Mission Critical (FOW): Essel bridgehead 13th April 1945

Design note:

The mission critical was adapted to FOW from Bob Mackenzie's Command Decision scenarios webpage. Well worth a look if you need inspiration for FOW missions.

Introduction:

On 12^th of April 4^th King's Shropshire light infantry (KSLI) with support from 1^st Commando brigade established a bridgehead across the Essel river. Overnight the bridgehead was reinforced with elements of the 3^rd RTR. On daybreak of the 13^th the British prepared to enlarge the bridgehead. But overnight the German defenders were reinforced by Kampfgruppe Lotze.

KSLI storm the German first line

Terrain:

Battlefeild

Open ground is difficult terrain to vehicles

Forests are impassable to vehicles and difficult terrain to infantry

Streams/ditches are very difficult terrain for vehicles and infantry and provide concealment for infantry teams in the them.

Roads are as normal.

Tree lines block liner of sight except to teams in base contact. Teams in base contact get concealment from fire which must go through the tree line.

With support from the 3rd RTR

Forces:

British are confident/veteran. The Germans a confident/trained except,

Tiger = confident/veteran

12^th SS= fearless/trained

The German forces break once Kampfgruppe Lotze is broken (on three units).12^th SS battalion losses has no effect on German morale.

The British force breaks once the KSLI broken (on five units)

4th King's Shropshire Light Infantry (KSLI) British Rifle company approximately 1765 points Main Force Battalion HQ 4th KSLI 1 Company HQ (with troop carrier) -35 A,B,C,D companies 4 Platoons (3 sections) -720 Under Command S company 4th KSLI 1 Mortar platoon (3 sections) -175 1 Anti-tank platoon (with 1 sections and carriers) -85 1 Scout platoon (with 1 bren section ans 1 wasp section) -200 Attached A squadron 3rd Royal Tank regiment 1 Tank squadron (3 shermans and 1 firefly) -365 H Battery 13th Royal Horse Artillery ! gun troop * (with 4 guns) -185 Reserves** C squadron 3rd Royal Tank regiment 1 Tank squadron (3 shermans and 1 firefly) -365 Total value (approximately) 2130 points

12th SS A&E Battalion German SS grenadiers approximately 300 points Main Force 1st &7th Kompanies 2 platoons (2 sections each all teams are MG/PF) -300 1 AT section (1 Panzershreik) – 40 points Kampfgruppe Lotze German grenadiers approximately 1065 points Main Force 1 company HQ (SMG/PF+1 Panzersherik section) - 100 3 platoons (2 sections each all teams are MG/PF) -405 Attached Panzer Jaeger platoon 1 Artillery Anti Tank platoon (2 88 Pak 43)- 230 Panzergruppe Fehrmann 1 Schwere Panzer platoon (1 Tiger 1 E) -215 Luftwaffe Sporadic Air Support (Hs129B) -115 Total value (approximately) 1450 points

Notes: * off table, observe team deploys as normal ** delayed reserves

Notes: None

Recce platoons races through the lines

German last line of defence

Deployment and who goes first

12^th SS A&E battalion deploys first anywhere between ditches X and Y. All of its units are in prepared positions

The Panzershreik team begins the game in ambush

The KSLI then deploy anywhere within 6” of the southern table edge. All of its units count as moving last turn

Kampfgruppe Lotze then deploys anywhere between ditches Y and Z. All of its units count as moving last turn.

The Tiger starts the game in immediate ambush but still must deploy in the deployment zone.

British delayed reserves come in at any point of the Southern table edge.

Each player rolls a D6 to see who goes first. In the event of a tie the British go first.

Recce Vs Pak

Special rules

none

Game length and victory conditions:

The game lasts twelve turns.

There are two objectives (A and B) at the end of the game whoever holds both is the winner. Anything else is a draw.

After six turns at the start of the German turn if there is no British teams north of ditch X the German win the mission. After six turns at the start of the British turn if there is no German teams south of ditch Z the British win the mission.

If either sides break there opponent wins the mission

Notes:

1. Historically the Luftwaffe attacked with Me262's but there are no rules or point values for them yet in FOW so I used Hs129B's instead
2. 3^rd RTR was equipped with Comets but I do not have any so they were replaced with Shermans.
   
   
   
   Tiger prepares to engage
   
   
   
   Shermans Vs Tiger
   
   
   
   Shermans call in a smoke barrage to silence the Tiger
   
   
   
   Shermans Bogs down trying to cross a ditch
   
   
   
   German reinforcements on the move
   
   
   
   Advance of the PBI
   
   
   
   4th platoon move forward
   
   
   
   German frist (on the edge of the forest) and second (inside the forest) lines of defence