Dozan Invasion of Pays De Cheval - Breakout at Le Meux Pt 2

The fall of the hill and redoubt on the PDC right was a bad blow to their overall battle plan. From being able to hold a defensive line, their only recourse, now was to take an offensive posture and attempt to repel the Dozan forces.

Captain Raoul Nevelin had been unprepared for such an agressive move by the Dozans. Now recovered after several minutes of anxiety, he pulled on his cap and tapped the Signals Corporal, Tomas Bandoline on the shoulder;  "Signal Lieutenant Fandel on the left and order him to leave just an mmg section in the redoubt. I want the rest of his platoon to move through the woods and counter attack the Dozans on the right. The Welland tank will go with them. Also signal artillery lieutenant Gauzier and say I want him to do whatever he can to open a bombardment on the hill and redoubt prior to our advance."

Watching the assault and success of his men on the left and Pardelle's continued advance, Major Ralph Bourgville stretched and nodded to himself; "Sergeant, get half the men loaded into the half track and you take the others up the lane behind Pardelle then break left to flank their centre. We'll be heading right into them as soon as they turn to counter D'Amboise and his platoon. I like our odds."

Dozan A Platoon advance against Nordovician fire

With a roar of engines, the B Platoon Half Track was under way carrying half the platoon while Ralph Bourgville led his sections on foot.  The panhard that would support the action was also moving out onto the road. 

For a moment, it looked like the PDC might salvage something and hold the centre. The advancing half track was hit by a shell from one of the guns on the ridge and rattled to a halt, turret turning this way and that as its crew were supressed and panicked. If the Welland had turned south and had the guns or that tank taken out the Panhard which advanced to give cover, they might have blunted the Dozan assault. The Dozan close air support had failed to cause any damage to the guns or dug in troop positions.

In the lane, the Nordovicians had some success, sending Dozan A patrol into cover with grenades and fire exchanges. Panhard A had covered the half track but was vulnerable. Artillery fire, however, was ineffectual.

As the Dozan air support departed, PDC 1 Platoon were on the move along the ridge to join in the fight in the centre and their right wing.  Events that followed took the impetus from the PDC. Firstly, the failure to hold the half track and panhard in the centre resulted in them coming up the hill into the woods, guns ripping up undergrowth and taking out a half section of PDC troops.
Then, Major Bougville and his section burst from cover and took down the front Nordovician squad that had been getting results in the lane.

The Welland Tank had missed the opportunity to turn into the centre and confound the advance, choosing, instead to set its heavier armour against the two Dozan AFVs on the left. However, its crew failed miserably to hit anything and soon were in trouble from a shell from the 37mm on the half track which caused minor damage and suppressed the Welland crew.

Inevitably, a few minutes later, the Panhard and Schneider advanced and fired at close range against the quiet Welland which brewed up immediately.  Any chance of the PDC left being recovered were over.  Doza C Platoon were digging into the redoubt with their two AFVs intact.

All that the PDC had destroyed was part of the White Barn and the Manor House as called artillery fire unloaded shells where troops had long departed.

That heralded the end of the battle. Seeing the Welland destroyed, PDC artillery began to hitch their guns to move and word went down the line.

But things went from bad to worse for the PDC as a Panhard overran PDC 2 Platoon and destroyed the quad pulling the gun away, causing it to tip down a bank and spill the gun. Air assault blew up another tow truck losing the PDC a howitzer and in the lane as well as the wood, the few Nordovicians remaining, pulled back.  1 Platoon commander, Lieutenant Fandel having reached the lane with his men could see the fight was lost. Turning away, he ordered a retreat and 1 Platoon escaped intact.

As the PDC medical unit moved away to safety, the Dozan unit was on the move to see what could be done for the fallen.

Major Ralph Bourgville looked around at the smashed china and ripped curtains in the old manor house; "What a shame. Their artillery fire destroyed the tea pot."
Sergeant Rene Manviers rolled his eyes for the umpteenth time in exasperation at his commanding officer's priorities, "I was going to ask D'Amboise to sit down and have a nice cup of tea with me.  He did a fine job, he and his men."
"Yes sir," Manviers agreed, "that they did. Perhaps we can make some tea in the usual metal pots, sir."
"Well, if we must, Rene, although it won't taste the same. Perhaps someone can dig out the baker and have him make us some cakes or buns. His shop was quite undamaged just as I said."
"I will have a man run along there sir.  Sir, how do you want to deploy the men, now?"
"Oh, they know what to do.  Ask Pardelle to run along and inspect the positions and report back. I'm sure it'll all be alright. The PDC won't be back. From all the reports I am getting, the Battalion has earned it's nickname today, "Les Enfants Terrible." "

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Dozan invasion of Pays De Cheval Series 1, Scenario #2 Breakout at Le Meux

Let's revisit the decision tree from the series of solo WW2 games that I'm playing just now;

With the victory of Dozan forces on the Semille Road, the scenario that follows is Breakout from Le Meux.  Here, Dozan forces have been pinned down by allied units. Our action will represent just part of a general action going on right around the Le Meux locality. Forward advancing Dozan troops have moved out without armoured support and are now holding in Le Meux. The PDC have been joined by Nordovician and Aquilan allied elements. They have field artillery ringing Le Meux as well as some armour. By contrast, the Dozans are largely infantry with AMC Schneider half tracks and a handful of Panhard armoured cars (Dozan ADC-178).

 PDC Allied Forces - Breakout at Le Meux

The PDC have 1 company of their own soldiers breaking down into two standard platoons and one field artillery.  Then, there is a Nordovician unit supported by 1 Welland tank and a medical facility.  They can also make 2 calls for light artillery support from off table howitzers and gunnery.

Dozan forces - Breakout at Le Meux

The Dozans have 1 company of standard infantry in 3 platoons each with its own half track. HQ is represented by a radio command van, medical unit and 2 ADC-178 armoured vehicles. They also have a Morane-Saulnier attack option (2 flights) which will come with a single bomb slung under the fuselage and strafing capability.

Once again survivors will count as they will transfer to a linked encounter depending on result, here.

I decided to try out Shaun Travers version of "Advancing Battalions" to fight the battle as I was scaling down to company/platoon size which means that sections are 3-4 men so they can detach and operate independently.  After reading the rules a couple of times, I think I have clarified a couple of things I wasn't 100% on.

Le Meux is a small rural town and this action is being fought on the northern edge. There is only one exit for the Dozan company. They have to travel up the valley between low wooded hills on the one road out in thei direction. With the pass and edge of the village covered by PDC artillery, they have to find a way to neutralise the danger and make this a safe passage.

Le Meux from the NW

Note Villiers Ford and the rough trail going west towards Semille.

Le Meux from the NE

The pic shows the road through the valley that heads into woods and to Aucherre

So, the scene was set.  The PDC set up to watch the road and exits from Le Meux sending orders to the off table artillery to program initial strikes against the road in the village and the end of the valley road between the white barn building and the green vegetable field. From there, F.O. would direct the fire back, forward, right and left on each round.

The Dozan forces realising they needed to free the half tracks to move, had to take out key gunnery positions. Their plan to send a platoon forward on the right flank using the hedges as cover to assault the PDC left and knock out or take a gun. The platoon would allocate 1 squad to signal in the air attack so they could strafe and bomb key positions, reducing the effectiveness of the artillery along the hill and woods on the left and centre. The platoon would then proceed with a sweeping attack on the back of the air assault, calling in another if necessary.  Half tracks would then move with an APC sweeping right and moving into the woods which were clear or part clear to join in an assault to capture the centre position and oversee the road.  A second platoon would then come up the road using the hedges as cover and move against the PDC right with support from the half tracks and APC.  That would allow the team in the village to move left, cross the ford and eventually storm the redoubts on the PDC right.  Those were initial plans.  Unfolding events changed priorities.

The PDC left was re-enforced by two sections of 1 Platoon using the redoubt. In the woods, artillery and a Welland tank waited for orders.

The PDC centre bolstered by a platoon of Nordovician infantry overlooked the village edge with dug in field guns.  The wooded hill offered good cover for a defensive stand.

On the PDC right, another field gun pointed out at the road and village below while 3 Platoon swarmed over the redoubt on the hill.

The Dozans had one platoon (A) out at the farm on their right, one platoon left (C) and one (B) in the village, mostly looking out of upper storey windows (symbolised by being placed on the house to show they are inside)

The overall commander of the Dozans finished his cup of tea and looked out of the windows of the old manor house, again.  Major Ralph Bourgville was not an officer given to excess or decisive action.  On the main road, moving steadily towards the village edge, long range artillery shells fell steadily.  "We shall have to move or be caught by their programmed fire" he commented, ruefully, glancing back at the empty tea pot, "send out orders to Lieutenant D'Amboise and 2nd Lieutenant Pardelle that they need to advance and attack enemy positions."
"And the orders for our platoon, sir?" asked Sergeant Rene Manviers, his trusted advisor;
"Retire to a defensive position left of the village where we have sandbags set up."
The sergeant rolled his eyes and then sent men running to the radio van and to physically deliver orders as a back up.

On the right, Jean Pardelle read the orders and muttered low.  Swiftly, he deployed two sections to advance into the main lane through the valley and engage enemy units.  The second moved along the lane from the farmhouse to form up ready to follow up. The half track stayed hidden behind the farmhouse until called.

On the left, Caspar D'Amboise, realising that an advance on the fortified hill position could cost heavily, sent half the platoon along the stream to work its way towards the obvious gun emplacement. Their task, take out the gun crew and use the foxhole as cover.  The rest would follow the half track and one of the Panhard APC units in a frontal assault.  Throwing caution to the wind, the half track and apc accelerated out of cover, barrelling up the gentle slope towards the redoubt and gun emplacement with guns blazing.  D'Amboise had decided. It had to be quick and bold or they were going to be ground down.

Luck went with the Dozan assault.  The 2pdr in the foxhole fired and hit the half-track nearly head on but the shell bounced off the Schneider's thin armour. The half track was firing madly without causing initial damage but the Panhard came over the hill crest, wiped out the gun crew and supporting fire team from 3 platoon as well as putting a shell into the redoubt that took another squad out. 3 Platoon and the Dozan C(elestial) Platoon exchanged fire with casualties on both sides but overall, the PDC were pushed back and suffered worse losses.

With C Platoon establishing a foothold in the foxhole and swarming after the advancing half track, PDCs 3 Platoon were pinned down and reduced to a single section. The Nordovician Welland tank began moving to join this fight but far too late to save the position. The PDC right wing had crumbled.  Now air support was being called in to hit the PDC centre.

Meanwhile, two sections of the Nordovician troops had moved down to the main lane/road and were going slowly along the hedge looking to ambush any advancing Dozan troops. When they did spot A(erial) Platoon heading up the lane towards them, they opened fire but without any result.  A platoon moved quickly to deploy their teams and returned fire, taking out the front section of the Nordovicians. The remainder of A platoon were grouping behind the second panhard APC ready to advance.

On the left flank, Lieutenant Caspar D'Amboise sucked in the air and looked about. Crossing o the half track, he climbed inside.

"Radio down to Major Bourgville and let him know the left flank is secured. We're getting ready to repel a counter from the centre."

 

To be continued....

Action on the Semille Road Part 2

A very quick recap - this is the first of a short series of encounters which have consequences for future scenarios.  This one was played out at Battalion level but after a lot of thought and some discussion with more experienced players, I will be scaling down to company encounters so that platoons become a decent number and squads/sections are at least a couple of figures.

The Dozans were advancing on the Semille Road with the purpose of cutting it off so PDC (Pays De Cheval) supplies would be halted between Verdounne and the towns of Le Meux and Aucherre. The PDC had taken up a tertiary defence line after the initial invasion had sent them reeling backwards.

Dozan armour moves forward

The fog was still covering the advance at this stage as the Dozans made steady progress. Suddenly, two Somua tanks tore a hole in the fog as they emerged into view. The first, spotting a Welland tank behind a stone wall, opened fire but missed. The hurried reply from the Welland went high over its target. The second Somua moved on the occupied foxhole, mmg rattling as it led the charge against PDC 2 Company.

PDC 2 Company, taking casualties from the MMG and incoming Dozan C Company returned fire but then pulled out of the foxhole and ran for cover behnd the wall. That afforded a few moments only before the Somua demolished the wall and C Company overran the redoubt, sending a stream of shots at the PDC F/O in the daimler scout. Further exchanges of fire between afvs resulted in the first Welland missing wildly and then being hit causing minor damage, leaving it supressed (pinned). Meanwhile, on the PDC right, the arrival of the Dozan Half Track and HQ squad started the action, there. As half the squad disgorged from the rear of the Schneider half track, the others moved up onto the road where they were promptly caught in fire from the platoon inside the inn.

The Somua in the wood struck the wall twice, damaging that badly while sending debris and stones bouncing off the Welland.  Somua #2 then fired and hit the Welland with a close shot and it brewed up immediately.  It's final shot did minor damage only.  PDCs 2 Company, under pressure broke and ran down towards the church. Crashing through the wall, Somua #3 hit and damaged the second Welland which was suppressed.  Desperately, the PDC called in their 25mm long range artillery which struck at its programmed co-ordinates. The shot into Velse Wood fell short, however but the shot into the foxhole north of the road took out a platoon of the Dozan C Company the remainder, seeing the shelling, went for cover behind the Somua. The retreat of the forward observer caused an abrupt cessation of artillery fire as they lost their directional updates.

The Dozan Commander was bogged down in a fiefight at and around the inn. He now called in Dozan air support in the form of a flight of Dewoitine 520 fighters carrying a single bomb under the fuselage. They came in, strafed PDC 3 Company where they were concealed behind the hedge.  The aircraft then spotted the PDC HQ radio van and command vehicle and hit it with guns and one of the bombs destroying it instantly.

Having hit targets, the fighters flew low and menacingly over the battlefield and departed. At the same time, the AMC Schneider half track moved off and opened up with its Reibel MMG, ripping through the hedge and causing casualties. The inn also came under fire with the addition of a shell from its 37mm and supporting fire from HQ Company as they made a close assault. 

The firefight saw casualties on both sides but eventually, the Dozan HQ Company took posession of the inn and what was left of the PDC 3 Company retired to the sandbag redoubt at the rear.  A medical team moved in, as soon as the shooting stopped, to attend to the Dozan wounded.  Overall, a number of figures were saved for future scenarios.

As the AMC Schneider began moving, the lurking "Hunter" opened up with its 25mm cannon but the shot only caused minor damage and while the half track slewed to a halt, supressed and temporarily slowed up, it was not enough to take it out.  The "Hunter" beat a retreat, concerned about the closing Somua tanks.

The view from behind PDC lines wasn't encouraging. You can see what remains of 3 company heading for the sandbags and the smouldering remains of their HQ command vehicle. The second Welland has been hit and taken out by Somua #3 while Somua #2 is on the road in front of the church and moments later was joined by #1 and the advancing B Company. The PDC forward observer had retired to a position where it could again direct artillery but by the time shells fell in Velse Wood, the Dozan A Company had fallen back and started to flank the wood, realising it was going to receive fire.

Only PDCs 1Company remained. Captain Eric Lanciller, now in command sent one platoon to the motorised vehicles and most of his also with orders to pull out. He stayed behind with the MMG team which was set up right behind the hedge to carry out one last ambush, supported by the platoon in the church as they waited for Dozan B Company to come in close.

As Doza's B Company moved in to secure the Churchyard, the MMG sent a lethal stream of bullets into their midst causing casualties. Fire from the church also made B Company duck and go for cover.  There was a momentary lull and then two Somua tanks returned fire from their own mmgs and one dropped a shell on the church. As shots found their mark, the MMG fell silent and what remained of the defenders ran from the rear church door to scramble into the last truck as it pulled out. Captain Lanciller was not with them.  Dozan B Company and armour overran the churchyard and it was over. Seeing they were isolated and with armour approaching, PDCs 3 Company ran from sandbag cover for the hill and once in cover, for the woods beyond where they had set up a redoubt for a final firefight. Flagging down the trucks and with the Hunter APC as escort, the PDC pulled out leaving the field to the Dozans.

Final curtain - The PDC pull out

Action on the Semille Road - Initial Activity

The Semille Road runs from Le Meux in the south-west, linking to the Aucherre road and bridges across the River Laune.  For Doza to be able to move onto the next phase, it needs to secure Aucherre, Semille and push back Pays forces at Falcieu which are assisting in keeping Dozan troops coralled in Le Meux.

Action on the Semille Road is a clash between the Dozan 18th Battalion "Tombee de la Nuit" and the Pays De Cheval 3rd Battalion - Green Rifles.  Victory for Doza opens the way for the Le Meux forces to break out and assault those that remain in the holding positions.  Victory for Le Pays Cheval pushes back the Dozan attack and allows a counter thrust at Le Meux, designed to retake it and destroy Dozan forces that are stuck, there.

Pre-start card draws determined that the day opened with fog thinning to mist later but reducing the visibility for the first ten moves to just 200m (20cm). On the Dozan side, the overall commander (Major Saul Le Valiere) was a +1 experienced leader and force morale was +1 (all units) whereas the PDC were all standard with a +0 leader (Major Renne Manville) but one company under an impetuous commander.  Fate also decreed that the Dozans would have five opportunities to re-roll a result whereas the PDC would suffer from one set of orders lost or deliberately ignored.

 The Dozan Right - Somua tanks wait to roll

On the right wing, the Dozan tank squadron had approached through the woods but remained concealed from enemy gunfire. One company was advancing behind the tanks while a second deployed around the radio van in a more defensive posture.

On the left, the half track with the HQ company was moving up under cover. Half the force deployed into the trees, half (behind the vehicle) were on board - A note here. I place troops behind buidings and vehicles that they are in otherwise I forget them if I move them off table.

Meanwhile, a good deal of the PDC defence has gathered about St Bartholomews church on the edge of the village of Dessinaut. One company has left its motorised transport to use an advancing Welland tank as cover. Another has set up in the graveyard where an MMG has been mounted up.  The third has stuck its neck out going along the road, using the walls as cover led by the over-intrepid Captain, Gerard Valencario. One of the squads from the advancing company has even moved up beyond the road into a foxhole.

The view from behind the lines.

The second "Welland" tank hung back using an old defensive redoubt on Jurot's Hill as partial cover and a viewpoint. From here, you can see the PDC radio van hidden in behind some sandbags and in the distance, the "Hunter" APC slipping along behind the inn.

With initial activation favouring the Dozans, the Somua tanks roll forward into the fogbank. C Company move in behind them, advancing steadily as ordered while B company advance and set up positions in Valse Wood.  A Company swing right and prepare to move up to the road. With the fog covering the advance, the PDC can hear the sounds of engines and tracks but see nothing.

In the centre, Valencerio's 3 Company have taken a strong central position along the wall and in the foxhole. The forward artillery observer in the daimler apc has also moved up, frustrated by the fog from being able to call in early artillery fire.

1 Company has now established a defence in the church (1 platoon) and graveyard. A supporting Welland tank takes a position using the wall as part cover as it seeks a target.

The PDC have moved a platoon from 2 company into the inn while the remainder remain concealed behind a hedge. The second Welland tank is on its way forward while the motorised units go around to the rear exit of the church.  The PDC are content at this stage but the fog has prevented an early use of artillery to slow the Dozan advance.  On the hill overlooking the road, the Dozan radio van is receiving a stream of information as the HQ company start a wide move to the left intending to head straight at the inn.

Under normal circumstances, the first round of fire between armour and also the long range artillery bombardment would have commenced. With fog restricting vision, the PDC can only guess at strength and disposition of the enemy and do not care to waste the opportunity they have.  The Dozans would prefer to use their superior armour at range but the fog is suiting them as they can advance out of cover unseen and get infantry forward.

Two moves in, then. The next should see the first real action.

Battalion Level WW2 Gaming

I definitely go along with Shaun Travers (http://shaun-wargaming-minis.blogspot.co.uk) that somewhere around Battalion or maybe company level actions are a nice size to manage and use the table effectively.  More than a battalion and there is really rather too much to consider as well as the issue with it getting just too crowded.

I am working on a basis (using 1/72 troops in the latest series that I am going to record, here) of reducing numbers down by a factor of 10 so a section/squad becomes 1 man so let's say 3 to a platoon and with HQ 12 to a company.  Since 3 companies plus an HQ element make up a battalion, that's going to be about 50 men plus other elements for each side (where the numbers are equal). That ought to be manageable.

When I play 1/35 (or full size soldiers of the standard toy sort), it's better to keep to a maximum of 3 x 10-12 men plus elements or it really gets crowded so it's nice to either scale down and make 12 men a platoon operating in small skirmishes or use the same scale as above.

I also have 1/300 scale modern in my collection.  That ought to be played at full numbers but I expect I will settle on a reduced number where one base = 1 squad with 3 bases making a platoon plus odd elements.  Of course, modern organisation is very different from the past. We will see.  I remain open on that until I have exercised 1/72 again.  It has been some years since I have pulled them out and you will have to excuse me as they will not all be painted at the outset.

When I found I had time, recently, to return to wargaming and get my collection from the loft, I found that I had neglected to paint an enormous number of troops and other items.  If I could borrow the TARDIS, I would certainly kick my teenage self up the backside and tell him to paint troops when bought and not just wait and store them.  I now have a gargantuan task.  Not only do I have an extensive collection of soldiers from many periods but I have had to rebuild most of the scenery pieces and other items I want, repaint most of the armour and many other units beside.

I digress.  So back in the alt-earth that I have been mapping out using my old fantasy world as a base, it was 1942. The last major war was thirty or so years earlier when the rising communist alliance and the facist alliance more or less went head to head but via anyone else whose land was either valuable or in the way. In the end, the Allied Forces of the East Indies Alliance, Hardican Empire and a good portion of the free democratic world turned the thing around, beating back the invasion and at a high cost to several of the old powers.  One beneficiary was Doza, a French-like state who joined the allies on that occasion.  Back in the 1820s, they were the enemy, having attempted to conquer the old Nordovician Empire and surrounds.

By 1942, Doza had quietly built up a large army, turned out armour and a new air force. Rumour said that they were going to intervene in Northern Tropicania from Tripotania Maxima where they held part of that land (Dozan Tripotania). A potential campaign against the poorly armed Emirates and maybe the Surmeyan Ephiniate might follow.   The Papal forces could be allied to such a campaign. The Pope had been calling for action against the Surmeyans for supposedly preventing pilgrims from having access to holy sites.

Some analysts, however, suspected Doza were gearing up for a much more serious war and one that did not require them to set their fleet against other powerful factions. If they invaded their neighbour, Le Pays De Cheval, its forces were woefully old fashioned. That state had complete faith in gunnery and had established gun positions and trenches all along the border "The wall of steel" they called it. A spearhead of armour and fast moving vehicles could penetrate this and use manouvreability to quickly neutralise the "Wall of Steel".

Some nations moved to try to reduce the likelihood of war by repealing the international moritorium on arms dealing, allowing countries that had fallen behind to buy arms on the market and so make themselves a lot harder to overrun. Hardica in particular, urged the Nordovician East Indies Alliance to take the opportunity and to ensure that countries like Pays De Cheval amd Aquila were ready.  They brokered deals between the old communist enemy, Tobaria and countries that needed armour and small arms. Hardica supplied weapons at good rates, itself and persuaded Esjamer to sell to the Arabic countries.

Despite the effort to persuade nations to bring their security to some standard and to always have some mobilised troops, the inevitable occurred.

At 03:30 Zulu time, Dozan armour breached the Pays De Cheval border in at least five places. Heavy weapons teams followed, using LMG, MMG, explosives and flamethrowers to clear the trenches and take out gunnery and sniper nests. Half tracks and lighter tanks then advanced, the high power machine guns mowing down retreating soldiers.  The Pays De Cheval troops quickly realised that the border defence was down. They moved back to secondary defence positions.  Most of those were overrun in the second phase of the Dozan attack. Now, the Pays De Cheval have established two main commands, one at Semille on the River Laune and one at the capital, Verdoune on the River Val.  Nordovic has also mobilised and a state of war exists between it and Doza.  Some older Nordovician armour has been sent to assist the Pays forces. Nordovician command has bases at Furneux, Thessia and the capital, Riassa.    The actions planned are linked so depending on results as to which scenarios get played.

Action on the Semille Road

The decision tree is a simple one. There are three seperate actions by Dozan forces but the thrust from Le Meux depends on the Semille Road being in friendly hands.  Forces that survive carry through to linked scenarios so Semille (Dozan) forces go to Advance on Semille whereas Le Pays forces go to add to the counter at Le Meux if they win. Similarly, if Doza fail to win at Le Meux (Breakout), Le Pays troops go to Counter Attack and Dozan retreated forces remain. At Aucherre, if Le Pays win, their forces add to the Falcieu Factor.  If Doza win at Aucherre, then that releases forces to Advance on Semille.  If Le Pays win at Aucherre and at Falcieu then they push Doza back to Pantinole and carry forward all forces against what has survived of the Le Meux and Aucherre Dozans.

Given the balance, a Le Pays victory is a long shot.  The Dozans have the initiative and better equipment. The forces for Action on the Semille Road are shown below;

The Le Pays De Cheval have been bolstered by the arrival of Nordovician armour but the squadron is one short, already. They have two small Nordovician N2 "Welland" tanks, a small apc forward observer for the artillery (a daimler pretending to be a humber), a radio van and a panhard apc posing as a Nordovician "Hunter".  Three companies of foot (3-4 men to a platoon) make up the battalion.  The HQ element is the apcs and radio truck where command have men. The Pays De Cheval have three off table fire resolutions from 25mm howitzers.  Programmed fire has been set on a small wood on the right, a foxhole nearby and the roadside opposite the inn.

     The Dozan forces are three companies plus an HQ company represented by the FFL. The HQ unit is a light scout one with rifles only but come with a half track that sports a high velocity MMG and an LMG. Half the company will be on board.  They also have a radio van to co-ordinate with the armour.   Three Somua tanks make up a squadron of armour attached to the 18th "Tombee De La Nuit" Battalion.  They have no off table artillery as the units are thrusting forward so fast but they can call an air attack delivered by a pair of Dewoitine D520 fighters carrying a single bomb slung under the fusilage and using strafing in addition.

You may notice that I have not used bases at a set scale as I woulld with most eras. With modern, I like to vary as the movement of men and way they operate is so variable that you find individuals operating at a distance from their unit, others grouped and so on. I like to reflect this by creating differing spaces if you put a unit together, at all.  I will probably trim some off once I have tested this in practice.

I may revise the scale of troops down to 10-12/platoon level and make it company rather than battalion.  It's not really that important. The scale of the overall action may be the deciding factor.