Bannon DC Posted January 1, 2007 Share Posted January 1, 2007 British Infantry Anti-Tank Tactics, 1940 Operation Sealion Scenario. Small scratch force of British Infantry defends the village of Wains Cotting against an attacking German mechanized force on their way to London. This plays well as 2-player, second best as Axis vs. AI. Thanks to playtesters at The Proving Grounds. Download from The Scenario Depot Good luck, Bannon 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bannon DC Posted January 1, 2007 Author Share Posted January 1, 2007 British Brief (REDACTED) for British Infantry Anti-Tank Tactics, 1940 SPOILERS This is the British brief. I have removed specific information about the British force but it still might contain spoilers. Hard core CMers will recognize that only British and German North African mods are available in November 1940 (the setting for this scenario.) SPOILERS British Infantry Anti-Armor Tactics, 1940 British Briefing A briefing is about to take place behind the church in the village of Wains Cotting. The young captain, having just saluted his battalion commander who quickly drove off in the direction of London, walks the few paces to stand in front of a group of men who only yesterday received the uniform of the Home Guard. He stands stiffly like a soldier accustomed to offering snappy salutes to superiour offices and in a swift motion places his riding crop between his arm and his torso, almost fumbling it. “Good morning. Don’t you men look spiffy in your new uniforms?” he says with a cheer in his voice. “It is my privilege to serve with another platoon of the Home Guard. Great fighting men they have been.” “Why do we have to stand in the cemetery?” one of the men immediately interrupts. “It gives me the creeps. My mother-in-law is buried right over there.” “Yeah… she always gave me the creeps,” another man volunteers. The captain tries to continue but a third man quickly cuts in, “Why couldn’t we have just met in the pub? At least we’d be out of the rain.” “And they gave us short pants, sir. These light uniforms aren’t right for southern England this time of year. They would be more appropriate for a hot place… like the desert.” The captain speaks in a louder voice trying to continue a pep talk that sounds rehearsed. “It has been 5 weeks since the Germans landed on Fortress England and they have found it a tough go. The valiant men of the Army, the RAF, the Royal Marines, and the Home Guard have fought them on the beaches… in the fields and cities... in the villages and… and in the tundra. Jerry has suffered substantial losses of planes, tanks, vehicles of every sort and especially men. The Home Guard has been…” “The vehicles. The German vehicles, sir,” a man from the front said with his hand raised. “Why is it they all have a palm tree painted on them? There aren’t any palm trees in Germany.” The captain looks puzzled but willing to attempt an answer but the man continues, “The closest palm trees to here are in Africa.” A few of the men mutter in agreement. “I don’t know,” the captain quickly says trying to regain the men’s attention. “When you meet the Germans you can ask them! Now then,” the captain starts to speak a little quicker trying to finish his prepared remarks. “The Home Guard has been instrumental in the defense of Fortress England just as the yeomanry of yore…” “Yeomanry of yore?!” one of the man bursts out as a few of the men openly chuckle. “We have a real gentleman officer here, boys.” The group laughs. “A prince of the privileged class.” “I am not!” the captain shouts over the laughter. “I grew up in North Malden.” “Oh yeah, then why did that officer who just left say he would send a Rolls-Royce for you? You’re going to be bugging out of here in a luxury sedan before the fighting starts. Elitist!” “He, the battalion commander, is sending XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXX to be precise. It will arrive as a reinforcement to support our defense along with any other units he can spare.” The men began to settle down. “Back to the matter at hand,” the captain continues. “Our orders are to slow down the advance of the Huns and hold on to this village at least until sun down at which time the survivors will retire to the main defensive line which is now being organized.” From the back of the group, “Ain’t the Army grand? Only two days service and you can retire.” “Here we stand in… what is the name of this village?” the captain asks. “Wains Cotting,” one of the men quickly answers. “Wains Cotting… Wains Cotting… sounds like the perfect name for this little Dorset village,” the captain says wistfully as he looked over his shoulder at the cluster of light two story buildings. A woman comes running out of one of the houses and shouts over to the men. “They just said the name of our village on the Beeb! The BBC says the Germans are headed our way! Coming up from the south!” “Well then, I better get on with it,” the captain says regaining his composure. “The platoon XXXXXXXXXXXXX you’ve seen XXXXXXX XXXXXXXX the village this morning XXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXX.” One of the men raises his hand slightly as if to ask a question. The captain immediately cuts him off, “XXXX XXXXX XXXXXXX XXXXXX XXXXXX XXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXX! Sorry, if one of them is yours.” “Also here this morning is XXXXX XXXXXXX XXXXXXX XXXXXX XXXXXX. This is a cracking good group of fellows… well, not “crack” in the Combat Mission sense of the word. You know… “What is he talking about?” a man asks. “Never mind. These men are XXXXXX XXXXXXX and some of them are armed with the Thompson sub-machine gun that you might have seen in American gangster movies. You’ll do well to follow their example.” Clearing his throat, the Captain continues. “Now… you might be asking ‘How are we going to fight tanks without tanks of our own?’” “Don’t you know?!” one of the men shouts causing an immediate stir among the assembled men. “No worries,” the captain says confidently. “Allow me to read from the training pamphlet “Tank Hunting and Destruction” which I reviewed on the way here. I quote this inspiring passage: ‘Tank hunting must be regarded as a sport – big game hunting at its best. A thrilling albeit dangerous sport, which if skillfully played is about as hazardous as shooting a tiger on the foot, and in which the same principles of stalk and ambush are followed.”* “So,” the captain said light heartedly, “we can be happy the Germans aren’t riding into battle on the backs of tigers. Eheheh.” The captain looks out at the blank stares of the group. The joke is obviously lost on the men. “And, as additional assurance, we will be able to field test a brand new weapon today. It is a prototype version direct from the laboratory. It is called,” the captain looks down as he reads from a small notepad, “XXX XXXXXXX XXXXXXX XXXXXXXX.” “XXXXXXXXXX” one of the men shouted with a welcomed chuckle from the group. “XXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX.” “Nice one,” the captain said in an even, almost embarrassed tone as the group’s laughter dies down. “Well done, soldier.” “Well, what do you need us for?” one of the men asked. “If you have all these XXXXXX XXXXXX XXXXXX XXXXXXXX, how come we are here?” “Well, to defend your village of course. The local constable here says,” the captain points with his riding crop to the man standing near a thin tree who is seemingly more interested in the texture of its bark than the captain’s brief, “… well… he doesn’t say much.” Addressing the group again, “But, you men must have an uncanny sense of the village and the surrounding area. This knowledge will give you a real stealthy bonus when it comes to fighting the Germans.” “Great… great!” the constable chimes in. The captain continues, “The natural building to defend in this village will be the bank building…” “Oh, there you go again with that elitism!” came a disgruntled voice from the group. “Always defending the rich man’s money. What? Is your father the president of the bank?” “No!” said the shocked officer. He was saved from further rebuttal by an utterance from the constable. “Where?” the constable said. “What’s that?” “The bank building,” the captain says looking at him with wonderment. “The bank. The only large sturdy building in town. The bank?” the captain said after getting no hint of a reply from the constable. “The big building in the center of town. The one with the flag in front of it! The HUGE flag?” “Great… great!” the constable says looking out toward the pastures. “Great,” the captain says with absolutely no enthusiasm. “Everybody move to your battle positions.” He gave a dejected wave of his riding crop in the direction of the village of Wains Cotting. “Two last things. You local men especially, stay away from the XXXXXXX XXXXXXX XXXXXXX. And we’ll need a scout. You with the dead mother-in-law, you’ll do fine. Go down to XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXX. Fire your rifle once when you see the Germans. I’ll hang on to the rest of your bullets for you.” “I’ve never seen a German tank. How will I know it’s them?” “Just look for the palm tree.” As the Home Guard platoon slowly picks up their weapons and begins to trudge toward town, one of the disgruntled soldiers asks his mate, “Why do you think he carries that riding crop? He’s not in the cavalry.” “All those elite bastards walk around like they have one sticking out of their…” But the full reply was drowned out by the sound of approaching German engines. * This is an actual quote from the referenced army training document which was published in 1940. Source, “World War II Infantry Tactics, Company and Battalion,” Osprey. ++ Some people use a CM Sealion mod. The references above to the Africa Korp palm tree and the shorts worn by the British troops are modified to Western theater standards using this mod so you won’t see them in the game. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corvidae Posted January 3, 2007 Share Posted January 3, 2007 Sounds like a script for a montey python skit 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c3k Posted January 4, 2007 Share Posted January 4, 2007 Bannon DC, well done! Thanks for the laugh. Regards, Ken 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Kettler Posted January 4, 2007 Share Posted January 4, 2007 Bannon DC, Good job! Years ago, I got to read a facsimile of the Home Guard manual on urban combat, We Shall Fight In the Streets! and got to read a lot of related material when my brother was researching a history paper on England if Germany had invaded, and later, under German occupation. Love the classist strife! Regards, John Kettler [ January 05, 2007, 04:44 PM: Message edited by: John Kettler ] 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bannon DC Posted January 5, 2007 Author Share Posted January 5, 2007 Originally posted by Corvidae: Sounds like a script for a montey python skit What gave it away? The parts I lifted directly from Monty Python skits or the dress the captain was wearing? I should have included a "Wait for it!" Thanks Jon and c3k. I had fun testing this one. Makes for a good 2 player battle. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bannon DC Posted January 27, 2007 Author Share Posted January 27, 2007 Bumping this one. It fell off the "most recent" scenarios list at TSD much too quickly. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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