Mark Gallear Posted January 3, 2002 Share Posted January 3, 2002 I have done an operation that’s needs testing. Title: Polar Bears Type: Assault Operation: British must cross 80% of map (Historical) Date: June/July 1944 Location: Area around Fontenay Le Pesnel, Normandy, France Weather: Good Length: 10 battles of 20 turns each The operation will be much harder to play as the allies – you probably will not find the game much of challenge as the Germans against the AI. The 49th Infantry division, the Polar Bears in June 1944 was tasked with crossing a short stretch of Normandy Bocage countryside and it would take them two months to do it. The Division was formed from such diverse regiments as Lincolns, Royal Scots Fusiliers, Tyneside Scottish, the Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry and the Kent Yeomanry to name but a few. They would face the fanatical 12 SS (Hitler Jugend) Panzer Division and the well equipped Panzer Lehr Division. The village of Audrieu was captured without a shot on June 14th and Cristot after a heavy artillery bocage on June 16. These two villages would be the stepping stones for a campaign that would take them through a number of fortified villages and farmhouses. On June 17th the 7th Duke of Wellingtons attacked Le Parc de Boislande, a thick wood surrounding a chateaux overlooking the Fontenay. This was taken but Hitler Jugend launched a counterattack the next day causing heavy casualties and forcing them back to their start lines. From 19-22 June storms destroyed a Mulberry harbour and prevented plans for a major offensive to break out of Normandy. Fighting in this period was light but for Operation Martlet, the rest of the 8th Armoured Division was added to the attack in support of the 24th Lancers which had supported the original attack. The attack began on June 25 with the objective of taking Fontenay and the higher ground to the south. After bitter hand-to hand fighting the town was taken and the reserve battalion took Tessel Wood On June 26, the second stage of Martlet began with a triple pronged attack towards the village of Rauray and the storming of three fortified farmsteads. The tanks of 4/7th Dragoon Guards were forced to withdraw with heavy casualties, when they encountered Tiger and Panther tanks. With the failure of this attack, a second attempt to take Rauray was launched the next day. Despite a heavy artillery barrage the supporting tanks met 88mm AT gunfire and suffered heavy casualties. B Company of the 11th Durham Light Infantry finally reached their objective with only 50 men left. The Hallams were now launched into the attack to take Juvingy, which was fanatically defended by the SS Panzer Grenadiers. However a German contour attack back most of the area between Rauray and Brettevillete on June 30. The heavy causalities from fighting the fanatical Hitler Jugend took its toll and the new Commanding Officer of the 6th Battalion Duke of Wales reported to the high command that although he knew that this report would end his military career, that discipline and moral was so bad that he had to recommend the unit be withdrawn or broken up. He said that if this was not done the lives of his officers would continue be needlessly lost trying to stop men running away during artillery fire. The Germans were also feeling the strain after the battle for Rauray on July 1 in which the Division made a massed attack. German armoured reinforcements from the 2nd SS and 9th SS Divisions ran into the tanks of 70 brigade in camouflaged positions who destroyed 31 of 24 Panthers. In the three days of fighting the Hohen Staufen Division lost 1145 men, battle group Weider 636 and Hitler Jugend 1240. None of which could easily be replaced. The Polar Bears were amused to later here the German Forces broadcaster called “Lord Haw Haw” broadcast the warning that any troops caught with the Polar Bear flash would be shot without trial for massacring SS tank crews who had tried to surrender. A special “Butcher” Polar Bears Christmas card was later produced During, the next few weeks only minor skirmishes were fought. On July 14 an attack was launched to take Vendes and Barbee farm and the Division was withdrawn on July 21 to new positions South-East of Caen to join a new operation to break-out from the Caen sector. Author: Mark Gallear mgallear@hotmail.com Based on the accounts, sketch map and photographs in: The Polar Bears, Monty's Left Flank. Patrick Delaforce (1995) Design Notes * The whole action has been greatly scaled down. * I have including night attacks because replacements only happen after this event, even though each game represents a day of combat spread over 1 and a half months and few attacks were made at night. * I have included the Achilles and Archer in the game. Both were used in the later part of the Normandy campaign, although Battlefront’s timeline has both vehicles appearing many months later. At the time they were both referred to as SP 17pdrs and not these names. This is not an easy operation - probably one of the hardest the British Army fought in WW2. (Ok, Market Garden was harder!) If you are interested in having a go at testing it, please contact me at: mark.gallear@ntlworld.com and I will email you the file. Many thanks. Mark Gallear I was not sure how to add snaps of the game - do they have to be on a website to insert them? :confused: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Johnson-- Posted January 3, 2002 Share Posted January 3, 2002 I'll take a look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Gallear Posted January 3, 2002 Author Share Posted January 3, 2002 Eagle Eyed Kingfish spotted a typo it is 31 out of 34 Panthers knocked out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cauldron Posted January 6, 2002 Share Posted January 6, 2002 sounds like armagaodon... Hay that sounds like me ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Dorosh Posted January 6, 2002 Share Posted January 6, 2002 I'd be interested in this too, if you want to email it to madorosh@shaw.ca Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SS Sniper Posted January 6, 2002 Share Posted January 6, 2002 I'd like to give it a try Thanks SS Peiper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Dorosh Posted January 13, 2002 Share Posted January 13, 2002 SS Peiper and I are about halfway through Battle One; can't give too much away, but as much as I dislike compressed maps, I have to admit this has been a fun little battle. Way too many catastrophic explosions in our tanks for my liking, but hey... We'll keep people posted as things progress. I am wondering how the Battle 1-2 no man's land will look, actually - might invalidate my entire plan to date... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wild Bill Wilder Posted January 15, 2002 Share Posted January 15, 2002 Aha! So this is where you went to, Mark? Aha, caught up with you! Mark and I have worked together on other projects and I'm pleasantly surprised to see his contribution here. You won't be disappointed with his work. He does his stuff well. Good job, bloke! Wild Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts