The Battle for Maxton : Operation Sealion

It has been a couple of weeks since my last game, and it won't have gone without notice that the new Operation Sealion campaign book by Warlord has come out. I haven't rushed out (yet) and bought the new stuff but I am sure I will soon, I am especially keen on some of the New British support weapons. There is plenty to go at in the book for anybody interested in Sealion and needs a bit more detailed investigation. Anyway it is also includes a number of new scenarios so we took the opportunity for our next Sealion Battle to play one. The Roadblock.......

Continuing the fight for Dover the British success at Hougham was ultimately short lived, but the lads from the Royal West Kent have regrouped around the Pillbox on the A20 located to cover the road as it enters the outskirts of Dover it is an ideal place to build a Roadblock to hold the invaders back whilst fresh reserves are brought forward from the garrison. The pillbox is marked on the map below with a blue dot.

 

The german Mountain troops from the 143rd are supported by the 141st Mountain regiment who have captured the high ground and bluffs overlooking the A20, the first german armour is just managing to get through to the front and with the delays at Hougham high command are throwing everything to break into Dover from the West, at this stage it is not clear if the Paratroopers dropped to the north and east have made it into the town !

The quickly constructed roadblock using everything the troops could find at hand. The objective for both sides is to control this feature, the British have managed to bring up a 2lbr but it has a fairly limited field of view and unless the Germans come straight down the road they may not have much to shoot at !

German troops on the high ground of the Western Heights, this is an old military area, fenced off, with block houses and occasional pillboxes but as this is unmanned it is of little significance in taking the objective, the German Artillery has been dragged forward and starts to pound anything it can see.

Whilst the bulk of the troops are from the Royal West Kent Regiment they are supported by Home Guard troops form the West Dover and Tower Hamlets Home Guard, knowing the Area well they have taken up defensive positions in the gardens bordering the A20, they await the expected attack but are hoping for relief to arrive from the main Dover garrison.

The scene form the Western Heights, little activity on the main road, although a lone german machine gun has taken over the house on the left and started firing directly into the British lines.

The Tower Hamlets Home Guard keep their heads down, the British have set up their only machine gun in the pillbox, something akin to a forlorn hope as they are some way in front of the main defensive line

With only limited armour a wary of a frontal assault the german command choose to attempt to flank the road block On both sides

To the north Gerbesjager units look to use cover and mortar support to protect their advance, Much to the relief of the Home Guard support has arrived in the form of a Bren Gun Carrier, but despite their encouragement to "go and give it to them" it parks up appanrently under orders to hold this position.

Having briefly checked out the block house the german flanking movement to the south is gathering pace

German artillery continues to fire into the town but is General fairly ineffective

Hit repeatedly by mortar fire the Home guard heroically or foolishly pushed to the front are taking losses and gradually getting pinned down they won't take much more !

At the roadblock all is fairly quiet, but then mortars located to the north of the A20 start to find their mark and become increasingly damaging

The elite veteran Gebirgsjager have now pushed to within striking distance of an assault the Home guard are surely doomed, with a high morale and leadership the single pin the Germans have picked up isn't going to worry them..........

Unbelieavable ! The shop keepers and butchers of Dover shout and jeer as the elite Germans turn and run

But to the south the Panzer II having knocked out a second Bren Gun carrier out of shot has broken though the fences clearing a path for the remaining infantry to potentially charge through to the roadblock !

The second Home guard unit terrified by the tank lose their nerve and are keeping their heads

Powerless to stop them the Germans charge through behind the tank making for the roadblock, where accurate mortar fire has left the antitank gun and crew isolated and undefended, they won't survive a charge.

But what is this, from the gardens behind the final unit of British infantry, having spent the battle cleaning their weapons runs forward

The Germans can see the undefended roadblock tantalising close

But cometh the hour cometh the men, the West Kent lads are able to assault the advancing unit in the rear and after a tight fight where they lose a couple of their own men they are able to finish them off, the Home guard look on and cheer with relief. At this point the German commander high tailed it back up the road, pulling his remaining units back to regroup.

A thoroughly enjoyable game, the scenario was slightly tough for the Germans but they did make it hard for themselves by choosing very long flanking moves😀