This installment of "Europa as History" goes into considerably more detail than those previously published. The purpose is to demonstrate the new Second Front rules. The Europa experts have carefully reviewed the moves, calculations and rules interpretations for correctness. Many SF rules are referenced in parentheses to help direct you to the appropriate SF rules section.

If you already consider yourself proficientat SF, we suggest you play the accompanying scenario solitaire before you read further. Then compare your play with this historical version.

Pre-Game Activities

Play begins with the setup as provided in the Operation Infatuate scenario.

The Allies plan their amphibious operation in hex 16A:0727 for the Nov I 44 turn to include 4 Marine Cmdo X (RM), 10 Marine Cmdo R (IA), and 1 Marine Cmdo X.

Initial Phase

All units are in supply per the scenario special rule.

Since the Allies have an RAF strategic air wing available, they now place a strategic air base in Britain. In a fun SF game, the base would have to be placed in an all-land hex (26C1). A scenario special rule allows placement in a coastal hex, however, and the Allies place their base in Colchester (16A:0132). They place a strategic wing counter at the base.

Weather on Oct II 44 was Mud. A look at the Zone D weather table shows that this means Nov I weather must also be Mud and no die roll is even needed. Mud means Allied tactical bombing strengths are halved and their combat die roll will be modified by -2. The Allies do check sea conditions and roll a '2.' The sea is calm.

Movement Phase

The German CD level of hex 16A:0727 is '4.' This comes from 2 for a standard port on the Atlantic, and 2 from the port fortification. (Note that a 2-5-0* port fortification would still yield the same CD level.) The Allies devote a major effort to reducing this CD to a less threatening level.

Naval Movement Sub-Phase

Naval Movement Step 1.

The Allies begin their movement phase by calling for seven consecutive coast defense bombing missions on Walcheren (2OG2i). The first raid is by the RAF Bomber Command Wing in Colchester. Although the OB allows the Allied player use of up to 20 Tactical Bombing Factors in the strategic wing, he chooses to use only 8. This means two British day fighters must accompany the mission (260). The Allies use the P-51A and the Spit 5 for this escort duty. Note that HB units cannot fly GS missions (2OG2b), so the coast defense bombing mission is really the only useful mission for this unit in the scenario.

The German AA value is 'V One AA point comes from the port fortification and two AA points come from the intrinsic AA of a standard port in the West theater (22A3). Note that these points are light AA (22A3) and cannot fire at HB units (22B1). All AA rolls have a -1 modifier because the scenario takes place after Apr I 44 (see the antiaircraft fire table).

The table summarizes the mission results. All tactical bombing strengths are halved when bombing coast defenses (20G2i) and halved again for Mud. The Lancaster is a high precision bombing unit and hence uses its strategic bombing strength instead of its tactical bombing strength (23H8). Note the RCAF Mosquito and B-25 combine their bombing strengths.

The 2 bombing hits reduce the CD level to '3.' The two bombing hits result in only one hit of damage actually scored on the CD (2OG2i).

The Allies now turn to naval movement. A naval group consisting of the British TF unit moves into 16A:0728 expending 1 MP (28); there it must stop to perform naval combat with the German CD (28B and 28C).

The CD gunnery strength will be halved to 1.5 for firing into an adjacent hex (29B). The Germans would like to save their CD guns to fire at landing craft, as their fire would be tripled against these units (29132c). However, they determine that they probably won't get the chance. They therefore allocate two gunnery strength points to the general group and the useless remaining point to the reserve group (29132a). Since the two German CD gunnery points are halved, the Germans make a 1-point attack against the TF. A roll of '2' results in a miss.

The British can divide their 16 naval gunnery strength points in a variety of possible attacks. They choose to make five attacks with 3 strength points each and one attack with I strength point against the CD general group. Since their fir-e would have a -1 modifier firing on the reserve group (see naval gunnery table), the British decline to attack it. The 3-point British attacks will score hits on rolls of '4,' '5,' or '6,' and misses otherwise.

The British roll the die five times, getting '1,' '4,' '6,' '2,' and '5' for a total of three hits. The British 1-point attack requires a '6' to achieve a hit, but a '3' is rolled for a miss. The three British hits result in one hit of damage (29B3) and the German CD is reduced to level '2.'

The naval/CD combat is concluded (Rule 29B2 states that "combat between naval units and CDs is resolved in a single roun(f '). The British TF still has 29 MPs left, and spends 1 MP to enter hex 16A:0627. This hex is in the combat zone of the German CD, and combat is again triggered per Rule 28C.

The German CD level is now '2,' and both gunnery strength points are allocated to the general group. In their I- point attack, the Germans roll a '3,' missing the TF again.

The TF attacks as before. On their 3-point attacks, the British roll '4,' '6,' '3,' '2,' and '6,' and on their 1-point attack they roll a '1.' This yields three firing hits for one hit of damage. The German CD level drops to '1.' Due to its current level-1 status, the CD's combat zone now consists of its hex only (28B).

The British task force still has 28 MPs left, and spends another MP to move to hex 16A:0727. This hex is in the combat zone of the German CD, and combat is once again triggered per Rule 28C.

The Allies again conduct naval combat with the German CD. The Germans roll another '3,' missing with their 1-point attack The British breathe a sigh of relieve at the poor German shooting. The British conduct five 3-point gunnery attacks, rolling '2,' '5,' '1,' '1,' and '6' for two firing hits and one hit of damage. This reduces the German CD level and corresponding ground combat strength (44G3) to '0.'

Its mission complete, the TF returns to Oostende. The Allies will not use it for naval gunfire support, as they do *not wish to declare this one of their six turns of use for 1944 (3411).

Meanwhile, the Allied LCs spend 30 MPs to embark the three commando units in Oostende (31A).

Naval Substep 2. The Allies move their landing craft to Walcheren, using 3 MPs and ending their movement for this step in hex 16A:0727.

Naval Substep 3. The Allied LCs expend 30 MPs in hex 16A:0727 to begin disembarking their troops for the amphibious landing. A total of 90 MPs will be necessary to complete the landing (32A).

Naval Substep 4. The Allied LCs expend 30 more MPs in hex 16A:0727, for a total of 60 MPs expended.

Naval Substep 5. The Allied LCs expend 30 more MPs in disembarking, completing the necessary 90 MPs. At the same time, the three Allied land units conducting the landing expend all their available movement points (32A).

The Allies check for LC damage with a +3 modifier for calm sea conditions, and a -1 modifier for disembarking into an enemy-occupied hex. They roll 5, 3, and 2, for one damaged LC, although damage to the LC has no bearing on the scenario.

The Germans attempt Enemy Reaction to the Allied landing (32D). They consult the success table, but roll a '2' and fail in their attempt. No reaction movement occurs.

Ground Movement Sub-Phase

The ground movement subphase is rather trivial. The only possible movement is the disembarking of the units from LCs onto the Walcheren beach. Note 155 Air Lndg X is in the LVT and therefore treats the narrow straits as a river hexside.

Combat Phase

With their remaining air units, the Allies fly a ground support GS) mission to hex 16A:0727 as summarized in the table below. The German 3-strength AA rolls receive a -1 modifier for firing after Apr I 44.

The Allies announce the attack on 16A:0727. The Germans attempt partial flooding of the hex (37A3), roll one die and consult the success table. A roll of '3' is modified to a '5' because the hex to be flooded is in the Netherlands (see the success table). This successfully floods the hex, and the hex is treated as a swamp hex for the remainder of the player turn.

The Germans defend with a strength of 4. Die roll modifiers are -2 for mud, -1 for the swamp hex, -1 for the port fortification, and +1 for the Allied combat engineering ability (14A2) for a total modifier of -3.

The table on the next page shows the final Allied combat strength calculations. The Allied AA unit is not halved for attacking a fortification because of Rule 43C3. It is still quartered for attacking across narrow straits.

Notice the 155th Brigade is not conducting an amphibious assault since an LVT is transporting it. The LVT allows the 55th to treat the narrow straits hexside as a river hexside, per the special scenario rule.

The Allies have 11 REs of attacking non-artillery ground units, allowing up to 11 air units to fly support. This means that all four surviving GS air units will participate in the combat.

The final combat is resolved at 4:1 with a -3 die roll modifier. The roll is a '5' modified to '2' for a result of 'HX.' Both defending German units are eliminated. The Allies must eliminate 2 strength points and choose to eliminate the 3 SH Siege Art II and I Eng X (Can) for a total of 2 points. Note that the engineer brigade must be eliminated as a required loss under the provisions of Rule 9J, since it used its special ability per Rule 14A2.

Exploitation Phase

No further movement is necessary in this scenario, but in a complete game of Second Front the Allied landing craft would probably wish to replenish and move to a less-exposed port.

End of Turn

The Allies control 16A:0727, and there are no hits on the task force. The Allies win the scenario.

About Frank Watson

Frank Watson is a 35-year off engineer, and veteran wargamer. 'Enter Rommel,' his first scenario for TEM, won a Charles Roberts award for the Best Historical Article of 1990.

Since then Frank has provided readers with many other exciting scenarios, variants and articles, including the widely-acclaimed 'Europa as History' series. Frank is also one of the luckiest men alive: his wife not only tolerates wagammg, but actually participates herself on occasion.

Operation Infatuate The Battle of Walcheren Island: November 1-8, 1944

Introduction and Rules
Allied Order of Battle
Axis Order of Battle
Pronounciation
Europa as History
First Walcheren Campaign 1809
The Real Battle
Rules Questions