Desert Rats In France 1944

[Mad Russian]

The British 7th Armored Division has landed in France. It's June 1944 and they are getting their baptism of fire.

This is not North Afrika or Italy. This is the hedgerows of France and everything you thought you knew about fighting Germans is wrong!

Your orders are to capture Buceels and then Tilly-Sur-Seulles. Between you and Buceels is the small hamlet of Jerusalem. It is held by the German Panzer Lehr Division.

They should be easy enough to knock out of the way. After all the 7th Armored Division is equipped with Cromwells. Britians latest and best tank design.

After all we are the famous Desert Rats!! :cool:

This is a vs the AI scenario.

You can find it at The Scenario Depot II.

http://www.the-scenario-depot.com/index.html

The scenario is named HSG N Baptism At Jerusalem.

I think you will it challenging. What could possibly go wrong?!

[John Kettler]

Panther Commander,

"We're the bloody Desert Rats and' we done our bit.

An' done it. An' done it! So why in bleedin' 'ell

must we lead attack after attack? Time and then some for the other lads, the one's who 'aven't seen action yet, to step up and do theirs!"

That may seem shocking, but that seems to have been the view of the 7th Armoured troops, based on several things I've read. They arrived in theater

tired and burned out, yet were forced to lead attack after attack, despite years of almost continuous battle.

SOFAIK, a unit receives its baptism of fire the first time it enters combat. Since the 7th AD was long past that point, you may wish to substitute

another term. I'd suggest "European baptism of fire," but the 7th AD had already had that experience, too.

Your scenario sounds interesting, but I still owe rune the playing and completion of his North Africa one, but will consider yours for later.

Regards,

John Kettler

[Aragorn2002]

Glad you're back, Panther Commander! Another beauty! Thank you.

[Mad Russian]

Originally posted by John Kettler:

Panther Commander,

"We're the bloody Desert Rats and' we done our bit.

An' done it. An' done it! So why in bleedin' 'ell

must we lead attack after attack? Time and then some for the other lads, the one's who 'aven't seen action yet, to step up and do theirs!"

That may seem shocking, but that seems to have been the view of the 7th Armoured troops, based on several things I've read. They arrived in theater

tired and burned out, yet were forced to lead attack after attack, despite years of almost continuous battle.

SOFAIK, a unit receives its baptism of fire the first time it enters combat. Since the 7th AD was long past that point, you may wish to substitute

another term. I'd suggest "European baptism of fire," but the 7th AD had already had that experience, too.

Your scenario sounds interesting, but I still owe rune the playing and completion of his North Africa one, but will consider yours for later.

Regards,

John Kettler

This would be their baptism of fire in France 1944. It would be a combat theater like no other they had ever fought in.

Jerusalem, France was the first time they entered combat in France 1944. Hence the name.

I've read about the situation with the 7th Armored before. If I understand it correctly, and I may not, they were not the only British unit that felt that way.

Hitler's attempt to drive a wedge between the Anglo partnership wasn't without merit. There were at times some dissention between the Big Three. All of the Big Three.

What Hitler didn't realize was that the partnership was stronger than the issues that they had with each other.

I don't think you can take anything away from the Desert Rats just because they were tired of fighting. They had been at it a long time.

[Wicky]

Nice tight scenario - Got a nailbiting German surrender right at the end at standard.

Was it a really a main road they had to pass up?

[John Kettler]

Panther Commander,

The guys who do what has to be done while ground down and spent are much more impressive to me than those who enter the fray well rested, at full strength, and full of piss and vinegar. Was taking nothing away from the Desert Rats, merely supplying a bit of historical context. I grok your point now about the baptism of fire thing; the bocage was indeed a different kind of combat.

Regards,

John Kettler

[Mad Russian]

Originally posted by Wicky:

Nice tight scenario - Got a nailbiting German surrender right at the end at standard.

Was it a really a main road they had to pass up?

Thanks. That scenario got quite a bit of playtesting done. I was surprised at how far off I was when I first sent it to TPG. I had to continue to make changes as each playtest came in.

The results of playtesting are evident in the final result of the playbalance of this one though.

I give reference to the sources I used for the scenario.

I then went to mapquest and put the map together. It was more than likely a dirt road back in 1944, but I couldn't tell for sure. I would have probably been closer to correct if I had used a dirt road, but the crossroad was definately a secondary road and I wanted to show the difference on the map.