Sunday 6 November 2016

The 19th Hole : Battle for Hythe Golf Club : Operation Sealion

The Germans have gradually sought to get a foot hold on the morning of the 14th July 1940. Having secured much of Hythe the objective for the 55th Infantry Regiment is now to push inland and move East, towards Folkestone, to capture the harbour and then link up with troops who are currently fighting to take Dover.

In the early hours of the morning elements of the 20th Fallschirmjager regiment were dropped in and around the golf course. These elements only lightly armoured have met stiff opposition and have not been able to break through, they have dug in on the course and are exchanging fire with Infantry from the Shorncliffe Military camp who have also started to dig in to create an improvised defensive line. As further German reinforcements are landed at Sandgate they are being brought upto the front to force their way through. The Brits are also mobilising what local tank support they have.

The Committee at the club have also arrived at the course for the usual gentlemans sunday stableford pairs competition. Finding the course in some turmoil and the club house under attack they retire to the Committee room for an urgent discussion. After a short debate the Sunday competition is postponed to the following week and despite protestations by the green keeper the Committee vote by a clear majority to defend the course from the Hun. Dash it they are not even sure if the Germans play golf ! luckily in these uncertain times the members have come armed and they make their way to the members bar for a swift whiskey before moving to the front of the clubhouse to await the battle.

Fallschirmjager dug in around the green keepers shed, pinned down they await support from the beaches
The Shorncliffe garrison have arrived and dig in around the 17th green, the Germans have started to lay down smoke closer to the clubhouse preparing for a full assault. 
The leading elements of the 55th Infantry Regiment arrive and are immediately pushed forward.....there is to be no delay the course must be taken to open the way to Folkestone. Armour support is also arriving but not the Panzer III's the Oberleutnant was hoping for (still on the shopping list๐Ÿ˜€)
The Germans have also managed to bring a 'liberated' polish armoured car now in the service of The Wehrmacht.
A smoke screen is being layed down whilst the infantry rushes into the open on the 18th fairway !
German support weapons laying down smoke and machine gun support fire from close to the 1st Green.
More infantry push towards the clubhouse, whilst Ursula moves up the B2065 to Newington
I just like some B and W shots ๐Ÿ˜€
The British reserves arrive....a light Vickers tank and slightly dated Matilda I but they provide much needed machine gun support and slow the advance.
Howls of anger from the clubhouse as the Matilda tank swings off the access road onto the putting green. But thanks god they are keeping off the 18th green. You can see in the distance the Head green keeper has actually prevented the infantry running bared wire across the green and the infantry have sought protection in the green side bunker instead.
Coming out of the woods A squad are forced to take up a position on the 17th green......green keeper will not be happy !
Move German infantry arrive....slightly seasick from the beach and are thrown straight into the battle
After harsh criticism the Fallschirmjager have finally charged out from their cover...but the open ground around the 18th Green is a killing zone and half way across the gap they dive for cover in the closest woods.
The attack on the clubhouse is faltering...infantry pinned down
Yes just another B and W shot ๐Ÿ˜€
The Matilda is joined on the putting green by the remaining infantry who set up a Lewis gun by the fence. The Committee are now so angry at this unnecessary and wanton damage to the course they come out of the club house to protest and come under attack from Ursula.
Some of the Fallschirmjager have made it to the wire !
But what is this .....veteran troops fail a leadership roll...(still not found the German for fubar) and turn and run !!
The Committee now also pour their fire into the Germans from the flagpole outside the clubhouse. The green keeper simple shakes his head in despair !
But all is not lost yet and a lucky shot from Ursula brews up the Vickers, the remaining paratroopers are pinned in the wood. (This moment did allow the German commander to utter the immortal words I'm going to stick one right up the Vickers backside......a phrase not often heard in this dungeon at least)
To the east things are going better for the Germans, overpowering numbers have allowed them to push round the wire onto the 17th green. The Morris AC races around avoiding in coming shots from the 35(t) tank but doesn't have the firepower to halt the infantry advance, and will have to withdraw soon.
A shout goes up in the clubhouse.......Germans on the 17th green ! The green keeper can only weep๐Ÿ˜ข
Whilst the Vickers tank burns in the distance the Matilda pushes across the course, but in the distance they can see the Germans building up additional forces........whilst they have held the line so far it is clear that the Germans are intent on full scale invasion and the British will need more than a line of bared wire to stop them.

At this point we stopped the game 6 turns of tremendous fun the Brits had clearly won even though the Germans got to the 17th green. This would be the breach they could exploit to push through to Folkestone.....later in the day.

We adopted a couple of the new bolt action rules but other wise used my old set. The only thing we need to consider is how to balance the forces when the Germans are having to assault front on ? Perhaps a 10% extra although I didn't actually count up the points.....more Fallschirmjager to paint now.

22 comments:

  1. bloody marvellous. The German for fubar is "Unkenntlichkeit abgefuckt". Doesn't really trip off the tongue

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    1. Thanks M, I thought somebody clever would know Unkenntlichkeit abgefuckt it is then. Have checked my diary can you make Penrith on the 4th December ?

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  2. Being the golfing enthusiast that I am, I'd have hoped for a British mortar ... and directed its fire all day into blowing big holes in the Course! :))

    Blooming stupid game ... All those sandy bits and not one hump of a camel to be seen anywhere!

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    1. [Matt, just contacted you through Google+ (if it worked? why did they have to change things!) about some 1940 England terrain, that my mate's made, and that you might be interested in viewing.]

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    2. All bunkers should be raked in the morning so if there were any camels in them they would have left sizeable hoof prints. Will check the google plus thingy ๐Ÿ˜ฌ

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  3. Great game report.

    Cheers,

    Pete.

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  4. Poor old Greenkeeper...but worth it just to hear "I'm going to stick one right up the Vickers backside!".

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    1. Brought up on carry on films I'm afraid it did made me chuckle๐Ÿ˜€

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  5. Lovely stuff, although the language is deplorable! ;)

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  6. Another great report,Had seen your reply to me on Lead Ad, (im manchesterreg) so thought id take your advice, do like how your doing your campaign, makes sense

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    1. Thanks Simon i certainly feel Sealion provides an enormous range of options, which I have only really scratched the surface. Fallschirmjager attacking bunkers, road crossings, pontoon bridges, countryside, villages and towns, land and of course the air....hopefully enough inspiration to keep me going for a few years ๐Ÿ˜€

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  7. Great stuff Matt, doubt this will make "Der Adler" though ;-)

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    1. Thanks Phil ..........the propoganda ministry will certainly have to bend the truth......probably nothing new there ๐Ÿ˜€ But you have given me a great idea for a future write up.....

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  8. Wonderful report, just the right level of hilarity for me without spoiling the unfolding story. As the only non golfer in my family I would have to say you capture the stupidity of a golf club wonderfully. The Hun will need to deploy the sand wedge in the follow up perhaps?

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    1. As the only golfer in my family I know too much. I should say there is nothing funny about the Hun trampling across our lovely golf courses and a matter the committee will no doubt take up with Herr Hitler should his little invasion succeed !

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  9. Lovely aar, I like the early war armour it's much more characterful than all the later war stuff and any armoured car is good.
    Best Iain

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    1. Thanks Iain agreed on the early war armour.......I am currently saving the finances to get some Pz III's and some early cruiser tank I have one A9 but and one Matilda II which I think was effectively A13 ? More to come

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  10. Greate AAR !

    Love the Black and White pictures

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    1. Thanks Michael ....in a very simple way the black and white give that feeling of period ๐Ÿ˜€

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