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The hamlet of Krickenbeck

Played a 20mm 1945 game tonight with Daren B.

British forces were pushing down a road towards Oldenberg. They had to clear the road and secure the area. A small hamlet was on table, with fields surrounding it. The key feature was an area around a stream. The flood controls had been destroyed so the fields around it were flooded, leaving only one crossing point.

The British had overwhelming force, but the avenue of advance was very limited. Two troops of tanks, an AC troop, a carrier section and a MG section all supported an infantry platoon. Artillery support from a battery of Sextons was also available.

Facing this formidable force was a platoon of Volkstrum, a platoon of SS, one PaK 75. One HMG, one SdKfz251 and a Jagdpanzer IV. All the infantry sections had two Panzerfausts. The game hinged on the British not losing men, rather using firepower to win the day. For the defenders, any sort of damage done to the Brits was a victory.

We used the IABCYM from the Toofatlardies 2019 special and it handled the scenario very well.

The flooded area is top centre, bordered by the stone walls

The main road from the German side

The flooded area and single crossing point, unless you wanted to risk bogging down.

Shermans moved up, spotted and HE’d anything that they saw.

A Cromwell approaches the crossing point

Volkstrum are spotted, the panzerfaust 60’s dont have the range to hit the Shermans.

HMG from 1917 tries to pin the Brits.

Improvised AT at the ready...to no avail as the Shermans pounded these men mercilessly.

A brief respite. The Jagdpanzer knocks out the lead Cromwell.

The second Volkstrum section withdraw as the Shermans turn their attention on them.

he British deploy overwhelming firepower

Shock was the main cause of the German collapse. Casualties were relatively light, but Shock piled up...

The Volkstrum break, the walls are abandoned and the main house as well as artillery fire and HE pound the hamlet.

One victory - Panzerfaust

End of the day: the SS were in the rear of the hamlet waiting to engage in house to house as the Brits pushed forward.

The result: the British lost one Cromwell, one Bren carrier and six infantry KIA. The Volkstrum took a beating losing two Big Men and ten other ranks, the remainder broke and went home. The SS still held the village but the Brits were about to assault it using artillery and HE. On balance I think the Germans “won” as they managed to do some damage to the advance.

Desmondo Darkin