A fictional scenario set in late May 1940. Using IABSM 3 & Platoon Forward (tweaked for company level ). 

Ed's Note: i.e. Tony would play the Germans with the Allied force generated randomly

The German forces are heading for the English channel, Luftwaffe reconnaissance have spotted several undefended river crossings in a small market town some miles north. Division have sent you ahead to secure the crossings and town before a coherent defence can be organised.

German Force

Company HQ

Big Man Level 3 

2 x MMG 

1 x ATR 

1 x Mortar 50mm

Kradshutzen Platoon

Big Man Level 3 

Big Man Level 1

3 x Panzer II 

3 x Squads of 8 on Motorcycles

Platoon Two

Big Man Level 3 

Big Man level 1 

3 x Panzer III 

4 x Squads of 8

Air Support

1 x Stuka

The Allied force Blinds were totalled, then one third were placed on board representing remnants of French units and two thirds would represent a BEF force sent to bolster the defence. 

These would arrive on turn one to four diced for at the beginning of the game. It turned out to be move one! In Platoon Forward the blinds are classed A,B or C so that you can deploy them with some degree of knowledge of what type of troops they represent but they are diced for only when they are spotted or deployed. In this game, the dice threw up a few surprises!

Platoon One with the Panzer IIIs take the left flank bridge; Platoon Two cross the centre ford; and Company HQ and the Panzer IIs head for the rail bridge.

The Position After The First Move

Platoon One with the Panzer IIIs take the left flank bridge; Platoon Two cross the centre ford; and Company HQ and the Panzer IIs head for the rail bridge.

The BEF arrive under French Blinds

Covering the main road into the town, a garden hides a 25mm anti-tank gun

On the left flank the French anti tank gun spots Leutnant Krabbe's armoured platoon and opens fire.

Krabbe orders the platoon to ENGAGE. In the ensuing duel the Panzers win through, killing two crew and causing shock resulting in the remaining crew fleeing, leaving the gun.

Confidently the Panzers advance along the main road

Having taken care of the anti-tank gun, the left flank force pushes forward

2nd Platoon take the rail bridge

But the French are waiting...

During the skirmish the French knock out one PzII, severely damaging another forcing the crew to bail out and inflicting shock on the third.

Overview of the town

British Mark IVs can just be made out. A section of the German 2nd platoon moving into the park, over confident rush through the park right into one of the Mark IVs (rolled two 6s and ended up moving into close combat). They lost the combat, then came under fire from the light tank losing all but two men.

The Air Support card comes up almost every turn but only makes one appearance

This is the view as it screams down toward the French tanks. It misses the target but inflicts damage on another blind. After this attack it disappears for the rest of the game

A section hopping from one building to another is caught in the open by a machine gun in the building opposite.

Platoon Two taking damage

Hauptman Kliesche pushes the antitank rifle team forward behind the cover of the railway embankment. From there they take potshots at the French tanks panicking one which pulls back.

Armoured platoon one pushes into the market place, the infantry in support clear the surrounding buildings

Clearing the buildings

During the game the first few Allied blinds revealed two armoured platoons and an anti tank gun, subsequent blinds melted away revealing little else, just one HMG and an infantry section. Without the poor bloody infantryman the town could not be held, the Germans had won.

Until the last two blinds melted away the game could have gone either way. It was also unusual to have so many tanks come up on blinds ( in my experience anyway ), but it was an enjoyable solo game playing against the unknown.

Tony Hobbz