SaS TrooP: 3 Royal Tank Regiment 1940-45

[SaS TrooP]

Turn 14 and things are already turning desperate.
Lost quite an amount of historical crews.

[SaS TrooP]

OK, it is done.

I am not sure how the **** I did it. I just did. I had to shift my forces several times, I have 1:10 kill ratio... and casualties, however huge, are still acceptable.
Most of the battle was handled by C Squadron that fought off a regiment it seems...

Here is the save game of the last fight. I wonder if I should not evacuate myself more to the north. I am streched, because enemy attacked from directions our Intel failed to discover (pure west).

I want my patrols from Victoria's Own to carry on with longer range patrol. I do not want to be surprised with additional attacks.

[SaS TrooP]

OK, what now?

[wulfir]

Good show!

Prisoners and intelligence recovered indicate that you have defeated and virtually annihilated the I. Abteilung, Panzer-regiment 7 and the I. Battalion, Schuetzen-regiment 69 both belonging to the German 10. Panzer-division. Present in the battle were also smaller detachments of divisional troops from the 10th Panzer.




The German 1. Panzer-division is attacking east against GRAVELINES and DUNKIRK. It is not belived this unit will halt and turn about face to drive on CALAIS.

The German 10. Panzer-division has elements deployed around CALAIS, with as it seems Schwerpunkt along the Calais-St Omer canal. The division is however mobile.

It is known that German motorised divisions are moving in behind the panzers. The 10th Panzer-division might soon be reinforced.

Do you wish to hold in place or make any changes in your deployment?

[SaS TrooP]

I am pretty much not sure what can I do. I doubt very badly if we are able to withstand yet another such attack.

For now, I believe it will be best to abandon Les Ataques and shift about 1 click to the noth. This will allow the brigade to establish a defence on a shorter circle (Le Ecleuse-Cologne-Le Cotombier). Woods and bushes are also favourable to us there.
Besides, I am repeating my previous orders. I want everyone to ****ing DIG IT and start doing it AS SOON AS POSSIBLE and I do not want them to wait for the night. Make civilians dig if necessary.

I want all those French who came to form an Ad Hoc company. I DO NOT want them to reinforce third company of Lembertye battalion. That new company will exchange places with one of Lembertye's and I will have south secured, because just platoon of Agryll's is definitely not enough.

I currently DO NOT want to have Searchlight units available. Yet.
And I want to shift one AT gun platoon from the WEST (where enemy was probing and was beaten back). Instead, I want to send there those French 37mm (not 47!) AT cannons. I need bigger guns since those PzIII are making me a lot of trouble.

All clear?

[wulfir]

After a few hours of being out of contact the commander of the British 21st Battery, 2nd Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery reports in - he was supposed to deploy his guns to COULOGNE well before the 10th Panzer attack but never showed up in time for the battle.

The battery got held up by French civilian refugees cloggin the roads and got lost trying to find an alternative route. He does not explain why it took him so long to get organised and report back - the size of the allied held area around Calais is limited.

All the same, you have one battery of Bofors 40mm guns to add to the defences of any given sector. Do you want the battery to proceed to COULOGNE as previously intended or divert it to any other sector)...?

[SaS TrooP]

I want them to deploy to Colougne.
Are all orders above considered clear?

[wulfir]

May 24, 1940
0600 hours

Your forces have been at work most of the previous afternoon and the night digging in near COULOGNE.

During the night your forward listening posts can hear German infantry moving into LES ATTAQUES.

At around 0600 hours the German attack starts to develop along the Calais-St Omer canal.

The French 37mm guns have been sent away but there is no sign of the AT platoon they were meant to replace. It is belived the platoon is enroute.

However, during the night the previously "lost" Bofors 40mm AA guns arrive.

Also present at the start of the battle is the improvised rifle company made up by the troops of the 1st Searchlight Battery. Used to help dig during the night there was not enough time to withdraw them.

Game notes:

1. The Germans have infiltrated into LES ATTAQUES at the start of the game.
2. The German attack can develop from any direction except the direction of the sea ("north" on the map).
3. If you really do not wish to use the 1st Searchlight Battery exit them from the map by moving them onto the grey border hexes (left edge of the map).

[SaS TrooP]

Allright, this one here is done for a while now, its time to make a summary.

I have stopped the German advance... again. But my losses are very high. Most of French battalion is annihilated. French support units as well. But we hit them hard again, even t hough this time we gave up some ground for the first time.

I need couple of informations:
- Is Calais currently fully cut off?
- What is Calais port infrastructure?
- I need spare parts to fix the tanks, I could use new tanks also. One more battle like that and 3RTR is done. Any chance to achieve it?
- What is the situation of nearby allies?

As of orders: I want 3RTR and French to hold the position. I want a recon force overnight in listening posts. I am not going to launch a counterattack, even though Coulogne could be recaptured relatively quickly with fresh force.
Instead, I will keep French here and gamble a little. I need those stuck 2pdr guns with me now. And I need entire south-right flank evacuated, which is 2nd Bn, King's Royal Rifle Corps, supported by 2nd Platoon (on map battery) of 229th AT Bat, Royal Artillery and 172nd Battery, 58th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery.
And I want them to set up around northern Coulogne (this unnamed town where currently my HQ is located in the save). Thick is to make Germans believe they are making the breakthrough and let them advance within this axis. And then, with some luck, I want to pit them against the British Army instead of French one. Effect should be devastating given the quality of AT weapons and training.
I want to deploy relatively widely. Anyway, my defence perimeter should shorten up a little.

Rest of the force remains unchanged. If some orders are unclear, please, TELL ME, and I will prepare the maps accordingly.

And here is the save:

[wulfir]

Originally Posted by SaS TrooP

- Is Calais currently fully cut off?

There are German forces to your east, south and west - still not in great strength. Only units of the 10th Panzer Division have been identified.

Your supply lines over the sea back to Britain are open.

We have information that the Germans are moving two additional divisions in the direction of Calais, one has been identified as the Motoriesed SS infantry division 'TOTENKOPF'.

Originally Posted by SaS TrooP

- What is Calais port infrastructure?

Undamaged, medium size port...

Originally Posted by SaS TrooP

- I need spare parts to fix the tanks, I could use new tanks also. One more battle like that and 3RTR is done. Any chance to achieve it?

Some repairs might be possible to organise but because of the overall military situation in France reinforcements are very unlikely - Operation Dynamo is soon to begin, the evacuation of the BEF will take place.

Originally Posted by SaS TrooP

- What is the situation of nearby allies?

The bulk of the British Army in France and some French army elements are cornered around Dunkirk. They are about to be evacuated.

You hold Calais.

20th Guards Brigade is fighting in Boulogne. Their situation is simlar to yours.

The main French army appears unable to counter the German advance.