Crete 1941 - Campaign Rules

Operation Merkur – the invasion of Crete

In May 1941 Germany launched its first (and last) major airborne operation of the war, aimed at capturing the strategically important island of Crete. This campaign focuses on the attack by Major Walter Koch’s 1^st Btn Luftlande Sturmregiment against the town of Rethymnon, held by the 2/1^st Australians under the command of Lt Colonel Campbell.

Turn Sequence

The campaign area is composed of a series of linked zones, with attacks being launched from zone to zone as denoted. There are a limited number of heavy support units so these are only available as reinforcements if they are in that zone:

1.    Support unit moves (one hop per turn).

2.    Launch attacks – one each per turn.     

Hills A and B consist of 2 squares that must be captured, the first battle being an attack uphill and the second down hill. The airfield consists of hills guarding it and the runway itself.

Either side may secure a partial victory by claiming two of the enemy squares (Hills/runway count as 2) whilst contesting the others. Capturing 4 sqaures is a total victory  

Forces

Both sides receive core units (infantry platoons) and then reinforcements depending on the mission involved. Core units are always = 8 points. The reinforcements available depend on the reinforcement strength score of the zone you are attacking from (the black square on the map). The Allies are strong in the area of Hill B, whereas the Germans are strong in the area of Hill A.

Allies	Germans
Matilda II’s x 2 (max 1 per zone) Bren Carriers x 2 (max 1 per zone)	Off table LG40 battery x 1 Marder II x 1

Battles

The attacker must win in order to capture or remain in the square, otherwise the assault has failed. Should neither side win an encounter game then the battle is drawn and both fail to capture the square.

Casualties are NOT carried forward from game to game - this is an important sector so the whole battalion is available to support you.

Fallschirmjager (Veterans) HQ: (0 points) ·         CO (SMG), 2IC (SMG) 2 * Squad (2 points) ·         FT1: LMG + 2 crew, SMG ·         FT2: Rifle*7 The CO may act as an AOP on different radio net to the artillery				Commonwealth & Gebirgsjäger (Ave) HQ:  (1 point) CO (pistol), 2IC (SMG) FT: AT rifle + 2 crew FT: Lt mortar +2 crew 3 * Squads (1 point) FT1: LMG+ 2 crew, SMG FT2: Rifle * 7 The mortar is direct fire only
Fallschirmjager (Average) 1. Upgrade a support team to Vet (1 point) 2. Weapons section (1 point) ·         HMG + 4 crew ·         Panzerschreck ·         Light mortar + 2 crew 3. Support team #1 (1 points) ·         1* Sniper team ·         2 * Medics 4. Support team #2 (1 point) ·         Flamethrower team ·         1 * LG40 recoilless rifle + 3 crew 5. Mortar Section (4 points**) ·         AOP team ·         2 * Medium mortar + 3 crew 6. Artillery Battery (2 points**) (off table) ·         CO (SMG/pistol) ·         2 * LG40 recoilless rifle + 3 crew 7. Marder II (2 points) ** A single weapons team can be fielded at half the cost.				British and Commonwealth (Average) 1. Matilda II ( 2 points)* 2. Mk VI Lt Tank / Bren Carrier (1 point) 3. AT battery (2 points**) ·         CO (pistol) ·         2 * 2pdr + 4 crew 4. HMG team (1 point) ·         CO (pistol) ·         2 * HMG + 4 crew 5. Support team #1 (1 points) ·         1 * Sniper team ·         1 * Medics ·         1* Flame thrower ·         1 * extra AOP 6. Mortar Section (4 points**) ·         AOP team ·         2 * Medium mortar + 3 crew *If a double 1 is rolled for move it breaks down and may not move again that game. If a single 1 is thrown it bogs down and does not move that turn. ** A single weapons team can be fielded at half the cost.
Name	Type	Speed	Weapons		Notes
Matilda II	Heavy	Slow	Light, coax MG		No HE
Mk VI light tank	Light	Medium	HMG
Recoilless rifles			Medium gun
Bren Carrier	Light	Fast	MG or AT rifle		Open topped
2 pdr			Light gun
Marder II	Light	Medium	Medium gun		Open topped

Airborne assaults

Attackers

·         Assign teams (weapons or half sections) to a wave (4 teams per drop)

·         Have 4 JOPs. Dice randomly to see where they land, 5,6 = go around again, so assigned to the next available wave.

·         Usual rules the move you land – no move or fire.

Defenders

·         All begin on over watch.

·         Become active when

o   Fired on or attacked

o   Enemy spotted in the open

o   On a 6 (D6) +1 / turn.

Crete 1941 - the warm-up game

As a curtain-raiser for our Crete 1941 campaign this weeks game was a short refresher on the rules with a few sections a side. We'll be using our own Fireteam available here for the campaign
https://cirencester-wargames.blogspot.com/p/world-war-ii.html

The set-up was a simple one - both sides were patrolling into no-mans-land and looking to push the enemy from the table.

View from the British left

View from the British right

The decisive action occurred fairly early as both sides sought to control the farm complex on the west side of the table. A swift assault by the Veteran German paras push the British back. The paras then proved very tough to harm in the hard cover.

Germans capture the farm early

British cover the farm

Farm firmly in German hands

More centrally British also came under accurate and sustained mortar fire, destroying one platoon and weakening a second as they were outflanked by German mountain troops.

British under mortar fire

At the end-point of the game the Germans had a clear advantage over the luckless British.

Mountain troops flank the british

So we're all set for Crete 1941 as we've blown the cob-webs away. In my next post I'll publish the campaign rules themselves.

The last crusade(rs)

I thought I'd completed my Crusaders some time ago but whilst at Devizes back in July I got a good deal on some figures so decided to add a few more units - some crossbow men and some unwashed peasants.

 
All figures are 28mm and from Black Tree designs

A brace of Napoleonics

The last couple of weeks we've be between campaigns, so took the opportunity to dust-off our 28mm Nappies and hold a couple of games. Both were from Charles Grants Wargames Scenarios.

The Prominent Hill

In this scenario both sides fought to control a hill-line that dominated a vital road junction. Russians / British were pitted against French.

Both sides seized the BUA closest to their deployment area but its was the Russians who made the most aggressive move pushing forward their Cuirassiers to try and slow-down the French advance. Unsupported though, the Russians cavalry were shot-up before being charged and routed by their French opposite numbers.

The French then brought up their Chasseurs and infantry in support before advancing on the main hill-line. The Chasseurs were painted by Stuart-the- Elder and completed / rebased by me,

Stuart-the-Elders chaps  

In the decisive move of the game the French launched a combined assault against the Russian / British infantry, sweeping them from the hill and securing victory.

Bridgehead Breakout

In the second scenario the French are established in a bridge-head and must attempt to break-out by seizing a ridgeline held by the Russians.

The French began with half their troops behind the river and very crowed deployment zone. To prevent the grater French numbers coming into effect the Russians attacked with cavalry on the flanks and infantry in the centre.

These initial cavalry assaults were pushed back as they charged against infantry holding cover. however the infantry faired better, pushing some of the French back. The lack of cavalry support left the Russian columns exposed though and one was routed by the Chasseurs.      

With the Russian attack halted the French vegan a counter-attack, but were unable to take the ridge-line before darkness fell.

The Chasseurs rout the enemy  

Jumpers for goal posts.....a wargaming weekend

Last weekend saw me have a binge of two of my favourite pastimes - wargaming and cricket. the former involving some Hinton Hunt peninsula war action.

Friday

Friday pm saw me in Bristol for a couple of games of Saga. The first saw my trusty Saracens taking on the Milities Christie in a scenario where the aim is to kill as many of the enemy as possible. It was a bloody affair but I emerged victorious thanks to some solid shooting.  

The second was a more involved scenario - the tides washes in from one side killing all figures in its path, unless you are on the single central Hill. This time I fought the Crusaders and I lost this battle due to higher casualties.

Saturday

We departed bright and early for Day 3 of the 4th Test in Southampton. It was a glorious day for weather although very much one for India as England struggled to 230 lead with 8 wickets down at the close. Most disappointing was Root's silly runout on 48, but Buttler and Curran made amends.

  

As my companions and I were all gamers, we had planned an evenings gaming as we were staying over in an apartment near the ground. We had selected an ACW game of Longstreet but with a twist. Not wanting to take figures we had printed some paper figures and used improvised terrain of boxes, placemats and door mat pieces. Very much back to the roots of the game when I was a lad using home made terrain and paper figures. For the record the Confederates won the game in about 2 hours.

 

Sunday

Sunday was the day of the first Cotswold Wargames day and so I hot-footed it from Southampton to Northleach (via Bristol) to take part in the action there. Nothleach is also the home of wargamer emeritus Stuart-the-Elder aka "The Published Author", so I was able to catch-up with him. I was there mainly to take part in a Hinton Hunt 20mm Talavera refight, which the French eventually came closest to winning.

The French

Anglo-Spanish

My gallant British hold their ground

There were several other games on display including some 30mm SYW which caught my eye.

    

So I suspect a never to be repeated weekend concluded with me back home, tired but contended.