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....