AAR 1940 France: Matildas Around Arras by Mark Luther

Overview north to south

The BEF is coming on board from the left. The defending SS can set up just about anywhere on the table. Their reinforcements will come in from the right. The stream is unfordable by vehicles (soft banks), but can be crossed by infantry.

Overview south to north

The center farm would be a nice place to defend, but the German player opts to only place one Pak there without infantry support, and put another ATG covering the smaller bridge to the south (also without support). The remaining Pak is in the village overlooking the center bridges. The infantry is all back on the left side of the stream. The British infantry is going to come on after the tanks along the road at the bottom of the picture, and manage to get all the way to the stream without being spotted.

The main bridge

The larger bridge in the center of the table is what the Germans base their defense around. They have a Pak35 overlooking it in one of the village gardens. An infantry platoon is also in the village

Turn right at the intersection

The first group of Matildas breezes by a Pak and turns towards their right flank.

Second group of Matildas

Following the first group down the center road, they spot the Pak firing from the orchard at the lead group.

Forlorn Hope

A Pak 35 fires from the orchard in an attempt to slow down the British armor. It does manage to immobilze a Mk II tank.

Moving to the flank

The lead group of tanks heads towards the smaller bridges to their right.

Looks like a good place for an...

This is a nice chance to get a shot at the side armor and hopefully block the single lane bridge.

Ambush

A Pak 35 gets off a couple of shots that bounce off the Matildas as they cross the bridge.

Approaching the center bridge

The second group of Mk IIs comes up to the bridge and start taking fire.

Duelling

The forlorn hope Pak tries to hold off three MkIs. It managed to immobilize one and forced another to shed a track (Vehicle Breakdown card came up) before taking some damage.

Over the river

That seemed too easy. The trailing MkIs seem to have completely silenced the German ambush.

Drive on by

The lead Matilda pulls off after being the victim of a 'Vehicle Breakdown' card. Must have been a reaction to the Pak ambush.

Germans in the orchard

The left flank bridge is guarded by a platoon based around this farm. They seem a little dismayed that the Pak across the stream failed to slow down the Tommy tanks.

A bridge not so far

The MkII on the right has taken a hit in the tracks from across the stream and the other MkII is just about to turn tail after receiving fire from across the stream also.

What else is up there?

Matilda MkIs cleaned out the Pak but suspect something else is in the farmhosue.

BEF infantry

They managed to cover almost the whole board under a Blind. They crossed the stream on the opposite flank of the Matildas and are trying to get into the village before the SS can cover this flank.

The big guns set up

Actually, not big enough. These are Scotia French 105s standing in for Czech 10cm of the III Abt 3 SS Art Regt Totenkopf. Unsure of where the Matildas are going, they cover two directions.

Over the next bridge

The tanks keep advancing, hoping that nothing nasty is waiting on the other side of this bridge

SS in the town are getting worn down

The Tommies in the orchard are chewing up the Germans in town. The Pak is relocating to cover the left flank better after seeing a group of tanks heading towards the other bridge.

Abandoning the guns

Is it tank fear or going to the aid of their sister platoon? At any rate, the second platoon is beating feet to the other flank away from the Matildas.

Matilda Mk Is

These are the Scotia models.

Finally finished with the forlorn hope

The second group of MkIs discovers that there is nothing left to shoot at around the farm and orchard, and the remaining mobile tank heads towards the next objective. One Mk I took an track hit and the other one managed to throw a track in its manoeuvres.

Abandoned Matilda

After getting a non-permanent immoblization hit, the 10cm battery knocks out the tank engine. the crew decides that this is just a bad place to sit, so out they go.

Using the slope as cover

Where's everybody going?

The 10cm battery watches the infantry run past them. It looks like they are on their own now. Where are the Matildas?

Just a ride along a pretty stream

The offroad speed of the Matildas is pretty slow. The battery has a chance to reposition once again.

Waltzing Matildas

The lead Matilda charges up slope and crashes into one of the 10cm guns. This is not the kind of situation you want your artillery to encounter.

Back on the other side of the stream

The remaining MkII from the second group moves up to its abandoned mate. Surrounded by shell holes from the 10cm firing.

Matildas coming around the orchard

Not moving all that fast, but using the slope and cover of the orchard to screen their advance.

Bad shooting

The 10cm guns fire at point blank and overshoot the Matildas heading up the slope. Doesn't look good for III Abt SS Art Rgt Totenkopf

2nd platoon moves in

After moving all the way from the left flank, the second SS platoon starts to blast at the BEF infantry in the orchard.

Picking their dance partners

Two more Matildas start to tromp the 10cm battery, and the lead tank guns down the battery CO and crew of a second gun. The tanks even managed to avoid throwing a track. Game over for the SS.

Pinned down infantry

The second SS platoon is just too much for the already banged up platoon to handle and they prepare to move back down into the stream bed.

Pak tries to help

The Pak35 in town fires into the flank of the charging Matildas, but the rounds just bounce off. Probably time to hook up and skedaddle.

Last dance

One more pic of the overrun. Just find this very satisfying.

Overall losses for the BEF was two immobilzed MK Is, one MK2 destroyed and one immobilzed and about 50% of the infantry hit. The SS still had an infantry platoon in good shape and one Pak 35. The Matildas could keep going, but they are getting pretty far in front of their infantry at this stage.

BEF air support: Blenheim MkI

The BEF didn't really have much in the way of air support, but I do love to have planes flying around in my games, so I used the following procedures: 

Roll six sided dice-1,2,3 there is no response from the air units-mission cancelled. 4,5,6 a flight of Blenheims take off and are waiting for fighter escort--which will not appear. Roll again.

The flight heads towards the area, on a 1 or 2, it gets lost, perhaps bombing a secondary target. 3 or 4, the flight gets intercepted by 109s and is shot down. 5 the flight is shot down by AA. On a 6, they appear over the table. Roll again.

1,2,3 they bomb the bridge(the one you are trying to capture). 4,5,6 they bomb your troops.

The flight in this game failed their second roll and didn't show up. Good thing the Brits weren't expecting any help from the RAF.