Paasky
Number of posts : 25 Registration date : 2007-05-06
| Subject: Battle of the Gembloux Gap? Fri May 18, 2007 8:48 am | |
| - Quote :
- In May 1940 during the Battle of France the DLMs had the difficult task to carry out a quick advance into the Low Countries, followed by a holding action to allow the infantry divisions following behind to dig themselves in. The 2nd and 3rd DLM were concentrated in the Gembloux gap between Louvain and Namur, where there were no natural obstacles to impede a German advance. They had to spread out somewhat to hold that sector against incursions by the German 3rd and 4th Panzer Divisions. This was necessitated by the local tactical situation and did not reflect some fundamental difference in doctrine between the use of the DLMs and the Panzerdivisionen. Both types of units were very similar in equipment, training and organisation, as the German armoured divisions too were primarily intended for strategic exploitation, while the breakthrough phase was preferably left to the infantry. The resulting tank battle from 13 to 15 May was with about 1700 AFVs participating the largest until that day and is still one of the largest of all time. The S35s gave a good account of themselves, proving to be indeed superior to the German tanks in direct combat, but they were rather hesitantly deployed as the French High Command mistakenly supposed the gap was the German Schwerpunkt and tried to preserve their best tanks to block subsequent attacks by the rest of the Panzerwaffe.
Basically, a Prokhorovka-style map with French vs Germans. Continuing the Prokh theme, the Germans would be outgunned (like the russians are on prokh) but that can be compensated by giving them, say, 3x Stuka, 1x He-111 & 2 Bf109E. The French could have a Dw.520, Ms.406 & my modified Pzl-37 (http://koti.mbnet.fi/pjvuorio/bf_map_stuff/screens/lebanon/loading_screen.jpg). Armor would be R.35's & S-35's + 1 or two Char1's vs Pz2's, Pz38's, StuG3B's & PzIV-D's. Maybe a few Pz3-F's if the WaW-team allows it's use. And 1x Matilda Mk.I because I love it so | |
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