Battle for Adlington Corner : Operation Sealion

My first game of the year and back to Operation Sealion. day two and the Germans continue to probe across a number of fronts, with active skirmishes along the main road to Ashford the Germans are probing NW from the Military Canal along the old Roman Road. A bomber sometime in the last 48 hours has caused a huge crater on the road where the unfortunate passengers of the late bus from Ashford have crashed and blocked the road. A force of German Pioneers and rounded up Fallschirmjager dropped in the area the day before have been dispatched to secure the area with a view to opening up the road as an alternative.

The Roman Road runs left to right across the table from Adlington Corner to the wonderfully named Clap Hill. The Ashford bus is evident in the centre near the pub blocking the road. The objective for both sides is to dominate the central part of the battlefield (identified by the small red beads) after six turns. Units attempting to control the area still need to be in reasonable order, so no gamesmanship with almost broken heavily pinned trying to hold the area. Onto the battle….

British infantry push forward from Clap Hill and occupy the first of the terrace houses these are unfortunately outside the objective area, but obviously the houses provide good protection

The Germans push forward on both sides of the road

And setup a light howitzer on the high ground to the North

The German Pioneer squad rush forward in their SdKfz 251 and run into the small white cottage a second unit moves into the pub. Dam both of these buildings are in the objective area !

The British Bren gun relocates to higher ground to start firing into the white Cottage. In the distance a British Mark IV cruiser Tank is providing support and engaged in a long range duel with a Panzer 35(t) and a Panzer II hiden behind the pub, somewhere in the woods to the south there is also a rusty Matilda Mk1 which has been pressed into service.

With the Germans in the building the British start to call in mortar fire a lucky hit kills two of the occupants who after a couple of turns are heavily pinned down

The battle around the cottage is hotting up both sides taking casualties although the Germans get the better of it

The British charge in and successfully expel the Pioneers

The British have managed to take the cottage….

But with one turn to go the Germans get a decisive run on the dice getting the first four command dice from the bag, this allows them to hammer the British caught in the open and then charge their paratroopers across the road to retake the cottage. The British are now ‘blown’ and don’t have enough resources in the final turn to claim a victory

At the close of the battle the British have managed to bring a Bren carrier into the zone and although it is assaulted by paratroopers it survives, I forgot to take a couple of photos so you can’t see the Panzer II, Beaverette or smith gun all of which are burning at this stage 🙂

As is the Matilda Mark 1 knocked out by the 35(t), when we totted up the results it was a reasonably clear win for the Germans, who have not only caused more damage but could claim a slightly better hold on the objective. The British will have to pull back towards Ashford.

As always a fun battle, hard fighting interspersed by laughing at unlikely random events, one of the Germans dropping a grenade on his foot, and the fuel tank on the bus exploding  having been hit by a stray bullet killing another German 🙂 more to come hopefully soon !

The wet weather seems to have finally broken and although we have been hit by damp fog we walked up the Beacon Hill behind our town only to find the fog/cloud below u giving spectacular views across to the Lake District.

The woods at the point the fog began to break up

Our heads out of the clouds 🙂

Thanks as always more to come hopefully soon Matt