Blitzkrieg at Postling : Operation Sealion

For regular followers I do apologise for my lack of posting a combination of hot weather, work and cycling. Anyway enough of the excuses activity in the Dungeon rumbles on. A couple of weeks ago we played a big Operation Sealion game.

S-tag (day one) is drawing slowly to a close, the Germans in many areas have pushed inland from the beaches. In other areas notably in the town of Folkestone itself their advance has been slower where troops stationed in the town have thrown up road blocks and turned houses into fortified gunpositions. To some extent the German high command has anticipated this, getting as much of the armoured troops as possible landed. In true blitzkrieg style they have sent a fast moving kampf group north from Hythe to break through the thin ‘skin’ of defence and start to overwhelmed the Kentish heartland.

Postling is a small village just to the North of Hythe

The villagers have been listening to the invasion through out the day taking place along the coast to the south they are reassured by a steady stream of RAF planes heading over the village to attack the german bridgehead

Ominously a single Stuka bomber is seen in the sky but the villagers give a cheer as the spitfire shoots it down (first turn!)

But then they hear a rumble coming from the south, the Germans are looking to push through the village to outflank the nearby village of Etchinghill where a strong defensive force has blocked the advance

Blitzkrieg 1940 style under the watchful eye of the Propaganda Ministry

The roads to the north have suddenly become choked with Vehicles of all sorts bringing troops to the front

British infantry has been told to hold the village

In their desperation a old Rolls Royce armoured car has been brought back into service, nobody expects this to last long again the german Panzers !

Breaking their initial line of advance the german tanks push across the fields towards the village

German Fallschirmjager who dropped earlier in the day are advancing in support through Douglas Farm

Realising they may be outflanked the german motorised Infantry is ordered to dismount

A mixture of british armoured vehicles have been rushed to the front including a bus from which singing can be heard ?

Infantry arrives on foot but most importantly a single Matilda II arrives

The previous cheers of the villagers turn to groans as the spitfire takes an unlucky shot form the ground, the British had been relying on the air support to pin down the advance

Ominous grey armour moves across the open ground, the sheep scatter but the British are not in position to defend

A Panzer II takes up a position on Tolsford Hill to give covering fire to the advancing infantry

Turns out the bus was full of drunk sailors having had a rough night out in Canterbury and decorated with fresh tattoos, the bus was taking them back to Folkestone harbour when they were swept up in the invasion defence, some immediately head into a nearby building to look for more drink !

As the german commander looks through his binoculars he can’t understand what is holding up the advance, some of the first wave of infantry can be seen pulling back having been caught in the cross fire

Unable for find more drink some of the sailors pull back into a field, but one of the Bren gun carriers has moved into a strong defensive position 

British troops take up a defensive position at the village cross roads

.......more make their way through the back yards

German Artillery is now in place and starts to target the British armour but for some reason they are ineffective

The german commander looks on in disgust as the advance seems to stall

Finally the german infantry get moving and start to run across the fields, knowing they are likely to take casualties they move as quickly as they can

The small village green is going to be a mess tomorrow morning !

Still the german advance moves forward, it is still not clear if the British have the power to stop the grey juggernaut 

No one seems quite sure what to do in the village ?

An overview shot taken by a spotter plan from west of Postling itself, Tolsford Hill can be seen in the distance

Period shot of the village under attack

On the German right flank though things are starting to unravel, close to Staples Farm german Infantry has been badly mauled by the combined fire of two Bren Gun carriers and the Rolls Royce

The Matilda appears impervious to the german shots but a thinly armed Vickers bursts into flames

Not quite panic but the British are pulling in more and more reserves

But somehow the german armour and artillery just doesn’t seem to be having the impact expected on the British defenders (at this point I should point out that the German commander, counter to the normal rules of gaming appeared unable to roll anything higher than a 3 and repeatedly hit but failed to blow anything up, at one point this became so comical that even the British cheered when something blew up !)

Suddenly one of the Panzers a early 38t is now on fire they have driven too close to the defenders without knocking them out 💥

In the german rear heavy mortars have some success

But in a matter of minutes the Panzer IV has had a track blown off and the PanzerJager has been destroyed

The german field commander reconsiders his options ?

Advancing on the right flank the Stug pushes forward and the infantry have assaulted and knocked out the final Bren Gun Carrier, but somehow the Rolls Royce is still working 😱

The Panzer IV immobilised, behind it Veteran Fallschirmjager can be seen just about to assault into the nearest building

But there are still a lot of defenders in the village

British counter battery fire knocks out a german Howitzer 

Now the Panzer IV has been hit again and knocked out, fearce hand to hand fighting has seen the houses on this side of the village change hands several times

But it is clear the break through is not going to occur here at Postling

The Matilda holds the centre of the village whilst the 25lb gun continues to engage the enemy

A shot of the battlefield at the end of the battle.......Hoorah the Brits 

So the Germans were turned back on this occasion, a very enjoyable game. The challenge for the Germans was to get stuck in before the British could deploy. The Germans threw everything at the defenders but I don’t think I have seen dice rolling as bad as that ever in the Dungeon 😀 great to get back to Sealion and my enthusiasm hasn’t gone. More soon.....