Taking the Gembloux Gap: Palm-Off at Perbais (Table 1, Turn 1)

 As 3. Panzer presses towards the Dyle in early May 1940, 3 Shützen Regiment's first battalion is dispatched to clear the French positions in the small town of Perbais, supported by the second battalion. Leutnant Martin von Becker, CO of the first platoon, surveys through his field glasses the open ground to their front. Cursing the hesitation and absence of their supporting armor, he recognizes the difficulty of the task in front of them. Needing men and firepower, his platoon's supported by a small detachment of motorcycle troops and an IG18 infantry gun. Additionally, his CO has informed him of a local turncoat who is willing to derail the Allied defensive plans, if able. On the other side of the line is Lieutenant Claude Flambeau, the French platoon commander of the 110e Regiment D'Infanterie. An older and wiser gentleman, he recognizes this crucial position must be held. Disapointed by the lack of fortifications in their newly adopted positions, he orders his men to dig in along the road, a perfect position for their canon de 75mm M1897.

The Town of Perbais

The field from Leutnant von Becker's perspective

Von Becker's recon elements were able to secure ground along the northeaster railroad, in the southern wheat field, and along the hedgerow behind the field. It was along those positions that they came under harassing French fire. Upon their return, they reported the French primary positions to be the chateau, the roadside café, and the barn that lines the railroad.

German Jump Off Points

French JOPs

Before sending troops forward, von Becker spies a French 75mm cannon dug in along the road. He deploys his own infantry gun along with Obergefreiter Johann Ritter's squad to draw their fire and begin engaging it as a base of fire. Unfortunately, the gun shield and entrenched position mean little effect is had on the crew who immediately return fire, killing an MG34 ammo bearer and forcing their heads down. 

The canon de 75mm laying in wait

OGefr. Ritter's squad and the IG18 engage the cannon

With surprising alacrity, von Becker's attached motorcycle troops dismount and speed through the wheat field, hoping to gain positions on the forward hedgerows. Quickly, though, they are caught in the open by the French cannon, which sends a low velocity HE shell into their position. Sergeant Jean-Yves DuPont deploys his Group de Combat to the hedge in front of the motorcycle troops, and opens up on the exposed Germans. This heavy fire stops them in their tracks, as men drop one after the other. This is made worse by Sgt. Maurice Goudeau and his group creating a devastating crossfire from the chateau. The lead motorcyclemen fall back, but the withering machinegun, rifle, and cannon fire causes the few remaining riflemen to go to ground. 

The motorcyclists caught in the crossfire...

...who imminently fall back and go to ground

With the attention on the motorcyclists, OGefr. Ritter and the infantry gun focus their fire on DuPont's group to their front. It is heavy and concentrated, and a shell burst stuns DuPont. The platoon sergeant, Jacque Gusteau, deploys to rally the suppressed group and keep their guns firing. Their return fire is still potent and Ritter takes a bullet through the arm, but is able to swiftly patch it up.

DuPont and Platoon Sergeant Gusteau attempt to hold the line

With DuPont's group struggling, Lt. von Becker sends forward his platoon sergeant, Feldwebel Max Hintze along with Otto Fischer and Ernst Hermann's squads to surge through the wheat and finish off the worn out French. They covered their advance with smoke grenades, and are supported by Ritter's covering fire and the IG18's HE shells. Gusteau and DuPont fall back from the hedge, hopping the hedge to their rear, though they are quickly caught by the German machinegun fire. DuPont is wounded by the merciless close range fire, and many valiant French defenders fall. Gusteau grabs the wounded DuPont, and pulls him away from the breaking French, unwilling to lose one of his trusted NCOs. The onrushing shützen clear the hedge, thrilled by their breakthrough.

Fw. Hintze leads Fisher and Hermann's squad forward

The Germans line the hedge, bringing the MG34s to bear...

...to devastating effect. DuPont and Gusteau face the music

Across the road, Monet deploys his group de combat to the rear gardens and ushers his men inside to attempt to cut off the surge of German troops. Above them, Caporal Vincent Parlier deploys his VB rifle grenadiers. Their first volley of high explosive rounds spatter around the pinned motorcycle troops, dialing in on their target. The second round proves decisive, killing more motorcyclists and routing the couple that remain. Lt. Flambeau deploys to the upper floor of the chateau, and orders covering fire put onto the hedge line in their front. This covering fire is insufficient to keep the infantry gun at bay, which puts a well placed round into the M1897 cannon, killing all but the NCO.

Sgt. Monet's boys deploy to the rear gardens...

...and set their MG up indoors

Caporal Parlier establishes his VBs upstairs in the chateau

The NCO takes charge of the gun, loosing one last 75mm shell before Sgt. Gusteau pulls him off the gun to join him and DuPont in the relative safety outside the street-side café. The café only offered perceived safety, as Fw. Hintze orders Hermann's squad into the small building to capture the group of French NCOs just outside. Gusteau reacts quickly and has DuPont put grenades through the window and dash toward the chateau gardens. The grenades kill a number of Boche, but the street outside the chateau was covered by the German IG18. The incoming shell knocks Gusteau off his feet, who is subsequently dragged by the artillery officer and the wounded DuPont to the safety of the railway embankment.

Sgt. Gusteau rushes to pull back the artillery NCO

The cover of the café proves to be an illusion

The French have established themselves in a firm secondary position - the chateau and house adjacent, with plenty of hard cover and machine guns. Lt. von Becker deploys to the base of fire and has the infantry gun and Ritter's squad continue firing on the VB grenadiers. The ensuing fire forces the VBs out of their windows. 

Seemingly without reason and of unknown origin, a random mortar barrage falls harmlessly in the wheat field between the German positions. Just as quickly as it began, it was over. This provides a moment of breath for both sides - the German base of fire takes the time to move into the wheat field under the cover of the barrage, while the French leadership hones in their awareness on their tactical situation.

The random stonk

As the barrage ends, Fw. Hintze withdraws both Hermann and Fischer's squads to join the gunline taking shape in the wheat field, covered by further smoke grenades. As they pull back from their forward positions, so too does Monet's group, and they make their way to the chateau. It seems a drawn out firefight may be on the horizon.

The Germans tactically reshuffle...

...as do the French

The Germans miscalculated their formation, and can't seem to bring the weight of all their guns to bear on the concentrated French position. The ensuing firefight tilts in the favor of Lt. Flambeau's valiant French defenders within the chateau. Casualties are high on both sides, but both forces are hanging on for the opportunity to break their opponent. Just as it seems Lt. von Becker's shützen platoon may be able to hold on and win the battle of attrition, von Becker himself takes a rifle round to the head, killed instantly.  At this, in combination with the losses taken thus far, Fw. Hintze is unable to maintain control, and the platoon routs from the field.

Leutnant Martin von Becker directing the German fire, to his very end

The ragged shützen rout from the outskirts of Perbais

In total, the Germans lost nine men killed or lost in the rout, with five more sent to the regimental aid post. Leutnant von Becker was likewise killed in action, not to be replaced. Feldwebel Hintze is given command of a platoon that has had its confidence knocked out of them. The company commander too is skeptical of this platoon's prospects - do they have it in them for another go at this well defended position? Lt Flambeau, on the other hand, is drinking happily a bottle of the ol' vino collapso, and his commander is likewise fairly pleased. However, his platoon suffered with seven men dead, four wounded, as well as Sgt Jean-Yves DuPont needing medical attention before he's sent back to the field. They are not as pleased as their platoon lieutenant. It was a truly costly defense.

Well, that was my first time playing the attacker in quite some time, and I had forgotten how challenging it could be. I pushed the platoon far too hard, taking an inordinate number of casualties in the process. I continually felt I was on the verge making good ground, but could never quite follow it up before -A- was able to recover her defensive line and firm it up again. In military theory, it is ideal to send your strength against the opposition's weakest point, but it instead felt as if we had all of our forces focused in small areas and were just battering each other until the other collapsed. In the end, it was the shützen platoon. Certainly a fun game all the same, and looking forward to another go at the French defensive position at Perbais!

Caleb