Wyre Forest Gamers - The Attack on Breville-les-Monts, 11th June 1944

The Attack on Breville-les-Monts, 11th June 1944

To play this scenario you will need the standard ‘O’ Group rules, published by Reisswitz Press. The battle is designed to be played on a 6’ x 4’ table using 10mm figures.

Background

153 Brigade, consisting of 5th Black Watch, 1st Gordon Highlanders and 5/7th Gordon Highlands was the first formation from 51st Highland Division to land on the beaches of Normandy on 6th June. It was ordered to move to Pegasus Bridge and then east of the River Orne to support 6th Airborne Division who were coming under heavy pressure from German counter-attacks in the vicinity of Ranville. The Black Watch were ordered to march on Breville with the intention of taking and holding the village and then to dig in along a line stretching to the nearby Chateau St Come. Breville was defended by elements of Grenadier Regiment 857 but the chateau was not occupied by German troops. The British commander was, therefore, able to send a company to this location before the attack started at 4:30am.

Contemporary Aerial Photograph of the battle area

Game Objectives

The game is a standard attack/defend scenario. The British, who are the attackers, enter the field from the left hand table edge.

The aim of the attacking side is to capture the village of Breville which consists of two Built-up Areas. To capture one BUA the attacker must have an unsuppressed section within the BUA at the end of a turn with no enemy units present. As the objective contains 2 BUAs, both must be simultaneously occupied to bring the game to an end.

If the attacking player has failed to fully occupy the village when the game ends, the defender has won. Standard FUBAR rules also apply for victory conditions.

Battle Area Map

British Force

1 Battalion consisting of 3 companies with an off-table 3” mortar platoon and forward observation officer. The battalion HQ is ‘first rate’, the troop rating is ‘regular’ and the battalion morale is classed as ‘combat effective’. Two artillery missions are allowed during the game.

The British force receives 18 support points plus 1 D6. At least 6 points of support must be taken from Support List 1.

German Force

1 Battalion consisting of 3 companies with an off-table 81mm mortar platoon and forward observation officer. The battalion HQ is ‘first rate’, the troop rating is ‘regular’ and the battalion morale is classed as ‘combat effective’. One artillery mission is allowed during the game.

The German force receives 12 support points plus 1 D6. At least 4 points of support must be taken from Support List 1.

British Supports

German Supports

Special Rule

For the first 3 turns of the game the German player(s) are not allowed to deploy any patrol markers, units, HQs or FOOs in the Chateau St Come. All markers and units must remain at a distance of 8” from this BUA.

The British player(s) can, when it is their combat phase in the first 3 turns of the game, deploy the third company HQ and 2 patrol markers in the chateau at a cost of 2 orders.

If the British choose not to occupy the chateau in the first 3 turns of the game the opportunity is lost and the Germans may then move into the BUA if they so wish.