Houx, Belgium, 12 May 1940
Historical Situation
France, 1940. The German attack into France was building. Rommel's divisions were ready to cross the Muese river. Leading the attack was the 7. Pz Div. followed by 5. Pz Div. Facing them was the French 9th Army. The French 2nd Corps had the 5th Motorized Division to the north, and the French 11th Corps' 18 Infantry Division was directly south. The boundry between Corps was in the area of the German advance and that added to the confusion.
Motorcyclists on May 12, toward Houx. All three bridges, Dinant, Houx, and Yvoir were destroyed. Found wier across river to island, came under attack by French 66th Regiment (from 18 Inf. Div.). Later that regiment withdrew and was replaced by a less tenacious 2/39th from the 5 Motorized Division. Germans crossed the river and assaulted in the early morning. The heights at Wastia were taken by the cyclists.
Meanwhile, during the night of 12th/13th May, 5th Panzer had failed in their attempt to cross the Meuse by boat at Yvoir to the north. In Houx, motorcyclists of 8th Reconnaissance Battalion of 5th Panzer had succeeded in crossing the weir linking Houx with the Isle de Houx and the far bank. Oberst Werner quickly sent three battalions of panzergrenadiers across to reinforce the bridgehead. The 7th Motorcycle Battalion of 7th Panzer division also crossed, and were able to capture Grange.[1]
By dawn on the 14th, 15 PzKfw IV had been ferried across to defend the bridgehead. An additional 15 tanks and 20 antitank guns from the 7. Pz Div. had been moved across by midday.
That night the 7th Motorcycle Battalion in Grange beat off a determined attack by French units, the commander being wounded and his adjutant killed.
French armor also assaulted heights at Wastia, but infantry failed to arrive, so the tanks fell back at night. The next morning counter-attacks resumed against Wastia. But by now the German main thrust bypassed them and headed South and then west to support an attack developing at Onhaye. There Rommel's PzKw III was hit by French artillery.
Map/Terrain
Key features are:
- Woods, Rough, Contours, Crests
- German push coming from the eastern table edge
For reference see the Google map of the area.
Pre-game Preparation
- None
French Player (Defending)
Objective
Hold the village of Grange.
Forces Available
2nd Battalion of the French 39th Infantry Regiment
Deployment
Details here
Reinforcments
Details here
German Player (Attacking)
Objective
Capture the village of Grange.
Forces Available
7th Motorcycle Battalion of 7th Panzer Division
Deployment
Details here
Reinforcments
Details here
Victory Conditions
Objective types here
List Victory Points (VP) if applicable
Scenario Special Rules
Any rules here
Notes
Since I don't have another 1940 scenario yet, I'm documenting this tank here. This version of the Cruiser was assigned to the BEF, though some were sent to France and never made it to their destination. While not historical, a few of these might have been available to oppose the crossing.
| Name | ARM | ACC | PEN | HE/EFF | Smoke | MG | HD | Spd | CC | Notes | Pts | Cruiser Mk III (A13) [2] | 1/1 | 0 | -2 | 3/1 | - | 3 | Y | 2 | +3 | 11.0? |
|---|
The stats were calculated from the following table.
Name..................... Wt (Tons) Crew Armour.. Primary Gun..... Secondary Gun Speed (km/h).... Service.. Cruiser Mk III (A13) 14.20 4 6-14mm QF 2-pdr Vickers MG 48 (24 off-road) 1937-1941 Cruiser Mk IV (A13 Mk II) 14.76 4 6-30mm QF 2-pdr Vickers MG 48 1940-1942 PzKpfw II Ausf C 7.20 3 5-14.5mm 2 cm KwK 30 L/55 MG-34 40 1936-1945
Sources
[1] Online article first published in a GHQ newsletter: Rommel's Second Meusing
[2] Deighton, Len, and Walther K. Nehring. Blitzkrieg : From the Rise of Hitler to the Fall of Dunkirk. New York: Alfred A. Knopf Incorporated, 1980.
[3] Frieser, Karl-Heinz, and John T. Greenwood. The Blitzkrieg Legend: The 1940 Campaign in the West. Naval Institute Press, 2005 (preview).
[4] Wikipedia, Order of Battle for the Battle of France