The Cadets of Saumur

by GeneralHowitzer | May 31, 2025 | 1940, Armor, Artillery, Countryside, Infantry, Location: France, Medal Objectives, Memoir 44, Overlord Game, Scenario, Strategic, Theater: Western

The Cadets of Saumur (Overlord Map)

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“Let me give it to you straight, boys—back in ‘39, before the big show kicked off in Europe, there was a damn fine brawl brewing out east along the Khalkhin-Gol River. The Soviets, under that iron bastard Zhukov, took on the Japanese who were itching for a scrap in the borderlands.

Those Russians didn’t just trade blows—they went for the kill. They wrapped the Japanese 23rd Division up tight in a steel trap—tanks on the flanks, artillery in the rear, and air power pounding them into the dirt. No escape, no second chances—just one big, smoking ruin when the Red Army was done.

The result? The Japanese learned a lesson in modern warfare and didn’t forget it, and Zhukov walked out of there with a reputation as the man who could gut an enemy army whole. That’s how you fight a battle, boys—encircle, crush, and leave nothing but wreckage behind!”

~~ General Howitzer

Timeline of the Battle:

June 17, 1940 –
German forces approach the Loire River as French defenses collapse elsewhere. Cadets at Saumur are ordered to hold the bridges.
June 18, 1940 –
The cadets and their instructors begin preparing defenses, mining bridges, and setting up strongpoints.
June 19, 1940 –
German troops launch assaults to seize the Saumur bridges. The cadets, though heavily outnumbered, fiercely resist throughout the day and destroy bridges to slow the advance.
June 20, 1940 –
After holding for two days and inflicting delays on the Germans, the cadets receive orders to withdraw. German forces occupy Saumur later that day.

12 VP’s

Card Balance:

Allies (France) – 8

Axis – 10

Complexity:

4

Conditions:

Countryside

Context:

Historical

Location:

France

Year:

1940

Theater:

Western

Campaign:

Codename:

Summary:

Objectives:

12 VP’s with two Permanent Medal Objectives for the Axis.

Battlefield:

Countryside with many rivers, railroad, and towns

Troops:

Allies – 17 Infantry, 2 Armor, 3 Artillery

Axis – 20 Infanty, 3 Armor, 3 Artillery

Allied Strategy:

1.

Axis Strategy

1.

Battle Reports

Author:

Days of Wonder

Link:

Resistance on the Scheldt

by GeneralHowitzer | May 7, 2025 | 1940, Armor, Artillery, Countryside, Infantry, Location: Belgium, Medal Objectives, Memoir 44, Scenario, Strategic

Escaut - Schelde: Resistance on the Scheldt

May 1940—Belgium. The Ghent bridgehead’s gone, the line’s buckling, and the enemy’s coming fast. But those Belgian boys? They didn’t flinch. They stood tall along the Upper Scheldt, and by God, they fought like hell.

May 20th, the Germans tried to cross near Gavere and Oudenaarde, slipping through the Scheldt loop. But the 10th Belgian Infantry Division wasn’t having it. They hit back hard at Zingem, backed by dead-on artillery, and shoved the enemy right back across that river like yesterday’s garbage.

Meanwhile, the British Expeditionary Force was dug in south of Oudenaarde, watching the flank all the way to the French border. And when it came time to blow the bridges? They did it right—every span destroyed, nothing left for the Nazis to use. That’s how you do a withdrawal—scorched and smoking.

But the Germans weren’t done. After licking their wounds at Zingem, they regrouped behind the Koppenberg and came back swinging on May 21—infantry, Luftwaffe, and the river running low enough to wade. Despite a hell of a stand by the Brits, the Krauts got a foothold. That foothold became a push—toward the Lys, toward the coast, toward the final stand.

May 28, King Leopold III surrendered. Belgium was down—but not for lack of courage.

You want to talk guts? Talk Zingem. Talk the Scheldt. Talk men who held the line until the last minute. The field was set, the players were in position, and history came charging through the smoke.

~~ General Howitzer

6 VP’s

Card Balance:

Allies – 5

Axis – 6

Complexity:

3

Conditions:

Countryside

Context:

Historical

Location:

Belgium

Year:

1940

Theater:

Western

Campaign:

Codename:

Summary:

Objectives:

6 VP’s, plus Exit Rows for Axis; a town medal for Allies, and a Permanent Medal if the Allies blow up two bridges.

Battlefield:

Countryside with a river cutting across the field.

Troops:

Allies – 9 Infantry, some with machine guns, 1 Artillery

Axis – 9 Infantry, some with machine guns and mortars , 2 Armor, 1 Artillery

Allied Strategy:

1.

Axis Strategy

1.

Battle Reports

Author:

Originally prepared for Belgium 2022; also used in The Finest Hour Open, Chicago 2025

Link:

View

Valkenburg Airfield

by GeneralHowitzer | Jan 18, 2025 | 1940, Memoir 44, Scenario

Valkenburg Airfield

The Battle for Valkenburg Airfield (May 10–14, 1940) occurred during the German invasion of the Netherlands at the start of World War II. The airfield, located near Valkenburg in South Holland, was a key target for German forces as part of their broader plan to quickly secure control over the Netherlands.

German paratroopers and airborne troops launched a surprise attack, landing at and around the airfield. However, the airfield was incomplete and unsuitable for heavy aircraft, causing damage to many German planes upon landing. Despite this, the German troops initially managed to capture the airfield and establish a foothold.

Dutch forces launched determined counterattacks to retake the airfield, engaging in fierce fighting. The incomplete state of the airfield and the strong Dutch resistance, including effective use of artillery, hindered the Germans’ ability to reinforce their position. After several days of intense combat, Dutch forces were unable to fully regain control, but the German position at Valkenburg became irrelevant as the broader campaign concluded with the Dutch surrender on May 15, 1940.

The battle demonstrated both the challenges of airborne operations and the resilience of the Dutch defenders during the German blitzkrieg.

6 VP’s

Card Balance:

Allies – 5

Axis – 5

Complexity:

3

Conditions:

Countryside

Context:

Historical

Location:

Netherlands

Year:

1940

Theater:

Western Front

Campaign:

Summary:

Objectives:

6 VP’s

Terrain:

Troops:

Allies –

Axis –

Allied Strategy:

Axis Strategy:

Author:

jdrommel

Link: View Here

Breakthrough to Gembloux

by GeneralHowitzer | Nov 8, 2024 | 1940, Armor, Artillery, Breakthrough Game, Countryside, Infantry, Location: France, Medal Objectives, Memoir 44, Scenario, Strategic, Theater: Mediterranean, Theater: Western

Breakthrough to Gembloux

Historical Background

The Breakthrough to Gembloux was part of the early German invasion of Belgium during May 1940, in the larger Battle of France. German Panzer divisions advanced through central Belgium aiming to break Allied lines near Gembloux, where French forces had fortified positions in the so-called Gembloux Gap—one of the few tank-suitable areas in the region.

Fierce fighting erupted between German armored units and French mechanized divisions, resulting in one of the few early confrontations where French forces held their ground and inflicted significant tank losses. However, the battle was ultimately bypassed when German forces broke through further south in the Ardennes, rendering the defense of Gembloux strategically moot.

General Howitzer summarizes:

At Gembloux, the French finally stood their ground and gave the German Panzers a bloody nose—one of the rare times early in the war they didn’t fold. But while they were trading blows up north, the real storm came through the Ardennes. The fight was solid, but it ended up guarding the wrong damn door.

VP’s

12 VPs

Card Balance:

Allies – 5

Axis – 6

Complexity:

4

Conditions:

Countryside

Context:

Historical

Location:

France

Date:

May 13, 1940

Theater:

Western

Campaign:

The Battle of France

Codename:

Summary:

Objectives:

12 Victory Points, plus one Exit by an Axis unit

Battlefield:

Deep breakthrough battlefield with countryside terrain

Troops:
Allies – 8 Infantry, 7 Armor, 1 Artillery

Axis – 10 Infantry, 8 Armor, 2 Artillery

Big Picture Strategy

The challenge for the Axis is escaping a unit out the Exit Hex at K1.
Winning battle is easy; escaping the battlefield is not.

Allied Strategy:

1. If you want to have any hope of holding out against the Germans, as the French did for two days historically, you will need to hold the line right at the beginning with the three towns on row 13. Get your armor up their to reinforce your infantry. The Axis have overwhelming force, so if you retreat, they will be able to pick you off one by one. Make your stand immediately!

2. Once you get pushed back, the final victory medal for the Axis has to come through escaping on the hex at K1. Guard that with your armor and infantry, and you have some hope of gaining another medal.

3. While you may lose a lot of forces as the Axis pushes you back, be sure to have enough forces to make a good stand to guard the final exit hex at K1. The Axis can be made to suffer much as they try to get one unit out that escape hex. In fact, once Axis have achieved their 12 victory points, you can sacrifice as many Allied forces as you need to in order to prevent them from escaping.

Axis Strategy:

1. Remember that no matter how many Allied units you destroy, you will have to get one of your units out the exit row at the end of the battlefield.

2. The very best way to end the game well, and escape your final Axis unit off the board is to save up a Behind Enemy Lines. Then maneuver an infantry within six rows of the border, and make your move.

Battle Reports:
(percentage of Allied victories)

Author:

jdrommel

Link:

Gallabat & Metemma

by GeneralHowitzer | Nov 1, 2024 | 1940, Armor, Artillery, Countryside, Infantry, Memoir 44, Scenario, Tactical

Gallabat & Metemma

The Battle of Gallabat and Metema was a significant engagement in the East African Campaign of World War II, taking place in February 1940. The battle occurred between Allied forces, primarily made up of British and Indian troops, and Italian forces in Ethiopia, near the borders of Sudan and Ethiopia.

General Howitzer summarizes:
We hit Gallabat hard in ’40, punched through and took the damn fort—looked like the start of a fine push into Italian turf. But they had the skies, and their bombers kept pounding us. With no cover from the air and stiff resistance on the ground, we had to pull back. Hell of a fight, but not every swing lands the knockout.

4 VP’s

Card Balance:

4 – 4

Complexity:

3

Conditions:

Countryside

Location:

East Africa

Year:

1940

Theater:

Mediterranean Theater

Campaign:

East Africa Campaign

Codename

Summary:

Objectives:

A short 4-medal game; no territorial medals.

Battlefield:

The Gallabat scenario has a river going down the center which seriously blocks troop movement between both sides. Therefore it is almost like two separate battles so plan your movements carefully.

Troops:

Allies – 6 Infantry, 2 Armor, 1 Artillery

Axis – 6 Infantry, 1 Artillery

Allied Strategy:

1. For Allies, the troops on the right section should be moved into play only when you have enough movement cards to quickly get you next to the town for attack. The wire surrounding the town will decrease your attack power, so you will need a full set of cards to continue the attack.

2. You only need 4 medals to win. There are three heavily defended Axis units on the left side. With your armor and artillery, you should be able to weaken or destroy them, leaving just one unit medal to win on your right flank.

Axis Strategy:

1. Your units are heavily defended with sandbags and town and wire protections. This should give you the time you need to assemble a collection of attack cards.

2. Your artillery is centrally-placed. If you can move it forward a bit, do it. Then use it well to take out any forces that attempt to approach your forces.

3. Possible attack vector: Your right flank is very weak as three Infantry units are no match for two enemy Armor, one Artillery, and three enemy Infantry. But your left flank has possibilities. Although outnumbered three Infantry to two, if you can move your Artillery forward, and then get some good cards like Airpower or Barrage, you can weaken the three enemy Infantry. Then you can move in and take some out.

DoW Battle Reports (percentage of Allied victories):

59%

Author:

Days of Wonder

Link:

Counter-Attack of the BEF

by GeneralHowitzer | Nov 1, 2024 | 1940, Armor, Artillery, Breakthrough Game, Countryside, Infantry, Location: France, Medal Objectives, Memoir 44, Mobile Artillery, Scenario, Strategic, Theater: Western

Counter-Attack of the BEF

France, May ’40—Guderian cuts to the Channel and splits the front. Gort answers with a punch at Arras: Franckforce—Matildas and Durhams—drives south of the city, hits Rommel by surprise, scatters his cyclists, and rolls over light guns like they’re tin. Then Rommel does what winners do—drags up heavy artillery and 88s, fires direct, and stops the thrust. Dusk brings the Luftwaffe; the counterattack bleeds out. By nightfall the BEF falls back, and the only road left is the sea—Dunkirk.

Lesson: shock opens the door, but you hold it with guns and air. Mass your armor, keep your flanks covered, bring the big artillery, own the sky—and don’t stop moving.

~~ General Howitzer

VP’s

12

Card Balance

Allies – 6

Axis – 5

Complexity:

4

Conditions:

Countryside

Location:

France

Year:

1940

Theater:

Western

Campaign

Codename

Summary:

This scenario accurately reflects the difficult job the British had in 1940 to try to stop the Axis onslaught with a courageous Counter-Attack by the British Expeditionary Force (BEF).

Allied Strategy:

1. There are a couple of medal objectives available to you, just beyond the train tracks (row 8) at the towns of Agny and Wailly (row 11). If you can position two of your forces within movement distance of both of them, you can set yourself up for a final medal capture and win.

2. Attack Plan: do not cross the railroad tracks on row 8, until you have eliminated all enemy forces on row 7. Just line up – with appropriate safety spacing – your Armor and Artillery and pick off the Infantry units on that row until they are gone. Deal with any enemy Armor that gets moved into the battle as well.

3. It is going to be difficult to protect and hold control of the town of Arras at A9. If you can get enough forces over there in time, you may be able to put up a good fight. But you will be in enemy territory the entire time, and it will be difficult to control. You could consider either a strategic withdrawal, to preserve your Infantry unit, or stay and fight, attempting to take out as many enemy forces as possible before your demise.

4. Your weak section is your right flank. With the enemy 88 Artillery in the woods, they present a formidable challenge to advance in that sector. You will need to deal with it first. The way to do this is to get your Artillery unit in the region up to row 4 or 5. You will be out of reach of the 88, and will be able to pick it off.

5. Your Artillery units are too far back. Take every opportunity to move them forward.

Axis Strategy:

1. You can actually win this one without crossing the railroad tracks on row 8. But the BEF must cooperate by attempting to come in for the kill. You can finish them off, and then save your final coup-de-grace for the Medal in the town at A9.

2. Possible Attack Vector: Target the town of Arras at A9, which has an Axis Temporary Medal Objective. Start moving forces up in that direction. It will have two benefits of concentrating your firepower into one sector, and then after a successful destruction of the enemy in that region, you can capture the town of Arras – and hold it – for an additional medal. This attack plan could potentially yield two to three medals, maybe more.

3. Your Armor is misplaced at the start of the battle. Take every opportunity to move it forward, so it can begin to attack across the railroad tracks at the enemy.

Battle History Results

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