Tuesday 31 July 2018

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.....

24 comments:

  1. Huzzah! Score one for the home team.

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    1. Thanks AJ they deserved a win .....but as the evil campaign overlord i’m afraid it won’t do them any good👹

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  2. Well hurrah! for our boys. Another fine report and pics Matt well worth the wait.

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    1. Thanks Phil the boys did well...hopefully I will catch up my blogging over the next few weeks 😀

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  3. Village nicely done and perhaps a surprise outcome, got to love the German D3 !!!!

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    1. Thanks Norm.........the dice really were against the Germans!

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  4. Great day was had, glad I swapped out the dice for loaded ones.

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  5. No need to apologize for cycling. Summer and cycling go and and hand. I have logging good miles in hot weather too. This afternoon's ride was 95F! Been like this for at least two weeks.

    As always, a real treat to see the work you put into your layout. Superb and plenty of stuff to go back in and look more closely.

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    1. Thanks Jonathan there just doesn’t seem enough time in the day. But I have some holidays soon 😀 I was happy with the table as it has at least a feel of Kentish Countryside. But I do need a few more bits 🤔

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  6. I’m definitely an inside person so I don’t get cycling in the heat... 😀

    Nice ARR! The pics and captions really told a narrative. I’m heartened that the German advance was stalled. 😀 really nice looking game.

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    1. Thanks Stew...it was a tough day out for the Germans. However, as I mentioned above as the campaign overlord if the Brits think they have won it is just a minor speed bump in the road of invasion 😀

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  7. Tremendous report and well done the Brits!

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    1. Thanks Michael the bosh will get their revenge 😱

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  8. That looks awesome. Great photos Matt.

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    1. Thanks Rodger for the feedback ...always welcome🙂

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  9. The Krauts took a beating! About time too! Great looking game Matt!

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    1. They had all that armour and couldn’t hit a barn door ! Thanks 😀

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  10. Lovely looking game with the right result! Looks like Kent too!
    Best Iain

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    1. Many thanks Iain, I had to squeeze the windmill in there is one but in that location. Soon I plan to make some more typical Kentish buildings🙂

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  11. Nice AAR I’m envious of your discipline for taking pictures!
    Good game and nice to see the side of good and niceness triumphant.
    Lovely parade of your 1940 equipment and figures on your usual good looking table top.
    Your Pz II Panzer II Ausfb is my favourite in the ‘correct’ two tone colour scheme 😊...

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    1. Thanks Captain, for pictures all I do is pick up the dice at the end of a turn and snap away a few shots. The story comes later, as for the painting early schemes are much easier 😀

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