Updated 100731
LES SEPT-PLANÉTES, FRANCE, 3 June 1940: On June 1st, the defense of the bridges along a stretch of the Bergues Canal south of Dunkirk was entrusted to the compagnie d’accompagnement (heavy weapons company) of the 1st Battalion, 224th Infantry Regiment, supported by miscellaneous troops including several mobile 155mm coast-defense guns manned by naval crews. Two days later, in the early morning, the position at the Seven-Planets bridge three miles south of Dunkirk was probed by the Germans. The outlying French infantry drew back somewhat closer to the bridge so as not to be cut off; and shortly thereafter, a truck appeared on the Coudekerque road east of the bridge and unloaded German infantry in front of the Hennebel farm.
VICTORY CONDITIONS: The German wins if they Control hex 4OoP5 at the end of any Player Turn and their Casualty Point score is = 25 Points. CVP are awarded to the French player for each eliminated German unit: Squad 2, HS/Crew 1, Leader 1 plus 1 for each negative Leadership drm, AFV 2 (1 if crew survives, double if withdrawn from board). Captured units are worth double their value. The French win by avoiding the German Victory condition or scoring > 25 CVP at game end. A captured French unit reduces the French CVP total accordingly.
BOARD CONFIGURATION:
|
North> | |
|
TURN RECORD CHART:
| FRENCH
Sets Up First |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
END |
| German
moves first |
FRENCH:
Reinforced elements of the 224ème Règiment d’Infanterie, 68ème Division d’Infanterie [ELR: 2] - setup as indicated:
West of the river:
In building 4OoDl:
East of the river and west of road 16A5-16N4-16Y4-16GG5, but not in building 40oD1:
West of road 16A5-16N4-16Y4-16GG5, but not in building 40oD1:
GERMAN:
Reinforced elements of Infanterie Division 18 [ELR: 3] - enter as indicated:
On Turn 1 along the east edge of board 16:
On Turn 3 along the east or south edge of board 16:
SPECIAL RULES:
A79.1: EC are Moderate, with no wind at start. Kindling Attempts are NA.
A79.2: Place overlays as follows: St1 on "offboard hex 40S11"-S10; OG4 on 40O8-N7; OG5 on 40O4-P4; X7 on 40P5 (with the “1” against hex oP4); X11 on 40I5-J4; X12 on 40T5-U5: X16 on 40D1-D2; and X18 on 40W5-W4.
A79.3: The river is Deep. Hill 486 does not exist, but all other terrain thereon does. 16O3 and 16O4 are Orchard—not building—hexes. Except for building 40oD1 (which represents Fort Castelnau) retains 1st and 2nd levels, no other building has an upper level. No unit may enter or exit building 40oD1. All roads are paved. Each road hex adjacent to the west bank of the canal, from hex 40A8 to 40P3 inclusive, is assumed to contain an unarmored, “0” Target-Size wreck that may not be Scrounged. Two-lane stone bridges exist in hexes 40Q2-40Q3 and 40oS5.
A79.4: The 155mm Gun may not set up in a building, and suffers from Ammunition Shortage. It is considered a ST—not NT—Gun and may change its CA accordingly. The 155 may not fire at a bridge hex that contains no German unit.
A79.5: The Germans receive one module of 100+mm OBA that can fire HE and smoke.
BALANCE:
AFTERMATH: The Germans immediately opened fire with machine guns. Even as the French responded in kind, other German infantry that had crept forward undetected through the grainfields attacked. A bit later, as more Germans approached from the south along the east bank of the canal, the defenders were forced to putt back to immediately in front of the bridge. Weapons that could not be moved quickly were rendered useless and abandoned. After a time the relentless pressure of the attack compelled a complete withdrawal across the bridge to the canal’s west bank, where the defenders regrouped amongst a tong line of destroyed British vehicles on the canal road. Here they were able to bald the Germans for a while, but the continuous rain of artillery. mortar, machine gun and small arms fire eventually caused so many casualties that the French were forced to give up altogether their hold on the bridge. However, their stubborn resistance had helped prevent a German breakthrough. thereby providing precious extra time for the extrication of Allied troops across the Channel.
This scenario is an adaption of ASL Scenario #79 from the ASL Module "Croix
de Guerre".
Scenario A79 has been modified and redesigned for play using the G.I.: Anvil
Of Victory rules and counters set. Updated 100731, rev B; Graphic Layout by
Bill Sosnicki