Thursday 23 January 2020

St. Nazaire Raid Game report

I finally managed to write up a game report of a commando raid game based upon a British commando attack on the St. Nazaire dock in the early hours of 28th March 1942.


Commandos start their assault.
The objective of the raid was to put out of action a dry dock which could be used to repair German warships. An old destroyer, HMS Campbeltown, was converted to resemble a German destroyer and with 18 smaller motor launches left Falmouth for the raid. The plan was to ram the dock and with the Campbeltown which had been packed with delayed-action explosives. Additionally, a force of commandos was landed with the objective of destroying machinery and other structures.

This game is focused on the commandos and their actions in destroying their targets, and starts with the successful ramming of the dock and landing of the commandos.


Dock layout on a 6x4 foot tabletop
The raiding commandos are organised into:

  • 3 demolition parties with no limit on the number of attempts at demolition.
  • 9 assault parties used to form a bridgehead and put out of action: searchlights, gun emplacements, and pillboxes.

During a number of test games I have reduced the number of demolition parties to just three. trying to get the balance right between forming a protective parameter and running around blowing things up.


Targets for demolition
German defenders arrive at one of three entry points during the game based upon a dice throw. For the most part they are infantry units, but there are a maximum of two armoured car units which can arrive instead if a second dice roll scores a 6.


A series of pillboxes, gun emplacements, and searchlights which can be put out of action by any commando unit.
The reduction in the number of demolition parties, change in arrival of armoured cars, and determining the casualties from coastal gun batteries, where the only changes to the test rules posted previously (here).

The game assumes the naval component follows history. Where the attacking force is able to move down the estuary unobserved and passed the main gun batteries before the final run in lasting few minutes under fire from lighter gun batteries. 

The game preparation begins with determining casualties to the commando landing forces from those lighter gun batteries. One dice is rolled for each motor launch and HMS Campbeltown. On a score of 6 one of the commando parties is lost (players choice).


Commando units and ships lined up.
Two hits causing the loss of two assault units.
On the first turn 3 German units are placed at their entry points and move towards the closest commando units. On all other turns 1 German unit arrives at one of the three entry points determined by a dice roll.


German troops arrive
HMS Campbeltown rams the dock gates and commandos quickly disembark from the destroyer and  motor launches, heading for their targets and to setup a bridgehead.


Commandos attack a pillbox as they attempt to secure the Old Mole.
Landed commando parties fan out through the docks.

The commandos were able to quickly blow up their initial targets: the pump house, outer winding house and caisson. All close to the dock entrance. Progress was slow against the pillboxes defending the oil tanks and Old Mole. Meanwhile German units were starting to appear in greater numbers at the top of the dock.
Initial successes with the inner gate winding house and pump house destroyed.
Defenders start to arrive and head towards the commando parties
Assault parties move into the warehouses to set up a beach head.
For a few turns after their initial successes the commando's progress appeared to stymied by the pillboxes, and defending forces arriving in the dock area. In the centre dock area assault parties were able to move with reasonable freedom with fewer defenders around.

At the main target area the outer set of caisson and dock gates are demolished. With time against them, demolition parties dashed down the length of the dock towards the second set of caisson and dock gates. Nearby assault parties are engaged in combat with defending units in and amongst the warehouses.
The outer Caisson and lock gate is blown up.
Demolition parties scurry past the fighting amongst the warehouses as they head towards the far end of the dock. In the foreground the pillbox is proving to be a real impediment.
Having successfully demolished the outer gates the next major target for the demolition parties was the inner gates, before finally heading towards the Old Mole to re-embark on waiting boats and escape. Any re-embarking could take place if the assault parties had to put out of action the gun emplacements and searchlights, and these efforts were being hampered by the pillboxes.


The Old Mole pillbox is finally put out of action.
Demolition parties start preparing to demolish the inner gates and winding house, and in the background the other pillbox is put out of action. The arrival of an armoured car may make things a bit sticky for the commando parties.
Another armoured car arrives. The continual arrival of defending units is starting to take its toll.
Once the pillboxes were put out of action the commandos quickly set about dealing with the gun emplacements and searchlights. While demolition parties placed their explosives at the inner dock gates and nearby oil tanks. Assault parties held off the defenders, destroying the armoured car and charging into close combat to buy time.


Searchlights are put out of action.
Commandos in close combat as the explosives go off destroying the inner caisson and gates.
With key targets demolished the commandos attempt to make their escape, but the commandos around the Old Mole were getting pushed back by the defenders and the route for them was closed. The final gun emplacement was put out of action and a couple of commando parties were able to re-embark and escape.


Defenders pressure the defenders around the Old Mole.
A few commando parties are able to re-embark and make their escape.
So this was the end of the St. Nazaire Raid project. A fun game to play wth a few tense moments trying to overcome pillboxes and setting explosives at the inner dock gates. All bar one of two of targets were successfully destroyed. It is assumed history is repeated and HMS Campbeltown explodes putting out of action the dry dock for the remainder of the war.

Overall the game played well with simple rules and set moves by the defenders. One change I made was to the defender movement rules to allow for the situation when other defending units are blocking the way, then they would move around to attempt a flanking move.

This will not be the last we see of the commando units. I will be building some landing craft for some further attacks on costal defences.

26 comments:

  1. Fantastic looking game Peter and I'd imagine it was fun to play a few times.

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    1. Thank you, and I did enjoy playing quite a few test games.

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  2. What a great project and rewarding accomplishment! The game looks superb and the fight really interesting. Seems like a tremendous effort for a one-off game. I hope you pull this off the shelf occasionally to treat us to a replay.

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    1. Thank you. It was very enjoyable playing this and the previous test games. The docks and the ships are the terrain pieces which will get less reuse.

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  3. Excellent report, all the work going in was well worth the effort judging from the table and the pictures.

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    1. It is always enjoyable when a project comes to fruition. Thanks.

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  4. Superb, from vision to execution. This would make a very good participation game at a local wargame show.

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    1. True, the rules are very straightforward and no dawdling and the commandos hit the ground. Thanks.

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  5. Great game report and set-up all round. The same scenario can be played several times without getting the same results. Thanks for sharing your project.

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    1. Thank you. All the games played had little twists of fate that caused the commandos to change their plans.

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  6. It’s been very interesting to be able to follow this project from its inception to its conclusion. The battle looks as if it was great fun to fight, and the black and white photographs are very effective. They give the whole things an authentic look, and remind me of the books and films of my youth.

    All the best,

    Bob

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    1. Thanks Bob. The black and white photographs do help with the overall look. The games were great fun to play, especially the first test game when all the terrain came together on the tabletop.

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  7. That looked a good game - how long did it take to play out? Also why blow the outer dock gates with Campbelltown jammed in them and due to explode with much greater violence?

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    1. Thank you. In answer to your question - Not sure, I though I had read that they did, but I may be wrong.

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    2. Have to say I'm in a minority here in wanting see more colour photos of the game, I don't think B&W does justice to all eth work you put into this.

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    3. All the commandos have grass flocked bases which looked a bit out of place in the docks. That and given the attack was at night time swayed me to go black and while for the photos.

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  8. Bravo! A fabulous looking game, especially in black and white. Some happy old Airfix warriors here getting to blow things up again.

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    1. Thank you. It was great fun using those Airfix commandos on the tabletop.

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  9. A bit late to the party, but what a cracking game and loved the B&W 'photos, which made it look very 'Old School' which was nice. A fine way to end a project that I've enjoyed following.

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    1. Pleased you enjoyed the project. There is definitely an old school feel to them. Thanks.

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  10. Brilliant to see it all come together, and I particularly love the 'old school' black and white photos!

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    1. Thank you. When I started the project and was trying (and failing) to make warehouses out of cardboard the project end seemed a long way away.

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  11. Its all been said so I'll just say Great stuff!

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  12. The fruition of a well planned and executed project Peter. I love the B&W photos. Looks like a classic British war film from the 50s.

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    1. Thank you. It all turned out better than I had originally anticipated.

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