This game was lifted from Matthew Bona’s excellent Pint Sized Campaign, “Crossroads, Closing the Gap”. This is set in August 1944, with the Canadians pushing down, to close the Northern side of the Falaise Gap. Scenario 1 sees the Canadians probing (CofC Scenario 2) into the outskirts of St Lambert. The objective being for the Canadians to get a single team off the Eastern map edge.
The Canadians (Dave & Mal) elected to take an Adjutant, a Universal Carrier & an FAO with 3” mortar battery, as support. The Germans (Rob & Steve) elected to take an extra infantry action as support.
This was a cagey game, both sides seeking to minimise casualties (for a change!). The Canadians appeared to win the Patrol phase, managing to gain Jump-Off Points (JoP) in the field to the South East of the crossroads and in a house just to the West of the crossroads. The German JoPs were pushed back behind the hedgerows, well to the East of the crossroads.
The Canadians pushed forward with single infantry section, from behind the house on the West side of the crossroads. This section carefully edged up, across the road, North of the crossroads, then around the shed on the Northern table edge. As they crossed into the field, the platoon mortar deployed smoke, to cover their advance, while Blue section infiltrated into a covering position, behind a wall on the East side of the road, leading Northward from the crossroads.
Expecting an advance from the field to the South-West of the crossroads, the Germans had deployed Red section behind the hedge, South-East of the crossroads, covering the field opposite. But, hearing the movement of the Canadians up to the North, the Red Section NCO deployed his MG42 to try to get a view up the road, from the crossroads. Finding his view blocked, he was forced to call-up Yellow section, to deploy into the fields on the North-East of the table, to block the Canadian Red section advance, along the Northern table edge.
A few bursts of fire from the German Yellow section, soon forced the crawling Canadian Red Section, to fall-back behind the shed on the road. However, this exposed the German Yellow section to withering fire from Canadian Blue section and Shock started to mount among the Germans. The Canadian Red section then crawled forward again, to add their fire, to that of Blue section, pinning down the German Yellow section.
This forced the Germans to deploy Blue section, to support Yellow section. However, the Canadian Lieutenant had spotted this build-up and called for his FAO to drop a 3” mortar barrage onto the German Yellow & Blue sections. Once the initial rounds started to land, the German Yellow section managed to scramble back, out of the barrage area, but Blue section was caught under the barrage and the effects of this and the sustained Canadian small arms fire, soon broke the German Blue section.
Sensing an opportunity, the Canadians deployed Yellow section into the field South-West of the crossroads. However, as they pushed forwards, the Canadian Yellow section came under fire from then German Green section, who had deployed into the field South-East of the crossroads, to support their Red section and the Canadian Yellow section were forced to fall-back there too.
The Canadian advance, initially so promising, now looked to be falling apart! Things then went from bad to worse, as the Germans rolled a couple of triple 6s, during which the Canadians lost their Mortar barrage and having it re-tasked elsewhere!
However, the little Bren Carrier had initially moved up to support Yellow section, but seeing them falling back and hearing the plaintive (and unanswered) calls for more mortar support, the carrier crew made a dash for it! The little carrier roared through the crossroads, narrowly missing a Panzerfaust, fired by the German Red section, then on down the road and off the Eastern table edge, right past a startled German Blue section leader (thanks to a timely Chain of Command Dice!). A narrow win to the Canadians.
Butchers Bill: Canadians – 6 KIA or Missing. Germans – 7 KIA or Missing, closing Force Morales were 10 & 9 respectively, so hopefully the platoons could face Mission 2 with some confidence! Very interesting to see players aiming to minimise losses. Quite a different & tactical game.
