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After the initial successes at the Normandy beaches, by the start of July the Allies were still bottled up. The fighting was costly for both sides, with little progress. With the prospect of fresh German reinforcements arriving from the Mediterrainean, Montgomery saw the need and opportunity to strike first.
The Norman countryside was ideal defensive terrain, with its hedgerows, woods, and broken terrain, but the area along the Caen-Falaise road, to the east of Caen, was fairly open. Second Army, with 7th, 11th, and Guards Armoured Divisions, was fresh and was chosen to spearhead the attack.
The attack was preceded by a huge air bombardment dropped by over 1,000 British and American bombers. This carpet-bombing was severe enough to flip Tigers upside down, bury vehicles, and drive German infantrymen to madness. German lines and communications were completely disrupted.
But logistics slowed the British armour: minefield crossings, railroad line crossings, and dealing with hundreds of enthusiastic but inexperienced drivers. By the time the 11th Division reached the heart of the battlefield, the Germans had begun to regroup. 7th armour followed the 11th; and Guards held the eastern flank in close terrain.
In Cagny, Hans von Luck organized a flank attack using an 88mm AT gun, a handful of 88mm AA guns, and a small number of PzIVs, destroying several of the 11ths Shermans before the bulk of them moved on. To the east, Guards Division ran into a company of Tigers of the 503 Heavy Tank Battalion and fared poorly until 17-pounder-armed Fireflys could be brought to bear. In Grentheville and le Mesnil-Frèmentel, Major Becker organized a defense with his remaining 105mm guns on French Hotchkiss chassis.
Despite these small German successes, 11th Armour still had a lot of Shermans and Cromwells and moved into position for the major assault towards the high ground at Bourguèbus. They expected little resistance, but the Germans had pulled elements of 21st Panzer and reinforced them with Panzer IV's and V's from 1st SS Panzer Division (LAH). The fighting around Hubert-Folie was especially viscious.
This battle recreates the 11th Armour's advance from its encounters near Cagny, through Soliers, Four, and to the assault on the ridge at Bourguèbus and Hubert-Folie.
Road Map from the scenario
Photos from the scenario
Set up the Germans with the shaken Luftwaffe units near Soliers (they probably will provide little resistance); PAK 41/43's and some troops near Cagny; Lorraine self-propelled guns near Grentheville and le Mesnil-Frèmentil. The 503rd's Tigers arrive near Cagny at some point near half-way through the scenario. The 1st SS's forces arrive near Bourguèbus early on and have time to deploy in that area.
British units enter the gaming area one regiment after another, a serial attack forced by offboard terrain obstacles. Though the terrain is fairly open, the ground is broken and roads frequently impassible due to the extensive preparatory bombing.
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