Monday, October 31, 2016

Return to Sealion - the landings

Had this on the tabletop for weeks. The scenario assumes that this part of Army Group B has slipped past the Royal Navy, although the RAF is still much active. The German objectives were to defeat local defense forces and establish a beachhead, any other result was a loss


I actually got to play-test the first three turns of this with my brother when he visited back in September; a couple of things were tweaked making for better play-ability :) Cheers Matt



RAF airfield. The British side received the Gloster as air support every turn, as long as the defenders were in good morale


Southern side defenses, 6"naval gun, entrenched infantry, AA and anti tank 



Southern most beach area, the landing area here was a scene of constant action from start to finish




Kriegsmarine units landing in the northern area


 A Training Troop from 1st Motor Machinegun Brigade with its command unit moving up; British armour was pretty thin on the ground to start with 


This was the 'flying-column' - the only mobile unit available to the British until reinforcements could arrive from further inland. The Beaverette is by Frontline, the Austin is SHQ and the truck Airfix 



The Germans were opposed everywhere they landed but not with enough of anything to cause problems



Except from the RAF. Here the Gloster intercepts attempted parachute landings, destroying some transport aircraft and scattering the survivors



The Luftwaffe managed occasional appearances, on this turn it destroys the naval gun position. Shame for the British as it had scored hits on German transports every turn thus far


Veterans of the 35th Infantry Division were the first German units to move off the beach 


With the naval gun out of action the Germans could more easily assault this key defensive position



Home Guard platoons trying to hold against three-to-one odds. By late 1940, there were still over 700,000 Guardsmen without a modern weapon




Big air attack against the southern beach area, German AA fire was mostly ineffectual the whole game 



This is a disorganised group of Fallschirmjager getting some much needed air support


Despite suffering no casualties the airfield defenders fail morale from the German air attack, so the Gladiator was grounded for a turn


These figures are the most excellent Pegasus early war Germans


German 'heavies' moving inland. Closest 38t is a very old Attack model




Cruisers from the 1st Armoured Division moving full advance towards the nearest German armour



The airfield comes under ground attack with the para quickly dispatching the armoured car before moving onto the RAF Regiment


The first tank engagement sees the 38t company score first





More British reinforcements begin to engage the various German positions scattered across the board. Here, scout carriers from a regular battalion hit the para from the rear. The Me109 pretty much saved the position from being overrun that turn



The RAF return and the Cruiser vs 38t episode is quickly concluded. Without this key unit the Germans had no chance of achieving their objectives


Members of the Somerset Light Infantry, Zvezda figures, Airfix truck


Civilian elements directing motorcycle infantry towards a German para unit




Player of the Day. Home Guard medium machine gun platoon



Fighting continued around the southern landing area right until the end



Lots of fun. The RAF were the dominant force all game despite support efforts by the Luftwaffe and numerous AA units included with the landing forces. The Home Guard platoons just had to hang-on until reinforcements arrived, which they did. In its current form it is not possible for the Germans to win this scenario.