Battle for Rhodes Minnis : Operation Sealion

Following the failure of the British forces to retake Lyminge they have pulled back to a defensive position along the West Woods. After a brief respite the Germans are actively probing the defence line with a view to breaking through to Canterbury at cutting the bulk of East Kent off. This would create a secure foothold with adequate harbours at Folkestone and Dover to build up forces before pushing the offensive towards London.

Our battle sees a German reconnaissance force probing towards the woods through the village of Rhodes Minnis, some of the British forces from Lyminge have managed to regroup and have been joined them. Including the Rhodes Minnis Yeomanry a mounted force who have been keeping watch in the area over the last few weeks.

A map showing the battlefield and its relationship to Lyminge. The blue line is the nominal British defence line, but it is likely this is broken in many places. White the optional German advance routes

After the furious fighting of day one a Spitfire has crashed into the edge of the woods (no specific game play for this other than to designate the woods as one of four objectives)

The Rhodes Minnis Yeomanry scouting at the edge of the woods.

The Crossroads at Rhodes Minnis itself a lone German outrider leading the way 

Quickly followed by the main German force.

Overview of the battlefield, Germans must enter along the road from Lyminge, British enter from anywhere top right corner. The red dots indicate the four objectives. Which must be captured and held.

British regulars supported by a MKIV Cruiser massed near the pub

The Yeomanry move into the woods to hold the crashed plane objective

All the German force is fast moving and all infantry mounted in vehicles they immediately split their force off the main road. As the British have set up a 25lb artillery piece close to the northern crossroads

More British infantry enter by the pub

The Germans also have artillery set up on the road and a RAD8 but it has been pinned down by the Bus.

They don’t get much game play so another shot of the Yeomanry 🙂

The Germans come under fire from the British tank so quickly jump out of their vehicles

They are also moving to the left heading for the woods

Just in time the second unit leaps out before their transport is blown to pieces

The Rad has pulled back left to force a British Bren Carrier back across the field

The Germans are now closing in on the woods

The British holding the northern cross roads in force, but it will need more aggressive tactics to claim a victory. At this point we both became rather obsessed with the Breaverette it is such a crazy and quirky piece of British nonsense. Initially it is used to spearhead the British counter attack !

The last of the German infantry are now moving up around the stables

A significant push towards the West Woods objective

But the Germans have realised that they are running out of time and aren’t technically holding their own objective, the pinned unit by the burning Hanomag fail two activation rolls  !

The Germans are finally in the woods

The second unit leaps over the fence and assaults the Beaverette they manage to immobilise it 

The German officer drives across to get he infantry moving !

By now the battle field is littered with burning vehicles, a British Vickers is burning in the road, two of the Hanomags are on fire and the Bren Carrier and Beaverette are immobilised.

But the Cruiser is still blasting away and attempts to contest the road raid shelter objective, it can’t quite get close enough

Finally the Germans get back to the crossroads.

Dismounted now the Yeomanry are fighting hard in the woods which are still hotly contested

A very fun battle played in good spirits. Technically it was a draw but we agreed that wasn’t quite a definitive result so we played the extra optional turn and the Germans then managed to get back to claim the crossroads. Importantly the Beaverette whilst immobilised survived to fight another day, perhaps I should get a fleet of them ?

Thanks for looking 😀