La Rochelle – A Crossfire Scenario and Battle Report

Brett Simpson played an impromptu game of Crossfire over lunch. He sent through both the scenario and battle report. Called “Operation Tommy Cooker” or “La Rochelle” after the village.

The Situation

German Intelligence has revealed that a British Infantry Company and Tank Troop are en route to the small township of La Rochelle – the small force of Germans stationed there has been ordered to halt the Allied advance at all costs.

Unbeknownst to the Germans, the British have little interest in La Rochelle; their objective is to roll through the township en route to the neighbouring village of Rivoli – also occupied by German Forces – and take it over.

La Rochelle 1 - From the South
La Rochelle 1 – From the South
La Rochelle 2 - From the North
La Rochelle 2 – From the North

German Force – Defenders

All units are “regulars”:

1st Platoon:
3 x Rifle Sections (+2 PC)

2nd Platoon:
3 x Rifle Sections (+1 PC)

Armour:
2 x Panzer III Ausf Js

Supplementary Units:
1 x HMG stand
1 x Panzerschrek Team
1 x Panzerfäuste Team
1 x FO for 81mm Mortar (OT)
1 x FO for 120mm Mortar (OT)

Germans use hidden placement, and may deploy anywhere north of a line drawn along the barbed wire.

British Force – Attackers

All units are “regulars”:

1 x Rifle Company (+1 CC):

3 x Platoons each with:
3 x Rifle Sections (+1 PC)

Armour:
1 x Sherman Firefly
2 x Sherman M4s (75mm)
1 x Stuart Light Tank

All tanks are fitted with Culin Hedgerow Cutters.

Supplementary Units:
1 x HMG stand
1 x Assault Engineer Section
2 x PIAT Teams
1 x 2-inch Mortar Crew
1 x FO for 3-inch Mortar (OT)

Brits begin their deployment at the southern edge of the table – behind or just inside of the wheat fields.

Special Rules

1) All IATs have ACC -1 and their standard PEN as listed in the Crossfire Rules. IATs are based as separate units (tank hunters).

2) Light Tanks (the Stuart) may perform three movement actions per initiative. Medium Tanks (all others in this scenario) may perform two.

3) Tanks are granted the same ROF as infantry units. The main gun and machinegun may fire together as a fire team.

4) The Culin Hedgerow Devices break through bocage on a roll of 4+. Failure to break through results in loss of initiative. Attacks against AFVs stuck in the bocage receive +1 ACC.

La Rochelle 3 - Tanks fitted with Culin Devices
La Rochelle 3 – Tanks fitted with Culin Devices

The Culin Devices on my tanks were supplied by Leva Productions (Quebec).

Victory Conditions

Mobilising at least 2/3 of their units beyond the northern edge of the table will result in a British Victory.

Between 2/3 and 1/2 results in a draw.

A loss of more than 1/2 of the British Force results in a German Victory.

La Rochelle 4 - British Deployment
La Rochelle 4 – British Deployment

Battle Report

The British began by immediately advancing their 1st and 3rd Platoons and accompanying armour into the North Eastern Field. Once there, an M4 Sherman attempted to push its way through the bocage using the Culin Device and rode over the mound, getting caught in the foliage – it continued to try and fight its way through, but was hit in the side by a Panzershrek round and was immediately destroyed.

La Rochelle 5 - The ghostly figures of a Panzerschrek Team open fire from the ruins on a Sherman
La Rochelle 5 – The ghostly figures of a Panzerschrek Team open fire from the ruins on a Sherman

The Panzerschrek Team had suddenly appeared inside a ruined building to the west of the Sherman, and then disappeared just as quickly into an adjoining building on the opposite side of the Main Road.

The British mobilised their 1st Platoon, which doubled back and made its way around the southern edge of the table. They quickly occupied a wooded area beside a brick wall bordering Main Road and began firing into the building the Panzerschrek Team had disappeared into, suppressing the Germans.

Leaving the cover of the trees, 1st Platoon intended to jump the wall and engage the Panzerschrek Team in close combat, but immediately came under heavy fire from the German 2nd Platoon, which were lying in wait inside a building a little further along Main Road (two sections were suppressed, with the other, and their PC, pinned behind the wall).

La Rochelle 6 - The British under fire
La Rochelle 6 – The British under fire

Meanwhile, the second M4 Sherman managed to break through the bocage in the South Western Field; as a result, British 2nd Platoon began mobilising along Main Road. They hurriedly advanced toward La Rochelle and stormed the building housing the Panzershrek Team; an unexpected bonus was that they captured the FO for the German Heavy Mortar in the same assault.

La Rochelle 7 - 2nd Platoon advancing along Main Road
La Rochelle 7 – 2nd Platoon advancing along Main Road

A Panzer III materialised, suddenly rolling over the barbed wire and opening up on 2nd Platoon with its MG as they took cover inside the building.

The British responded by mobilising a PIAT Team into a nearby wood, but the Panzer spotted them and dispatched them with its MG before opening fire on 2nd Platoon once more.

La Rochelle 8 - A PIAT Team closes in on the Panzer
La Rochelle 8 – A PIAT Team closes in on the Panzer

With one section having already fallen to machinegun fire, the remainder of 2nd Platoon bolstered their spirits and stormed the Panzer; they lost another section, but managed to overrun the tank.

In the North East Field, British 3rd Platoon broke through the bocage only to come under MG fire from a second Panzer III waiting in a nearby grove. The Firefly attempted to come to their aid, but was caught in the bocage. The MG fire from the Panzer continued…

La Rochelle 9 - Panzer III waiting in the grove
La Rochelle 9 – Panzer III waiting in the grove

The Sherman M4 accelerated along Main Road, and through La Rochelle with the intention of engaging the Panzer III in tank-to-tank combat, but was struck from the side by a Panzerfäuste Team hidden behind a jagged rock face on the western edge of town.

La Rochelle 10 - Hidden Panzerfaust
La Rochelle 10 – Hidden Panzerfaust

The Firefly broke through the bocage, and was immediately disabled by the Main Gun of the Panzer III, which continued to fire upon 3rd Platoon until they were no more…

La Rochelle 11 - The Firefly breaks through the bocage
La Rochelle 11 – The Firefly breaks through the bocage

It wasn’t long before the German 2nd Platoon broke cover and began engaging the British in street warfare.

The British were expelled from La Rochelle.

La Rochelle 12 - German Victory
La Rochelle 12 – German Victory

1 thought on “La Rochelle – A Crossfire Scenario and Battle Report”

  1. Nice looking table!

    Do the British have a chance in this scenario? As the attackers, they don’t seem to have a large enough force compared to the German defenders. I count an extra platoon and better armor.

    Reply

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