Scenario 25 Resistance at Chabrehez
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Scott B
Nov 26, 2022, 2:50:56 PM11/26/22
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RESISTANCE AT CHABREHEZ
SCENARIO 25, CRESCENDO OF DOOM
AFTER ACTION REPORT
graphic one and two
HISTORICAL OVERVIEW
Today is the first day of Fall Gelb and Rommel’s 7th Panzer Division is racing through the Ardennes toward the Ourthe River, the objective for the day. Between them are the Chasseurs Ardennais, determined to resist and bite. At approximately 14:30, the 7th Motorcycle Battalion made contact at Chabrehez and attempted to force the town. Their forward movement and flanking maneuvers were stopped by determined Belgian fire. Major Steinkeller decided to wait for reinforcements.
The reinforcements came in the form of Rommel, with his penchant of arriving at the right place at the right time. Soon the Belgians were fixed with a front attack supported by four tanks while the flanks were attacked with a full platoon. By 21:00 the Chasseurs Ardennais had withdrawn under cover of darkness and Steinkeller reported the capture of the town. The path was now clear to the Ourthe river.
REFERENCES
“Resistance at Chebrehez.” CRESCENDO OF DOOM. Baltimore, MD: The Avalon Hill Game Company, 1980. https://storage.googleapis.com/archivesqlt/CAJ00025A.pdf
Rommel, Erwin (1982) [1953]. Liddell Hart, B. H. (ed.). “The Rommel Papers”. New York: Da Capo Press.
Fraternelle Chasseurs Ardennais. Chabrehez.
http://www.fraternellechasseursardennais.be/chabrehez/chabrehez.html#
Pappila, Ove Lt-Colonel. “Rommel and the German 7th Panzer Division in France. 1940: The Initial Days of the Campaign”.
https://kkrva.se/wp-content/uploads/Artiklar/092/kkrvaht_2_2009_8.pd
Georges HAUTECLER, The Combat of Chabrehez. May 10, 1940: Ardennes Chasseurs against Rommel , Brussels, MDN-Historical Section, 1957.
VICTORY CONDITIONS AND SPECIAL SCENARIO RULES
The Germans must prevent a Belgian LOS to the road hexes 2Q10 through 2Y1.
Board 2 Hill 621 and east are dense pine forest, extending to the north edge of the board.
Hexsides are blocked and the pines are a level two obstruction.
Begians, wire and roadblocks are HIP until the beginning of Belgian turn two.
Scouts may be created in the turn they are scheduled to enter {COD-106}.
INITIAL PLACEMENT
German Comments
A Scout tears down the road, revealing three wires but no roadblocks (However, he rode right by a stack of Belgian 4-4-7s and didn’t notice a thing). The wire and gullies leave only one tenable path for the main force, northward of the woods and then dismount into them.
During movement the Belgian stack is found and the Germans concentrate as many units as possible for an advancing fire combat, which breaks them all.
Belgian Comments
The Chasseurs wait in their hidden positions. The forward squads hold the tree line and will see the Germans coming first. The first few scouts, squads and 8-1 leader check out the wire on the bridges and then move into the forest/roads. The Germans are quickly stopped by the wire there as well. All goes well. The next German 9-1 leader with a squad comes up to the Belgian positions, dismounts and tries to lead his squad right into the middle of the defenders. The jig is up! Quickly other motorcycle squads set up a long string to form a fire group in the Advancing Fire Phase.
The image above shows the moment the Belgians fire at the adjacent Germans. They hope to take out the leader and then survive the return fire. After that, they can make a fighting withdrawal back through the woods. This is not to be. As the Belgians kill the 9-1 leader and his men, they are in turn destroyed by the return fire. The Chasseurs have paid heavily for their surprise. The cost does not warrant the gain.
GAME TURN TWO, THREE AND FOUR
GAME TURN SIX
GAME TURN SEVEN
AFTERMATH
German Comments
This game is about how efficiently the wire and roadblocks are placed by the Belgian and overcome by the German. The more the German must dismount the less likely he is to win. This game was won in the penultimate turn, close. Had the Belgian stack survived in turn 1, the result may have been different.
A good squad leader consider these factors:
Should the Belgian employ his roadblocks and wires to deny the German freedom of movement for long enough, the German will be hard pressed to clear the road in only eight turns. The more turns the German is dismounted, the less likely he is to win. A dispersed enemy will keep the Germans scrambling.
SCENARIO 25, CRESCENDO OF DOOM
AFTER ACTION REPORT
graphic one and two
HISTORICAL OVERVIEW
Today is the first day of Fall Gelb and Rommel’s 7th Panzer Division is racing through the Ardennes toward the Ourthe River, the objective for the day. Between them are the Chasseurs Ardennais, determined to resist and bite. At approximately 14:30, the 7th Motorcycle Battalion made contact at Chabrehez and attempted to force the town. Their forward movement and flanking maneuvers were stopped by determined Belgian fire. Major Steinkeller decided to wait for reinforcements.
The reinforcements came in the form of Rommel, with his penchant of arriving at the right place at the right time. Soon the Belgians were fixed with a front attack supported by four tanks while the flanks were attacked with a full platoon. By 21:00 the Chasseurs Ardennais had withdrawn under cover of darkness and Steinkeller reported the capture of the town. The path was now clear to the Ourthe river.
REFERENCES
“Resistance at Chebrehez.” CRESCENDO OF DOOM. Baltimore, MD: The Avalon Hill Game Company, 1980. https://storage.googleapis.com/archivesqlt/CAJ00025A.pdf
Rommel, Erwin (1982) [1953]. Liddell Hart, B. H. (ed.). “The Rommel Papers”. New York: Da Capo Press.
Fraternelle Chasseurs Ardennais. Chabrehez.
http://www.fraternellechasseursardennais.be/chabrehez/chabrehez.html#
Pappila, Ove Lt-Colonel. “Rommel and the German 7th Panzer Division in France. 1940: The Initial Days of the Campaign”.
https://kkrva.se/wp-content/uploads/Artiklar/092/kkrvaht_2_2009_8.pd
Georges HAUTECLER, The Combat of Chabrehez. May 10, 1940: Ardennes Chasseurs against Rommel , Brussels, MDN-Historical Section, 1957.
VICTORY CONDITIONS AND SPECIAL SCENARIO RULES
The Germans must prevent a Belgian LOS to the road hexes 2Q10 through 2Y1.
Board 2 Hill 621 and east are dense pine forest, extending to the north edge of the board.
Hexsides are blocked and the pines are a level two obstruction.
Begians, wire and roadblocks are HIP until the beginning of Belgian turn two.
Scouts may be created in the turn they are scheduled to enter {COD-106}.
INITIAL PLACEMENT
Belgian Setup Comments
I decided to go for a defense in depth. Positions up front, dug in on the hill top and in the rear are going to try to delay the Germans enough to win. Victory is measured in the time it takes for the German 7th Motorcycle to clear the road of Belgian Chasseurs. The defense is made up of two platoons of regulars and reservists with only one MMG. A series of roadblocks, wire and entrenchments will be used to bolster the defense. The Chasseurs Ardennais say “Resist and Bite!”
German Setup Comments
I am fairly certain that no Belgian player has ever left the road and forest-road clear. I’ll scout ahead and see what I find. An unmounted cycle counter can be ported two hexes in woods and one hex in advance. That is a good clip, so I can use the woods as cover, close ground and avoid wire and roadblocks.
GAME TURN ONE
I decided to go for a defense in depth. Positions up front, dug in on the hill top and in the rear are going to try to delay the Germans enough to win. Victory is measured in the time it takes for the German 7th Motorcycle to clear the road of Belgian Chasseurs. The defense is made up of two platoons of regulars and reservists with only one MMG. A series of roadblocks, wire and entrenchments will be used to bolster the defense. The Chasseurs Ardennais say “Resist and Bite!”
German Setup Comments
I am fairly certain that no Belgian player has ever left the road and forest-road clear. I’ll scout ahead and see what I find. An unmounted cycle counter can be ported two hexes in woods and one hex in advance. That is a good clip, so I can use the woods as cover, close ground and avoid wire and roadblocks.
GAME TURN ONE
German Comments
A Scout tears down the road, revealing three wires but no roadblocks (However, he rode right by a stack of Belgian 4-4-7s and didn’t notice a thing). The wire and gullies leave only one tenable path for the main force, northward of the woods and then dismount into them.
During movement the Belgian stack is found and the Germans concentrate as many units as possible for an advancing fire combat, which breaks them all.
Belgian Comments
The Chasseurs wait in their hidden positions. The forward squads hold the tree line and will see the Germans coming first. The first few scouts, squads and 8-1 leader check out the wire on the bridges and then move into the forest/roads. The Germans are quickly stopped by the wire there as well. All goes well. The next German 9-1 leader with a squad comes up to the Belgian positions, dismounts and tries to lead his squad right into the middle of the defenders. The jig is up! Quickly other motorcycle squads set up a long string to form a fire group in the Advancing Fire Phase.
The image above shows the moment the Belgians fire at the adjacent Germans. They hope to take out the leader and then survive the return fire. After that, they can make a fighting withdrawal back through the woods. This is not to be. As the Belgians kill the 9-1 leader and his men, they are in turn destroyed by the return fire. The Chasseurs have paid heavily for their surprise. The cost does not warrant the gain.
GAME TURN TWO, THREE AND FOUR
German Comments
Scouts scout. The Germans push their cycles through woods and past obstacles, making haste to the roadblocks. They fire ineffectively and clear the roadblocks by turn four.
The Roadblocks extend down the hex spine and cannot be bypassed. However, they provide cover like a wall and no DR is needed for removal. The 9-2 positions and 3x467 position behind it, the best cover available.
The Wire provides no protection and requires a DR <= inherent FP to remove. However, it can be bypassed via adjacent woods (Exception: Pine woods). Placing a second wire in adjacent woods would deny bypass and might slow more than two on the road. Wire in a road-forest hex cannot be bypassed and is a natural barrier.
Belgian Comments
The 7-0 leader races back to inform the remaining Belgians of the disaster in the forward positions. The MMG on the hill fires down the road forcing the Germans to stay on either side in the adjacent woods. The Germans are still coming. The obstacles have done their job and eliminated a flanking movement, but the main body of Germans coming down the road will be too much. In these three turns, the Germans advance down the woods and dismantle the roadblocks. The Belgian MMG fires its last shot and is broken down for good.
Each of the remaining Belgian squads will have to stay in good order and within LOS of the road. Hopefully the number of squads to neutralize will be too numerous to accomplish in the time left.
GAME TURN FIVE
Scouts scout. The Germans push their cycles through woods and past obstacles, making haste to the roadblocks. They fire ineffectively and clear the roadblocks by turn four.
The Roadblocks extend down the hex spine and cannot be bypassed. However, they provide cover like a wall and no DR is needed for removal. The 9-2 positions and 3x467 position behind it, the best cover available.
The Wire provides no protection and requires a DR <= inherent FP to remove. However, it can be bypassed via adjacent woods (Exception: Pine woods). Placing a second wire in adjacent woods would deny bypass and might slow more than two on the road. Wire in a road-forest hex cannot be bypassed and is a natural barrier.
Belgian Comments
The 7-0 leader races back to inform the remaining Belgians of the disaster in the forward positions. The MMG on the hill fires down the road forcing the Germans to stay on either side in the adjacent woods. The Germans are still coming. The obstacles have done their job and eliminated a flanking movement, but the main body of Germans coming down the road will be too much. In these three turns, the Germans advance down the woods and dismantle the roadblocks. The Belgian MMG fires its last shot and is broken down for good.
Each of the remaining Belgian squads will have to stay in good order and within LOS of the road. Hopefully the number of squads to neutralize will be too numerous to accomplish in the time left.
GAME TURN FIVE
German Comments
With the roadblocks removed, the Germans finally have freedom of movement and scoot down the road to firing positions and to assault the first line of defenses. Still scratching my head on how it took five turns to get down there, that leaves only three for fighting.
About Motorcycles: they have a -1 DRM instead of -2 for MIO and are fired upon like vehicles. They may move through enemy occupied hexes, an exception to the general rule. Since an enemy squad can only fire at one passing cycle, they have a great tactical advantage compared to infantry-on-foot which are all called back. The ability to move far, through enemy units while sustaining few casualties allows them to blitz through defensive lines, making them the most tactically mobile units in the game.
Belgian Comments
The Belgians defense is set now. Their leaders tell the men to hold their ground as the German wave approaches. The odds are grim.
The motorcycle advantage is a big one for the Germans as it prevents the Belgians from firing on a hex where a large number of Germans have passed through. All the Germans need to do to limit the damage that can be inflicted by the defense is spread out the assault and/or ride by the position with one unit at a time.
With the roadblocks removed, the Germans finally have freedom of movement and scoot down the road to firing positions and to assault the first line of defenses. Still scratching my head on how it took five turns to get down there, that leaves only three for fighting.
About Motorcycles: they have a -1 DRM instead of -2 for MIO and are fired upon like vehicles. They may move through enemy occupied hexes, an exception to the general rule. Since an enemy squad can only fire at one passing cycle, they have a great tactical advantage compared to infantry-on-foot which are all called back. The ability to move far, through enemy units while sustaining few casualties allows them to blitz through defensive lines, making them the most tactically mobile units in the game.
Belgian Comments
The Belgians defense is set now. Their leaders tell the men to hold their ground as the German wave approaches. The odds are grim.
The motorcycle advantage is a big one for the Germans as it prevents the Belgians from firing on a hex where a large number of Germans have passed through. All the Germans need to do to limit the damage that can be inflicted by the defense is spread out the assault and/or ride by the position with one unit at a time.
GAME TURN SIX
German Comments
The Germans mount up. Only two Belgian squads left (the leader does not count toward VC) and two turns. I would say it is in the bag, but then again this is SQUAD LEADER, so I hold my tongue.
Belgian Comments
The main line of defense is gone now. The 7-0 leader is hiding in the woods amongst Germans. The main German force has collected their equipment and mounted the cycles to make the final push. With two turns to go, this looks like a long shot. What can be done?
The Germans mount up. Only two Belgian squads left (the leader does not count toward VC) and two turns. I would say it is in the bag, but then again this is SQUAD LEADER, so I hold my tongue.
Belgian Comments
The main line of defense is gone now. The 7-0 leader is hiding in the woods amongst Germans. The main German force has collected their equipment and mounted the cycles to make the final push. With two turns to go, this looks like a long shot. What can be done?
GAME TURN SEVEN
German Comments
The Germans use their freedom of movement to overwhelm the remaining two Belgian squads.
Belgian Comments
The two remaining 347s were looking for a miracle now. One moves off into the Pine Woods. They will try to draw important German units away from the other 347 in the entrenchments. In the end, it does not matter. The Germans finish off the last two units with back-to-back snake eyes on the attacks.
The Germans use their freedom of movement to overwhelm the remaining two Belgian squads.
Belgian Comments
The two remaining 347s were looking for a miracle now. One moves off into the Pine Woods. They will try to draw important German units away from the other 347 in the entrenchments. In the end, it does not matter. The Germans finish off the last two units with back-to-back snake eyes on the attacks.
AFTERMATH
German Comments
This game is about how efficiently the wire and roadblocks are placed by the Belgian and overcome by the German. The more the German must dismount the less likely he is to win. This game was won in the penultimate turn, close. Had the Belgian stack survived in turn 1, the result may have been different.
A good squad leader consider these factors:
- Roadblock
- goog_1346004086Cover like a wall
- No bypass down hexspine.
- Removed in one turn, no DR.
- Wire
- No cover
- Bypass through adjacent hex.
- Removal required DR <= inherent FP.
Should the Belgian employ his roadblocks and wires to deny the German freedom of movement for long enough, the German will be hard pressed to clear the road in only eight turns. The more turns the German is dismounted, the less likely he is to win. A dispersed enemy will keep the Germans scrambling.
Thank you Monty, for an enjoyable scenario that employs a unique vehicle in this system - the motorcycle.
Belgian Comments
This game was lost in Turn 1. Three 447 Belgian squads were lost in the opening exchange with the Germans. They managed to take a 9-1 leader and squad with them, but it was not enough. The remaining 6 turns were played to delay the German victory as long as possible.
The roadblocks and wire work really well at slowing/channeling the German advance. Unfortunately, the Belgians only have one MMG, limited infantry and two leaders. On top of that the Germans are mounted on motorcycles. The advantages with those are that you can only fire at one unit as it rolls past. The Belgians only hope is to force the Germans often.
Even with the first turn loss, it took seven turns for the Germans to finish the job. It is possible to win with the Belgians. A few changes in the setup could lead to that victory. Thanks, Scott, for a great game.
Belgian Comments
This game was lost in Turn 1. Three 447 Belgian squads were lost in the opening exchange with the Germans. They managed to take a 9-1 leader and squad with them, but it was not enough. The remaining 6 turns were played to delay the German victory as long as possible.
The roadblocks and wire work really well at slowing/channeling the German advance. Unfortunately, the Belgians only have one MMG, limited infantry and two leaders. On top of that the Germans are mounted on motorcycles. The advantages with those are that you can only fire at one unit as it rolls past. The Belgians only hope is to force the Germans often.
Even with the first turn loss, it took seven turns for the Germans to finish the job. It is possible to win with the Belgians. A few changes in the setup could lead to that victory. Thanks, Scott, for a great game.
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