Author	treadasaurusrex (France, Poland)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	France, Poland
Participants	Grognard Gunny (AAR)
Play Date	2025-05-08
Language	English
Scenario	PoEx002

This was a 5-session with the tenacious & cunning Grognard Gunny leading attacking elements of the German 4th Panzer Division on 13 June 1940. I led defending elements of the reinforced, French 59th Light Infantry Division and the 1st Polish Armored Brigade. Both sides had decent leader draws.

We played using the FOW, consolidation, hidden units (French only), strategic movement and excess initiative optional rules. Also used were this house rule: Standardized Movement for Mechanized Units — All mechanized units may move through clear hexes at a movement cost of only 1 movement point (MP) per hex, instead of 1 1/2. Add one to this cost if moving up, across, or down slopes hexes.

During our first session (game turns 1-4) the German advance guard, led by armored cars, started south in 3 distinct columns leading a movement to contact from the north edge of Map 31. They were taken under fire by French AT gun platoons who managed to inflict 6 step loses on a pair of advancing Pz-Is and a very bold Pz-IVE unit. This resulted in the loss of a level of initiative for the Wehrmacht. However, the gun crew of the French AT gun on the ridge were demoralized and fled. Third Reich reinforcement formed a second attacking wave that entered the map in another three, separate columns, with flanking detachments on the far western & eastern margins of Map 31.

The second session (game turns 5-6) consisted of the ongoing movement of the same 3 columns of German troops & armor in a southerly direction. In the west (right flank), the halftrack-borne, Landsers began encircling the westernmost 1-hex village. In the center, the Wehrmacht lost another pair of steps to accurate French AT fire, but also eliminated the last of the defending AT gun platoons, who abandoned their guns & fled. Just east of center (left flank), German armor closed to decisive range of the remaining French garrison in the 2-hex town on Map 31. Supporting reserves of German infantrymen moved slowly forward in both the center and left flank.

Our third session (game turns 7-9) featured the slow closing of the German claws around the northernmost French villages on Map 31, where another 4 steps of French units were eliminated in adjacent hex firefights and close assaults. Some long-range French AT fire managed to destroy a German SPW in Hex 31-0310. French initiative fell one level this session, and their reinforcements were delayed as the Germans slowly pushed south.

The fourth session (game turns 10-12) featured successful German close assaults in both small villages on Map 31, causing the loss of 2 French leaders and a pair of steps, which included the last of the French mortar platoons. Three more German steps were lost to accurate AT fire from dug-in, or town-defending French tanks, thereby bringing the step loss tally to: 12 for the Germans, and 10 for the French. The reinforcing Poles began entering the eastern margin of the battle map during the 12th game turn, moving diagonally to the northwest on Map 27.

Our fifth & final session (game turns 13-17) was rather grim for the attacking Wehrmacht force with an additional 4 step losses - all were Pz-I light tanks - that were caught by charging Polish tanks in the northern sector of Map 27. Between the stolid French defenders and the newly introduced Poles, the Germans had to pull back and were stymied be several prematurely ended game turns. My honorable opponent chose to concede at the start of the game turn 17, when it was apparent that the French & Poles had won a major victory. The final step loss tally was: 18 for the Germans, and 11 for the Allies. There were 9 FOW-shortened turns of the 17 played.

This was another gamey, but relatively fun-to-play & interesting scenario. Against a challenging opponent, it is a decent SHARED play option that I think merits a 4, with the caveat that the more experienced player should lead the Teutonic invaders as their victory conditions are not easy to achieve. As published, it is probably more suitable for SOLO play.