With the City of Caen more or less secured the Canadian forces (with the help of Polish and British forces) decided to spear point an attack south and attempt a link up with US forces and thus complete an encirclement of the German army in Normandy.
We would attempt a segment of this scenario over 3 separate days of wargaming. I would command German forces while my friends Bob and John would command considerably more Canadian forces.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn304Q7GHPHRsicPOrj-dNE4cKfGFbiEUweSzUhqy9G6KycfmOS-7WyYrL-8MmTCTBBgxHhYpbgssf18n2ofL1R-fmOkNxhF8G3DRLr5DTCxsnX5Pq98YkDdXauMw8IB8Q_h7omQODvOg/s640/WW200003.jpg) |
View of the field of battle from the Canadian side. |
The German forces consisting of elements of 89th Infantry division, and 12 SS Division position themselves on the high ground at the end of the table. A screening forces of German infantry set up just south of the ruined church.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP3xzOovsMpB04OYaubielKj-rnHeUfbHPCVOlUbckEBAX84SVQ4kY4SoTAU-HNX8GbpKQizfm7u6zNgZMQd5ChPo8SzSEEuNqCKecIkB1KyiFabdXwD3fk_6A9dA4fdulnsKBXNcPWFM/s640/WW200002.jpg) |
German infantry set up at a stone wall. The Panther in the top of the photo is a wreck from an earlier aerial attack. |
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![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimrln_l8Q87mz_YWPAcktQg0ibTEOEZm70A22Bf9PFqfI7pG32i_p5uA9namnnbOJgT5n6wTpAvfHGI14BZoHgRUBdTUiCSVuQrG7jhiGjMHH4bnWD9koLVuDnbt2fFl9zOPmgKANL8Z8/s640/WW200001.jpg) |
2 Panthers on the hills with a supporting Tiger I holding the road. In support were 2 Mk IVH tanks and a couple of Wespes. |
Most of the heavy German weapons were further back with the exception of 2 Pak guns halfway across the field hiding in some ruins.
The Canadian attack begins with elements of the 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade moving forward.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv24d0b6avRmrWjUJPPEt4A_qT6IYgKnYEDNhxFJNe7QdH3q2q0uUvHYwbFfzzvhdxG5cotKKDoPOIogsDUSxuyB1frr8F3JMes5mWqIpXjzLpuebsKTi4DgsoWgUVZLTeveahOGr0Mgk/s640/WW200005.jpg) |
As the Canadian armour advances around the church ruins the German infantry get quickly overwhelmed. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQAlVs_7l8yExSwIEWdOfRoEcMeou-E0Pq96PK7dVBHMZiqAMvn3k41d3A3PpdjjnBt2p11QtArmPY0tr3vv9X_m46UC9ECxsCsvnKCjvzooBgaA1dD9_bABi07AqRdzV1B6ycH8r0c-E/s640/WW200013.jpg) |
The German infantry managed to knock out a Firefly tank with a Panzershreck but soon had to fall back through the orchard. |
My mistake was keeping the German infantry too long in the forward position. I ended up losing most of the infantry force positioned there. The Canadian mechanized infantry started a successful running battle through the orchard. My 2 Pak anti-tank guns succumb to 25 Ib'r artillery fire.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipEe9hEZyovwrgjAPp2UCNT4RQSE-mjNFd2aRoLAjiWGFDofgEUEeERFdTSoJmNhhyphenhyphenB_PtHVTqW8Xgf_MgLQU8pm4Dda1XXhtQEJGPdKle19oOhCcvMr94CDdtAILC3B5_7cbbqi6-p6E/s640/WW200007.jpg) |
On the other side of the table the Canadian armour starts to bunch up and waits for the right time to launch the attack. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsRZiW03e_8k7rq9bPG9rsgwsW9cZeB0J682D_B_JfWa3rfDimT8ake9h7CnOXgqFqH_LHzDsgB8H7KlEcEFkHENVB1_pKoGfR2bjinDUeYD_8p5Nizox6iTFJhuxbngF22k5fWtDHk4w/s640/WW200008.jpg) |
A Panther in over watch position. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_MyHabVV9_RdepP8fPf2p38GjfG59riDJeT0P9SNdyylxGCR1Du5rqjHI5QKfNVLJmSCOFw8wbBGHGNGJWLdB5PLnGSMvwgp6RIvVcTu_tDzsOJdTGHMcA9avypwU-ekOm-_u_xiwJCA/s640/WW200011.jpg) |
My opponents don't like what they see and decide to lay down a smoke screen to hide their advance. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5d0Wb4HE8XF-s_c4eZoTQGRgKwW5d3cyUvrHc438DWyFol6DAYRyxzpwV2mKRlXr6r7FVPdf5yLcK9-dJDv1RQ0reDAzmR8BkggZxjpALLrdsqxhH34RQcniJtpDJ9QSR_qhBz_l_N0A/s640/WW200015.jpg) |
So far so good for the Germans. The Canadian attack on the right is losing steam. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz1eSlBY-PXFawn99LS0ST_z1aA1MZsLqgiHXDejxbN48Zu5V0I8lmN9BwRCE_xEnHNgaCgXeydyoYruxcYTnKE1js1F4nSPmq_U7ISaHPp1G6FFbPH9MFygL41LscHQ5UD1U4udb60pY/s640/WW200017.jpg) |
Eventually the German right starts to crumble. A Mk IVH brought up to support the retreating infantry gets nailed. Another Mk IVH had it's main gun knocked out and attempts a retreat out of the Canadian advance. The Panther on the hilltop suffers the same fate and starts to back up. |
The German right starts to give way. The Canadians lose 5 tanks in the advance but manage to get into position to roll up the German defensive line.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbgxBlOn5WinjV66iMuMLV0I_cg_McOsosgedwVqEUoqKlb9ut-qdd35qYHvQOkDesEL9xL-ocDEqSj5kbE-Lnd0HLP03yglPk7F3zJb9xu9m3KtJsIzyVjEri4PUJ-VYlGAFP0BgHmJw/s640/WW200025.jpg) |
On the German left the other Canadian armoured column starts forward and feels the sting of the Tiger's 88. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPRkf9B9n3ESwbuvMCwo8xlbYGzoVd-Q-DQd96rvvq7pt3MTrWY0kdFWn9Kf_PuphyphenhyphenTqDXmx5k9DbvWEcsol90lBgFv4X2OHswilfNdmw6TynpeQcBK4yG9RuHnGHrp9xq6j0jknFocJ0/s640/WW200021.jpg) |
The Canadians managed to start rolling up the German line on the German right. A Firefly and M10 Achilles ignore a Panther that has it's main gun knocked out and concentrate fire on it's sister. The remaining Panther does get knocked out but takes the M10 with her. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8KwniGK8anaErQHKEVPiRxG93CO6WRiq0H3a-FzKYVZAoUNjxKlNk3SIFsk5oquPss2Vo78FmUQd0kzntj4F-5O8IZ9Sm2qyJO7WCT4CmOX0tBH0V1mObU0Xnc0CfB_KWRvcvUv7ap98/s640/WW200027.jpg) |
With the German right dissolving the Canadian armour on the German left makes a dash for it. A Panzershreck takes out a cresting Sherman while the Tiger takes out another Firefly. |
The Germans were eventually overwhelmed with the Canadian attack and had to give ground. We decided it was a Canadian tactical victory.
If you didn't notice in the photos the plowed fields changed appearance. I was using cut up floor mat for them but decided to replace them with Hot Matz ones I found on the internet. The rules used were my homemade ones. The gaming scale is 1 figure = 1 man, 1 vehicle = 1 vehicle. The figure and vehicle model scale is 1/72.