Flames of War – Mini Campaign

[Overview | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 | Photographs]

On the 23rd of November 1944 the 130th Panzer Lehr Division encountered the first elements of the Allied 44th Infantry Division. The Panzer Lehr had been sent south from the Ardennes staging area to disrupt the advance of the XV Corps through the Vosges Mountains. This mini campaign for Flames of War recreates this decisive battle.

OVERVIEW
This article presents a Flames of War mini campaign comprising three games that aims to simulate what happens when a mobile attacking force clashes with a hastily organised defensive force. Although the campaign is designed around specific events before the Battle of the Bulge it may be suitable for many of the events of that battle too.

BACKGROUND [1] [2]
Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt’s Army Group G, of which the Panzer Lehr Division was now a part, was being readied for Operation Wacht am Rhein, commonly known as the Battle of the Bulge. It was early November 1944 and the Germans were preparing for a massive counter offensive to stem the Allied advance. As part of these preparations the fully rested and refitted Panzer Lehr were gathered in the Ardennes assembly area.

Gerd von Rundstedt was concerned about the unchecked advance of the Allied XV Corp to the south. They were now within 100km of the Rhein. On the 21st of November, against Hitler’s wishes, von Rundstedt dispatched the Panzer Lehr, who were due to perform a central role in Operation Wacht am Rhein, south towards the Saverne Gap to disrupt the advance of the XV Corps.

At 8.00am on the 23rd of November, Thanksgiving, the Panzer Lehr comprising twenty Panzer V tanks and over 800 infantry encountered the flank of the 44th Infantry Division, a part of the XV Corp. The Panzer Lehr were ordered to separate and cut-off the entire left-flank of the XV Corp.

The Alsace town of Schalbach was to be the scene of a day of fighting that had a major impact on both the Battle of the Bulge and the Allied advance into Germany. The Allied 776th Tank Destroyer Battalion and two squads from the 44th Anti-Tank Company, followed by the 2nd Battalion of the 114th, which marched through the night, were brought forward to Schalbach to meet the Panzer Lehr offensive. They had a 3.5km frontline to defend and hurriedly dug in.

On the 24th the Panzers, followed by Grenadier infantry, penetrated the frontline. The American infantry men were in their hastily prepared defensive positions, but these were little match for the firepower of Panzer-mounted machine guns and cannon. The Panzer Lehr anticipated their superior firepower would rout the defenders, but they had underestimated the U.S. Infantrymen of the 2nd Battalion and Anti-Tank Company. The German tanks and trailing Grenadiers stalled as the Allies doggedly held onto their defensive positions. As the day wore on the Panzer Lehr casualties mounted, whilst the 44th defences gained strength. By the end of the day the Germans has lost half of their tanks and hundreds of men and were forced to withdraw.

At the start of the following day it was clear that the Panzer Lehr had sustained too many losses to continue the attack and they limped back to the Ardennes. The refitting of the Panzer Lehr (amongst other units) delayed the start of Operation Wacht am Rhein and their original central role was reduced to one of reserve. The Divisions morale was severely dented and its units were never returned to full strength.

Late in the war and deep inside German territory General Alexander Patch, commander of the Seventh Army, commented on the events of the 24th November 1944 by saying the “Seventh Army wouldn’t be where it is today if it hadn’t been for the heroism of the fighting men of the 2nd Battalion” at Schalbach, France.

CAMPAIGN
This Flames of War mini campaign attempts to recreate the events of the 24th November 1944 as the 130th Panzer Lehr and 44th Infantry Division clashed, but it could be applied to any attack on a (hastily) defended position such as those seen during the battle of the Bulge. It is a tree-type campaign comprising three scenarios. The outcome of the preceding scenario determines the next scenario. For example, if the Germans lose the initial scenario, in which the Americans are Holding the Line, they find themselves needing to perform a Fighting Withdrawal. The scenarios are taken from the Flames of War rulebook (p202-208), with any scenario modifications being noted below. There is no point limit for these games and they could conceivably be played with as little as 600pts per side.

A PDF of the campaign tree is available for download. Alternatively the image to the right links to a larger version. The first scenario is ‘Hold the Line’ (1) with the Allies acting as defenders. They lose the benefit of the Ambush rule as the defences were hastily constructed and the 114th infantry marched overnight to reach the battle. This scenario is pivotal as success for either side guarantees at least a Draw for that side. This represents how crucial it is for the attacker to break the defence or for the defender to hold their ground.

If the Allies win they will force the Axis troops into withdrawing (2b) and may ultimately rout them (3d). On the other hand Axis wins may lead to a breakthrough (3a), thus severely disrupting the Allied forces.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND DISCLAIMER
The background in this article was sourced from –

1. http://44thdivision.efour4ever.com/schalbach.htm
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panzerlehrdivision#The_Ardennes

The map is also sourced from [1]. As a brief disclaimer – I am not a historian and I do not claim that everything written in this article is factually accurate, although I strove to ensure that it is.

Owen