The Capture of Tobruk

by GeneralHowitzer | Apr 29, 2025 | 1942, Armor, Artillery, Desert, Infantry, Medal Objectives, Overlord Game, Scenario, Special Weapons, Strategic, Theater: Mediterranean

The Capture of Tobruk (Overlord Map)

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June 21, 1942—Tobruk falls, and Rommel gets his moment in the sun.

The Desert Fox came tearing across North Africa like a bat outta hell, and when he set his sights on Tobruk, he didn’t waste time. That place had held out before—but not this time. Rommel hit it hard, fast, and surgical. In no time flat, he smashed through the lines, bagged 30,000 Allied troops, and scooped up a mountain of supplies.

It was a gut punch to the British—morale wrecked, command shaken, and the enemy thumping their chests from Berlin to Rome. Tobruk was supposed to be a fortress. Instead, it became a prize.

But here’s the truth: Rommel’s victory was real—but it was short-lived. You don’t win a war with flash and headlines. You win it by bleeding the enemy dry, taking ground, and never letting up. And that’s what we did.

By the time we met him again at El Alamein, the tables had turned. Rommel’s advance stalled, and the Allies came back with a vengeance.

You want to take a city? Fine. But you’d better be ready to hold it when the real fight starts.

~~ General Howitzer

15 VP’s

Card Balance:

Allies – 7

Axis – 11

Complexity:

3

Conditions:

Desert

Context:

Historical

Location:

North Africa

Year:

1942

Theater:

Mediterranean

Campaign:

Codename:

Summary:

Objectives:

15 VP’s with many territorial Medal Objectives, some Temporary and some Permanent.

Battlefield:

A desert with a couple of roads crossing the area in both directions

Troops:

Allies – 17 Infantry some with Special Weapons, 5 Armor, 2 Artillery

Axis – 17 Infanty, 16 Armor including some Half-Tracks, 6 Artillery

Allied Strategy:

1.

Axis Strategy

1.

Classic Battle Reports

45% Allied Wins

Author:

Days of Wonder

Link:

Saint-Martin and Bull Bridge

by GeneralHowitzer | Apr 28, 2025 | 1944, Armor, Artillery, Countryside, Infantry, Location: France, Medal Objectives, Memoir 44, Scenario, Special Weapons, Tactical

Saint-Martin and Bull Bridge

After the Allied breakout from Normandy (Operation Cobra, late July 1944), U.S. forces rapidly advanced across northern France. As they pursued retreating German forces, small but fierce battles flared up at key defensive points.
Battle Overview:
In early August 1944, elements of the U.S. Army (likely from Patton’s Third Army) encountered stiff German resistance at St. Martin and the nearby Bull Bridge, vital crossings over local waterways.
The Germans, using hastily organized rear-guard units, attempted to delay the American advance by holding these positions. Fighting involved close-quarters combat, sniper fire, artillery strikes, and quick assaults to seize the bridge intact before the Germans could demolish it.
Outcome:
U.S. forces ultimately captured St. Martin and secured Bull Bridge, helping to maintain the momentum of the Allied advance toward the Seine River.
German forces were forced into further retreat, suffering losses in men and equipment.
Significance:
Though a relatively small engagement compared to larger battles like Falaise, holding key river crossings like Bull Bridge was critical for sustaining the speed of the Allied liberation of France.

General Howitzer’s observation:
We took St. Martin and locked down Bull Bridge—small on the map, but damned vital. Every bridge we held kept our boys rolling toward the Seine and sent the Germans running with their tails between their legs, bleeding men and steel all the way.

5 VP’s

Card Balance:

Allies – 5

Axis – 5

Complexity:

3

Conditions:

Countryside

Context:

Historical

Location:

France

Year:

1944

Theater:

Western

Campaign:

Operation Cobra

Codename:

Summary:

Objectives:

5 VP’s, plus the temporary Allied Objectives of city of St. Martin and Bull Bridge

Battlefield:

Countryside with forests and hedgerows, and a small river in the corner with Bull Bridge crossing it.

Troops:

Allies – 8 Infantry, 4 Armor

Axis – 6 Infantry, 3 Armor, 2 Artillery

🔥 Winning as Allies

1. Big picture strategy is that you can put the pressure on the enemy by both attacking units, and pushing towards the Bull Bridge medal objective. This is only a 5 medal game, so there is not a lot of time for deep strategy. You mainly just have to get into good attacking positions, and take out the enemy.

2. The Axis have two Artillery units and a Mortar Infantry unit. This means they have a lot of range for their attacks. It may be best to hunker down in hedgerows and on hills and wait for the enemy to attack you. Use your Armor to attack the enemy Infantry while you wait.

🔥 Winning as Axis

1. Big picture strategy is that you need to defend the town of St. Martin and the Bull Bridge. Historically, the bridge was completely undefended, so you need to get some forces near there to protect it from enemy capture.

2. You have an Infantry Mortar unit. With it you can ignore terrain restrictions and attack anything that comes near you with a range of 3,2,1,1. Use it to defend the town of St. Martin.

3. Defensive Response: the enemy has more Armor and Infantry than you, so stay in your protective stance, in your hedgerows and the sandbagged town. Let them come to you, and then attack them from a safe position. This should even things out a bit. Your Armor needs to spread itself out across all three sectors fo the battlefield to be prepared for wherever the enemy may try to attack.

Battle Reports

Author:

Link:

Counter-Attack with Assault – or Not?

by GeneralHowitzer | Apr 5, 2025 | 1944, Armor, Artillery, Countryside, Infantry, Medal Objectives, Memoir 44, Smackdown, Special Weapons, Strategic

STRATEGY SMACKDOWN:

Take a look at this situation in the Drive on Caen scenario.

Historically, in 1944, the Allies, through Operation Charnwood, were attempting to take the city of Caen.

In this battle, the Allies have just barraged and taken out the Axis armor in the center section at h6. With the armor out of the way, the Allies have a dominating position in the center.

Axis has just played Assault on the Center, and made a couple of defensive moves with their infantry.

Now an Assault on the Center would be a pretty powerful move for the Allies. They have six units in the center section.

So the question is, do the Allies take advantage of their Counter-Attack card and also play Assault on the Center? Or, would that be a waste of a good counter-attack card? (Since they would not be in a position to do great damage to the enemy.) ?

GeneralHowitzer.com

Battle in the Schnee Eifel

by GeneralHowitzer | Dec 10, 2024 | 1944, Armor, Artillery, Infantry, Medal Objectives, Memoir 44, Scenario, Special Weapons, Strategic, Winter, Winter Wars

Battle in the Schnee Eifel

The Battle of Schnee Eifel occurred in December 1944 during the early days of the Battle of the Bulge, the last major German offensive on the Western Front in WWII.

The Schnee Eifel, a forested ridge in eastern Belgium, was held by U.S. forces, mainly the 106th Infantry Division. On December 16, 1944, German forces launched a surprise attack, encircling and overwhelming two regiments of the 106th. After intense fighting and lacking supplies, around 6,000 American soldiers were forced to surrender—one of the largest mass surrenders of U.S. troops in the war.

The loss was a setback for the Allies but did not stop their eventual counteroffensive and victory in the Ardennes.

6 VP’s

Card Balance:

Allies – 4

Axis – 6

Complexity:

4

Conditions:

Winter

Context:

Historical

Location:

Belgium

Year:

1944

Theater:

Western

Campaign:

Battle of the Bulge

Summary:

Objectives:

6 VP’s, plus three Permanent Medal Objectives for the Axis (Turn Start) for Roth by Prum, Auw by Prum and Pleialf), plus a Sudden Death Exit hex for the Axis

Battlefield:

Winter countryside with a hilly ridge across the center, with scattered forests, and a road encircling almost the entire battlefield.

Troops:

Allies – 8 Infantry including two Engineers, 3 Armor (Tank Destroyers), 2 Artillery

Axis – 9 Infantry including one Machine Gun unit and five Elites, 2 Armor, including one Tank Destroyer, 1 Artillery

Special Weapons: Tank Destroyers, Machine Guns.

🔥 Winning as Allies

1. Historically, the Allies got routed, so the primary goal here is to protect the permanent medal objectives and the exit hex.

2. Get your two Artillery into play quickly and use them as much as you can to take out the enemy.

3. Your two Tank Destroyers on the left flank should move forward, in and around to defend the city of Roth by Prum, which is a Permanent Medal Objective.

4. Your other Tank Destroyer and two Artillery should defend the city of Blelaif, which is another Permanent Medal Objective.

🔥 Winning as Axis

1. Historically, the Axis had the largest victory of the war in this battle, so speed and attack are your principle tools.

2. Get your Tank Destroyer and Infantry on the right flank mobile and engaging the enemy as soon as you can.

3. On your left flank, you have overwhelming advantage with your four Infantry units, and one Armor. Use it to overwhelm the defenses at the town of Blelaif to gain the Permanent Medal Objective.

Author:

Days of Wonder