The beginning of the end for Dover : Operaton Sealion

It has been a while since we played a Sealion Battle so it was good to move slightly closer to the end of day one one! Having attacked Dover from the west and  cutting escapes routes or the potential for re-enforcements from the north the task for the Germans is to take the harbour a key objective for S -day. An assault force of Fallschirmjager who jumped in around Westcliffe and Gebirgsjager from the 141st Mountain Regiment who landed at Langdon Bay have been gather to the East of the Town and have now been ordered to push towards the harbour along the coast under the bastion of Dover Castle. Their armoured support is limited to a Panzer I and a 38t Panzer part of a Recon Battalion looking for alternative routes into the town from the north.

With assaults on the town from all directions the defenders also have limited resources in this area, the Irish Guards Training Battalion have been ordered to hold the port for as long as possible so an evacuation of key HQ staff can take place from the castle complex. They are supported by some of the Dover homeguard.

Well armed German Veterans advance along the narrow coast road under the dark walls of Dover castle

The majority of the defences have been set up to prevent attack from the sea but the Guards infantry look to use any protection they can get

The Dover Homeguard, the sloping ground up to the castle provides lots of cover

Overview of the battlefield, taken by a German spotter plane

The rumbling tracks of the 38t, behind it the only artillery support the Fallschirmjager have been able to land by glider

Up in the castle anti-aircraft guns blast away at incoming Stuka’s but they are unable to depress the guns enough to support the ground defence

Fallschirmjager moving through fields towards one of the bunkers under the castle walls

The 75mm attempts to suppress any resistance before the infantry goes in

On the coast road itself the Gebirgsjager perhaps tired from the climb run out of steam and are pinned down by a gun emplacement

British troops make what use of cover they can, helped by the Germans laying down as much smoke as they can to protect the assault

British infantry stalking the 38t

One of the German mortars 

The advanced Fallschirmjager squad are following the Panzer I up the road which has just gone behind the green building

Brave but possibly foolhardy some of the British have taken up a defensive line behind a hedge

The 38t is reluctant to push forward until an anti-tank gun on the hill has been knocked out

Some British armour arrives from the harbour unfortunately all that is left is a antiquated Matilda I

Hand to hand combat in the hedgerows 

More smoke being laid down to try and protect the Gebirgsjager who are pinned down

Things are hotting up the Matilda attempts to ram the Panzer I but the driver slips a gear and the Tank grins to a halt, suddenly an explosion the Panzer has driven over a mine and is temporarily pinned in place

The assault goes in up the hill

Good place to hide....but this won’t take the harbour ! Luckily the Fallschirmjager can assault down the road

....But then NOOOOOO!!!!! Furchtbar the veterans with single pin turn and run at least that is only one unit likely to fail any test

You are kidding me .....in the same turn suddenly the German assault is grinding to a halt

The 38t breaks cover apparently surprising the British officer!

It’s not all going one way though the British smith gun, notorious as they were jams and blows up Hehe 😜 

The Matilda sense some payback pushes through the road block to chase down the fleeing bosh

Another shot looking up towards the castle

The Fallschirmjager have regrouped and run back up the road, whilst the slow moving Matilda struggles to turn around 

The Panzer I has also moved forward (into the scoring zone) back on track for the Germans 🙂

Noooooo not again, more veterans having knocked out the 2lb AT gun fail to push forward and are isolated on the hill

More ! Germans are failing to take advantage of their strong position

The British officer in a heroic act has tracked behind the advancing paratroopers armed only with his pistol.....click a misfire

Alerted to the danger from behind the paratroop commander charges in only for the pistol to unjam !

A final shot, the Germans have a slight advantage, but need more time, the British are desperately holding on, but can claim significant bragging rights having killed the Fallschirmjager officer in hand to hand combat. Made of stern stuff these British !

We laughed a lot during this game as the German veterans fell apart then regrouped then fell apart again the death of Hauptmann Von Claus was a true coupe de grace. More Sealion is planned in the new year, and finally I might try and do my S day situational report.🙂