I was still in the mood for a Normandy game and wanted something with Churchills and ruins. So I set this up at my place based on Operation Express (July 22, 1944).

View from the North-East

The British attack was to come in from the Northeast along the road from Louvigny and capture Maltot from the newly arrived 272 ID.

View from the North

The defending Germans (272 Inf Div) were focused more towards the North-where previous attacks had come from.

I told the German players, Martin and Stephen to expect the Brits (Rick and myself) to come in from that angle.

Road from Louvigny

The Brits came in from this angle and we were to deploy to the right (north) with our units.

We had A coy of the 5th Wilts and support from B Sqdn / 9th RTR. The 4th Wilts and A Sqdn would be to the left of the road moving along the Orne valley.

View from the Southwest corner

The defenders had 2) Coy of grenadiers with 3 sections each. Each section had least 1 Pzfst to begin with. In support there was 2 MMGs 3 PaK40s and 3 snipers. Armor from the 102nd SS Hvy Pz Rgt (2 Tigers) and 2 StuG IVs from 10th SS would arrive if needed. Eventually.

German defenders plan their dispositions

They placed their units to face to the North (right) with Stephen having the closest half and Martin the west half. It was assumed that all units were dug in.

Lot of rubble

Maltot had been reduced to rubble since the July 10 battle. Great defensive terrain and many opportunity for vehicles to bog.

The main road through town

Walled orchard to north of village

On the slope and blocking line of sight

Overhead of north corner

Smoke from pregame stonk

We concentrated on the eastern side of the table. It took out a Pak unknown to the Brits. Even though I (scenario designer) knew that the Germans could not deploy that far to the northeast, I put a stonk out on our right flank.

Center of the German defense

Churchills moving to north of main street

Wilts running to take advantage of the stonks

Wilts advance

We had a standard 3 platoon Coy and an FO for some medium mortars

Churchills of B Sqd

Total of 9 tanks in 3 troops. 2 were Mk VIIs and 1 CS tank the rest were Mk VIs. GHQ models with extra gear and tracks. We had 1 level 1 ace.

Reaching the first hedge

The rest of the company is to their right rear

Center platoon reaches the first hedge

A troop and HQ troop

We should've had a least 1 infantry platoon further left.

Infantry stalled along the road

Not a lot of fire coming from their left, just being sticky.

Pak 40

It had a view down main street and could see some armor through the destroyed village

Lead Churchill takes a 'faust hit

But minor damage.

Picking their way through the craters

First section of Wilts gets to the road

Fire from left flank

The Pak in the area was KO'ed by the stonk, and Stephen was having bad luck with his ‘fausts.

Still smoking

The multi crater markers are where the stonks were centered.

Road from Eterville

Not the main road but a smaller indirect one. It was the 1st Brit objective.

Overhead view of Brit entry area

Another gratititous rubble pic

Overall advance was slow

But so many places to take fire from.

Stephen fires at flank of Churchills

Fire from the left

The infantry was staying too far from the left flank to provide good protection. Fortunately Stephen couldn't hit the broad side of a Churchill.

Churchills moving slowly too

Just another picture of the left flank

Wilts taking fire from MMGs

PaK in the rubble

First objective reached

Wilts taking lots of auto fire from across the table

Pinned at the hedge

Having trouble crossing the road

Not the speedy advance I wanted. The other Churchill troops are slow to arrive also.

Churchills taking fire from their left again

Still stalled along road

Churchill took a PaK hit from across the table

High tank density here

Little German buggers won't show themselves

Germans pulling back

Stephen's 2 platoon on his right was taking the bulk of hits from the Churchills and Wilts

HQ troop moving into center

Platoon of Wilts across the road on the right along a hedge at the top of the pic.

Time to move a troop forward

HQ troop in position to overwatch now.

Dug in MMG spotted

And under fire from Wilts and Churchills.

More tank hits

Stephen finally hits a Churchill with a ‘faust. Stephen's HQ section at the bottom left. But the advancing troop is also coming under fire from PaKs.

Right hand troop finally moving up

They swung around the smaller orchard and came down the road. This troop was cursed in their movement it seemed, with their card rarely coming up.

Overlooking the battle

Slow moving troop finally in position but too late to help the advancing left hand troop.

Exchange between dug in Pak, MMG and Wilts

This was a tough position to take out -- it was especially reinforced through a Random Event card. Wilts silenced the MMG but the Pak40 was still shooting at advancing Churchills. HQ troop had reserved dice.

Tigers arrive

The 2 heavy tanks had 1 level 2 tank ace. It immediately found some juicy Churchill targets.

A nasty looking corner

Really formidable AT assets here.

Northern side

This plt of Wilts moved around the orchard and took fire from Martin's recently relocated troops.

Stug IVs

From the 10th SS. they have to pick their way through the rubble at the southern edge of Maltot.

Encounter between Wilts and Martins grenadiers

Martin swung his infantry across to the right to head off the northern infantry advance. Uneven terrain makes it hard to line up walls around the orchard. These are high walls so take a full phase to get up and over. Most of the blinds are dummies.

Time to call the game though. Slow movement on the part of the Brits allowed the German armour to get positioned and make it hard to maneuver what was left of the Churchills. Brits still have the mortars and vast majority of their infantry. None of Martin's grenadiers were hit.

German losses were 12 of Stephen's 54 grenadiers. 2 MMG teams eliminated. 1 Pak hit by the stonk. All 3 snipers out of action.

Wilts had 12 of 72 troopers casualties. 4 of 9 Churchills KO'ed. Time for the second wave to take over and some mortars to fall on the rubble.

Mark Luther