Coast of Occupied France, Spring 1942
SITUATION
A German Scientist with knowledge of a Nazi special weapons program, Professor Maxwell Fleisher, has decided to defect. He has made his way to France and made contact with the French resistance. They, in turn, have made contact with British Intelligence and have arranged for Professor Fleischer to be hiding in some ruined buildings east of the village of Mairdes-sur-Mer.
A special combined arms task force has been arranged to extract him. An elite section of British Airborne under the command of Lt. Connor McNab will be inserted via glider (piloted by none other than the famed Aviatrix Josephine Pink). They are to rendezvous with the professor just after midnight and then meet commandos on the coast and whisk him away across the channel.
German Coast Watchers reported aircraft in the area and thought they might have seen a glider so the local garrison sent out some patrols.
SCENARIO
The Para section deploys in the Northeast corner of the table. They must locate the Professor and exit off the Northwest corner of the table with the Commandos before the time limit is up.
The German patrol enters the table on the roadway on the west end of the table and will walk along the road until they spot any enemy.
Professor Fleisher has left the buildings and is hiding in the nearby woods. He will only come out if he successfully spots the Paratroopers.
It is dark: -2 to all shooting and spotting, 24” maximum visibility, units must attempt to spot other units (notice vs. stealth) this is an action vs. units beyond 12”, units within 12” that are moving all with potential LOS may make a notice check.
Commandos arrive on the 15th turn and will leave on the 20th if they have not spotted the paratroopers.
Once shooting has started the second German squad and Platoon Commander will be dealt in they will arrive on the first turn if they either are dealt an ace, on the second turn a King or ace, etc.
FORCES
British
Lt. Connor McNab
Ag d6, Sm d10, Sp d8, St d6, Vg d6,
Pace 6, Parry 5, Toughness 5
Skills: Fighting d6, Shooting d6, Notice d8, Stealth d8, Knowledge: Battle d10, Persuasion d8
Edges: Command, Combat Reflexes, Dodge
Gear:
Sten SMG Rng 12/24/48, ROF3, Dmg 2d6-1(1) Auto
British Para Section Rifle Group (6)
Ag d6, Sm d6, Sp d8, St d6, Vg d8,
Pace 6, Parry 6, Toughness 6
Skills: Fighting d8, Shooting d8, Notice d6, Stealth d6, Throwing d6
Edges: Jump Qualified, Combat Reflexes, RocknRoll, Dodge
Gear:
1xSten SMG Rng 12/24/48, ROF3, Dmg 2d6-1(1) Auto
5xSMLE Rifle 24/48/96, ROF1, Dmg 2d8(2)
6xNo. 23 MkII Grenade 5/10/20, Dmg 3d6-2, Med Burst Template
British Para Section Support Group (4)
Ag d6, Sm d6, Sp d8, St d6, Vg d8,
Pace 6, Parry 6, Toughness 6
Skills: Fighting d8, Shooting d8, Notice d6, Stealth d6, Throwing d6
Edges: Jump Qualified, Combat Reflexes, RocknRoll, Dodge
Gear:
1xSten SMG Rng 12/24/48, ROF3, Dmg 2d6-1(1) Auto
2xSMLE Rifle 24/48/96, ROF1, Dmg 2d8(2)
1xBren LMG 40/80/160, ROF3, Dmg 2d8(2), Auto, Snap fire
4xNo. 23 MkII Grenade 5/10/20, Dmg 3d6-2, Med Burst Template
Josephine Pink
Ag d12, Sm d6, Sp d8, St d6, Vg d6,
Pace 6, Parry 6, Toughness 5 (6)
Skills: Fighting d8, Shooting d8, Notice d6, Stealth d6, Investigation d4, Tracking d4, Piloting d10, Repair d4, Healing d4, Streetwise, d4
Edges: Ace, Steady hands, First Strike
Hindrances:Minor Enemy, Heroic, Loyal
Gear:
.44 Revolver Rng 12/24/48, ROF1, Dmg 2d6+1(1)
Knife Str+1
Leather Flight Suit (+1 Armour)
Professor Maxwell Fleisher
Ag d4, Sm d10, Sp d8, St d4, Vg d4,
Pace 6, Parry 2, Toughness 4
Skills: Knowledge: Super Science d12, Notice d6, Stealth d4, Knowledge: Physics d10, Knowledge: Chemistry d10,
Edges: Scholar
Hindrances: Bad Eyes
The Germans
Unteroffizer Heinrich Schmidt
Ag d6, Sm d6, Sp d6, St d6, Vg d6,
Pace 6, Parry 5, Toughness 5
Skills: Fighting d6, Shooting d6, Notice d6, Stealth d6, Knowledge Battle d6, Persuasion d6
Edges: Command
Gear:
MP40 SMG Rng 12/24/48, ROF3, Dmg 2d6-1(1) Auto
Luger P08 Pistol Rng 12/24/48, ROF1, Dmg 2d6-1(1) Semi-Auto
German Patrol
Ag d6, Sm d6, Sp d6, St d6, Vg d6,
Pace 6, Parry 5, Toughness 5
Skills: Fighting d6, Shooting d6, Notice d6, Stealth d6, Throwing d6
Gear:
1x MP40 SMG Rng 12/24/48, ROF3, Dmg 2d6-1(1) Auto
Luger P08 Pistol Rng 12/24/48, ROF1, Dmg 2d6-1(1) Semi-Auto
7xKAR98k Rifle 24/48/96, ROF1, Dmg 2d8(2)
1xMG34 LMG 30/60/120, ROF3, Dmg 2d8(2), Auto, Snap fire
German 2nd Squad
Ag d6, Sm d6, Sp d6, St d6, Vg d6,
Pace 6, Parry 5, Toughness 5
Skills: Fighting d6, Shooting d6, Notice d6, Stealth d6, Throwing d6
Gear:
1x MP40 SMG Rng 12/24/48, ROF3, Dmg 2d6-1(1) Auto
Luger P08 Pistol Rng 12/24/48, ROF1, Dmg 2d6-1(1) Semi-Auto
7xKAR98k Rifle 24/48/96, ROF1, Dmg 2d8(2)
1xMG34 LMG 30/60/120, ROF3, Dmg 2d8(2), Auto, Snap fire
THE GAME
(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)
The game table as seen from the North. On the bottom left (Northeast) the Paras have already deployed.
After a successful, smooth and relatively stealthy landing Lt McNab, Josephine Pink, and the Para section booby-trapped the remains of their glider and made their way along a dark road in the French countryside towards the village of Mairdes-sur-Mer.
Meanwhile a German patrol was also heading towards their rendezvous point…
Darin and Amanda moving their small band of elite warriors across the bridge.
The British crossed a bridge on their way to the rendezvous point
The Germans Patrol marched directly towards the rendezvous point. The British had entered the buildings but the professor was nowhere to be found!
The Germans and British engaged in a savage firefight – firing blindly in the dark and tossing grenades back and forth at each other. Lt McNab was seriously wounded in the action as were a number of his men.
During the confusion the Professor left his hiding spot and tried to make contact with the British. He discovered Josephine Pink in the southern building and warned her that more Germans could be coming from the west.
The sound of the firefight alerted the German garrison and a second section, along with Unteroffizer Heinrich Schmidt, was dispatched to help out.
As the second German squad approached the action the remaining British paras prepared to move out.
Pink and the Professor made it to the bridge as the paras began to fall back as well.
Lt. McNab was cut down as he hobbled across the open ground between the cover of the wood and the bridge. he was posthumously awarded the Military Cross for his daring action during the fire-fight and for staying behind to cover the retreat of his men. The Sergeant commanding the para section, while covering the retreat of his men, knocked out a number of Germans from the first patrol before he too was shot and killed. He was likewise posthumously awarded a Military Medal.
The Commandos arrived and established a perimeter around the beach. Shortly they were engaged in a firefight with the German Second Squad on the hill.
Pink and the Professor made their way to the Commandos perimeter.
Both had to wade the river, followed shortly by the two remaining paras.
Pink made it to the Commandos assault craft, but as the Professor made it to the Commandos he was wounded!
The Commandos continued their firefight with the Germans on the hill to cover the escape of the others. Once Pink , the Professor and the remaining Paras are safely aboard the assault craft the commandos fell back in good order and made their way back across the channel.
Losses
The British lost nine Paras in the action; Lt. McNab, the Sergeant and two others were Killed in Action. Two more were seriously wounded and were finished off by the Germans that found them in the morning. Three others were only lightly wounded. Two were captured, interrogated by the Gestapo, and executed in accordance with Hitler’s “Commando Order”. The last one left in France escaped and made contact with the French Resistance. He was kept hidden by them and fought with them until he met up with advancing allied troops in the late summer of 1944. The Commandos sustained no casualties in the action.
The Germans suffered two Killed in Action, another two were seriously wounded and sent back to Germany to convalesce. Four more escaped with only light wounds and were soon back in service. The biggest loss was that of the professor who was able to warn Allied Intelligence of many of the secret projects the Nazi were working on….
