Invasion 1940 (GBWW2)

INVASION 40
The Nazi Invasion of the Lowlands and France
GREAT BATTLES OF WORLD WAR II VOLUME 3
CWP01
Great Battles of World War Two

Volume 3 Invasion 40
The Nazi Invasion of the Lowlands and France
Bruce McFarlanes 8th miniatures guide-book covering large battles.

The third in the Great Battles of World War Two Series.
Each stand represents a company with manoeuvre elements being battalions.
The scale and scope of the game allows multidivisional actions simulating many days not minutes.
There is no game like Great Battles of World War II.
French, Dutch, Belgium and German 1940 History, Organization, Weapons and Tactics
A simple, yet revolutionary rules set: 6 Scenarios including
Fortress Holland, Ebel Emael, Dinant, Sedan and Arras
Table of Contents
Introduction.. 1
Historical Context ... 2
Doctrine and Plans .. 5
Weapons .. 9
Divisional Organizations 15
Netherlands and Belgium19
Eben Emael.20
Dutch Bridges.26
Crossing the Meuse 32
Dinant 34
Sedan . 40
Allied Counter-Attacks.. 47
de Gaulles Attack . 48
The Arras Attack ... 54
Great Battles of World War II
1.
Vol. 3 Invasion 40
It is not within the scope of this article

to investigate all the subtle and complicated
causes of the Second World War. Rather it will
try to put the events of Spring 1940 within some
historical context. What were the military and
political foundations to the rise of fall of the
French Third Republic and re-emergence of
Germany as a Europes predominant military
power, a scant twenty years after its demise ?
To understand the blitzkreig of 1940, one must
understand some of the historical developments
which followed the Treaty of Versailles.
They had called it The War to End all
Wars Trench warfare had traumatized all the
participants. Ten million dead. The worst war
in human history, up until that time. Peace
finally came on Nov. 18, 1918. The killing was
over. The victors then sought to punish the
losers at Versailles. The harsh war demanded a
harsh punishment. They said. The Germans felt
hounded but could do no more than sign an
agreement that would sow the seeds of a future
and unimaginably worse war.
But even as the British celebrated the
end of the Great War, many felt that Germany
should not be treated so harshly. And so,
through the 1920s and 30s Britain would
follow a policy of reconciliation called
appeasement
Appeasement had very respectable
origins. British politicians going right back to
the time of the Crimean War had believed that
once you defeated your enemy, you then went
forward to reconciliation. Winston Churchill,
himself, shortly after the First World War,
regarded the greatest virtue as trying to come to
a good working relationship with Weimer
Germany.
Successive British governments worked
very hard to try to mitigate the harshness
Historical Context
of Versailles. All the economic clauses were

rather rapidly whittled away, largely on British
initiatives
Martin Gilbert
British historian
Appeasement found a champion in
Neville Chamberlain, British Prime Minster
between 1937
and 1940.
Chamberlain
passionately felt that he had the diplomatic skills
to deal with Adolf Hitler.
The British
government not only refused to increase military
spending, throughout the 1930s, but rejected, as
warmongering any reports which suggested
Germany had taken a lead in military hardware.
The French had demanded the harsh
Treaty of Versailles, but didnt feel confident in
confronting Germany alone. The Depression of
the 1930s had devastated the French economy,
and by 1934 a great political scandal had
undermined confidence in French parliamentary
government, itself. The extreme right blamed
democracy for all the economic troubles, and
took to the streets in an attempt to bring down
the whole system. On Feb. 6, 1934, riots broke
out. Marchers stormed the parliament buildings
to oust the government and install a right-wing
dictatorship. Pitched battles late into the night,
with police and militia, came perilously close to
succeeding. The riot failed to bring down the
French Parliamentary system, but it did bring
down the government of the day. The deep
divisions between the right and the left in French
society, the failure of the government to resist
pressure from the streets and the scandals
that sparked the whole
2.
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confrontation demonstrated a grave weakness for
French politics and French diplomacy. After
1934, French governments would be coalitions;
ideological and fragile. The average life span of
a governing cabinet would be less than four
months.
Politically and economically the French
may have been weak, but the French army was
still thought to be the strongest in the world. A
standing army of 500,000; 1300 aircraft; 3500
tanks; 18,000 artillery pieces and 150,000
machine guns. But there was military weakness
too. France had adopted a defensive strategy.
She had built and hid behind a series of
underground fortifications. They were called the
Maginot Line. In actual fact the French High
Command had little capacity to launch an attack
and felt it needed allies.
Mutual defense
agreements were reached with Poland,
Czechsolvakia, and most importantly, Britain.
Further discussions commenced with the Soviet
Union.
The flaws in Frances political and
military systems came to a head in the spring of
1940. Premier Reyand, convinced that the High
Command was incapable of winning the war
moved to remove aging Generalissimo Gamelin.
Instead, it caused the Minister of Defense,
Daladier, to resign from the government, causing
the whole government to fold. General Gamelin
learned of the Premiers indictment by that
evening and composed his own resignation
before going to bed. The date was May 9th.
That night German tanks started to roll west.
The Battle for France had started, finding France
without a High Command or even a government.
Of all the political motivations, Hitlers
was the simplest and most straight-forward. He
had achieved power in 1933 on an anti-foreign,
militaristic, expansionist platform and he merely
implemented his policies. First he re-armed, in
violation of the Treaty of Versailles. At first the
Rearmament program was secretive. Airforce
pilots trained on civilian airlines. Baby-buggy
factories produced machine-guns. By the late
1930s, however, Hitler was not even presenting
this pretence to his actions, and continued to
build the German forces.
His first military adventure was to reoccupy the Rhineland, in March 1936. The
Rhineland was the area between the Rhine River
Historical Context
and the French border. Under the Treaty of
Versailles it was to be forever de-militarized. By
marching into the Rhineland and defying the
treaty, Hitler directly challenged the French. The
French reacted, not by using military force, but
by consulting the British. And that move gave
Hitler his triumph, because the British were
against any action, whatsoever. Hitler seemed to
be taking a gamble. He had secretly ordered his
troops to withdraw, should the French army
march. But Hitlers intuition had been right. He
had taken the measure of his adversaries.
In March of 1938 German troops
achieved a bloodless coup in Austria. Hitler had
always objected to the clause of the Treaty of
Versailles that forbid the union of Germany and
Austria, forcing millions of Germans to live
outside the Reich. Neither of the democracies,
France nor Britain took any action.
After Austria, Hitler turned to
Czecholslovkia.
Created by the Treaty of
Versailles, Czecholslovkia had a large Germanspeaking minority living along the German
border in an area, called the Sudetenland. Hitler
now wanted this area added to the Reich. To this
the Czechs said No. Czecholslovkia had an
advanced weapons industry and a standing army
of over one million men. War looked inevitable.
Treaty obligations would force France to come to
Czecholslovkias rescue. French involvement
would automatically trigger British involvement.
On Sept. 29th, 1938 Hitler and Chamberlain
along with Daladier of France and Benes of
Czecholslovkia met in Munich in an eleventhhour attempt to resolve the crisis diplomatically.
But it was all less dramatic than it seemed.
Chamberlain had come to Munich with his mind
already made up that he would give in to
Germanys demands in order to secure peace.
How horrible, fantastic, incredible it is
that we should be digging trenches and trying
on gas-masks here because of a quarrel in a
faraway country between people of whom we
know nothing about. However much we might
sympathize with a small nation confronted by a
big and powerful neighbor, we cannot, in all
circumstances undertake to involve the whole
British Empire in war, on her account
Neville
Chamberlain
BBC broadcast
Sept 27, 1938
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And so Europes two great democracies began,

reluctantly, to prepare for war. They stepped up
negotiations with the Soviets in an attempt to
contain Hitler. But it was Hitler that knew how
to strike a deal with Stalin. The Allies were
offering Russia nothing, except the prospect of
doing most of the fighting against the Nazis.
Hitler on the other hand offered them the Baltic
states and half of Poland just for staying out of
his way.
German Foreign Minister von
Ribbentrop signed the Nazi-Soviet Pact with
Stalin on August 24.
With the threat of a two-front war
disposed of Hitler turned his ambitions on
Poland. He demanded that the city of Danzig be
returned to the Riech and that a corridor of road
and rail traffic be opened to East Prussia. France
and Britain warned der Furher that any attempt
to change the situation by force would cause the
democracies to enter into war with Germany in
Historical Context
defense of Poland. On September 1, 1939 Hitler

ordered his troops to occupy the western half of
Poland. By Sept.3rd Britain and France were at
war with Germany.
The world waited for the clash of titans,
but nothing much happened. The French did not
have the material or psychological capabilities to
launch an attack on Germany. Britain did not
have the numbers to invade Germany alone.
Neither economy was, as yet, on a war footing.
So they simply sat and watched as German
troops overran Poland and then Denmark and
Norway. Still the Allies sat and waited for the
German onslaught to break its teeth on the
Maginot Line, but Hitler was in no rush. He
consolidated his victories and carefully planned
his attack on France. The invasion was set to be
launched in January 1940, but weather and
accidents cause it to be delayed until May.
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In 1914, the French army had but one

doctrine; attack. And so for three years the
French army marched its soldiers to their deaths
over the open fields of Flanders. By 1918,
however, the younger appointees to the High
Command ( the same individuals who would
make up the High Command in 1939) adjusted to
this situation and came up withe the theory of the
continuous front.
The Continuous Front
theory held that modern artillery, machine guns
and barbed wire that all but made advances
impossible. The most efficient means to defeat
an enemy., therefore, was to simply wait until he
exhausted himself on your prepared defenses.
Then the army could go over to the offensive to
mop-up the remnants of the enemy army.
If machineguns and barbed-wire could
present such a formidable barrier, then what
greater obstacle a fully fortified line could
present. In the 1920s the French built the
famous Maginot Line. 87 miles in length, it
covered the whole Franco-German boarder, from
the Swiss Alps to Belguim. The Maginot Line
was not so much a fortified line as much ad it
was a network of fortified positions. Every
position prepared to cover the maximum arc of
fire, the greatest line of sight and to mutually
support neighboring positions. All the positions
were linked with hard-surfaced roads, both above
ground and below, and all fortresses were air
tight. The barrier cost the French taxpayers 7
billion francs.
This was not to say that France was
maintaining a static defense, however. In fact at
the commencement of hostels France had the led
the Germans in both the quality and quantity of
vehicles, both armoured and soft-skinned. She
had formed three tank divisions or DLMs
(division legere mecanique). However, the
Doctrines and Plans
French idea of mobile warfare had not evolved

beyond its state in 1918. Vehicles were to be
held in reserve, behind the line, to quickly
counter and threat of a breakthrough or to assist
in breaking French infantry loose in the latter
stages of the battle. In short the tank was not
envisioned as a weapon that would lead an
advance or even exploit a breakthrough. In the
eyes of the French High Command the tank was
to have the same role as it had had in World War
One.
The Allied Plans

The Allied plans were simple. They
believed that the coming war would be a repeat
of 1914-18. A long drawn out affair where the
nations with the most resources and biggest navy
to blockade their opponents would win. This
was the reason France had built the Maginot
Line - to keep French soldiers relatively safe
over a long war of attrition. It is also why the
Allied had virtueally no plans to liberate Poland,
Czechoslovakia, Denmark or Norway nor to
conquer Germany.
The Maginot line did not extend all the
way from the Alps to the sea, however. The
Franco-Belgium boarder was left unfortified.
This was partly due the exorbitant cost of the
facility and partly because Belgium was part of a
mutual-defense alliance with France and Britain
and a way had to be left for Allied troops to enter
Belgium. In 1936,
the young King Leopold dissolved his fathers
treaty and led Belgium onto a path of strict
neutrality, and refused even to make contingency
plans against a German attack.
Allied
commanders were not allowed into Belgium to
reconnoiter the ground they would be defending
and it was made known that Belgium troops
would fight any troops, Nazi or Allied that
entered the country uninvited. Under these
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Vol. 3 Invasion 40
Opposing Plans:
Doctrine and Plans
1. von Schlieffen Plan (circa 1905) envisioned a wide sickle movement through
Belgium
2. Allied Plan D called for the Anglo-French armies to advance to the Dyle River.
3. Rundstedts Gelb Plan used the Ardennes conceal the German build up before
the dash to the sea.
The opposing armies approach the battlefields
6.
Vol. 3 Invasion 40
conditions the Allies had to decide where, in
Belgium would be the most practical line to
hold, once they were invited to defend.
There were three options. The original
plan under the alliance had been for the French,
Belgiums and British to move right up to the
Albert Canal on Belgium-German boarder. This
plan was dismissed as impractical since the
Allied armies could not move until the Germans
had crossed into Belgium so there would be no
opportunity to secure the defensive line. The
British wanted to defend west of Brussels on the
Scheldt River.
This Plan E (the river was known as
the Escaut, in french) This would protect the
channel ports, take less men to maintain and
British air forces could operate from either side
of the channel. The Beligums were not keen on
surrendering Brussels and Antwerp to the
Germans and the French did not like the long
L shape look of the resulting frontier, fearing
that it gave the Germans a huge bulge from
which to launch a second invasion on either Paris
or the industrial north.
On November 17, 1939, the principle
negotiators agreed on Plan D. Upon a German
invasion, the Franco-British armies would push
into Belgium as far as the Dyle-Meuse rivers.
This would keep German air forces out of range
of the channel, protect Brussels, Paris and the
northern French industrial areas. It would
shorten the front, and so be 35 miles shorter than
Plan E. All sides felt that the line was far
enough east to restrict the enemy before he could
gather momentum.
Finally, this Antwerp,
Namur, Sedan line had the advantage of being
anchored by the Scheldt essuary in the northwest
and the impassable Ardennes forests in the
southeast.
The German Plans

The German High Command had also
drawn conclusions from the First World War, but
their attention was less on the invincibility of the
trench and more on the effectiveness of their
continue to exploit the breach, and change the
situation. The enemy were always left to
respond to a situation that was already out of
date. By the time the enemy had reacted to the
initial assaults, the German breakthrough was
proceeding. By the time the enemy plans had
Doctrine and Plans

own stosstruppen - infantry using light machineguns and light mortars to seek out and attack the
weakest points in the enemy line. Platoons were
encouraged to take their own initiative and adapt
the attack to local conditions. Their objectives
was always to infiltrate the enemy line and
disrupt
his
artillery,
supplies
and
communications. In 1918 these tactics had
almost won the war on the Western Front for the
Germans.
This doctrine of perpetual forward
motion and local initiative, when combined with
the theories of all-armour formations being put
forward by Liddell Hart, Fuller and de Gaul,
between the wars, led to the theory known as
blitzkrieg (Blitzen is German for lightning;
Krieg is German for war). Reconnaissance, both
ground and air would identify a sector where the
enemy seemed weak. Just before the assault
paratroopers, glider troops or dive bombers
would capture or destroy key reinforcement and
communications links behind enemy lines bridges, road and rail junctions. The attack
would then be led by the tanks, over very narrow
front (2-4 miles). Heavy weapons combat
engineers and infantry would follow right
behind, in support. Enemy strong points were to
be avoided, and by passed; the following
German troops would deal with these isolated
enemy troops. Similarly if enemy armour
appeared, the German tanks were to retreat
behind a screen of anti-tank guns, then spread
out around the flanks of the enemy. Tank and
infantry commanders were in radio contact with
the air force. The dive bombers acted as the
flying artillery of the panzer columns. They
could prepare the way for the attacking columns
or protect its flanks. Combat engineers, along
with their equipment were right at hand to clear
obstacles, erect bridges or destroy concrete
emplacements.
The whole idea was to form a
schwerpunkt or area of action, create a hole in
the enemy line and then to cause a rapidly
changing combat situation. The panzers would
changed to compensate for a breakthrough the
exploitation was in full swing. By the time the
enemy had decided on a new defense line the
German tanks were rolling past it.
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In 1914 the Germans had utilized the
von Schieffen Plan to mount a massive right
wheel through Belgium and into northern
France. The maneuver came perilously close to
sweeping past Paris and encircling all of France
forces. In 1939, the German High Command
envisioned the same sort of maneuver through
the Belgium plains.
Fall Gelb (Operation
Yellow ), however, called for more modest
objectives than the original von Schieffen Plan.
Fall Gelb did not anticipate the total destruction
of the French army or the occupation of most of
France. The objective was merely to beat back
the Allied forces in Belgium and occupy the
Belgium ports and Dutch coast line. With
shipping exposed to German air and naval
powers, Hitler felt, the British would sue for
peace. Without British support the French would
call for negotiations also. All would be settled
by 1941 and Hitler would be free to deal with the
Soviet Union. Hitler authorized the attack to
proceed in January of 1940, but poor weather
and events caused the launch date to be proponed
numerous times.
Not all of the German High Command
were impressed by the Fall Gelb Plan. generals
Rundstedt and Manstein did not like the
secondary role their Army Group A would play,
nor were they convinced that Fall Gelb met the
necessary objectives
It contained no clear-cut intention of
fighting the campaign to a victorious conclusion.
Doctrine and Plans

Its object, quite clearly, was a partial victory and
territorial gains.
General Manstein
On October 31 the two submitted a
revised Fall Gelb Plan that called for Army
Group A to invade the Netherlands and northern
Belgium , while Army Group A made its way
through Luxembourg and the Ardennes forests.
When the British and French forces moved north
to defend their allies, the panzer divisions of
Army Group A would emerge from the forests
and rush westward to the English channel. The
enemies would never be sure that the German
objective was not Paris, Lille or Brussels until it
was too late. Once the British and French were
isolated and caught between two German army
groups, its destruction was only a matter of time.
The revised plan did not meet with a
pleasant reception. General Brauchitsch refused
to summit it to the OKW (German High
Command) or to Hitler.
However, on January
10, 1940 a German officer, carrying a detailed
outline of the invasion of Belgium, inadvertently
landed in Belgium territory and was captured.
Now that the German plans were in the hands of
the Allies, Hitler was eager to have Fall Gelb
revised. The new Fall Gelb or Manstein Plan was
put in place by Febuary 24 and all efforts were
made to convince the French and the British that
the original plans were still in place. By May 9,
1940 everything was in place for the invasion of
Holland, Belgium and France.
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Vol. 3 Invasion 40
One development, between the wars

changed the face of warfare. That, of course was
the refinement of armoured vehicles. The tank
had been invented to cope with the continuous
front of trench warfare in the First World War.
Early tanks were large, cumbersome and
unreliable. It was not uncommon for one third of
a tank force to fail to make the start line for any
encounter. They were unable to pursue the
enemy pass their initial objectives, mostly due to
crew exhaustion. Few men could stand more
than a couple of hours in the sever heat (100oF),
breathing toxic exhaust fumes and being jolted
into the red-hot, uncovered engine. The winners
of the war took this as proof that armoured
vehicles were of limited value. The losers took a
fresh look at tanks and drew some unusual
conclusions.
By the late 1930s tanks had become
much more reliable and were being mass
produced. A wide variety of designs were also
evolving, catering to different roles envisaged for
the armour vehicle. There is no such thing as a
perfect tank. Basic design improvements always
have a corresponding drawback.
Speed is
incompatible with heavy armour plating. A high
horse-power engine limits the range of the
vehicle between re-fueling.
High ground
clearance is desired for mobility but it also offers
a higher profile for enemy gunners to shoot at.
There were external limitations as well. Since
travel put unnecessary wear and tear on the
tanks, especially the treads, tanks had to be
moved by rail. This meant that the tank could
not be wider than train tunnels or on-coming
traffic would allow.
The most important
limitation, however, was the turret ring. The
turret ring determined the size of armament the
tank could carry and the number of crewmembers that could operate inside the turret.
From the start the Allied High
Commands could only see two uses for the tank.
Weapons
One was as a replacement for the cavalry. Both

Britain and France re-equipped their cavalry
regiments with light, fast tanks for
reconnaissance and covering an attacks front and
flanks. The British used the Light Tank Mark VI
B (5 tons). It was a small fast tank, armed only
with machineguns.
The French used many
models, most importantly the Hotchkiss H-35
and H-39 (both 13 tons). Both were of medium
speed (17 mph) but well armed with a 37mm
gun. For reconnaissance the French AMC-35
(16 tons) was very fast (34 mph) and armed with
either a machine gun or 25mm anti-tank gun.
The other use for tanks was the closesupport of infantry. Tanks were to be mobile
pill-boxes advancing with the infantry. As such
they had to be heavily armoured, but speed was
of no concern since the vehicle would only have
to move as fast as a walking man (4 mph). The
British opted for the tiny, but well-armoured
A10, or Matilda I (13 tons). It was badly
underpowered and armed only with a single
machine gun. It proved obsolete and was
relegated to a training vehicle after the Battle of
France. The A12 or Matilda II (28 tons) was less
of a failure, if only because its armour was so
thick that only the largest German anti-tank guns
could penetrate it. However, it could not fire
High Explosives and only had one machinegun
as an anti-personnel weapon and so was of
limited value against infantry.
The French had a variety of infantry
tanks.
The Renault R-35 was the most
numerous. It was well armoured (11 tons) and
carried a 37mm gun. It was a decent vechile, as
was the Somua S-35 (22 tons) with its 47mm
gun. Finally there was the Char B-1, a heavy
tank (35 tons) carrying heavy armour and two
machineguns, a 47mm anti-tank gun in the turret
and a 75mm howitzer in the hull. It had a
serious drawback in that it only had a range or 85
miles.
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On the whole Allied tanks were not
inferior to German tanks in 1940, but they did
have a couple of serious limitations. Almost all
of them used a one-man turret. The tank
commander was expected to command his tank,
search for targets, load, aim and fire his gun. In
addition, French tanks were not even equipped
with radios, so the company or platoon
commander had to open his hatch and signal
orders by flags. Finally, the senior officers in
both armies regarded the new weapon as a threat
to the status of the older branches and tried to
keep the tankist under control by keeping their
tanks in small numbers and under the direct
control of the infantry.
The Treaty of Versailles had forbidden
Germany from the manufacture or acquisition of
tanks or even armoured cars with turrets. By the
mid-thirties, however, this only offered Germany
the chance to build a completely modern force,
overnight. The first German tank was the PzKw
I. It was a thin skinned little machine (6 tons)
with only enough room for two crew and carried
only two machineguns. But it was the prototype
for all the German tanks that would follow.
Because the German tanks (at least at first) were
few in number they were expected to do a
multitude of jobs. Where the French and British
opted for very specialized vehicles, the Germans
were forced to emphasize flexibility.
The PzKw I was impressive in parades
but useless on the battlefield and was soon
replaced by the PzKw II (9 tons). The PzKw II
was still under-gunned with only a 2omm gun.
By 1940 PzKw III (20 tons) and PzKw IV (17
tons) were quickly replacing the smaller
vehicles. These new tanks held five crew
members, three in the turret. They featured
sloped armour that deflected more shots, welded,
rather than riveted joints face-hardened steel
plating and all were equipped with radios. Both
the PzKw III and the PzKw IV could be armed
with 24mm high-velocity anti-tank gun or a
37mm low-velocity gun for delivering larger
amounts of high-explosive. Most importantly,
these tanks refused to become obsolete. Most of
their parts were interchangeable with all the
other PzKw models. As technology advanced
the vechiles could be adopted without
redesigning the whole tank.
As the war
Weapons
continued the PzKw III had its 37mm gun
replaced with a short 50mm gun, then the long
50mm gun, then 75mm gun. Its armour was
increased from 30mm to 50mm without any loss
of speed. When the long 75mm gun came out it
would not fit in the PzKwIIIs turret, so the turret
was removed and the gun was mounted in the
hull, creating the Sturmgeschutz, or StuG III.
Finally, a very long 75mm gun was mounted in
the hull to create the Jagdpanzer.
No less than one third of the tanks used
against France in 1940 came from
Czechoslovakia. Hitler had aquired them when
he occupied Prague in march of 1939. Two
Czech tanks the PzKw 38(t) (9 tons) and the
PzKw 35(t) (10 tons) were comparable to the
PzKw III. They carried a 35mm gun but were
only half the weight of their German
counterparts. The Germans gave then another
ton of armour and sent them off to France.
The other military development of the
interwar years was, of course, airpower. Planes
had proved their worth in the First World War, in
the areas of air reconnaissance and artillery
spotting, but now planes were faster, larger,
sturdier and more reliable. Some of the military
theorist, most notably Gullio Douhet, predicted
that in future warfare would be carried out using
planes only. Infantry commanders were not
impressed. General Gamelin insisted Direct
action of air forces in battle is illusory. There is
no such thing as the aerial battle he went on to
proclaim, only the battle on the ground. Air
forces would shoot themselves out of the skies in
the first hour of the campaign and then it would
be left to the land armies - as usual, was the
French commanders final conclusion.
As a result, little investment was made
in the French Air force. Indeed, it did not replace
its World War One aircraft until 1934. Even
then the pace was slow. French aircraft were
still made by hand and were exorbitantly
expensive.
France did produce some fine
aircraft. Experts still favorably compare the
Dewoitine D.520 with the British Submarine
Spitfire. However, by May 1940 there were only
79 D.520s. The rest of the 1100 planes were as
diverse and varied as the French tanks. Even
worse, other than separating the Air Force into a
separate arm, the French had done little to
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facilitate the co-operations between land and air
forces. Chief of the Air Co-operation Forces
Command gave the air force orders, but so did
the Air High Command. Zone Commanders
could also order aircraft, but no one below HQ
level could and Co-operations Forces Command
the Air High Command and the zone
commanders were not linked in any
communications network. Division, Regimental
and battalion commanders did not have any
experience with coordinating actions with the air
forces. Not that it mattered not of the French
aircraft were equipped with radios. As a result,
the French aircraft rarely left the ground on a
close-support mission and when they did they
were inevitably late and misinformed.
On the other hand the British had taken
General Douhets prediction much too seriously.
The RAF had focused most of its talents and
developments around the theory of strategic
bombing. It was near to perfecting a long-range
heavy bomber and had already produced
effective fighters to escort these behemoths. But
if Douhet was correct and diversion of aircraft in
support of ground troops was a dangerous
diversion of airpower from its decisive strategic
function. As a result the British were unprepared
to effectively use their fighter arm (mostly
Hawker Hurricanes) in support of their ground
forces.
The Luftwaffe, in contrast, had been
designed specifically to provide ground support.
The Junkers JU 52, three-motor transports could
move a division halfway across Europe. In
August 1936 the Germans lent General Franco
20 Ju 52 transports which moved 9,000 soldiers
from Spanish Morocco to Spain to start the civil
war, there. Air reconnaissance was similarly
important. Before the Polish campaign. 288
aircraft were assigned to front line units. But
the weapon that played the most dramatic role in
the fighting of May 1940 was the dive bomber.
Level bombers of those days had to fly
in a straight line, over the target, drop the bombload and hope that the wind did not push the
weapon too far off course. The US Marines had
developed the Curtiss F8C Helldriver where
the pilot released the bomb while doing a 70o to
80o dive. This allowed for pinpoint accuracy
and now allowed aircraft to target small tactical
objects, like bridges, ships and strong points. A
Weapons
German WWI air ace saw the American plane
demonstrated in 1933, and was impressed
enough that he insisted that German
manufactures submit prototypes of dive-bombers
to the Lufftwaffen. The Ju-87, or Stuka as it
came to be known, was larger, slow and
somewhat clumsy, but it could dive from 10,000
feet to 3,000 deliver a bomb accurately, or strafe
enemy troops.
To keep the skys clear of enemy which
would interfere with the Stuka the Germans
had 1050 Messerchmitt Me 109. At 354 mph, it
was faster than any of the Allied fighter and
could out climb and out dive them as well. With
two 7.9 mm guns and two 20-mm cannon the Me
109 was capable of air combat as well as ground
support.
The Nazi also was further advanced in
the area of anti-aircraft guns. General Gamelins
views on the importance of airpower precluded
much development of anti-air defenses. By 1939
France had only 5 Anti-Aircraft regiments
(German had 72) and was particularly short of
smaller guns needed for defense against lowlevel or diving attacks on small targets. The
British were somewhat better off with their
40mm Bofors guns bought from the Swedes.
However, at 10.3 tons, these guns were better at
defending permanent installation, like airfield,
than moving columns.
The Germans had all calibers of AA
guns, from small 20mm cannon to 105mm guns.
These were attached to troops as far down the
chain of command as divisions. Furthermore,
they were all supplied with FLAK, high
explosives and armour piercing shell. In 1940, it
was not standard practice to use anti-aircraft
guns in a anti-tank role, but the option was
available.
The idea of combining wheeled front
steering with tracked drive was that of M.
Kegresse, a Frenchmen working in the Russian
Tsars garage. He developed a vehicle, for use in
the snow, using an Austin car and tractor tracks.
During the 1930s the German Army started
providing its panzer divisions with half-tracks.
These ranged from the 5 ton Leichter
Zugkraftwagen (light prime mover), used to tow
anti-tank guns and light anti-aircraft guns
11.
Vol. 3 Invasion 40
through to the monster 18 ton Schwerer
Zugkraftwagen (heavy prime mover) That could
winch a disable tank out of the mud.
Half tracks remained less expensive to
produce than any fully tracked vehicle, since its
wheeled steering precluded any complex system
changing the speed of either track. The half
track was much less damaging to roads and was
only slightly less efficient when moving crosscountry. However, if the vehicle was towing
anything its cross-country capacity was severely
reduced. For this reason tank and artillery
experts sought to have the gun placed inside the
chassis. By 1940, however, none of these selfpropelled artillery vehicles were ready for
battlefield use.
The German infantry halftracks were
adopted from the artillery halftracks. Thin,
sloped armour was provided on all sides to
deflect hits. It was never designed as a vehicle to
fight from - the open top made it extremely
venerable to grenades and mortar bombs.
However, they still transformed the fighting
quality of the panzer division.
They carried infantry alongside the tanks and
carried heavy mortars, heavy machine-guns and
artillery pieces to the front. Eventually, they
became the preferred vehicle of reconnaissance
units as well. However, German industry could
not keep up with the demand for this vehicle. It
was wanted for carrying ammunition, laying
cables, evacuating casualties, artillery forward
observers and command vehicles. By the
Polish campaign only Guderian 3rd Panzer
Division were supplied with any. By May 1940
each German division (3000) was allocated 73
vehicles of any type. It was a lucky German
soldier who could hitch a ride on a horse-drawn
wagon.
Experiments in Britain, aimed a
forming an all-tank army had produced the
Bren gun carrier.
It was an open-topped,
lightweight, tracked vehicle that could carry four
infantrymen. It proved too fragile for combat,
but, later in the war, would be useful for bringing
men and material to the front.
Britain had the first modern army, in
that every unit of the British Expeditionary Force
was motorized. The French, on the other hand,
were almost totally a foot army. The
Weapons
French army would get to the battlefield by
marching (the way their fathers had). The
Germans recognized the value of motorized
transport, but German industry was unable to
meet the military demand for trucks. In fact in
1939, the German forces had lost 2000 vehicles
while industry had provided only 1000
replacements, during peacetime. So with the
greatest reluctance Chief of Army general staff
proposed a drastic de-motorization program
for the armed forced. For the immediate future
the German Army would replace its transport
vehicle losses with horses.
Any ordinary
infantry division had 5,375 horses, requiring 50
tons of hay and oats per day, plus daily exercise,
grooming, feeding and watering. Reports from
the Polish campaign were showing that horsedrawn troops and supplies could not keep up
with the armoured columns, but the Germans
would have to make due with the transports they
had.
In the 1930s Germany had begun to put
may of its fighting men on motorcycles. They
were expected to ride into battle and then
dismount to fight - much like the dragoon of
the 1700s. However, the motorcycles proved to
be quite unsuitable for modern warfare. The
rider was extremely vulnerable, not only to small
arms fire, but to mantraps, like spilled oil or
choke-wires. In good weather, such as in
Poland, the motorcycle was efficient enough, but
as soon as the ground became soft or frozen the
motorcycle was useless. By May 1940, the
motorcycle was quickly being relegated to
communications duties.
Almost all the artillery, of all the
conflicting nations were howitzers- that is to say
towed, long-barreled, low-velocity guns that
lobbed high explosives high into the air to
plunge on the enemy. The British and French
(and for that matter, the Dutch and the Belgiums)
had large numbers of 75mm and 105mm
howitzers left over from the Great War. These
were excellent, light guns with a high rate of fire.
The Germans, having lost most of their
weaponry as a result of the Treaty of Versailles,
had newer artillery equipment.
Each panzer
division had three battalions of artillery; the
heavy artillery with twelve 150mm howitzers
12.
Vol. 3 Invasion 40
and two battalions of light artillery, each with
twelve 105mm howitzers.
The infantrymen of 1940 looked very
much like their fathers had in 1918. The
standard weapon was still the bolt-action rifle.
The most important change had been the
improvements in the machinegun. The World
War I machinegun had been water-cooled and
took three men to work.
The 1930s
machineguns were air-cooled, reducing the
weight from over 100 pounds to about 25
pounds. The Germans had also perfected a oneman machine-gun. The French had not even
explored the concept. The British had access to
an excellent sub-machinegun, the Thompson .45
Weapons
or Tommy gun but the British high command
made clear that the British Army sees no need
to equip itself with gangster weapons
The other development in infantry
tactics was the development of Combat
engineers or the German Pioniere. These units
would be armed as infantry, but their specific
role was to create obstacles to impede the
enemys advance and to speed up a friendly
advance by reducing enemy strong points or
natural obstacles.
To do this they were
equipped with construction and demolition
equipment, explosives, flamethrowers, hollow
charges and other specialized equipment.
13.
Vol. 3 Invasion 40
reducing the weight from over 100 pounds to
about 25 pounds. The Germans had also
perfected a one-man machine-gun. The French
had not even explored the concept. The British
had access to an excellent sub-machinegun, the
Thompson .45 or Tommy gun but the British
high command made clear that the British Army
sees no need to equip itself with gangster
weapons
The other development in infantry
tactics was the development of Combat
Weapons
engineers or the German Pioniere These units
would be armed as infantry, but their specific
role was to create obstacles to impede the
enemys advance and to speed up a friendly
advance by reducing enemy strong points or
natural obstacles.
To do this they were
equipped with construction and demolition
equipment, explosives, flamethrowers, hollow
charges and other specialized equipment.
14.
Vol. 3 Invasion 40
Divisional Organization
Germany
Germany had lost the Great War and so was

encouraged to embrace new ideas. The Treaty of
Versailles restricted the German military so and
forced it to be inventive. But for whatever
reasons, the Germans, between the wars,
developed the most inventive and integrated
system of divisional organization. Officers as
low down he chain of command as platoon
commanders were expected to demonstrate
personal initiative. To facilitate this, heavy
weapons, anti-tank weapons and very light
artillery, which in other armies were kept under
the command of divisional commands until

needed were permanently assigned to company
headquarters.
Armoured divisions were
established, complete with its own infantry
support.
Furthermore, formations were
modularized so that the separate parts could be
detached or recombined with other divisions,
relatively effortlessly, depending on the local
operation and conditions.
one or two battalions of three companies each. In
addition, the division had a permanent
attachment of motorized infantry or Panzer
15.
Vol. 3 Invasion 40
The amoured or Panzer divisions typically, had
one or two regiments(s) of tanks, divided into
one or two battalions of three companies each. In
addition, the division had a permanent
attachment of motorized infantry or Panzer
.France,
Divisional Organization
Grenadiers and support formations . One or
two of these Panzer Grenadier regiments would
be attached; consisting of one to three battalions
organized similar to infantry battalions
Belgium and the Netherlands
France, Belgium and the Netherlands

still employed the traditional triangular division
system three regiments of three battalions each;
three companies to each battalion. France also
had motorized divisions of Division Infantrie
Motorisee (DIM). But unlike their German or
British counter parts the French motorized
divisions did not possess all the vehicles needed
to transport all the troops.
Artillery and
reconnaissance formations were well equipped,
but the infantry regiments were organized to be
easily transported to the battlefield by truck and
buses ! and heavy weapons were still to be
transported by horses.
In the early 1930s, France had

transformed four of its Cavalry divisions into
Division Legere Mecanique (DLM).
Each
consisted of a recognizance regiment, two
combat tank regiments, two dragoon regiments
of two battalions, each; and support formations.
The remaining Light Cavalry Divisions (DLC)
were lightened because of the vulnerability of
horses in open ground.
These divisions
consisted of two Cavalry regiments; a armoured
car regiment and a light or medium tank
regiment and support formations.
With the display of a complete Panzer
division at a Berlin parade in 1937, France raced
to develop its own armoured division, even
though de Gaulle and others had advocated such
an approach since 1934.
True to France
defensive doctrine these divisions were seen as a
mobile reserve intended to plug a break in the
line, rather than an attack force. The first
Division Cuirassee de Reserve (DCR) was
created on Sept. 2nd, 1939, one day before France
declared war ! The divisions would consist of a
tank half-brigade of
two battalions heavy
combat tanks; a tank half-brigade of two
battalions light tanks; a battalion of mechanized
infantry
and
support
formations
16.
Vol. 3 Invasion 40
Divisional Organizations
17.
Vol. 3 Invasion 40
Divisional Organizations
Britain
The British still used the odd-ball
organizations from the 18th century. An infantry
Division consisted of three brigades of three
regiments each and support formations. Each
regiment had only one battalion of four
companies.
A British armoured division had a

reconnaissance battalion of light tanks or
armoured cars; two infantry tank brigades and
support formations. The tank brigades would
consist of three tank regiments each providing
one battalion, of three squadrons each.
18.
Vol. 3 Invasion 40
Both the Netherlands and Belgium

incorporated waterways, dominated by fortresses
in their defense against the Germans. The
Belgians had the Albert canal which ran from
Antwerp, along the Dutch boarder and then
joined the Muese river running south parallel to
the German boarder and into the Ardennes. Near
where the Albert canal joined the Muese, the
whole valley was dominated by the fortress of
Eben-Emael. This miniature version of the
French Maginot line, was set right into the cliff
created with the digging of the canal. The gun
emplacements had walls and roofs of reinforced
concrete - about five feet thick. Its armament
consisted of six 120mm guns in revolving
armoured cupolas, eighteen 75mm guns in
casemates and a maze of concrete pill boxes,
anti-tank guns light and heavy machine guns, a
twenty foot wall and search lights.
The Dutch had three defensive lines.
The first was a lightly manned delaying position
along the Mass and Ijswel rivers. The main
defensive line, the Grebbe-Peel Line ran from
the Zuider Zee, south east to the Belgium
frontier. Much of the areas were easily flooded
or had obstacles constructed upon it. Finally,
Rotterdam, Amsterdam, the Hague and Utrecht
were encircled within a defensive line from Der
Helder to the Holland Deep. It was known as
Fortress Holland.
To both those problems the Germans
applied the same solution - Airborne troops. The
7th Air Division would land between Rotterdam
and Moerdijk and seize the key installations,
especially the bridges that led to Rotterdam.
Fortress Holland could thus be by-passed. The
22nd Infantry Division was to land on the
airfields captured by its parachute battalion.
These troops would prevent Rotterdam from
being reinforced, capture the Royal Family and
Army Group A
seize the airfields before the British could use

them.
On the first day of Fall Gelb, May 10,
1940, things did not go well for the 22nd. The
area of operations was far too large and the
troops far too few. None of the airfields were
captured intact. Most of the reinforcements had
to return to Germany. The Royal Family was
never in serious danger and no obstacles were
erected to prevent the movement of Dutch
forces. However, this small German force did
cause a lot of concern and panic. Many
resources were allocated to fighting the 22nd,
that could have been of better use elsewhere.
The 7th Air Division, on the other hand,
achieved almost all of its objectives.
Paratroopers captured the airfield at Waalhaven.
Reinforcements were flown into the airstrip and
spread out to capture the key bridges. On the
Nieuwe Maas German sea planes landed and
taxied right up to the bridge into Rotterdam.
German troops were on the superstructure of the
bridge before the astonished guards could react.
Another company parachuted into a sports
stadium and then commandeered an electric
trolley to travel to the Nieuwe Maas bridge.
By May 12 the lead elements of 9th
Panzer Division Had reached the Moerdijk
Bridges. The division advance for two days, but
found the area north of the Nieuwe Maas
unfavorable to tanks.
The German High
Command desperately needed the 9th Panzer
Division to reinforce the battle for France. Hitler
authorized the bombing of Rotterdam to secure a
surrender. Heinkel 111s, flying unmolested over
Holland, charred the city.
Rotterdam
surrendered at 1800. The country capitulated
two hours later.
19.
Vol. 3 Invasion 40
Army Group A
In Belgium the Germans used

paratroopers to capture the bridges over the
Albert Canal at Veldwezelt, Vroenhofen and
Canne.
Simultaneously, five large gliders,
carrying seven or eight men landed on the roof of
the fort and systematically destroyed the steel
covers to the gun turrets, using hollow charges.

Additional explosives destroyed stairway shafts
and filled the tunnels of the fort with smoke.
The next day the advance troops of the German
sixth army arrived and Eben Emael the fortress
thought to be impregnable surrendered
Game Length; 2 Days (May 10th to 11th 1940)

[German player sets up second and moves first]
1st Para. Regt

Historical landing
COps and FUP
DZ I
1st Battalion - landed by glider
(1 SMG stand + command stand) DZ A or B
2nd Battalion - landed by glider
(1 SMG stand + command stand) DZ I or F
3rd Battalion - landed by glider
(1 SMG stand + command stand) DZ K, L
or N
German Briefing
Fly on this day against the enemy !
Into the planes, into the planes !
Comrades, there is no going back !
German Song of the Paratroops
Supply - Air-assault units = none;
16th Corps = average
Friendly edge - none at the beginning of the
game. East edge once the the 16th Corps enters
the table
Activations
1st Para. Regt and 7th Air Eng. 0 cards to start
(see Special Rule #5) 2 card draw per day
16th Corps - 10 cards - 3 card draw per day
Artillery - none
Morale
1st Para. Battalions
7th Air Engineers
Panzer
Infantry battalions
- Veterans (10)
- Veterans (10)
- Experienced (9)
- Average (8)
Air support - 5 Tactical Ground support

(Stukas) (Average)
7th Air Div. Engineers (See Special Rules # 3)

A Group (1 engineer stand)
- landed by glider
Eban Emael
B Group (1 engineer stand)
- landed by glider
Eban Emael
C Group (1 engineer stand)
- landed by glider
Eban Emael
D Group (1 engineer stand)
- landed by glider
Eban Emael
Deployment
To start the game, the German player
notes the DZ where each of his airbourne
battalions will land their gliders and the turn of
the landing. As well, he must note when and on
what turn the airbourne reinforcements
(parachutists) will land.
20.
Vol. 3 Invasion 40
Eben Emael
2nd Battalion (3 Pz II stands)
Airborne reinforcements
The following forces may jump, by
parachute, at any location and on any turn after
turn 3. The German player must note the
location and turn of these jumps before the
game begins. They cannot be changed once the
game has started. Like any other parachute
jumps they may not partake of any other action
until they have come within 2 of their own unit
battalion HQ (already on the ground). Once
combined each parachute battalion should
consist of 2 SMG companies, an HQ and a
Heavy Weapons stand.
1st Battalion
(HQ + 2 SMG stand + hvy wpns stand)
- landed by parachute
2nd Battalion
3rd Battalion
Reinforcements
During the dawn phase of the first
days game (May 10) the German player rolls a
d10 to see if the 16th Corps reaches Maastricht.
A roll of 1,or 2
Indicates the arrivial of the 16th Corps on turn 3.
A roll of 3, 4 or 5
indicates the arrivial of the 16th Corps on turn 4.
A roll of 6, 7, *8 or 9
A roll of 0
All these reinforcements arrive on the eastern
edge of the table, within the city of Maastricht.
16th corps
3rd Panzer Division
C Ops and FUP
51st Engineers (3 Eng stands)
5th Panzer Regt
HQ (command stand)
1st Battalion (3 Pz I stands)
Great Battles of World War
6th Panzer
HQ (command stand)
1st Battalion (3 Pz I stands)
2nd Battalion (3 Pz II stands)
3rd Panzer Infantry Regt
HQ (command stand)
1st Battalion (3 Inf stands carried in trucks)
2nd Battalion (3 Inf stands carried in trucks)
Belgium Briefing
Army Group 1 informs me that:
1. Group Keyaerts will retire to the Meuse at
Huy.
2. There will be no more Belgian troops
tomorrow on the right bank or the Muese south
of the Liege-Namur line.
General Georges demands, at once, that the
attention of the Belgians be immediately and
firmly drawn to the absolute necessity of not
withdrawing except under extreme enemy
pressure. They must especially maintain, as long
as possible, their forces south of the Meuse at
Huy to avoid creating a gap between the Meuse
and the left of our cavalry.
Message sent by
French General Gamelin,
to King Leopold of Belgium,
May 10, 1940
Supply = average
Friendly edge - West and South edge
Activations - 0 cards to start;
6 cards draw per day
Artillery - Eban Emael
- average - 1 templates, per artillery position per
turn; unlimited rounds
Field artillery - inferior
- 4 templates, 10 rounds,
- 4 replacements per day
Morale
Infantry & Jager battalions - Experienced (9)
Garrison battalions
- Inferior (7)
Air Support
- none FLAK - none
21.
Vol. 3 Invasion 40
Eben Emael
Belgium Forces
1st Garrison Division
1de Garrison Regt
HQ (command stand)
1st Battalion
(1 infantry stand +light Anit-tank gun
+ hvy wpn stand)
Veldwezelt bridge
2nd Battalion
+ hvy wpn stand)
Vronehofen bridge
3rd Battalion
+ hvy wpn stand)
Canne bridge
6de Dutch Garrison Regt
1st Battalion (1 infantry stand)
north Maastricht bridge
2nd Battalion (1 infantry stand)
south Maastricht bridge
Deployment
The Garrison battalions must set up on
the west end of the indicated bridges Garrison
units may not voluntarily leave their initial
deployment position.
Reinforcements
The Belgium player should secretly roll
a d10 for each of the following divisions.
On a roll of 1 the division arrives on May 10.
Roll a d10 to determine the turn that the division
arrives
1 or 2 = turn 6
3 or 4 = turn 7
5 or 6 = turn 8
7 or 8 = turn 9
9 or 10= turn 10
On a roll of 1 to 3 the division arrives on
May 11. Roll a d10 again to determine the turn
of the divisions arrival. The result of the die
roll equals the game turn of the second day that
the division arrives
On an initial roll of 4 or higher the
division does not arrive at all. They were
diverted to other battlefields or interdicted by
Stukas.
Great Battles of World War
1st Division Cavalerie (north)

- roll d10 - 1 to 3 arrives on road
1;
- 4+ arrives on road 2
C Ops and FUP
Anti-tank battalion (2 light gun stands and
trucks)
1st Chasseurs a Cheval Regt
HQ (command stand)
1st Battalion (3 motorcycle infantry stands)
2nd Battalion (3 motorcycle infantry stands)
3rd Battalion (3 motorcycle infantry stands)
1st Division Cavalerie (west)
2;
- 4 to 6 arrives on road 3;
7+ on road 4
C Ops and FUP
Anti-tank battalion (2 light gun stands and
trucks)
2nd Lancers Regt
HQ (command stand)
1st Division Cavalerie (south)
3;
4+ arrives on road 4
C Ops and FUP
Machine gun battalion (2 independent
machinegun stands and trucks)
1st Guides Regt
HQ (command stand)
22.
Vol. 3 Invasion 40
4de Infantry Division
2;
C Ops and FUP
1ste Karabiniers Regt (3 med. tank stands)
(light armour, med gun, med speed)
8de Infantry Regt
HQ (command stand)
1st Battalion ( 3 infantry stands + hvy wpns
stand)
2nd Battalion ( 3 infantry stands)
3rd Battalion ( 3 infantry stands)
Eben Emael
2de Division Cavalerie

roll d10 - 1 to 3 arrives on road 3;
C Ops and FUP
Anti-tank Battalion (2 Light Anti-tank stands)
1de Lancers Regt
HQ (command stand)
9de Infantry Regt

HQ (command stand)
1st Battalion ( 3 infantry stands + 1 hvy wpns
stand)
4de Bicycle Regt

HQ (command stand)
1st Battalion (3 bicycle infantry stands)
2nd Battalion (3 bicycle infantry stands)
3rd Battalion (3 bicycle infantry stands)
5de Chasseurs Ardennais Division

roll d10 - 1 to 3 arrives on road 2;
4 to 8 arrives on road 3;
9 or 10 on road 4
C Ops and FUP
2nd Hussars Light tanks (3 light tanks stands)
(light armour, machine gun, fast)
Victory Conditions
The German player must have a C Ops and nine
combat stands, of the 16th Corps, exit the table at
road C or D. Any other result is a Belgium
victory.
4de Jager Regt

HQ (command stand)
1st Battalion ( 3 Infantry stands in trucks)
2nd Battalion ( 3 Infantry stands in trucks)
3rd Battalion ( 3 Infantry stands in trucks)
5de Jager Regt
HQ (command stand)
6de Jager Regt
HQ (command stand)
Great Battles of the World War II
Special Rules
1.
The combat within the walls of Eban
Emael must be handled in an abstract way. The
machine guns were placed in immovable
bunkers. Therefore, the Belgium fortress
machine guns can only fire within a 45o arc of
their front facing (direction of arrow on map)
and cannot pivot. Each machinegun
emplacement fires as a one stand machinegun
company (see weapons chart at back of book).
The artillery positions cannot fire on German
infantry within the walls of the fortress. The
walls of Eban Emael block line-of-sight unless
the firier or target or both are touching the wall.
The wall takes one action to cross by infantry, no
other types of stands may cross the wall.
2.
The main purpose of the Eban Emael
fortress was to dominate the Veldwezelt,
Vroenhofen and Canne bridges and the whole
valley between Maastricht and Leige.
23.
Vol. 3 Invasion 40
However, communication and fire control was
abysmal.
The artillery positions cannot
commence firing until the Belgium player
established contact with the forward observers at
the bridges. He rolls a d10 at the beginning of
each of his turns. If the result is equal or less
than the turn number, contact has been
established. From that turn on he may place one
template for each un-suppressed, un-destroyed
artillery position on Eban Emael.
These
templates can be placed anywhere on the table
without rolling on the barrage delay table. The
120mm gun destroys its target, (including a
bridge) on a roll of 1 or 2. German artillery
fire and air attacks (Stukas) have no effect on the
machinegun positions or the artillery positions of
the fortress Eban Emael.
3.
Each Engineer Group stand of the 7th
Air Engineers acts as an independent battalion
of 1 stand. The principle weapon of the German
engineers was the new hollow-charges. When a
German stand comes into close combat with a
machinegun bunker or artillery position, instead
of conducting a close combat roll a d10 on the
following chart
1 to 4 Belgium position destroyed
5 to 7 Belgium position suppressed
- German stand stays in contact
8 to 9 German stand repulsed - retreat 3
and suppressed
10 German stand destroyed
Engineers may move into destroyed
artillery or machinegun positions. In these cases
the Engineers are considered to be in bunker
cover.
4.
Both Dutch and Belgium Garrison units
had orders to destroy their bridges if they were in
danger of falling into German hands. The Dutch
were successful in blowing the bridges at
Maastricht. The Belgiums were less prepared,
Eben Emael
however, not expecting to be attacked from the
air. Once Germans have entered the board roll a
d10 for every bridge. A Dutch bridge destroyed
if the die roll minus 2 (-2) is equal or less than
the turn number. A Belgium bridge is destroyed
if the die roll plus 1 (+1) is equal or less than the
turn number. Once the Garrison stand has been
pushed from the bridge or destroyed by the
German forces that bridge is safe from
demolition, even if the bridge is re-captured by
the Belgiums. The bridge can still be destroyed
by fire from Eban Emael, however.
5.
All units of the German 7th Air
Engineers and the 1st Parachute Regt are
automatically activated at the beginning of the
game. After the first day (May 10) they must be
activated through Activation Cards
6.
All Belgium field artillery are on-call
for the first day (May 10). Fortress guns are
handled in Special rule #2
7.
The Dutch and Belgium Garrison troops
may not voluntarily leave the bridge or bunker
where they are initially deployed. They do not
have a C Ops or FUP. They do not suffer +10%
from being outside 12 from their C Ops on a
Morale Check. However, they may not rebuild
during the Replacement Phase of the Night Turn.
In addition, Garrison units may not re-deploy
during the Night Turn.
8.
The 51st Engineers may build a
pontoon bridge over the Maas River or the
Albert Canal. While building a bridge the all the
stands of the Engineer Battalion may partake of
no other actions. On the eleventh action taken
building the bridge roll a d10. If a 1 is the
result the bridge is completed. A 1 or 2 is
needed after the twelfth action. A 1, 2 or 3
is needed after the thirteenth action, and so on
24.
Vol. 3 Invasion 40
Eben Emael
25.
Vol. 3 Invasion 40

[German player sets up second and moves
first]
German Briefing
In the future, victory will be won by jumping the
front lines, with whole fleets of aircraft and
attacking the enemy in his own home.
Giulio Douhet
Command of the Air
1921
Supply - Air-assault units = none;
18th Army = average
Friendly edge
- none at the beginning of the game.
- South edge once the 18th Army enters each
table
Activations
- 7th and 22nd Divisions 0 cards to start
(see Special Rule #5) 2 card draw per day
18th Army - 10 cards - 3 card draw per day
Artillery - none
Morale - Para. battalions - Veterans (10)
Panzer Battalions Experienced (9)
SS battalions - Experienced (9)
Infantry battalions - Average (8)
(Stukas) (Average)
7th Division Briefing -- All land anywhere
south of Rotterda. Your mission is to secure the
bridges across the Nieuwe Maas and Oude
Maas. Secure these approaches to Rotterdam
and hold them until relieved by the 18th Army
The Dutch Bridges
7th Airlanding Division

COps and FUP
Historical landing
DZ E
Prager Para. Battalion

(3 SMG stands + command stand) DZ L
Brandis Para. Battalion
(3 SMG stands + command stand)
DZ P
Schultz Para. Battalion
(3 SMG stands + command stand)
DZ E
16th Infantry Regt
HQ (command stand)
Infantry Gun (light gun stand)
1st Battalion
(3 infantry stands)
Seaplanes
2nd Battalion
(3 infantry stands +1 hvy wpns stand)
Waalhaven field
3rd Battalion
(3 infantry stands +1 hvy wpns stand)
Waalhaven field
Deployment
To start the game, the German player
notes the DZ where each of his battalions will
jump and the turn of the jump. The 7th Division
must land on the tables south of Rotterdam.
Reinforcements
During the dawn phase of each turn the
German player rolls a d10 to see if the 18th
Army reaches Moerdijk. On May 10th a roll of
1 will indicate the arrival of the 18th Army.
On May 11th a roll of 1,or 2 indicates the
arrival of the 18th Army. On May 12th a roll of
1,2, 3, 4 or 5 indicates the arrival of
26.
Vol. 3 Invasion 40
the 18th Army. The 18th Army automatically
arrives on May 13th, if it has not done so already
Once the 18th Army has arrived roll a d10 to
determine the turn on which these units will
cross the Moerdik Bridge (road 11). On the first
turn the 9th Panzer Div. Reccon Battalion must
enter the table first. After that the units can enter
in any order the German player wishes.
18th Army Briefing -- all come on at road 11
as reinforcements
Upon penetrating the Grebbe-Peel Line in
eastern Netherlands you are to break away from
the main assault and make for Moerdijk, with all
speed. There, you will link up with elements of
the 7th Division and advance over the bridges
held by them, to occupy Rotterdam.
9th Panzer Division
C Ops and FUP
Recce Battalion (3 stands of motorcycle
infantry)
HQ (command stand)
33rd Pz Battalion- (3 Pz II)
10th PzInf Battalion
(3 infantry stands+ hvy wpns+ Inf.gun,
in trucks)
11th PzInf Battalion
(3 infantry stands+ hvy wpns.+ Inf.gun,
in trucks)
The Dutch Bridges
Verfuegungs SS Divison
C Ops and FUP
Germania SS Motorized Infantry Regt
HQ (command stand)
1st Battalion
(3 infantry stands +1 hvy wpns stand,
in halftracks)
2nd Battalion
in halftracks)
3rd Battalion
in halftracks)
Der Fuhrer SS Motorized Infantry Regt
HQ (command stand)
1st Battalion
in halftracks)
2nd Battalion
in halftracks)
254th Infantry Division

C Ops and FUP
164 Infantry Regt
HQ (command stand)
1st Battalion
in trucks)
2nd Battalion
(3 infantry stands +1hvy wpns stand,
in trucks)
3rd Battalion
in trucks)
27.
Vol. 3 Invasion 40
The Dutch Bridges
28.
Vol. 3 Invasion 40
The Dutch Bridges
Dutch Briefing
There is no such thing as a battle of the
air. There is only a battle of the land. We have
practically no planes ? No matter; we will win
the war without them. The Air Force will not
play, in the next war, the role which certain
military commentators foresee. It will quickly
lose its effectiveness as a result of using up its
material and personnel. It will burn itself out in
a flash
General Gamelin
Head of French Armed Forces
1939
5de Militie Division

C Ops and FUP
Anit-tank company (light gun)
Supply = average
Friendly edge - North edge of Rotterdam maps
Activations - 0 cards to start ;
6 cards draw per day
Artillery - inferior; 4 templates, 12 rounds,
6 replacements
Morale - Royal Guards - Veterans (10)
Karabiniers
- Average (8)
Huzaren battalions - Average (8)
Infantry & Jager - Average (8)
Militie & Garrison - Inferior (7)
Air Support - none FLAK
Both tables -- Light AA
2nd Battalion
(1 infantry stand)
Dutch Forces
1st Garrison Division
Anit-tank company (light gun)
2de Garrison Regt
HQ (command stand)
1st Battalion (1 infantry stand)
Pijnacker
2nd Battalion
(1 infantry stand + hvy wpn stand) Delf
3rd Battalion
(1 infantry stand ) within 12 of Rotterdam
5de Garrison Regt
HQ (command stand)
1st Battalion
(1 infantry stand)
Zwijndrecht
12de Militie Regt

HQ (command stand)
1st Battalion
Zwijndrecht
(3 infantry stand + hvy wpn stand)
15de Militie Regt
HQ (command stand)
1st Battalion
Dordnecht
Moerdiljk
Deployment
The Garrison and Militie battalions
must set up with at least one stand in the
indictcated town or airfield. Garrison units may
not voluntarily leave the town, bunker or airfield.
Reinforcements
The Dutch player should secretly roll
two d10 for each of the following divisions. The
sum of each pair of dice indicates which turn of
the game that division arrives. (Example a roll
of 8 would indicate that the division will arrive
on turn 8 of the first day while a roll of 15
would indicate that the division arrives on turn 5
of the second day.) Once the turn of arrival has
been determined for each division roll a single
d10 for each division to determine the road that
the units will use to enter the gaming tables.
C Ops and FUP
Anti-tank battalion
(2 light gun stands and trucks)
6de Huzaren Regt
(3 Inf Support Tank stands)
(light armour, MG armed, med.speed)
Waalhaven airfield
2nd Battalion
Rotterdam bridge bunker
12de Infanterie Regt

HQ (command stand)
1st Battalion ( 3 infantry stands)
3rd Battalion (1 infantry stand ) Schiedan
29.
Vol. 3 Invasion 40
15de Militie Regt
HQ (command stand)
1st Battalion
Dordnecht
2nd Battalion
Moerdiljk
1st company (1 infantry stand)
Deployment
The Garrison and Militie battalions
must set up with at least one stand in the
indicated town or airfield. Garrison units may
not voluntarily leave the town, bunker or airfield.
Reinforcements
The Dutch player should secretly roll
two d10 for each of the following divisions. The
sum of each pair of dice indicates which turn of
the game that division arrives. (Example a roll
of 8 would indicate that the division will arrive
on turn 8 of the first day while a roll of 15
would indicate that the division arrives on turn 5
of the second day.) Once the turn of arrival has
been determined for each division roll a single
d10 for each division to determine the road that
the units will use to enter the gaming tables.
C Ops and FUP
Anti-tank battalion
(2 light gun stands and trucks)
6de Huzaren Regt
(3 Inf Support Tank stands)
(light armour, MG armed, med.speed)
12de Infanterie Regt
HQ (command stand)
5de Oost-Indiche Regt
HQ (command stand)
1st Battalion ( 3 infantry stands + hvy wpns)

C Ops and FUP
1ste Karabiniers Regt (3 med. tank stands)
(light armour, light gun, med speed)
The Dutch Bridges
7de Infantry Regt

HQ (command stand)
8de Infantry Regt
HQ (command stand)
1st Battalion
( 3 infantry stands + 1 hvy wpns stand)
Light Division
C Ops and FUP
27de Jager Regt
HQ (command stand)
1st Battalion ( 3 bicycle-infantry stands)
2nd Battalion ( 3 bicycle-infantry stands)
3rd Battalion ( 3 bicycle-infantry stands)
Victory Conditions
The German player must have a C Ops
of the 18th Army inside Rotterdam by the end or
the fourth day (May 13th) in order to win. If the
German has control of the Moerdijk, Dordrecht
and Rotterdam bridges but no elements of the
18th Army over the Rotterdam Bridge (historical
result) the game is considered a tactical draw
(Hitler will have to divert air power from other
theatres to subdue the Dutch). Any other result
is considered a Dutch Victory.
Special Rules
1.
The north map is connected to the south
map via the Moerdijk/Rotterdam road, as
indicated by the grey transit arrow. Any unit, of
either side, moving via road off the south-east
corner of the north table is immediately placed
on the north-west corner of the south table or
vise versa. Indeed, units should be able to fire
between tables if the target is in range. NOTE
the compass roses ! To fit the map onto the page
we have rotated the southern map 90o. this
should be taken into account when moving or
firing between tables
30.
Vol. 3 Invasion 40
The Dutch Bridges
2.
The 1st Battalion of the 16th German
Infantry Regt were transported by seaplane.
They can be placed down anywhere on the Oude
Maas or Nieuvre Maas. These planes still must
suffer through the Anti-Aorcraft fire, but do not
suffer from drift and will land exactly where the
German player wishes, without a landing roll.
6.
All units of the German 7th Division
automatically activated at the beginning of the
game. After the first day (May 10) they must be
activated through Activation Cards
3.
The 2nd and 3rd Battalions of the
German16th Infantry Regt, as well as the 47th
German Infantry Regt and the 65th German
Infantry Regt were transported by Junker 52
aircraft and so must land at an airfield.
The German player must secretly note
which airfields each battalion will land at and on
what turn of May 10th. Only one battalion may
attempt to land at each airfield, each turn.
The four airfields were well defended
and, other than the Waalhaven field, were strune
with obstacles. Transports (1 per stand) have to
roll on the Approach Chart, but not the Drift
Chart. If the airfield is still in Dutch hands 2 is
subtracted from the die roll on the Landing
Chart. In addition, each German company that is
destroyed scatters debris on the runway.
Subtract 1 for each German company that is
destroyed at that particular airfield, when rolling
on the Landing Chart.
8.
Units of the 7th Airlanding Division
may only enter Rotterdam as far as the north end
of the bridge over the Nieduwe Maas. Units of
the 9th Panzer Division and all Dutch units may
enter Rotterdam.
7.
All Dutch artillery are on-call for the
first day (May 10)
9.
The Dutch 1st Garrison Div. may not
voluntarily leave the town or bunker where they
are initially deployed. The Dutch 1st Garrison
Div. does not have a C Ops or FUP. They do
not suffer +10% from being outside 12 from
their C Ops on a Morale Check. However, they
may not rebuild during the Replacement Phase
of the Night Turn. In addition, Garrison units
may not redeploy during the Night Turn.
4.
Pragers Para. Battalion had special
training in accuracy jumping. One company
actually dropped into a sports stadium ! After
the landing points of
this battalion are
determined the German player may move it up to
2 in any direction.
5.
Prager Para. Battalion, Brandis Para.
Battalion and Schultz Para. Battalion can be
activated all together for the cost of one
battlegroup (2AP at start of day).
.
31.
Vol. 3 Invasion 40
While Army Group B was invading the

Netherlands and northern Belgium, Army Group
A was making its way through Luxemberg and
the Ardennes Forests.
The French High
Command was well aware of this movement, due
to reports from aerial reconnaissance, agents and
even their own cavalry units that were being
pushed back throughout the forest, but they
remained unconcerned. The Muesse was a
formidable obstacle, the French High Command
considered it impassable without a well prepared
artillery bombardment. The German artillery
would be the last to reach the river, then it would
take a couple of days for the supply trucks to
establish ammunition dumps of sufficient size.
The whole operation would take the better part
of five days, maybe a week. Because of this the
French High Command remained focused on the
actions of German Army Group B, well to the
north.
At midday on May 12, Rommels 7th
Panzer Division emerged from the Ardennes, at
Dinant - half way between Liege and Sudan, on
the Muese River. On the western shore stood a
French force in a certain amount of disarray.
The French had just arrived that morning and
were still in the process of deploying their units.
Some battalions were still in transit. Some of the
fortifications the Belgiums were supposed to
establish were incomplete. Some of the finished
bunkers had been locked and the keys
disappeared with the local town officials.
However, the bridges across the Meusse were
successfully demolished and the French settled
in to wait.
Rommel did not wait for his artillery to
move up, as expecte4d. That night a motorcycle
battalion discovered a abandoned weir over the
river. Immediately, they crossed it and
established a beachhead of a few yards on the far
. Great Battles of World War II
Army Group B
shore. On the morning of the 13th, the 6th

Rifle Regiment forced a crossing at Bouvignes
using rubber boats. By noon the bridge head was
two miles deep by three miles wide and
Rommels artillery support was starting to
appear. The French had planned a number of
counter-attacks to push the Germans off the west
bank, but every one had been cancelled due to
insufficient troops, unreliable equipment or poor
communication.
A cable ferry was made to work and
shuttled German anti-tank guns to the western
shore. By the morning of the 14th a 16-ton
pontoon ridge was completed and tanks and
armoured cars were rolling across the river. All
through the 14th Rommel marshalled his tanks
and drove them west . To the west the French
had been gathering a large strike force at the rail
head in Philippevile. They had started their
advance on the night of the 14th. On the
morning of the 15th Rommel caught the French
1st Armoured division refueling (meant to
support infantry attacks, French tanks had
notoriously small gas tanks). Both the 5th
Panzer and the 7th Panzer Div. attacked, down
two parallel roads. With no infantry support,
artillery support, air support and low on fuel the
French tanks were mauled. By evening only 17
French tanks remained out of a force of 175, and
they were in retreat. Rommel gathered his forces
and pushed on to the tank country further west.
Guderians 1st, 2nd and 10th Panzer
Division entered Sudan to find that it was
surprisingly empty.
The garrison regiment
ordered to hold Sedan at all costs seemed to
have fled within the crowds of refugees. On the
south bank of the Meuse the French 55th
Infantry Division and the 71st Division awaited
the German attack. Both French divisions were
B-class units equipped with only one-quarter of
anti-tank guns. However, reinforcements were .
32.
Vol. 3 Invasion 40
on there way and the German attack could not
start before the artillery was brought up. But
Guderian did not intend on using artillery.
Instead, he had a fleet of 1500 Stuka divebombers. These swooped through the river
valley suppressing French artillery, disrupting
French reinforcements and demoralizing the
French 55th Infantry Division, in their bunkers.
After five hours of bombardment the Germans
assaulted the river in rubber boats; the 1st Panzer
Div in the center, the 10th Panzer Div. to the east
and the 2nd Panzer Div. to the west. The 1st
Panzer Div. did well, getting most of its men
across, the other two did not. Each had only a
handful of men on the southern shore, without
heavy weapons, anti-tank guns or artillery
support.
Then the French 55th started to
dissolve. At 1800 hours French artillery units
started to report the presents of German tanks.
Head Quarter units then began to withdraw.
The Infantry at the front soon found the rear
echelons disappearing and joined the retreat.
The French 55th Division melted away from in
front of the German infantry. Guderian still had
no tanks or heavy equipment of any kind, across
the Meuse. On the night of the the 13th/14th the
German engineers finished a pontoon bridge and
Army Group B
tanks were starting to roll across the river. At
0700 hours, of May 14th, the French mounted a
counterattack to push the Germans back across
the river and plug the hole in the line. The attack
proceeded in two parallel columns, each with
one infantry battalion and one tank battalion.
They ran straight into the 1st Panzer Division
tanks. With no artillery support, or air support
the French were driven back by 0900 hours.
The French 3rd Armour Division was
also ordered up for a counterattack. However, it
was also ordered to move only at night, so as to
avoid German reconnaissance and bombers.
They did not reach their starting line until dawn
of the 14th and then they were out of gas and the
attack had to be postponed. Guderian had an
important decision to make, on May 15th. He
could order his panzers west, as the Fall Gelb
plan called for, but that would expose his left
flank to any French counterattack that might
materialize, or he could consolidate his gains and
dig-in at the Mont Dieu Woods to await the
inevitable French counterattack. He left The
10th Panzer Divison and the Grossdeutschland
Regiment to guard his flank at Stonne and
wheeled the 1st and 2nd Panzer Divisions west
and across the Bar river and Ardennes Canal.
33.
. Vol. 3 Invasion 40

German Briefing
North of Namur we are now confronted
with a complete buildup of some 24 British an
French divisions and about 15 Belgian division
all together.
If necessary, [they] can be
reinforced from the Eighteenth Army (in
Holland). Should the enemy attack we are
strong enough to handle it.
South of the Namur we are faced with a
weaker enemy, about half our strength. The
outcome of the attack on the Meuse will decide
if, when, and where we will be able to exploit
this superiority. The enemy has no substantial
moble forces in the rear of this front.
German General Halder
May 13, 1940
Supply
Friendly edge
Activations
Artillery
Morale
- Superior
- East
- 80
- 10 templates, 15 rounds;
5 replacements per day.
- Experienced (9)
Air support - May 13th - none

May 14th - 1d6 Stuka attacks (rocket attacks)
May 15th - 1d10 Stuka attacks(rocket attacks)
5th Panzer Division
COps and FUP
Motorcycle Recon Battalion
(3 motorcycle/ armoured car stands)
Dinant
Engineers (engineer stand)

Anti Tank Battalion
(3 medium gun stands towed by trucks)
15th Panzer Regt
HQ (command stand)
1st Battalion (2 Pz II stands, 1 Pz III stand)
2nd Battalion (2 Pz II stands, 1 Pz IV stand)
31st Panzer Regt
HQ (command stand)
1st Battalion (3 armoured car stands)
13th Motorized Infantry Regt
HQ (command stand)
Infantry gun company (light gun stand)
1st Battalion
(3 infantry stands + 1 hvy wpns in trucks)
2nd Battalion
HQ (command stand)
1st Battalion
(3 infantry stands + 1 hvy wpns. in trucks)
2nd Battalion
7th Panzer Division
COps and FUP
Anti Tank Battalion
34.
Vol. 3 Invasion 40
25th Panzer Regt
HQ (command stand)
1st Battalion (2 Pz II stands, 1 Pz III stands)
2nd Battalion (2 Pz II stands, 1 Pz IV stands)
HQ (command stand)
1st Battalion
2nd Battalion
(3 infantry stands +1 hvy wpns in trucks)
HQ (command stand)
1st Battalion
(3 motorcycle infantry stands + 1 hvy wpns.)
2nd Battalion
Deployment
The German player deploys his troops
anywhere on the east side of the River Muese, to
start the game.
Reinforcements - none
French Briefing
There can be no doubt that our
defensive maneuver in Belgium and Holland will
have to be conducted with the thought that we
must not be drawn into engaging in this theater,
in face of a German move which might be
merely a diversion, the major part of our
available forces. If, for example, the main enemy
attack came in our center on our front between
the Meuse and the Moselle, we could be deprived
of the necessary means to repel it.
French General Georges
Dec. 5, 1939
Supply
- Poor
Friendly edge - West, South and North
Activations
- 10
Artillery
- see special rule #4
Morale - 1st Armour Division,
- Average
5th Motor Division
- Average
Dinant
Belgian Chasseurs Ardennois - Inferior.
1st Cavalry Division,
- Inferior
4th North African Division - Inferior
18th Division - see special rule #2
Air Support - none
French Forces
C Ops and FUP
attached artillery (5 field gun stands)
66th Reserve Infantry Regt
HQ (command stand)
1st Battalion (3 infantry stands)
2nd Battalion (3 infantry stands)
3rd Battalion (3 infantry stands)
HQ (command stand)
HQ (command stand)
89th Infantry Regt
HQ (command stand)
5th Motorized Infantry Division

C Ops and FUP
HQ (command stand)
35.
Vol. 3 Invasion 40
Belgian Chasseurs Ardennes
C Ops and FUP
Brigade HQ (command stand)
Anti-tank company (1 light gun stand)
22nd Infantry Division

HQ (command stand)
Deployment
Deploy the 5th Motorized Division
anywhere west of the Meuse River and north of
the Molignee Stream. Deploy the18th Division
anywhere west of the Meuse River and north of
the Hermeton Stream. Deploy the 22nd Division
anywhere west of the Muese River and south of
the Hermeton Stream. The Belgian units may
set up anywhere west of the Meuse River.
Artillery units must be deployed as noted on the
map. See Also Special rule #2
Dinant
May13 May14 May15
4th North African Div
1st Cav. Div. Cops
1st Cavalry Div.
87th Inf. Regt HQ
87th Inf. Regt
1-2
1
1
1
1
1-3
1- 2
1- 2
1- 2
1- 2
ENTERANCE CHART
After the time of the reinforcement has been
determined roll a d10 on the following chart to
determine where the unit will enter. Units must
enter within 6 of the states road site. C Ops
must enter via road, of course. Note: that most
divisions will arrive at the same time and
location, except the 5th Motor. Div. which could
enter piecemeal and spread across a wide front.
5th Motor. Divi.

1st Armour Div.
4th N. Africa Div.
1st Cavalry Div.
87 Infantry Div.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
AAAB BBBBCC
CCCD DEFGH I
C D E F F FG H H I
B C DD E F G H H I
DD EFF FGHHH
Reinforcements
At the beginning of each days play the
French player must determine if he gets any
reinforcements on that day. Roll a d10 on the
following chart to see if each battalion or
Division arrives. If the die roll falls between the
values indicated for that day the listed troops
arrive. Another roll of a d10 will indicate the
turn the unit(s) arrives
5th Motorized Division

C Ops and FUP
Regt HQ (command stand)
1st Battalion (3 Infantry stands
+ H-35 tank stand)
2nd Battalion
(2 infantry stands in trucks + H-35 stand;
3 artillery templates 9 rounds)
REINFORCEMNT CHART.
May13 May14 May15
5th Motorized Division
1st Bn/ 39th
1-7
1-8 1-9
2nd Bn/ 39th
1-2
1-7 1-2
3rd Bn/39th
1-5
1-7 1-9
14th Drag
1
1-3 1-5
5th C Ops
1
1-3 1-5
15th Drag
1-2 1-3
1st Arm Div. C Ops
1
1-5 1-8
1st Armour Division
1
1-5 1-8
4th N.African C Ops
1-2 1-3
14th Regt of Dragoons

(3 infantry stands, in trucks
+ H-35 tank stand)
15th Regt of Dragoons

(3 infantry stands, in trucks
+ H-35 tank stand)
1st Armoured Division
C Ops and FUP
Recon Battalion (3 Armoured car stands)
Anti-tank Battalion (3 light gun stands)
36.
Vol. 3 Invasion 40
1st Demi-brigade
HQ (command stand)
25th Tank Regt (three H-39 tank stands)
26th Tank Regt (three B-1 tank stands)
2nd Demi-brigade
HQ (command stand)
28th Tank Regt (three H-39 tank stands)
37th Tank Regt (three B-1 tank stands)
4th North African Division
C Ops and FUP
Anti-tank battalion ( 3 light gun stands)
Machine gun regiment (3 Hvy Wpns stands)
13th Colonial Infantry Regt
1st DLC {Cavalry Division}
C Ops and FUP
Recon Battaion (2 Armoured cars)
1st Demi-Brigade
HQ (command stand)
1st Battalion (three S35 tank stands)
2nd Battalion (three H35 tank stands)
Heavy Weapons company (1 hvy wpns stand)
Dinant
Victory Conditions
The German player must exit a C Ops
off the western edge of the table by the end of
May 15th. If the German fails to achieve this
objective the game is considered a French
victory.
Special Rules
1.
Many times the French General Corap
planned counter attacks and each time the attacks
were stymied because refugees were blocking
the main axis of advance. Until the road is
cleared it is considered bad going for all units,
for both sides. To clear a road a C Ops has to
spend two actions, stationary, on the road. The
road is then cleared as far as the next town in all
directions. German Stukas may attack the road,
itself, even if there are no French units on the
road. Any successful air attack on the road (a
roll of 1 through 8) will cause the road to be
full of refugees again, and useless to all units.
An attack targeted on a French unit will have no
effect on the road, even if the French unit is on
the road - to cause refugees the attack must be on
the road itself.
2.
18th Division had been in place for only
a matter of hours and so was unfamiliar with the
terrain. The fortifications that the Belgians had
promised were incomplete and in some cases the
keys to the doors could not be found.
Nevertheless, they were an A division was
expected to do heavy fighting.
The 18th
Division starts the game with a morale of
Experienced(9).
However, every time a
battalion fails a Morale Check (retreat 3 and deactivate) the whole divisions morale drops by
one grade. When morale drops to below Raw,
battalions cannot recover replacements at the end
of the day and any unit that suffers a Morale
failure is removed from the table permanently.
They still roll for actions as Raw.
On the 12th of May, the 18th Division
arrived at the front and found that the fortified
line - wasnt. In addition, no arrangements had
been made for accommodation, since it was
expected that the Division would have a number
of days, even weeks, before the Germans came
into contact
37.
Vol. 3 Invasion 40
As a result only about 2/3 of the Division were
even deployed on the morning of the 13th, when
Rommel attacked. Before turn one on May 13th,
the French player rolls a d10 for every Battalion
in the 18th Division. On a roll of 8 thru 10
the battalion is removed from its position and
placed on the road between Philippeville and
Anthee or on the road between Philippville and
Mettet - French players choice.
3.
The fortified line on the west bank of
the River Meuse was in various states of
disrepair. Some were old World War One
casemates, which had been allowed to deteriorate
over the years. Others were merely the holes dug
for the foundations, with no cement having been
placed yet. Many of the completed pillboxes
were knocked and the keys to open them had fled
with the mayors of the local towns. The first
time each bunker is attacked by air, artillery, or
ground attack roll a d10 to see what sort of cover
the bunker really affords the troops within.
1-3 none cover
4-7 soft cover
8-9 hard cover
10 bunker
4.
The French artillery starts the game
with 6 templates, 6 rounds and 6 replacements
per day (1 each for every artillery position on the
board). These artillery units cannot move during
the game. Whenever an artillery position is
taken by the Germans the French player loses 1
template, 1 round and 1 replacement permanently. All the artillery is under the
command of the 18th Division and so its morale
will drop along with the other units of the 18th.
5.
The Belgians had blown all the bridges
over the Meuse River (sometimes with their
French friends still on the wrong side).
However, the 18th division had not been in
position long enough (merely a matter of hours
after marching 2 days from France) to
reconnoiter the area and cover all the crossing
places. As a result the Meuse river is
considered unfordable to vehicles. German
infantry troops may check for fords, however.
When at the river bank each battalion may spend
one action and roll a d10 if the result is 1,2
or 3 a ford has been discovered and infantry
Dinant
(only ) may cross the river as if in bad going. If
the result is 4 or more the water is found to be
too deep and infantry cannot cross without boats.
Whatever the result 6 on either side of the
center-front of the searching unit is considered to
have been reconnoitered and cannot be rolled for
over the rest of the game.
Elsewhere, the German infantry used
rubber boats to assault across the river. While in
the boats the infantry moves as usual (the river
should be a bit wider than 3) ,however, any
suppressions become automatic kills when the
unit is on the water.
6.
The German Engineers stands may
build pontoon bridges between banks
of the Meuse River held by friendly forces. The
Engineer stands must spend 10 actions stationary
one the bank of the river. On the 11th action the
German player rolls a d10. If the result is 1
the bridge is complete. Roll a die for every
action spent thereafter at that spot. Subtract 1
from the die roll for every extra action spent at
that spot. Example; 1 or 2 would be needed
on the 12th action; 1,2 or 3 on the 13th
action and so on. All German stands are capable
of crossing this bridge. An Engineer stand can
only complete one bridge per game.
Hints for using smaller tables
Few of us are blessed with a 8 by 15
tables. In a convention setting, of course the
whole campaign can be played over two 8 by 5
tables. Units can move, even fire freely through
board edges into other tables.
Another technique would be to use a 8
by 10 piece of butchers paper. As the game
progresses south the paper can be pulled over the
table,
conveyer-belt
style.
French
reinforcements can be kept track of on a scratch
map of the battlefield and deployed when that
section of paper is rolled onto the table.
Finally, it is possible to play the
scenario as a mini-campaign of two separate
battles. Start with the initial deployments and
use the east 8by 5 table. When the first
German C Ops exits the west edge of the table
end the game. Then move on to the west 5 by
8 table using the surviving German troops, any
French troops which withdrew to the table, from
the east, and any reinforcements that arrived on
the night of May 13/14.
.
38.
Vol. 3 Invasion 40
Dinant
39.
Vol. 3 Invasion 40
Sedan

German Briefing
The decisive effort of the Battle of the West will
be made by the Kleist Armoured Group, whose
mission is to force the Meuse between
Montherme and Sedan, inclusive. Most of the
German air force will be engaged uninterrupted
over a period of eight hours. It will destroy the
French defenses on the Meuse. Thereafter, the
Kleist Group will cross the river and establish
bridgeheads
Orders issued to General von Kleist
and General Guderian
for May 13th, 1940
Supply
- Superior
Friendly edge
- North
Activations
- 120
Artillery - 3 templates, 6 rounds;\
0 replacements per day.
Morale
Grossdeutschland Regt
- Veterian (10)
Panzer and Infantry battalions - Experienced (9)
(Stukas) (Average)
1st Panzer Division

COps and FUP
motorcycle recon battalion
(3 motorcycle/armoured car stands)
Anti Tank Battalion
(3 medium gun stands towed by horse)
1st Panzer Regt
HQ (command stand)
2nd Panzer Regt

HQ (command stand)
1st Motorized Infantry Regt
HQ (command stand)
1st Battalion
2nd Battalion
2nd Panzer Division

COps and FUP
Anti Tank Battalion
3rd Panzer Regt

HQ (command stand)
4th Panzer Regt
HQ (command stand)
2nd Motorized Infantry Regt
HQ (command stand)
1st Battalion
40.
Vol. 3 Invasion 40
2nd Battalion (3 infantry stands + 1 hvy wpns. in
trucks)
2nd Panzer Division
COps and FUP
Anti Tank Battalion
3rd Panzer Regt

HQ (command stand)
4th Panzer Regt
HQ (command stand)
2nd Motorized Infantry Regt
HQ (command stand)
1st Battalion
2nd Battalion
3rd Battalion
10th Panzer Division
COps and FUP
Anti Tank Battalion
Grossdeutschland Regt
HQ (command stand)
1st Battalion
(3 infantry stands + hwy wpns in trucks)
2nd Battalion
(3 infantry stands + hwy wpns. in trucks)
3rd Battalion
(3 infantry stands + hwy wpns in trucks)
7th Panzer Regt
Battles of World War II
Sedan
HQ (command stand)
8th Panzer Regt
HQ (command stand)
HQ (command stand)
1st Battalion
HQ (command stand)
1st Battalion
2nd Battalion
Deployment
The German player deploys his troops anywhere
on the north side of the River Meuse, to start the
game.
Reinforcements - The German artillery arrives
on the night of May 14-15. Until the first turn of
May 15, then the German player may only use
the artillery forces listed on the initial forces.
From May 15th on, the German may use 10
templates, 5 replacements per day.
French Briefing
What can the enemy do on the 13th ? The enemy
can bring up his infantry and tanks to the river...
But he cannot bring up his artillery, ammunition,
and suitable equipment without a great deal of
trouble and then only in driblets because of our
artillery fire on him... Moreover, the tanks face
an obstacle (the Meuse) unless the infantry
opens the way for them and for this they must
have a long preparatory fire to achieve breaches
in our line of fire. Who will make this breach ?
The artillery ? That does not seem possible.
French General Grandsard
May 12th, 1940
41.
Vol. 3 Invasion 40
Supply = Poor
Friendly edge - West, South and East
Activations - 10
Artillery - see special rule #7
Morale
3rd Armour Division
- Average
3rd Mech Division
- Average
5th Cavalry
- Average
Lafountain Force - Average
102nd Fortress Divsion - Inferior.
71st Division & Cavalry/10Corps- Raw
55th Division - see special rule #5
Air Support - none
French Forces
102nd Fortress Division
185th Fortress Regt
1st Battalion (1 Machine gun stand)
2nd Battalion (1 Machine gun stand)
3rd Battalion (1 Machine gun stand)
186th Fortress Regt
1st Battalion (1 Machine gun stand)
2nd Battalion (1 Machine gun stand)
3rd Battalion (1 Machine gun stand)
C Ops and FUP
attached artillery (12 field gun stands)- see
special rule # 7
Sedan
71st Infantry Division
attached artillery (6 field gun stands)
HQ (command stand)
Deployment
The 186th Fortress Regt must deploy anywhere
in Sedan. The 185th Fortress Regt must deploy
anywhere south of the Meuse River and West of
the Bar Stream. The 71st Division must deploy
anywhere South of the Meuse River and within 3
feet of the eastern table edge. The 55th Division
must deploy anywhere south of the Meuse River
and between the Bar stream and Ennemane
stream. Artillery must be deployed as noted on
the game map.See Also Special rule #5
Reinforcements
The French player should secretly roll two d10
for each of the following divisions, during every
night phase.
201st Reserve Infantry Regt

HQ (command stand)
202nd Reserve Infantry Regt
HQ (command stand)
189th Reserve (Paris) Infantry Regt
HQ (command stand)
Battles of World War II
42.
Vol. 3 Invasion 40
On the night of 13/14 the division arrives on a
roll of 1 or 2
roll of 1 through 5
roll of 1 through 8 . When a division arrives
roll a d10 to determine where the division enters
the table. If that enter point is held by German
troops the French reinforcements may not enter
at that time, but may still roll on the next night
phase.
1 or 2 Divsion arrives at point A
3 to 5 Divsion arrives at point B
6 to 9 Divsion arrives at point C
10
Divsion arrives at point D
Lafontaine Force
C Ops and FUP
East Force
HQ (command stand)
4th Tank Battalion - (3 H-39 stands)
205th Infantgry Regt(3 infantry stands + hvy wpns stand in trucks)
West Force
HQ (command stand)
7th Tank Battalion - (3 H-39 stands)
213th Infantry Regt
(3 infantry stands + hvy wpns stand in trucks)
3rd Armour Division

C Ops and FUP
Recon batalion (3 motorcycle/cavalry stands)
Anit Tank battalion (3 med guns in trucks)
41st DCR Regt
HQ (command stand)
1st Battalion (3 B1 stands)
2nd Battalion (3 B1 stands)
3rd Battalion (3 B1 stands)
42nd DCR Regt
HQ (command stand)
1st Battalion (3 H-35 stands)
2nd Battalion (3 H-39 stands)
3rd Battalion (3 H-39 stands)
Sedan
45th DCR Regt

HQ (command stand)
1st Battalion(3 H-39 stands)
2nd Battalion (3 H-39 stands)
3rd Battalion (3 H-39 stands)
49th DCR Regt
HQ (command stand)
2nd Battalion (3 B1 stands)
3rd Battalion (3 B1 stands)
3rd Mechanized Division

C Ops and FUP
6th GRDI Recon Battalion
(3 Armoured Car stands)
(Machinegun, light armour, fast)
16th BCP Infantry Regt
1st Battalion (3 infantry stands + hvy wpns
+3 light guns stands in trucks)
Anti-tank battalion Battalion ( 3 light gun stands)
1st Battalion
(3 infantry stands + hvy wpns in trucks)
2nd Battalion
3rd Battalion
Anti-tank battalion Battalion ( 3 light gun stands)
1st Battalion
2nd Battalion
3rd Battalion
43.
Vol. 3 Invasion 40
Sedan
Cavalry Division of X Corps

C Ops and FUP
unit is on the road - to cause refugees the attack

must be on the road itself.
Force HQ (command stand)

5th DLC Light Armour Regt (5 H-35 stands)
21st Cavalry Brigade ( 4 AMR stands)
2. The 102nd Fortress Division and 71st

Division have no C Ops or FUPs listed in the
scenario Orders of Battle. The COps for both
these divisions were some miles to the west and
east, respectively. This means that units from
these divisions will always roll for replacements
under the Outside of 12 from C Ops column,
+10% for being Outside of 12 from COps
during morale and if they are withdrawn to the
COps in the night phase, they are removed from
the table entirely.
Spahi Infantry Brigade

1st Battalion (3 infantry stands + hvy wpns)
5th Cavalry Division
C Ops and Fup
Anti-tank Battalion (3 light guns)
6th DLC Light Armour Brigade
11th DLC Battalion (3 H-35 stands)
12th DLC Battalion ( 4 AMR stands)
7th DLC Light Armour Brigade
13th DLC Battalion (3 H-35 stands)
14th DLC Battalion ( 4 AMR stands)
Victory Conditions
The German player must have a two C Ops
exited from the south or west edges of the board
plus he must be able to draw a line of friendly
roads to the towns of Stonne and Omicourt. If
the German fails to achieve this objective the
game is considered a French victory.
Special Rules
1. Three times the French General Grandsard
planned counter attacks and each time the attacks
were stymied because refugees were blocking
the main axis of advance. Until the French clear
a road it is considered bad going for all French
units. To clear a road a C Ops has to spend
three actions stationary on the road. The road is
then cleared as far as the next town in all
directions. German Stukas may attack the road,
itself, even if there are no French units on the
road. Any successful air attack on the road (a
roll of 1 through 8) will cause the road to be
full of refugees again, and useless to the French
units. An attack targeted on a French unit will
have no effect on the road, even if the French
3. The 186th Fortress Regt was deployed in

Sedan roll before the battle, but seems to
evaporated before the Germans approached the
two, probably carried away with the tide of
refugees. Just before turn 1 of May 13th roll a
d10 for each stand in the 186th Fortress Regt.
On a roll of 1,2 or 3 the stand remains.
On a higher roll remove the stand from the table.
Add 1 to the die roll for every stand that has
deserted so far.
4. 55th Division had been in place for some
months and so was very familiar with the terrain.
However, they were also a Reserve B division
that was not expected to do any heavy fighting.
The 55th Division starts the game with a morale
of Experienced (9). However, every time a
battalion fails a Morale Check (retreat 3 and deactivate) the whole divisions morale drops by
one grade. When morale drops to below Raw,
battalions cannot recover replacements at the end
of the day and any unit that suffers a Morale
failure is removed from the table permanently.
They still roll for actions as Raw.
On the 12th of May, the 71st Division
arrived at the front and was pushed into the line
just to the east of the 55th Division. The 55th had
to shift to their left (west to make room for the
71st). Many were not in their positions when the
German attack came on the 13th. Before turn
one on May 13th, the French player rolls a d10
for every Battalion in the 55th Division. On a
roll of 8,9 or 10 the battalion is removed
from its position and placed in the center of the
Marfee woods.
44.
Vol. 3 Invasion 40
5. The fortified line on the south bank of the
River Muese was in various states of disrepair.
Some were old World War One casemates,
which had been allowed to deteriate over the
years. Others were merely the holes dug for the
foundations, with no cement having been placed
yet. The first time each bunker is attacked by
air, artillery, or ground attack roll a d10 to see
what sort of cover the bunker really
affords the troops within.
1-3 none cover
4-7 soft cover
8-9 hard cover
10 bunker
6. The French artillery starts the game with 9
templates, 9 rounds and 9 replacements per day
(1 each for every artillery position on the
board). These artillery units cannot move during
the game. Whenever an artillery position is
taken by the Germans the French player loses 1
template, 1 round and 1 replacement permanently. All the artillery is under the
command of the 55th Division and so its morale
will drop along with the other units of the 55th.
7. The French had blown all the bridges across
the Meuse River on the night of May 12/13. The
Meuse River is therefore unfordable to vehicles
along its entire length. The German infantry
used rubber boats to assault across the river.
While in the boats the infantry moves as usual
(the river shouold be a bit wider than 3),
however, any suppressions become automatic
kills when the unit is on the water.
Sedan
12th action; 1, 2 or 3 on the 13th action
and so on. All German stands are capable of
crossing this bridge. An Engineer stand can only
complete one bridge per game.
Hints for using smaller tables
Few of us are blessed with a 8 by 15
tables. In a convention setting, of course the
whole campaign can be played over three 8 by
5 tables. Units can move, even fire freely
through board edges into other tables.
Another technique would be to use a 8
by 15 piece of butchers paper. As the game
progresses south the paper can be pulled over the
table,
conveyer-belt
style.
French
reinforcements can be kept track of on a scratch
map of the battle field and deployed when that
section of paper is rolled onto the table.
Finally, it is possible to play the
scenario as a mini-campaign of three separate
battles. Start with the initial deployments and
use the north 8by 5 table. When the first
German C Ops exits the south edge of the table
end the game. Then move on to the center 5 by
8 table using the surviving German troops, any
French troops which withdrew to the table, from
the north and any reinforcements that arrived on
the night of May 13/14. When the first German
C Ops exits the south edge of the table end the
game. Finally, play the southern most-table with
any German units which moved onto this table,
any French units which withdrew to this table
and any remaining reinforcements
8. The German Engineers stands may build

pontoon bridges between banks of the Meuse
River held by friendly forces. The Engineer
stands must spend 10 actions stationary one the
bank of the river. On the 11th action the German
player rolls a d10. If the result is 1 the bridge
is complete. Roll a die for every action spent
thereafter at that spot. Subtract 1 from the die
roll for every extra action spent at that spot.
Example; 1 or 2 would be needed on the
45.
46.
Vol. 3 Invasion 40
For you who have so long held the

ideas which the enemy is putting into practice,
here is the chance to act with these words
General George promoted Col. C. de Gaulle to
commander of the 4th Armoured Division. The
4th Armour had yet to be assigned personnel or
even equipment, but de Gaulle was expected to
stem the German advance westward.
At this point the leading edge of the
German bulge was 100 miles west of the Meuse,
but it was still no more than 20 to 30 miles wide
and its whole southern flank was unprotected.
By May 17th, de Gaulle was ready to move. He
struck toward Montecornet, across the supply
lines of the 10th and 2nd Panzer Divisions. The
small force established itself on high ground but
without infantry or artillery reinforcements and
with no anti-aircraft guns it soon came under
sever artillery bombardment and Stuka divebomber attacks. He had to withdraw before
nightfall.
Two days later, on the 19th, he tried
again at Crecy-sur-Serre. Again, the French
tanks made good progress only to be turned back
by German artillery and Stukas
The British were also planning to stop
the Panzer advance, by cutting their supply
routes. A British tank attack was to hit the
Germans around Arras while a French force was
to strike north from Albert. The French were
unable to assemble an attack force in time, so the
British set off without them, on May 21st. Two
columns, each with one tank battalion and one
infantry battalion decanted the southern slopes of
Vimy Ridge, to the west of Arras and then cut
around the south of the city. They caught
Rommels 7th Panzer division in marching
Allied Counter-Attacks
columns. Rommel had sent the 25th Panzer

Regiment ahead and the British 4th and 7th
Royal Tank Regiments plowed right into the two
German Motorized Infantry Regiments. The
British Malitda Is destroyed trucks, halftracks
and guns. None of the German anti-tank guns
were able to penetrate the 60mm of armour on
the Matilda. The German 6th and 7th Rifle
regiments were wavering and about to break
when Rommel set up a last ditch line of 88mm
anti-aircraft guns, to be used in an anti-tank role.
These halted the British just before dusk.
That night with the 25th Panzer
Regiment returning from the west and the 5th
Panzer Division advancing from the east, the
British forces were forced to withdraw, once
again towards Vimy Ridge. The British now
began to plan not for stopping the Germans, but
on how to evacuate the British Expeditionary
Force from the continent. The battle of Arras
also had a telling effect on the German High
Command. They became even more concerned
over their extended and vulnerable position. The
next day, May 22nd, the German advance was
ordered to halt, until more support could be
brought forward. On May 24th Hitler himself
ordered a halt to the western advance until the
battle in the north had been won. These two
precautions allowed the British time to organize
a evacuation and to secure a defensive perimeter
around the port of Dunkirk.
By June 4th, 336,000 troops had been
lifted off the beaches of Dunkirk, at the cost of
their heavy weapons and transports. Hitler was
to have his conquest of Paris, but not the
destruction of the BEF.
47.
Vol. 3 Invasion40
Game Length; 1 Days (May 19th 1940)

[German player sets up first and moves first]
German Briefing
The long line on the south flank is too thin.
An attack by the enemy begs itself, especially in
the region of Laon. Even a local success of the
enemy there threatens the progress of the
operation by days, and may jeopardize it
completely
- General von Rundstedt
Army Group A War Diary
May 16th, 1940
Supply - not needed, due to a 1 day scenario
Friendly edge - East
Activations - na
Artillery - none
Morale - Average (8)
Air support - See mission forces
Infantry Battalion
(3 infantry stands in half-tracks)
2.
Objectives - Escort a convoy of 3 supply

wagons
off the west edge of the table via friendly -owned
road
Forces
C Ops
Kamphgroupen
HQ (command stand)
2 Armoured Cars (recon stands)
Infantry Battalion
Panzer Battalion (3 Pz II stands+HQ)
5 supply wagons (horse drawn)
3.
Objectives - Hold the cross roads marked
A1 at the end of turn 10
German Mission and Forces

Roll a d6 to determine the victory conditions and
German forces for the scenario
1 . Objectives - Identify the terrain in grid

sections A2, A3, and B3 and then exit half or
more of your forces off the east edge of the table.
Forces
C Ops
Kamphgroupen
HQ (command stand)
Forces
C Ops
Kamphgroupen
HQ (command stand)
Infantry Battalion (3 infantry stands in halftracks)
Motorized Infantry Regt
HQ (command stand)
1 Infantry Gun ( light gun stand)
1st Battalion of Infantry
Panzer Battalion (2 Pz I stands+HQ)
3 Stuka attacks (all on-call) (Average)
48.
Vol. 3 Invasion40
4. Objectives - Hold the cross roads marked
A1 and B2 at the end of turn 10
2nd Panzer Battalion (3 Pz II stands +HQ)
Forces
C Ops
Kamphgroupen
HQ (command stand)
Infantry Battalion
3rd Panzer Battalion (1 Pz III stands +HQ)

HQ (command stand)
Infantry Gun (1 light gun stand)
Anti-tank Guns (2 Medium gun stands)
2nd Battalion of Infantry
3rd Battalion of Infantry
Forces
C Ops
Kamphgroupen
HQ (command stand)
Infantry Battalion
HQ (command stand)
(3 infantry stands + 1 hvy wpns stand)
Panzer Battalion (3 Pz I stands +HQ)

5 Stuka attacks (all on-call)(Average)
5. Objectives - Prevent the enemy from

achieving his objective
6. Objectives - Hold the cross roads marked

A1 ,B2 and C3 at the end of turn 10
1st Panzer Battalion (3 Pz I stands +HQ)

Forces
C Ops
Kamphgroupen
HQ (command stand)
Infantry Battalion
HQ (command stand)
1st Panzer Battalion (3 Pz I stands +HQ)
2nd Panzer Battalion (3 Pz II stands +HQ)

3rd Panzer Battalion 1 Pz III stands +HQ)
Deployment
All German forces start on the East edge of the
map, in the indicated area.
French Briefing
For you, who have so long held the ideas
which the enemy is putting into practice, here is
the chance to act
- General George upon promoting
de Gaulle to commander of
the 4th Armour Division (DCR)
49.
Vol. 3 Invasion40
Supply - not needed, due to a 1 day scenario
Friendly edge
- South
Activations
- na
Artillery
- see mission forces
Morale
- Average (8)
HQ (command stand)
(3 infantry stands+ hvy wpns stand in buses)
Armour (DCR) Battalion (2 H35 stands+HQ)
Air support - none

French Mission and Forces
3 artillery templates; 6 rounds

(all on-call) (Average)
Roll a d6 to determine the victory conditions and

French forces for the scenario
4.
1 . Objectives - Identify the terrain in grid

sections A1, B1, and B2 and then exit half or
more of your forces off the south edge of the
table.
Forces
C Ops
Battle Group
HQ (command stand)
Infantry Battalion (3 infantry stands in trucks)
2.
Objectives - Escort a convoy of 3 supply

wagons of he north edge of the table via
friendlyowned road
Forces
C Ops
Battle Group
HQ (command stand)
Armour (DCR) Battalion (3 H39 stands+HQ)
5 supply wagons (horse drawn)
Forces
C Ops
Battle Group
HQ (command stand)
HQ (command stand)
Machine Gun Battalion (1 machine gun stand)
Heavy weapons company (2 heavy weapons
stands)
(3 infantry stands in buses)
Armour (DCR) Battalion (3 H35 stands +HQ)
5 artillery templates; 10 rounds
5.
3.

A1 at the end of turn 10
Forces
C Ops
Battle Group
HQ (command stand)

A1 and B2 at the end of turn 10
Objectives - Prevent the enemy from

achieving his objective
Forces
C Ops
Battle Group
HQ (command stand)
50.
Vol. 3 Invasion40
HQ (command stand)
Machine Gun battalion ( 1 machine gun stand)
Heavy weapons company (2 hvy wpns stands)
1st DCR Regt
HQ stand (command stand)
2nd Battalion (2 H39 stands)
2nd DCR Regt
3rd DCR Regt
1st Battalion (2 R35 stands)
2nd Battalion (2 R35 stands)
10 Artillery templates; 20 rounds
6.
Objectives -Hold the cross roads marked

A1 ,B2 and C3 at the end of turn 10
1st DCR Regt
2nd DCR Regt
3rd DCR Regt
1st Battalion (2 R35 stands)
2nd Battalion (2 R35 stands)
10 Artillery templates; 20 rounds
Deployment
All French forces start on the South edge of the
map, in the indicated area.
Victory Conditions
See random Victory Conditions and
Orders of Battle. It is possible that neither player
or both players meet their objectives. In this
case the player who rolled the lowest die
number when rolling for objectives wins a
marginal victory. If both players rolled the same
objective the game is a draw.
Forces
C Ops
Battle Group
HQ (command stand)
Special Rules
1. Being a one day battle, no Activation rules,
or FUPs are used. All units are considered to be
activated at the beginning of the game and
cannot be re-activated once they have gone to
ground.

HQ (command stand)
Machine Gun battalion ( 1 machine gun stand)
Heavy weapons company
(2 heavy weapons stands)
..
2. Units can only advance into unexplored

map-grid square (see Special Rule #3) 6 per
turn, regardless of the actions rolled or
movement rate. Once the terrain in the square
has been determined units may move across it at
usual speeds.
3. This scenario was designed to be played
double-blind to reflect the confused meeting
engagements at both Montcornet
51.
Vol. 3 Invasion40
Crecy-sur-Serre. Neither player starts the game
knowing the objectives, force composition of the
enemy nor the terrain. There are various ways of
executing this game. The optimum situation is
to have two table, two French armies #6, two
German Armies #6, and a Gamemaster to
adjudicate. Each player sits at his own table, out
of sight of the opposing player.
The
Gamemaster only places the terrain and enemy
pieces that the player actually sees - according
to the sighting of that turn.
Another way is to have players
maneuver their pieces on a scratch map of the
gaming table. Sixteen containers (envelopes,
camera film containers - we use match boxes)
labeled A1, A2, A3, A4, B1 etc. are used to
keep track of the movement of units. As units
move across the map a counter is moved from
the appropriately labeled container to its new
location. As a unit enters a new map-grid square
the player rolls a d10 to determine the terrain.
He then rolls a d4 (or a d6, re-rolling any 5 or
6s) to determine which side of the terrain-square
will face north. He then places a terrain counter
in the container to indicate that the terrain for
that square has been explored. When a player
moves into a map-grid square which already
contains an enemy counter, both players place
the terrain and their miniature units on the table.
When a player enters a map-grid square which
contains a terrain marker (has already been
explored by the enemy), he informs the opposing
player and the terrain is placed on the table, but
the units are not placed on the table until each
side has counters in the same container. Players
may want to place all the terrain and units on the
table after, say, 5 turns of this operation.
Finally, the scenario can be played with
two scratch-maps and a front concept. The
German player secretly determines the terrain for
map-grid squares A1, B1, C1, D1, B2, C2, D2,
D3 (see preceding paragraph). This is German
territory.
The French player secretly
determines the terrain for map-grid squares A2,
A3, B3, C3, A4, B4, C4, D4. This is French
territory. Both player move within their own
territory by secretly marking the moves on their
map. When a player enters a map-grid square in
enemy territory he indicates this to his
opponent. The opponent then tells him the
nature of the terrain within that square. If both
players have units in that square they are placed
on the table. If only the moving player has units
has units in this square, the square becomes his
territory and movement continues secretly.
Again, players may want to only do this for the
opening segment of the game- to develop an
interesting situation and then play out the rest of
the
game
in
the
open.
Allied attempts to isolate Rommels advancing column

52.
Vol. 3 Invasion40
53.
Vol. 3 Invasion40
Game Length; 2 Days (May 21st to 22nd)

[German player sets up first and moves second]
German Briefing
The Fuehrer has an unaccountable
worry over the western advance. He rages and
screams that we are on the way to ruining the
whole operation and risking the danger of
defeat. He will absolutely not go along with
continuing the operation westward. This is the
subject of a most unpleasant discussion at his
headquarters between the Fuehrer on the one
side and Brauchitsch and myself on the other.
German General Halder
May 18th, 1940
Supply
Friendly edge
Activations
Artillery
Morale
- Superior
- East
- na
- none
- Experienced (9)
Air support - May 21st - none

May 22nd - 5 Stuka attacks
(rocket attacks)
7th Panzer Division
COps and FUP
Anti Tank Battalion
(3 medium gun stands, towed by trucks)
HQ (command stand)
1st Battalion
2nd Battalion
.

HQ (command stand)
1st Battalion
2nd Battalion
Deployment
The German player deploys his troops within the
designated areas, to start the game.
Reinforcements
On the May 21st game the German player rolls a
d10 before each of histurns. If the result is 1
the 25th Panzer Regt enters on the west edge of
the table. Roll a second d10 to determine its
entry point.
At the beginning of the May 22nd, the
German player secretly rolls a d10 for each of
the 5th Panzer Divsion regiments and one more
for the Division HQ units. In each case the
number of the die roll equals the turn of that
units entery into the game. All 5th Division
units enter the east edge of the table at Tillios
7th Division
25th Panzer Regt
HQ (command stand)
5th Panzer Division
COps and FUP
Anti Tank Battalion
54.
Vol. 3 Invasion40
15th Panzer Regt
HQ (command stand)
1st Battalion (2 Pz II stands, 1 Pz III stand)
31st Panzer Regt
HQ (command stand)
1st Battalion (3 armoured car stands)
HQ (command stand)
1st Battalion
(3 infantry stands + 1 hvy wpns., in trucks)
2nd Battalion
HQ (command stand)
1st Battalion
2nd Battalion
Allied Briefing
If the Germans reach the Channel,
although France would continue to the bitter
end, the German machine would swing down and
finally take Paris... The war might end in an
absolute defeat of France and England in less
than two months
French Premier Reynaud
May 18th, 1940
Supply = Poor
Friendly edge - North
Activations - na
Artillery - 2 templates, 6 rounds,
3 replacements
Morale - British
Experienced (9)
French
Inferior (7)
Air Support - none
British Forces
Left Column
C Ops and FUP
4th Royal Northumberland Fusiliers
(1 foot recon stand)
260 Anti Tank Battery (2 Medium gun stands)
5th Royal Tank Regt
HQ (command stand)
Recon Batn (2 Vickers light tanks)
1st Battalion (2 Matilda I, 1 Matilda II
stands)
6th Durham Light Infantry Regt
HQ (command stand)
Right Column
C Ops and FUP
4th Royal Northumberland Fusiliers
(1 foot recon stand)
206 Anti Tank Battery (2 Medium gun stands)
7th Royal Tank Regt
HQ (command stand)
Recon Batn (2 Vickers light tanks)
1st Battalion
(2 Matilda I, 1 Matilda II stands)
8th Durham Light Infantry Regt
HQ (command stand)
Deployment
The British can enter anywhere along the north
edge of the table.
Reinforcements
At the beginning of the game the Allied
player rolls two d10. The sum of these two
numbers is the turn of the game that the French
reinforcements arrive. (Example 5+3 would
equal an arrival on turn 8 of the first day. 9+5
would equal an arrival on the 14th turn of the
game or, in other words, turn 14 of the second
day) The Allied player then rolls a d10 to
determine the enter point of the French
reinforcements, as noted on the map.
55.
Vol. 3 Invasion40
Allied Counter-Attack
56.
Vol. 3 Invasion40
French 3rd Light Armour Division

C Ops and FUP
Anti-tank Battalion (3 light gun stands in trucks)
Recon Company (1 AMR stand)
5th Light Armour Regt
HQ (command stand)
1st Battalion (3 H-35 tank stands)
2nd Battalion (3 H-35 tank stands)
3rd Motorized Infantry Regt
HQ(command stand)
Armoured Recon (1 AMR stand)
1st Battalion
(3 infantry stands + hvy wpns, in trucks)
Victory Conditions
The Allied player must hold at least 3
out of the 5 towns by the end of the 20th turn
(second day). The German player must prevent
the Allied player from achieving his objective.
Note the city of Arras cannot be entered (see
Special rule #3) and so does not count as a
victory objective for ether side.
Special Rules
1.
In such a short sharp action there is no
need for the activation rules. Every unit is
activated at the beginning of every day. The
only exceptions are the German 6th and 7th

Motorized Regt, which were ordered to halt for
maintenance on the 21st. They were caught offguard and therefore cannot be activated at all
during the day of the 21st.
2.
The British achieved a fair bit of
surprise on the 21st. German units of the 6th and
7th Motorized Infantry may not leave their
deployment area until turn 5 of the 21st or Allied
troops come within 12-whichever comes first.
In addition, the 6th and 7th German Motorized
Regts are treated as Raw troops until they
recover from
their surprise. Roll a die for each regiment at the
beginning of each turn after the Allies have come
within 12. On the first turn a 1 is needed for
the infantry to recover; on the second turn a 1
or 2 is needed; on the third turn a 1,2 or
3 is needed; and so on. If they have not
recovered by nightfall, they do so at that time.
3.
German engineers had barricaded and
entrenched the city of Arras. Besieging the city
would have taken far more time than the Allies
had. The city of Arras, therefore cannot be
entered by units of either side, throughout the
game.
57.
Weapons Chart
French
Gun
light
light
light
light
light
medium
medium
Armour
light
medium
medium
light
medium
medium
medium
Speed
medium
slow
medium
slow
medium
medium
slow
Gun
MG
MG
medium
medium
Armour
light
medium
heavy
light
Speed
fast
slow
slow
slow
PzKw I
PzKw II
PzKw III
PzKw IV
Gun
MG
light
medium
heavy
Armour
light
light
medium
medium
Speed
medium
medium
medium
medium
Field guns
Infantry guns
light guns
AMC
R-35
R-40
H-35
H-39
S-35
Char B1
British
MVBI
Matilda I
Matilda II
A10 Valintine
German
Anti-tank guns
34mm-44mm (2 pounder)
81mm and over
light guns
medium guns
heavy guns
super heavy guns
Rules Additions
The only rule change needed for this volume of Great Battles of World War II was the addition of machinegun battalions and
machinegun tanks (MVBI, Matilda I and PzKw I). All rules from Canadians in Europe and Drop Zone remain in place.
Machinegun tanks follow all the usual armour rules. They may attach to infantry battalions or operate as a independent
battalion. When they fire they use the following chart, instead of the usual gun chart. All To Hit modifiers still apply.
Machinegun infantry battalions are battalions of one single stand. They cannot attach to other infantry, nor can any
armour, heavy weapons or anti-tank stands attach to them (HQ stands may still attach). When they fire, Machinegun Battalions use
the following chart instead of the usual Infantry Chart. All To Hit modifiers still apply.
Machine Gun Chart

(for MG battalions and MG tanks)
1 2 3 4
To Hit
8 8 6 4
To Destroy
Dismounted
6 4 4 2
Soft Skin
6 6 6 6
Armour
4 2 -
8
2
1
6
-

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INVASION 40

The Nazi Invasion of the Lowlands and France

GREAT BATTLES OF WORLD WAR II VOLUME 3

Great Battles of World War Two

Bruce McFarlanes 8th miniatures guide-book covering large battles.

It is not within the scope of this article

Great Battles of World War II

of Versailles. All the economic clauses were

Sept 27, 1938

And so Europes two great democracies began,

Great Battles of World War II

defense of Poland. On September 1, 1939 Hitler

In 1914, the French army had but one

Great Battles of World War II

Doctrines and Plans

French idea of mobile warfare had not evolved

The Allied Plans

Doctrine and Plans

The opposing armies approach the battlefields

Great Battles of World War II

The German Plans

Doctrine and Plans

Great Battles of World War II

Doctrine and Plans

One development, between the wars

One was as a replacement for the cavalry. Both

Great Battles of World War II

Great Battles of World War II

Great Battles of World War II

Germany had lost the Great War and so was

the command of divisional commands until

Belgium and the Netherlands

France, Belgium and the Netherlands

Great Battles of World War II

In the early 1930s, France had

Great Battles of World War II

Great Battles of World War II

A British armoured division had a

Both the Netherlands and Belgium

Great Battles of World War II

seize the airfields before the British could use

In Belgium the Germans used

covers to the gun turrets, using hollow charges.

Game Length; 2 Days (May 10th to 11th 1940)

1st Para. Regt

Air support - 5 Tactical Ground support

Great Battles of World War II

7th Air Div. Engineers (See Special Rules # 3)

Great Battles of World War

- none FLAK - none

Great Battles of World War

1st Division Cavalerie (north)

2de Division Cavalerie

9de Infantry Regt

4de Bicycle Regt

5de Chasseurs Ardennais Division

4de Jager Regt

Great Battles of the World War II

Great Battles of the World War II