault force before they were overwhelmed by counter attacks. With these two key objectives taken, along with several others that day, the German Panzers were able to soundly defeat the Belgian Army and out-maneuver the French and British in the Blitzkrieg of May 1940. The rest is history.

These two glider assaults are some of the few tactical skirmishes in history that were of both operational and strategic magnitude. The history of the world was changed forever on May 10, 1941. This operation was a critical part of it. II. WARGAMING THE BATTLES

GAME MASTER NOTES:

The Albert Canal assault is small enough to complete as a skirmish game, but with-out extensive wargame resources Eban Emael must be broken up into smaller attacks. I will deal with general game adjudication, and then each scenario's peculiarities separately. Keep in mind that the scenario guidelines can be applied to numerous similar airborne actions.

DEFENDER PLACEMENT/ACTIVATION

The defenders place their available forces as permitted in the scenario. Designated "sentries" are not activated at the beginning of the game (but get a modifier for being awake). Units begin rolling for activation the turn after the first glider lands.

DEFENDER ACTIVATION:

The Belgians reacted slowly, making the German's task much easier. Each ON-TABLE Belgian unit must roll a 6 (on a D-6) to become activated. Until activated, they are oblivious, or too disorganized to do anything. (Panic suppression ) This should be adjusted for other scenarios.

D-6 ACTIVATION ROLL:

MODIFIERS: (cumulative)

GLIDER ASSAULT:

German player selects desired Glider landing sequence and spot. (Choose a 100 meter long strip of the playing area, may start off-table except last 25 meters) D-10 men per turn may exit the glider after it stops. Use the following table (with D-10) to decide glider arrival.

GLIDER ARRIVAL (predesignate and roll in sequence)

D-10 GLIDER LANDING RESULTS 1-2 PHEW! Exactly as planned
3 OOPS! Crash into previous glider*
4 UH-OH! Miss sequence: re-roll next turn
5 AAAH! Overshoot by 50 meters*
6 YIKES! Bad angle: 30 left of chosen path*
7 OH-NO! Bad angle: 30 right of chosen path*
8 SHEISE!! Undershoot by 50 meters*
9 DUMKOPF! combine results of 2xD6 rolls
0 AARRGH! -Tow cable snaps en route, 2 hour delay

(If your battle actually lasts this long, re-roll a D-6 later!)*

*D-6 CRASH RESULTS: (each impacted glider)

**If the glider hits water obstacle: 70%: per man to escape (losers drown) 30% per man recover personal weapon, all else lost.

ASSAULT GROUP STEEL

Attack on Albert Canal Bridge

STEP 1. Germans secretly choose landing patterns.

STEP 2. Belgians deploy

1. Co. HQ and FO section in Building (A) 2. Four sentries on bridge (B - E) 3. One squad in each bomb proof (F& G) 4. Squad and Platoon HQ Bunkers (H - M)

STEP 3. Germans land (as per table II. A. 2) 4 Gliders: 1 command, 3 squads (sappers have satchel not shaped charge, all Germans have grenade bags)

STEP 4. Belgians activate (as in II.A.1)

STEP 5. Continue play until victory conditions are met. Reinforcements: Belgian HQ Section may radio for reinforcements 2 turns after it activates.

After a delay of "D-10 turns " one platoon arrives at position J, K, or L (defender pre-designates location before game and only tells the Germans if and when they arrive) If he rolls 0, an armored car appears immediately.

VICTORY CONDITIONS

At the end of ten minutes (or turns, or rounds, depending on your rules scale)

GERMAN STRATEGIC: Capture Bridge intact (A-D), control bunkers (H-M), less than 25% Casualties.

GERMAN OPERATIONAL: Capture Bridge intact (A-D), control 50% of bunkers (H-M), less than 50% Casualties.

GERMAN TACTICAL: By fire or occupation, keep Belgians from blowing home bridge before the end.

DRAW: There is no draw, it's all or nothing.

BELGIAN TACTICAL: Blow the bridge before time runs out, over 50% casualties.

BELGIAN OPERATIONAL: Bridge blown in first 1/2 of game time allotted, control 50% of defenses (H-M), less than 50% Casualties.

BELGIAN STRATEGIC: BRIDGE CONTROLLED, control bunkers (H-M), less than 25% Casualties (CHARGES INTACT).

BALANCED SCENARIO:

I believe the historical bridge scenario is adequately balanced for a competitive GAME. The Random landing table uses The same percentages as the historical events. So, you could do better, and you could do worse. If the Germans are having trouble let them move double until they become suppressed for the first time. Or make sure they have plenty of cover available to maneuver. You can also call in a Stuka attack if needed. (Before or after the Glider landing, but that should up the activation modifiers somewhat)

If the Belgians are getting creamed, increase all activation modifiers by one each. Also place a minefield or two inside the perimeter. A company sized counter attack would also make it very tough for the Germans.

OBJECTIVE GRANITE

The Airborne assault on Fortress Eban Emael

This Scenario is divided into four separate smaller fights, players can play a mega-skirmish or fight them individually. Set up terrain for one or more map quadrants (1-4) as noted on Map. Both the Historical and the random landing patterns are listed.

STEP 1. Germans secretly choose landing patterns.

STEP 2. Belgians deploy defenders

TYPE QUADRANT

I II III IV

Gun crew 4 5 3 5

HQ/Staff* 1INF 1INF 1ART 1GHQ

FDC* 1 1 1 1

FO 1 - - -

Squad: 1 per turn per quadrant

*Unit secretly located underneath designated battery

CUPOLA A: Two 120mm Guns (with two gun crews) are not included above, it should be included for all four Quadrants when played separately. Reinforcements: INF squad attempts activation every even turn, each 3rd squad activated includes a platoon HQ, each 3rd Platoon includes a Company HQ. Reinforcements can pop up at any undestroyed fortification using the fort's interior tunnels, but if they reenter the tunnel they must re-roll activation to come back out. A MAXIMUM of 1 Company per quadrant maximum may be deployed.

STEP 3. Germans land (Historical or random)

TYPE QUADRANT

I II III IV

Command - - 1* 1

Squad 2 3 3 1*

. *These two gliders didn't make it historically, but if you use the random table you should re-roll for their fate.

STEP 4. Belgians activate (as per II.A.1)

STEP 5. Continue play until victory conditions are met.

VICTORY CONDITIONS

At the end of 20-30 minutes (or turns or rounds, depending on your rules scale)

GERMAN STRATEGIC: Destroy all Gun Positions (only those in Quadrant for small scenarios) less than 25% Casualties. Radio intact.

GERMAN OPERATIONAL: Destroy Gun Positions A through K (only those in Quadrant for small scenarios) less than 50% Casualties, Radio intact.

GERMAN TACTICAL: Destroy Gun Positions A through K (only those in Quadrant for small scenarios) more than 50% Casualties.

DRAW: There is no draw, it's all (A-K) or nothing.

BELGIAN TACTICAL: Save CUPOLA A and any one of B through K (only those in Quadrant for small scenarios)

BELGIAN OPERATIONAL: Save CUPOLA A and any two others (only those in Quadrant for small scenarios)

BELGIAN STRATEGIC: Save positions A through K (only those in Quadrant for small scenarios)

BALANCED SCENARIO:

The historical Eban Emael scenario is heavily weighted in the German's favor. However, A bad experience with the random landing table can lead to serious consequences, especially in the smaller quadrant scenarios. The isolated nature of the smaller scenarios makes them a little more even sided. (Consider making the Belgians umpire controlled and have the various independent teams compete against each other).

Large Map (112K)

Other equalizers include: 1. Belgians increase all activation modifiers by one each. 2. Place two (30m x 30x) minefields inside each quadrant. 3. Attempt to activate one squad per turn (rather than every other turn). 4. Allow the FO's to call indirect fire from guns not in on LOS. (but within arch of fire)

CONCLUSION:

The Airborne Assault on Eban Emael changed the conduct of modern warfare forever. As part of the Combined Arms-Armored Blitzkrieg the airborne assault it was a critical success. As a new and innovative method of warfare its practicality was proven numerous times during WWII. As a wargame it provides a setting for exciting and competitive fun. Rarely can you find a scenario that has so much riding on the actions of so few.

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