LT TURNBULL'S STAND: A D-DAY SCENARIO

 In preparation for the anniversary of D-Day coming up next month, I wanted to get my thoughts down for a scenario I'm planning to host for my buddy Dave on the day (with subsequent blog post to follow!).  This scenario is being written for the popular Flames of War rules, and is heavily inspired by real-world events, and the "Choctaw Warrior" scenario from the "Fireball Forward" rules.  That said, you could play this scenario with literally any World War II rules set at Company level.

Lieutenant Turner Turnbull

The story is a familiar one.  A lone "stay behind" unit is assigned to guard a position while the main body moves out to defend where they think the enemy's "main effort" is approaching from.  The only problem is the enemy's "main effort" ends up colliding with our stay-behind unit which finds itself fighting for its life against heavy odds.  I wont spoil the end of the story for you, but in real life the approach is defended by eager paratroopers from the US Army's outstanding 82nd Airborne Division and commanded by a veteran combat leader, personally selected by the Battalion Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Vandervoort, to defend the position.   You can read the harrowing account of the 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment's fight to defend Saint Mere-Eglise at Neuville au Plain here.

Turnbull lived through the battle that day, but was sadly killed the following day under a German mortar barrage.  It just occurred to me that this post is incredibly fitting as it is Memorial Day next week  here in the USA. 

So with that I present "Lieutenant Turnbull's Stand", my next WWII scenario I'm posting for Flames of War.  I am eager to hear your thoughts and feedback (and if you play it, please let me know how you got on!)

Lieutenant Turnbull's Stand

On the morning of June 6th, 1944, elements of the 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment (PIR) pushed out to Neuville au Plain in order to establish defensive positions against an expected German counterattack north of St Mere-Eglise.  

The mission of defending the approach, viewed as an "economy of force" mission was assigned to a single platoon - the 3rd Platoon of D Company of the 505th's 2nd Battalion.  As so often happens in war, the Regimental S-2's expectations of a German counterattack were correct, but the locations were wrong.

The defense of the 2/505th's positions against the first German counterattacks on D-Day would fall on 2LT Turner Turnbull's shoulders.  With his finely trained and eager Paratroopers, LT Turnbull's platoon occupied hasty defensive positions and prepared a rugged stand against German armor and infantry approaching in company strength.  Outnumbered, Turnbull knew he had to hold long enough to buy time for the 505th's leadership to organize a more solid defense of Saint Mere Eglise.

Legend:

Black boxes are stone houses.  The thick black lines are roads.  The green blobs in lines are hedgerows.  The light green box is an orchard.  The large green blobs near the south edge are a small copse of trees.

The standard hedge rules apply from the Flames of War rulebook (hedges are standard hedges and are not bocage).  They are difficult terrain and are not bulletproof cover.  Hedges offer concealment to teams behind them, unless the shooting team is firing from within 2" of the edge or on higher ground.

Special Rules:

Immediate Reserves (Americans place the reduced Parachute Rifle Platoon in immediate reserve)

Ambush (Americans place the Anti Tank Gun Platoon in Ambush)

Minefield (Americans may place 1 minefield)

Bog Checks.  The Germans must make cross checks for any vehicle that crosses a hedge or attempts off-road movement.

Digging In.  The American platoon may start concealed and gone-to-ground however may *not* start turn 1 dug-in.  They may dig-in on their first turn.

Setting Up

The Americans place their on-table forces first.  The large infantry platoon, and AT guns are placed anywhere south of the line AA.

The American reduced infantry platoon is placed in immediate reserve.  The Americans can place the AT Gun platoon in ambush or place them on the table.

The Germans set up in the red area on the map.

Who Goes First

The Germans have the first turn.

Winning the Game

The Germans win if they start any turn holding the furthest south stone building.  The Americans win if they end turn 7 with no German units within 8" of the furthest south stone building.

FORCES

Germans

Elements of 1st Company, 1st Battalion, 1058th Grenadier Regiment, 91st Infantry Division

• 1 x Grenadier Company HQs (2 x SMG Stands) 2 points
• 1 x Grenadier Platoon (5 x MG-42 stands) 7 points
• 1 x Grenadier Platoon (5 x MG-42 stands) 7 points
• 1 x Grenadier Platoon (5 x MG-42 stands) 7 points
• 1 x Marder III Support Platoon (2 x Marder IIIs) 12 points

Total 35 Points from the D-Day Book

Americans

Elements of D Company, 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment

• 1 x Company HQs (2 stands) 3 points
• 1 x Parachute Infantry Platoon (7 M1919/M1 Garand Stands, 1 60mm Mortar Team, 1 bazooka team) 14 points
• 1 x Reduced Parachute Infantry Platoon  (5 M1919/M1 Garand Stands, 1 60mm Mortar Team, 1 bazooka team) 11 points
• 1 57mm Anti Tank Platoon (2 x 57mm ATG) 5 points
• LT Turnbull Warrior Team/ Command Card 3 points (units may re-roll misses in defensive fire) Turnbull will act as one of the Company Command stands here.  The American player designates 1 command stand as Turnbull.

Total 36 Points from the D-Day Book

505th PIR

You can download a PDF copy of this scenario from a link on the right hand side of this blog or at the following link.