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British Para's Vs German 1944
ideas for simulating para drops in IABSM.
The basic idea rests on the assumption that the paras have landed and formed
into their Platoons. Some of these Platoons may have been widely scattered
and/or taken casualties in landing and may therefore be incomplete.
The Company HQ is diced for first as the para player is taking the role of
Company CO. Using the table below he dices for each tactical element of the
Platoon he is accompanying. This is then deployed on table as a blind or hidden
depending upon the scenario.
Other Platoons, which arrive, act as blinds until they are spotted. Only then does
the enemy AND the Para Company CO find out what they are really by dicing to
see what casualties/problems are incurred.
The game we played last night was based on the same table as the French game
with Max. The scenario briefing told Nige that his Company were trying to
rendezvous on table and generally hassle any defenders. He should expect the
enemy to be to the east though obviously marching to the sound of the guns
syndrome would probably occur.
His force consisted ON PAPER three Platoons each of three eight-man sections,
a PIAT, 2” mortar and Bren team. The Company HQ had a single eight-man
squad and a PIAT. The total force had seven Big Men. I allocated D6+2 fakes to
him.
Initially he had his Company HQ, which could be deployed on any table edge.
Other Platoons would arrive on a table edge, which was diced for randomly.
Platoons could arrive on the turn of a ‘Reinforcements Arrive’ card, one Platoon
per turn. The reinforcements cards were numbered 1-3 and he decided prior to
play which cards meant which Platoons. ‘Reinforcements Arrive’ cards were
placed in the game pack on D4, D6, D10 turns respectively.
Any number of Nigel’s total of fake blinds could be used in conjunction with the
arrival of his Platoon. In retrospect I should have doubled the amount of fakes
for him, as by the time his final Platoon had turned up he had no fakes left!
I allocated 1-4 to table edges. Nige allocated 5 or 6 to table edges to increase the
probability of where his forces could arrive. I then rolled a D6 and he placed the
numbered blind on the table edge. I obviously didn’t know if it was a fake or real
and he didn’t know its real composition only its paper strength.
British paras are superb troops. Apart from unit and Big Men cards we added
National Characteristic cards for Rally, Assault, Heroic Leader, Mortar bonus
Fire, Dynamic Commander and Rapid Deployment.
My troops were a really confused and poor lot. I had a SdKfz 7 with a 20mm
quad placed at the crossroads with Luftwaffe crew.
In the open woods adjacent to La Prieure were my Luftwaffe HQ Platoon field
troops; an eight man squad, MG42 and Panzerschrecke and accompanying
Commander Big Man. Their transport SdKfz 10 and Horsch were parked up
there too.
Arriving on the east table edge at the road was a Platoon of three eight-man
squads of Luftwaffe field troops with a Big Man.
I had an Armoured Panzergrenadier Platoon available from turn 4 arriving on the
east table edge, at the road.
Two SdKfz 234/1 Armoured cars would arrive on a randomly diced road in from
turn 8. The game was set to end on the turning of an ‘End of Game’ card, which
was added to the pack on turn 10. If it had not been drawn then the game would
finish at ‘Tea Break’ or ‘ End of Game’ turn 12.
National Characteristic cards included Rally, Dynamic Commander, Heroic
Leader and MG Bonus Fire. I decided that my sorry troops could also be
Hesitant had potential Poor Fire Discipline and that their poorly maintained
vehicles were susceptible to Breakdown and Run Out of Fuel. Clearly all was not
well with the Luftwaffe. They had clearly been panicking as a result of the
constant reports of paratroops everywhere and had been sent to confirm the
reports, so were very jumpy and unsure of what was going on.
Nige deployed three blinds initially; one in Le Mesnil Frementle, one mid-way on
the northern table edge and one on the southern table edge on the road.
He spotted my fake and Company HQ and I placed my quad on table as
automatically spotted at ‘Tea Break’.
Next turn I raced my lorried Platoon, westwards, along the road. Whilst my
Company HQ spotted that the troops on the northern and southern table edges
were fakes. My quad was circling the crossroads in an attempt to discover
where there were fakes.
More of Nige’s blinds arrived in Le Mesnil Frementle, and on the road on the
western table edge.
It was going a bit pear shaped! I spotted the blind in the west to be an Infantry
Platoon. Nige diced for it and found that there were Two Big Men, two eight-man
squads and a six-man squad. The PIAT was either damaged or had no rounds,
and had to roll a 6 to men/receive ammo. There was also a Bren team and a 2”
mortar. These fired at my MG and Panzerschrecke in the woods.
I fired upon one squad with my quad but Nige threw a lot of ones and twos for
effect and suffered only two dead.
The next turn more blinds arrived. One revealed itself near the woods to the
south of La Prieure.
I threw poorly for movement with my Company HQ squad and exited the wood
near La Prieure to the east.
The Brit blind to the south turned out to be a Platoon of two Big Men, two eight
man-squads, a Bren team and a 2” mortarman moved swiftly. My Coy HQ and
Big Man were massacred by close range fire, all being killed rapidly.
My Panzergrenadiers arrived in halftracks on the eastern road and moved
quickly to outflank La Prieure which had been occupied by a para section. Apart
from long range fire from their vehicle mounted MG42s the halftracks drew a
‘Hesitant Troops’ card three times during the game and effectively refused to
dismount and move!
I dismounted my lorried infantry along the hill slope but these too were largely
inactive as their card never seemed to come up much.
Another blind appeared next move, in the woods on the extreme north-east table
edge. Clearly the Brits were trying to cut off my line of retreat.
My quad AA was forced to retreat as a para section attempted to knock it out with
grenades.
My MG42 after much firing was finally put out of action as was my
Panzerschrecke by small arms fire from the paras to the west.
The paras had not escaped unscathed though. Two Big men were killed in the
vicinity of La Prieure, one as he led another assault on the quad AA.
Dust was spotted on the northern road as my Armoured cars arrived. Rapid
small arms fire erupted from the woods in the east as Nige’s last Platoon of three
seven-men sections poured it on my lorried Platoon who had dived for cover in
the hedges.
The game ended abruptly with my troops cards not arriving enabling me to
counter-attack and the ‘End of Game’ card being drawn on turn 11.
An excellent game which correctly captured the confused nature of the sitation.
The British paras with their superior training and leadership were more than a
match for my unwilling second-rate German troops.
German - 17 British Paras - 18
Big Man 1 (Hauptmann D4) - Coy HQ Big Man 1 (Captain D6) - HQ Pltn
Big Man 2 (Feldwebel D6) - Pltn 1 Big Man 2 (Lieutnenant D6) - Pltn 1
Big Man 3 (Obegfreiter D6+1) - Pltn 2 Big Man 3 (Sergeant D6) - Pltn 1
HQ Pltn - One Squad, MG42, Panzerschrecke Big Man 4 (Lieutenant D4) - Pltn 2
Pltn 1 - Three Squads on Trucks Big Man 5 (Sergreant D6+1) - Pltn 2
Pltn 2 - Three Squads in SdKfz 251/1 Big Man 6 (Sergeant D6+2) - Pltn 3
Armour 1 - SdKfz 7 + Quad FLaK38 Big Man 7 (Corporal D4) - Pltn 3
Armour 2 - Two SdKfz 234/1 HQ Pltn - One Section, PIAT
Blinds Move Pltn 1 - Three Sections, PIAT, LMG, 2"
Poor Fire Discipline mortar
Rally Pltn 2 - As Above
Heroic Leader Pltn 3 - As Above
Vehicle Breakdown Blinds Move
MMG Bonus Fire Rapid Deployment
Recce Force Dynamic Commander
Reinforcements Arrive 1, 2 Heroic Leader
Rally
Assault
Mortar Bonus