Basse: Introduction | Maps | Forces | Orders | Report | Debrief

Basse - report


 
This started as a brief set of notes I took whilst playing the game, but it grew in the telling. I suspect it sits unhappily between a wargame battle report and a novel, and fails because of it. But I could be wrong...let me know what you think!
 

British initiative 1


Hidden German marker in restaurant is revealed to be a squad, which opens fire, without effect.
Hidden German marker in Farm Bakers represents an infantry squad and a PAK 40 75 mm anti-tank gun. Neither opens fire.
Woolfrey's platoon fire at the gun and kill it. They switch fire to the squad in the farm, but only pin it.
 
All is quiet as Lieutenant Bloomfield leads 1 Platoon up through the west arm of Vacognes Wood. As the trees thin at its edge, he signals for his men to stop and, kneeling in the damp earth, uses his binoculars to survey the whitewashed form of Farm Able ahead of him, and the houses and shops of Basse to his right.
 
The nearby farm seems deserted, and Basse seems quiet. He turns and squints though the binoculars to his right, looking for any sign of Tampkins' men near to the bulky forms of House Easy and House Dog.

The glint of sunlight from his binoculars is easily spotted by the SS MG42 gunner in the upstairs of the restaurant on the western outskirts of Basse. The gunner curses, shouts to his colleagues, and fires a burst of fire into the woods near the glint of light.
Bloomfield feels the bullets chop through the trees above his head. He throws himself flat, cracking his chin on his binoculars, drawing blood.


Bloomfield's view of the nearby farm, and in the distance Basse, with the restaurant.

He swears; he had been hoping that Basse was free of enemy...

Lieutenant Tampkins and 2 Platoon had quickly and quietly occupied Houses Easy and Dog. Now 2 Platoon was uneasily waiting for the order to advance to Basse.

Hearing the gunfire from the west of Basse, Tampkins climbs the stairs of House Easy. Parting the dingy bedroom curtains he surveys Basse. In front of him are a long row of buildings, with a cafe, houses, shops.

All looks quiet. Things will soon be hotting up, he thinks, as he hears the gunfire from the farm to the west.


Tampkins' view of Basse across the fields from the south.

3 Platoon has been advancing on the British right flank through the peace of Vacognes wood, and is near its edge. Lieutenant Woolfrey is crouching behind a large tree, checking his map, when the private he sent ahead to scout returns.
 
Private Holden excitedly reports that he reached the edge of the wood and could see Farm Baker, very near. It is occupied by some German infantry, and has an anti-tank gun and next to it, in the open. The infantry seem to be brewing coffee, and the gun crew chatting and smoking, completely unaware of the platoon of British in the woods.

What a golden opportunity! Woolfrey quickly issues orders and his three sections spread out and quietly move to the edge of the wood. Nearby is the faded wooden farm building, and next to it the low shape of a PAK 40 anti-tank gun. The Germans are unaware that they are being watched.


One of Woolfrey's sections preparing to fire on Farm Baker and the anti-tank gun.

Riflemen take up firing positions and Bren loaders clip in magazines. Woolfrey waits. The Germans must spot them soon. He glances to the left and right checking his men are in place. He licks his lips, ready to give the order to fire.
Suddenly the Germans glance round as the sound of the machine gun fire from the west reaches them. Before they can act he has issued the order to fire. The gun crew is cut down immediately. His troops switch their fire to the enemy in the farm.

German initiative 1

Squad in Farm Baker fires at 3 Platoon with no effect.

Woolfrey is suprised at the speed of the German's reactions. Rather than taking cover in the farm, they are at the windows, firing back. Fortunately their rushed aim is poor, but Woolfrey is worried - these aren't novice troops.
 

Situation at the start of initiative 2.

 

British initiative 2

Note: 1 stand = 2 HGMs
Hidden marker in Ruin is a German squad.
Section and HMGs in Farm Baker fire on Ruin with no effect.
 
Bloomfield, holding his handkerchief to his bleeding chin, issues somewhat muffled orders to his sections. Two sections set off to advance though the woods round to the west of Farm Able.

One section rushes the farm and finds it unoccupied. They quickly move through it, clearing the outhouses. Peering through the hedge at its far end they spot a squad of Germans in the ruins ahead. The Germans are getting ready to fight, but do not open fire.

Seconds later the section in the farm is joined by the two Vickers machine gun teams who, kicking aside furniture, set up firing positions. The gunners give a quick thumbs up to the squaddies. Time to get the first shot in, thinks Sergeant Melford. He gives the order and his section and the Vickers open fire on the nearby ruins.

German initiative 2

Fire from Ruin pins one British section.

Their fire heavy, but inaccurate. It dislodges a large amount of plaster and glass in the ruins, but fails to hit the Germans within. Hunched down against the gritty rain, the German squad leader spots the sections trying to outflank him by moving through the woods. He taps the MG42 gunner's helmet and points. The MG42 rips into action. One British section falters and stops, its men diving for cover behind the trees.


Situation at the start of initiative 3.
 

British initiative 3

Bloomfields sections and HMG suppress the ruins.

Bloomfield has reached the farm now and is next to the Vickers teams. He curses into his handkerchief. Everything is grinding to a halt. He needs to capture those ruins. "Easy boys...short bursts, take your time...!" he shouts.

The accuracy of the Vickers fire quickly improves, and the fire from the Germans dies down as the gunners hose the ruins with bullets.

German initiative 3

German reserves move to support W flank.

To his right Bloomfield sees some movement in other parts of Basse. Field grey sprinting from house to house, moving towards his end of town from the centre. Here come the reinforcements, he thinks. Oh well, his loss is Tampkins and Woolfrey's gain, he ponders glumly.

Things are hotting up on the British right flank. Woolfrey's 3 Platoon in the wood are now taking fire from Farm Baker, where the German squad has recovered from the surprise of the attack on them. Fortunately for Woolfrey's men the fire from the Germans is hasty and inaccurate.


A German squad and PAK40 prepare to fire on Bloomfield's men from the bushes


Houses Dog and Easy viewed from the German positions in Basse.


British initiative 4

Bloomfield's sections and HMG suppress the ruins.

Woolfrey's men keep pouring on the fire, and the fire from the Germans gradually diminishes. Woolfrey wonders if he should charge the farm, but are the stables to the west end of it empty, or house more Germans?
 
Things are looking up for Bloomfield. He has stopped the bleeding from his chin, and the fire from the Germans in the ruin is definitely weaker.

He'd better prepare for an attack on the ruins. Glancing to his left he sees that one of his sections in the woods is looking decidedly wobbly. Sprinting out of the farm, he moves up to them, ignoring the fire from the ruins.
"Right chaps! Get ready to charge the ruins! Piece of cake!" he shouts, ducking below the branches of the trees.
 

German initiative 5

German CC arrives in ruin from House George and is suppressed.

Damn! Even his confidence wavers as he spots Germans reinforcements appearing in the nearby ruins. He'd better make progress soon or Major Smith is going to have his guts for garters!

His men are now putting down a lot of accurate fire, and the fire from the Germans in the ruins has markedly decreased. This is his chance.
 

British initiative 5

Close assault on the left and then right half of the ruins. CC and two squads eliminated.
Hidden markers in broken ground revealed to be AT gun and section of infantry.

"Right you lot! We are going to take those ruins, right now!". Bloomfield looks at this section commanders and gets a nod from both. He cocks his Sten, takes a deep breath and charges into the open towards the western part of the ruins.

His men hesitate for a fraction of a second, then the two sections are on their feet and running after him. As they close on the ruins the covering Vickers fire from the farm stops. There are a few wild shots from the Germans, and then the British are against the walls of the ruins.

Bloomfield's men follow their drill. The air heaves from grenade explosions and he sees his khaki-clad men scrambling through the windows and door frames, firing and shouting.

The fight is over quickly. Inside the ruins he finds a dozen Germans, some dead, some wounded, some captured. His men are all fine, except for one light wound to Private Owens, who is being bandaged by a comrade.

One of the bodies is that of an SS Sturmbannführer. Bloomfield crouches and relieves the body of its map case and Luger, pasing the latter to Private Owens. "Good job, Owens! Something to show your grandchildren" he says with a wink. Bloomfield gets to his feet and moves to the north of the ruins and peeks out. Ahead is some broken ground with low bushes and rocks, and beyond it House George, which looks a bit battered, with obvious shell damage.

Bloomfield spots movement in the bushes - a squad of infantry, and close by an anti-tank gun being traversed to point towards him. He needs to strengthen the position in the ruins quickly. A loud explosion and several bursts of firing from the eastern part of the ruins are followed by a quick wave from one of his section commanders at one of the windows. They now hold the whole of the ruins. Time to consolidate, Bloomfield thinks and waves for his men in Farm Able to move up.

A few minutes later and the two HMG teams and third section thunder into the ruins, having run the gauntlet of light fire from the restaurant in Basse to their right. The Vickers teams quickly set up and begin to fire on the anti-tank gun.

Bloomfield calls his runner and sends him off to tell Major Smith that their objective is captured.

German initiative 5

PAK 4 0 suppresses HGMs

"Well, at least we hold the ruins at the moment" he mutters when the runner is out of earshot. Another 75 mm shell caves in a large section of the north wall of the ruins near to the Vickers gunners.
 

British initiative 6

German squad and PC spotted in Cafe Normandie. Tampkins' platoon pins them.

Similar events are unfolding on the British right flank.

"It's now or never" mutters Woolfrey, before waving his men towards Farm Baker. They rush from the woods to the farm, quickly vaulting the fences surrounding it, hurling grenades. The platoon quckly storms the farm buildings, taking a half-dozen SS captive.
Cautiously advancing through the farm, Wollfrey is suprised to find most of it empty. This is all proving too easy, he thinks, as he orders his runner back to Major Smith to report on their success.
 

Major Smith glances at his watch. 09:18 - Bloomfield and Woolfrey have done well. "Over to you and 2 Platoon, Patrick" he says, turning to Tampkins.
Five minutes later the Churchills snort into activity, belching smoke. They move towards Basse, one on each side of the road, skirting the edges of the fields.
 
3 Platoon advances through the chest-high wheat fields between them, keeping abreast with the slow moving Churchills.
As they near Basse, Tamkins spots Germans in the rear garden of the cafe. For some reason they don't open fire. Perhaps they are preoccupied with Bloomfield's lot over to the left. He quickly issues the order to fire and his platoon begins peppering the cafe with their rifles and Brens.

German initiative 6

Attempt to rally squad in Cafe Normandie fails

Bullets rip through the neatly trimmed hedges, chopping their way through the wooden tables and chairs, showering the German troop with wood splinters.


Situation at the start of initiative 7.
 

British initiative 7

Hidden marker in houses to east of Cafe Normandie revealed to be a squad. British charge on cafe kills squad and PC. Fire from tank on adjacent squad only pins and loses initiative.

Next moment the rear of Cafe Normandie erupts as it is hit by mortar fire. Furniture flies through the air as matchwood. As the smoke clears the back wall of the Cafe blows apart as an HE round from Cutler's Churchill detonates. The Churchill continues to fire, raking the upper stories of the cafe with its coax BESA.



3 Platoon closes in on Basse, supported by the Churchills.

The Germans are definitely shaken, thinks Tampkins. There is some fire from the buildings to the right of the Cafe, but it's light, and not enough to impede them.

Tampkins follows his men as they charge to the cafe. Two sections assault the building from the courtyard and rapidly take it. Third section remains outside firing at the Germans in the buildings to the right of the cafe, supported by BennettÕs Churchill, off to the right.

German initiative 7


Troops in E end of warehouse to NE of Basse move through building towards fighting. PAK 40 in broken ground pins section in ruins.

Bloomfield sees the ease with which Tampkins has taken the cafe. "Damn that anti-tank gun in the bushes" he swears, as another 75 mm shell hits the ruins close to him.
 

British initiative 8

3 section assault on E part of cafe, two inside, one outsite. Eliminate German squad.
Bloomfield rallies HMGs. They, and the sectins fire but only pin the German squad.

Having taken the cafe, Tampkins is methodically clearing the buildings to the east of it. Now it is the turn of the boulangerie. One section dashes through the field until it is level with the boulangerie, and then begins firing on it. Bren and rifle fire roves from window to window. The fire from the Germans inside rapidly falters.

A shout from Tampkins and the section then shifts its fire to the next building along. Seconds later the two sections in the cafe garden burst through the hedges and fences into the yard of the boulangerie. Some men fire at the upper windows of the boulangerie. Others hurl grenades through the lower windows, pause for the explosion, then plunge in. The building is quickly taken.

On the western flank Bloomfield's men in the ruins are still coming under heavy fire from the Germans in the bushes. He shouts encouragement to his Vickers teams, but inwardly wonders who can take the pounding longest, them or the Germans.
 

German initiative 8

AT gun versus Bloomfield HMG. Miss.


Situation at the start of initiative 9.
 

British initiative 9

German squad in bushes is suppressed. One British section charges, but is suppressed by fire fron the restaurant.

Bloomfield hears a shout from his left. Sergeant Lewis, who had always struck him as somewhat rash, charges out of the ruins, with his section. They race towards the bushes. Suddenly Spandau fire from the building next to the restaurant churns up the ground round them. One man is hit, then another. Lewis's men dive for any cover they can find.

German initiative 9

PAK40 fire ineffective

"Christ, what a mess!" thinks Bloomfield. Another shell hits the ruins, thumping him against the remains of the front wall. Time to be decisive, or Lewis's and his men are goners.

British initiative 10

Two sections and PC close combat German squad and then PAK 40.
Combined fire on restaurant ineffective.

German initiative 10

Fire from restaurant pins one of Bloomfield's sections.

British initiative 11

Squad in restaurant is killed. Attempt to rally suppressed section fails.

"We are going to charge those bastards, and we are going to do it now"" shouts Bloomfield to his two section commanders.

He takes a deep breath and charges out of the ruins. Alongside him men pour out from the tattered ruins. Bloomfield hears the fire from the German machine gun on their right. He ignores it and rushes on.

Then they are in the bushes. The fighting is chaotic as they stumble across SS troopers, some firing back, some reloading. The Germans are outnumbered and are quickly overpowered.


Sergeant Lewis's section try charging the Germans in the bushes.

Bloomfield hears an exposion as a grenade detonates next to the German anti-tank gun. Sergeant Stokes leads the charge on the gun, firing his Sten from the hip. The gun is quickly captured.

The British now control the bushes, but that they are still under pretty heavy fire from the restaurant. Darting from bush to bush, Bloomfield orders his sections to return fire and soon Bren and rifle fire is pouring into the restaurant, with devastating effect.

"Get your men over here, Lewis!", Bloomfield shouts. Now is the time to press forward and he'll need every man he can get.
 

German initiative 11

Reserves of StuG III, platoon, HMG appear in Mondrainville wood.
All advance into field between Basse and House Fox.
Come under fire from Woolfreys men. Some squads get pinned.
Hidden marker in field determined to be two squads and PC.
Continue firing on Woolfrey and pin one section and suppress the other in the W end of House Fox.

Out to the east, Woolfrey and his men are still holding Farm Baker; they have set up firing positions in the windows, cleared the furniture; they even have a brew going. All is quiet on their side of town.

Woolfrey can hear Tampkins men fighting in the town, and wonders whether he should advance into the nearby outskirts. He is on the verge of ordering this when there is a shout. One of his men has seen movement to the north.

Woolfrey weaves his way through the rooms of the house and looks out over the road. He can see House Fox and the fields next to it. Blimey! There's at least a platoon of infantry moving towards them through the wheat...and the menacing form of an assault gun.

"Tea break's over! Get some fire on them! Hodges! Get the PIAT ready!".

Woolfrey's men are well prepared with good firing positions, and their fire proves accurate and deadly. The Germans are now pushing forward though the wheat, but begin to slow as they see their comrades fall. In response, MG42 machine guns begin to pepper Woolfrey's farm. Woolfrey, ducking down as bullets smack into the light over this head, wonders whether he'll be able to hold the right flank.


German infantry advance out of Mondrainville wood towards Basse.
 

The StuG III exits the woods.
 

The Germans advance through the field.


Situation at the start of initiative 12.

British initiative 12

FO advances to Cafe, coming under fire from E end of Basse, opposite warehouse.
Eastern Churchill opens fire and suppresses firers.
Two of Tampkins men attack houses opposite warhouse, and kill 1 enemy squad.
Hidden marker in apartments revealed to be enemy squad (no fire).
Woolfrey rallies two sections in W end of Farm Baker.
Bloomfield fails to rally section near ruin.

Woolfrey glances sideways at the worried looking PIAT men, and quickly decides to send off a runner to Major Smith to ask for armour support. The runner seems very happy to be leaving the farmhouse...
 
Tampkins is getting his breath back in the rear of the boulangerie, watching his men secure the building. He pokes his head out of the back door and gives a wave to Bennett, whose head is poking out the top of the Churchill in the field, directly behind. To the right of the Churchill he can see Pickard, the observer for the mortars at the edge of the field.

Tampkins glances to the houses to his left. Still uncleared, but no sign of life. He waves at Pickard and points; you, move to cafe. Pickard and his assistant double across the short stretch of open ground to the cafe.

A German machine gunner in the upper floor of one of the houses has been watching Bennett's Churchill, under orders to hold fire. He's worried - there's a tank to his front, and there's been a lot of small arms fire from the boulangerie and cafe to his right. He sees two figures run from the field towards the cafe on his right, hesitates, and fires.

He sees the bullets kick up dirt round the two figures, but they continue on, crashing into the safety of the cafe. Shit! Now they are in for it! The Churchill opposite him lurches and a round blows out the kitchen below him, showering the garden with masonry. Another round follows seconds later and he and his loader crash into the kitchen. He lies, badly injured, ears ringing. He realises his war is over as a dozen khaki-clad figures dart into view in the garden and charge towards him.

German initiative 12

StuG points at Farm Baker. PIAT shot at it misses. More fire from Germans suppresses and pins squads in Farm Baker.


German forces advance through the fields to the E of Basse.

British initiative 13

Mortar fire on restaurant (called in from FO in cafe).
Bloomfield fires at cafe, but only pins.

Woolfrey can see the StuG III in the field turn to point directly at him, and swarms of German infantry moving towards the edge of the field, hardly slowed by the Bren and rifled fire from his left and right.

A PIAT round hits the StuG, but doesn't even slow it. The farm is raked by MG42s in the field. Woolfrey can hear the cries from his wounded men, and wonders when the attack will come.

He looks at the PIAT team next to him, loading another round, and suddenly becomes calm. They have been through a lot since D-Day, and he's sure they'll pull through. He checks his Sten, and moves from room to room, shouting encouragement.
 
 

German initiative 13

Germans in Field W of house F suppress remaining squad in W end of Woolfreys Farm. Move platoon and PC into contact. British win! 2 suppressed plus PC versus 3 fresh and PC (roll 1 for German, British roll 6).

Woolfrey hears the rain of fire on the farm falter and stop. A horde of grey figures bursts out of the field, screaming and hurling grenades. Woolfreys men fire, load, fire. Several German figures drop, but the tide continues.

The next few minutes are blur for Woolfrey. Snapshots fired at figures appearing at windows. Khaki and grey figures grappling. Grenades exploding. Leaning out of the window, he fires his Sten into the swarming figures outside, only to be sent reeling by a bullet in his shoulder. He lies in the shattered remains of a table, dazed. Coming round he finds he is being bandaged by one of his men. Woolfrey drags himself to his feet and staggers towards the window. He looks over the bodies beyond it and sees beyond fleeing German figures. A great cry erupts from the farmhouse - the Herefords have beaten off the SS!


Situation at the start of initiative 14.
 

British initiative 14

Churchills rotate, ready to move to fire at Restaurant and at StuG. Bloomfields men fire at Restaurant again. No effect. Ditto Mortars.

German initiative 14

StuG fires at Woolfreys troops in W of Farm B. Kills one section. In Field to NW, one german squad rallies. Other fails.

Woolfrey's elation promply plummets as an HE round from the StuG tears into the farm, directly hitting a room full of his men. He pushes away the medic and sinks to the floor, his head in his hands.

British initiative 15

W Churchill moves in front of Restaurant. Mortar restaurant. No effect. HMG and 2 squad fire. Suppress squad. Bloomfield and two sections close combat. British win. Capture Restaurant.

Tampkins regroup, with 2 squads facing apartments opposite boulangerie.

Bloomfield's two sections take the town hall.

Tampkins men suppress squad, then 3 Tampkins sections and 2 Bloomfield charge apartments. Kill German squad.
Bloomfield occupies apartments. Tampkins occupies warehouse, coming under fire from German pinned squad in field. Tampkins men spot single squad in field between Basse and Farm Baker.

E Churchill moves up to E edge of Basse. Panzerfaust shot from Germans in field misses. Bloomfields men cross road (2 squads) and move to SE corner of Basse.

Bloomfields HMG called up to SE of Basse. FOO moves up to NE of Basse. HMG is pinned, but suppresses squad in field.

Tampkins close assaults HMG with 2 squads and PC. Kill.

Squad in field is not covered, close assault by Bloomfield. Kill.

Tamkins continues attack to N of road. Kills suppressed squad. Close assault and kill. Close combats StuG; kill.

Cutler leans forward in the Churchill tank as it edges round the copse on the western end of Basse. He can see Bloomfield's men in the farm to his left. To his right the restaurant comes into view. It is looking pretty battered from mortar fire, and there firing coming from it. Cutler orders his gunner to engage the restaurant, then quickly cancels the order as he sees Bloomfield's men charging the building. Some figures fire at upper windows, others close in on the ground floor, firing and throwing grenades.

Bloomfield's men are acting like demons posessed. Within minutes of capturing the restaurant they are racing across the town square, with Bloomfield at their head. . Cutler guesses that there were no German defenders, judging by the speed with which 1 Platoon enter and move through the town hall.
"Bloody infantry don't even need tanks" Cutler mutters as his tank moves forward, ready to fire on the tall block of apartments next to the town hall. It's imposing front emanates solidity and strength, but the firing from the Germans inside is weak.

The building is already under Bren fire from Bloomfield 1 Platoon in the adjacent town hall, and from Tampkins' 2 Platoon in the boulangerie across the road. Cutler prepares to fire, but again the infantry prevent him. Tampkins' and Bloomfield's men assualt the apartments, pouring from the town hall, and from boulangerie across the street.

As soon as Bennett received the message from Major Smith that Woolfrey needed support he advanced his Churchill round the SE side of Basse, moving eastward.

Bennett, keeping his head as low as he can, surveys the terrain. The warehouses of Basse are on the left, and he can see Tampkins' men move across the road and assault the warehouse. There is no resistance from the grey buildings themselves, but the infantry seem to be under fire from the field in front of Bennett.

Bennett issues a terse order and his gunner begins rotateing the turret back and forth, machine gunning the field. Bennett ducks as a Panzerfaust round arcs over his head. "Right, right!" he shouts to the gunner, bracing himself for the next Panzerfaust round. His gunner rotates the turret and engages the edge of the field, putting down heavier fire.

Bennett begins to relax slightly when he hears the slow chatter of Vickers guns as Bloomfield's men, now in the east of Basse, begin methodically to chew up the field in support of his tank.

Tampkins' men are reorganising in the enclosed rear yard of the warehouse, amongst the crates and barrels. Tampkins has climbed up on a pile of crates and is peering over the top of the wall.

He can see two fields in front of him, one each side of the road. In the field on the left are infantry, and a StuG III assault gun. In the field to the right - more infantry in the field to the right.

However, they seem to be unaware that Basse is now entirely in British hands, concentrating instead on moving toward the right of the field, and Woolfrey's men in Farm Baker.

The Germans are being held up by a steady stream of Vickers fire from Bloomfield's men in the houses to his right, and by firing from a Churchill, just visible beyond the right field. Time to hit them in the flank, Tampkins thinks, jumping off the crates.

Two minutes later and 2 Platoon, headed by Tampkins, is streaming out of the warehouse yard and into the left field. They advance quietly but quickly through the wheat. The first victims are two German machine gun teams, who are caught completely by surprise. Next are the remaining infantry, who put up a stern fight but are overwhelmed by the British within a few minutes.

The platoon closes in, stalking the StuG. Its crew put up a valiant fight, but can't win. They fire to their front, holding back the Herefords, but to their rear figures spring up, slinging satchel charges on the engine deck.

Five minutes later, Tampkins is standing fully upright in the wheat, looking though the smoke from the StuG at the routed German infantry fleeing towards the woods. He orders his section commanders to return to Basse and fortify it against the German counter-attack that is bound to come later in the day.
Glancing at his watch Tampkins notices it's past noon. He removes his helmet, wipes the sweat from his brow and slowly walks towards the farm for a cigarette with his friend Woolfrey.