This is a topical subject this year of course and pretty wargameable. Besides which "Britannia"; "Drew's Militia" - old Uncle Tom Cobley and all are turning out D-Day figures and items that will make your mouth water even if you are a confirmed Seven Years War buff or Peloponesian War hopliter. There are still those men around who can show their scars and if not talk about St Crispins day - talk of one just as momentous; D-Day.
To try to put this together I have consulted the following books:
1. "Nothing less than Victory - An Oral History of D-Day. Russell Miller. Pub. Michael Joseph.
2. "A Short History 7th Armoured Division. June 1943 - July 1945. Capt. V. Lindsay & Capt. M.E. Johnston. BAOR Printing Service 1945.
3. "Military Modelling Guide to Solo Wargaming." Stuart Asquith. Argus Books.
4. "Solo Wargaming." Donald Featherstone. Kaye & Ward.
5. "Wargaming Airborne Operations." Donald Featherstone. Kaye & Ward.
6. "The Raiders. The Army Commandos 1940 - 1946." R. Neillands. Fontana/Collins.
7. "Scenarios for Wargamers." Charles Stewart Grant, WRG.
History
Some history is called for first and then some game mechanics - to be used as a basis by members for their own elaboration or discarded for their own. The figures I used trying this out were the excellent *Britannia Miniatures" and "Drew's Militia". Odd vehicles coming into play were 15mm by "Peter Pig", tho' one jeep was "Drew's" and 20mm scale. The gliders were "Barnes Scratchbuilt" - balsa wood block and card wings. The bridge used was one by "Village Green". A "portrait" of Pegasus Bridge by Steve' Weeks in metal and resin, as exact as this considerable craftsman could make it; having regard to scale and wargaming simplification. Emplacements, lorry and staff car by "Britannia".
The 6th British Airborne Division was able to transport for landing two of its brigades with their supports. Objectives - To secure bridges over Caen Canal and Orne river and to "neutralise" the coastal battery at Merville for obvious reasons. They had also to blow up 4 bridges over the river Dives. The landing to be made at night.
Fieldmarschall Erwin Rommel had not been twiddling his thumbs or asking Eisenhower if he would like the heavy or light roller during the tea interval. His engineers and anyone else handy had been flooding fields and filling any nice flat spaces with "Rommel's Asparagus" trees and stout poles stuck in the ground, some wired up to munitions "to encourage the others".
The 5th Airborne Brigade was to capture bridges over the Caen Canal and the River Orne at Benonville (take care, there's also a Beneauville on the Varaville-Herouvillette road) which is practically next to the Caen Canal, the one being further east a short way. This is the scenario I'm involving us in.
One can begin this with the paras already landed or in their planes, hoping the pilot will drop them on the Drop Zone (DZ) and over 400 feet up. As Cesare Borgia said, "They'll thin out a bit after supper." Using everyone's wargaming mentor's second method (i.e. Donald Featherstone) a number of paper discs were cut out and held above the DZ and tipped so that they fluttered gracefully down all over the DZ and were replaced by units (D6 on landing. "1" - injured).
Oberleutnant Hans Hoeller, commander anti tank platoon 2nd Btn. 21st Panzer Division: "I was quartered in a private house on Cairon, a village about 8 miles NW of Caen and about the same distance from the coast ... the alarm was sounded at 2a.m. on 6th June... . We were equipped with French transport, armoured Renault halftracks fitted with mortars.. Under cover of early morning darkness, and with the enemy aircraft roaring overhead, we reached our point of engagement, Benouville, without any trouble. We were able to storm Benouville and occupy half the town but we were unable to take the exit road and this remained out of our hands for the whole day... From a copse of thickly planted trees and bushes at the outermost perimeter of our position I had a great view of Pegasus Bridge, about 600 meters away, which the Tommies had overcome during the night and were still holding. We could see an enemy tank stopped outside an house; the tank officer was talking to the inhabitants. Our right hand gunner was unable to crank down the barrel of his anti-tank gun low enough to fire and we could not risk starting the engines because of the noise. We decided to push the vehicle over the edge of the incline so that it could get a shot and after several dramatic moments we managed to do so without being noticed.
LCpl Wleck targeted his objective and fired. The enemy tank exploded and the house collapsed. The English could not grasp where the shot had come from and began firing in all directions, but not in our immediate vicinity and we were able to retreat ir the confusion and noise of battle. ["Nothing Less than Victory" Russell Miller. Michael Joseph pp 400-401]. extracts.
It is strange the O'lt says *fitted with mortars.." and then speaks of antitank guns. Maybe the translation was a bit wrong; "granatenwerfer" means "shell firer" and not "grenade firer" so probably the Renault halftracks had 2 anti-tank weapons, one aside - Anyone clarify this??
To keep the size down in figure numbers and table spread I decided to do a similar job as I had in "Arnhem Lift" CLW 104 - 106] and practically do a one for one Role play scenario. -
A section of 8 Pathfinders were dropped to set up beacons to be followed shortly after by Royal Engineers (Sappers) to clear obstacles and immediately (almost) following 2 gliders would land in the environs of Pegasus Bridge, deal with any eneemy guarding it or nearby and hold it unti] Lord Lovat, 6 Commando + Piper and followed by 3 and 45 Commandos turned up. (Brig Peter Young, famous wargamer and creator of the Seal Knot, commanded Commando).
To hop ahead, quopting the Brig:- "The Germans were very keen to defend Ouistreham, but 3 Commando were not involved in that; our job was to get across the Caen Canal and the Orne. We reached the bridges and had a friendly reception from the Airborne, who were very glad to see us." [p 272, "The Raiders"]. I think a map is called for now and we can all see what we are faced with. [My projections are not strictly photographic - obviously.
Game Concentrate the action around the bridge, unless you wish to make a campaign out of it. For the glider landings you can use my "Arnhem Lift" mechanics or see p 204 "Wargaming Airborne Operations" by Donald Featherstone for other ways. Lay out the table longways i.e. coats at shortest edge.
Attackers (British Troops).
1. one stick of Pathfinders with beacons.
2. one Airborne Coy with support weapons (piat, mortar, HMG in containers) delivered by PO Jimmy Edwards and PO A. Kite in Dakotas.
3. 2 Gliders. One contains one jeep + A?T gun. The second contains 18 men incl. officrs of Airlanding Bde.
Objective To take and hold Pegasus and Orne Bridges until relieved.
Optional 4. 3 Commando, i/c Brig Peter Young to make contact with Airborne by 1200 hrs D-Day. To cross bridge and deploy as ordered by Field command [you]. You can dice for early or late arrival.
Defenders German Troops. [Why weren't they invited to D-Day commemorations? They died too].
1. 2 sections each with a MG + Platoon HQ - 26 troops, at Benouville village (near bridge).
2. 1 section at the bridge itself - 10 men.
3. A platoon + HQ scattered at villages in the area. (Dice to see if the Hauptman is living it up in Caen. D6 - 3,4,5,6 - Yes).
4. 1 section of 2 medium mortars. Can be mounted on a halftrack lorry for mobility. (Mine were "Britannia Mins").
Objective To hold the bridges for XLVII Panzer Korps who are in and around Troarn (over a 40K area). NB. It is likely that no order to go to the aid of Benouville will be given to the panzers.
Quote:- "Obergefriete Werner Kortenhaus. aged 19. 4 Coy. 22nd Panzer R2"..So we stowed our things and got the tanks ready and by 0200 hrs were ready to move from our position 30k south of Caen, waiting for the order to march. But nobody gave it."
Genralleutenan dgar Fuchtinger, Commander 21st Panzer Div. "I first knew that the invasion had began with a report that parachutists had been dropped near Troarn a little after midnight. Since I had been told I could do nothing immediately until I heard from Rommel's HQ, I warned my men to be ready... At 0060 hrs I had to do something and I ordered my tanks to attack the English (sic) 6 Airborne Div which had entrenched itself.... Before I had nearly started, excellent anti-tank fire had knocked out eleven of my tanks." ["Nothing Less than Victory"]
[Erwin Rommel I/C Army Group B, had driven off to visit his wife. It was her birthday.]
Playing Deploy defenders as instructed. Attackers decides Drop Zone (DZ) and drops pathfinders accordingly, having looked at the terrain (simulate map study) for suitable DZs.
Next move Paras are dropped.
Next move gliders go in.
Defenders are only alerted by para drop, not Pathfinders, and then must throw a 6 on a D6 to be able to turn out and resist. (Use common sense on this if the dice are continually "unlucky").
Rules You may have your own favourites. I roleplay/skirmished this as a small segment of the action. Donald Featherstone rules have PIAT range and effect, not many others do. "Hell by daylight" Jim Webster can be utilized, not the helicopters of course WRG have some "modern" rules.
There is the setup. I won't write out my playing out as this is long enough already. Prepare for some surprises.
Large Pegasus Bridge Map (77K)
Jumbo Pegasus Bridge Map (233K)
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