Seizing Boyardville, Île d'Oléron, 1st May 1945

Seizing Boyardville

Île d'Oléron, 1st May 1945

This is semi-fictional tabletop game, based around the fighting on Île d'Oléron on May 1st 1945. I thought it might be interesting to fight a game along a harbour front. I`ve taken some liberties with both sides organisations, in order to make an interesting visual game.

For a more complete understanding of the context of this game, please take the time to read my article on the French attack to retake Île d'Oléron here:

https://baberonwargames.blogspot.com/2026/03/operation-jupiter-iii-attack-on-ile.html

Troops of III Battalion 158th Infantry Regiment (Commander Louis Dorbes) formally 1st Gers Regiment of the FFI are ordered to drive the German defenders out of the port town of Boyardville and seize Fort des Saumonards. Two Somua S-35s from 1/13e Dragons commanded by Lieutenant de Chalembert; some combat engineers from the 151st Engineer Regiment and elements 12th Artillery Regiment have been sent to assist the infantry. Also elements of local resistance groups have already infiltrated the town and stand ready to assist.

Thanks to the heroic efforts of members of the local resistance under Emile Schwartz, demolition charges placed on the swing bridge over the Chenal de la Perrotine (canal) were found and deactivated and the bridge has been captured intact. The Chanel de la Perrotine could have proved a difficult obstacle and without this invaluable assistance, the Germans could have held up the French advance up the island and a forced crossing could have been very costly!

Now your lead elements have to clear the German defenders from Boyardville dockside, then move on to Fort des Saurmonards. Mines and demolition charges placed by the Germans around the port have also been neutralised by the brave resistance fighters.

French attackers

Elements III Battalion, 158th Infantry Regiment

14th Company with:

HQ (CO, NCO, RTO, 2 runners)

3 platoons (10 men, inc LMG team)

Elements 151st Engineers

2 x 12 man platoons (inc Flame-thrower, Bazooka, mine detectors and demo charges)

Elements 13e Regiment de Dragons

2 x Somua S-35

Elements 12^th Artillery Regiment

Pak40 + tow & crew (note the tow should be a Lloyd Carrier, but I don`t own any)

French resistance

2 x 10 figure units (start the game concealed within Boyardville)

German defenders

A mix of ex-Kriegsmarine sailors and wehrmacht odds n`sods

Town/harbour

HQ: CO, 2 officers, 4 men, sniper, panzerfaust

4 reduced platoons (9 men each inc LMG team)

1 x MMG, 1 x Hotchkiss 25mm AT gun + tow & crew

1 concrete bunker & 1 x 30kg demo charge (both pre-placed)

Fort des Saumonards

A concrete gun emplacment with a 155mm (which can only fire out to sea)

There is also a command/observation bunker and a protective outer defense line including trenches, wire and a 6 x 2” medium density anti personnel minefield

Fort HQ (CO, 2IC, 4 men)

A mixed infantry/kriegsmarine platoon (10 men inc LMG)

20mm AA gun + crew

My Table

The Game

Initial set-up saw the Germans place one platoon on the south bank on the far right of the table to cover the closed end of the dock (on the French left). Both sides saw the bridge over the dock as a potential bottleneck, the Germans placed most of their remaining forces covering this bridge.

Turns 1-3 saw the French advance into the town, they sent one infantry and one engineer platoon to the left in an attempt to get around the dock. Everything else – the Somuas plus the rest of the infantry and engineers headed for the bridge.

Turn 4 saw the Germans open up with MMGs, LMGs on those troops advancing on the bridge, those on the French left were also hit by LMG and rifle fire; the French responded in kind.

Turn 5 Both Somuas target the bunker

The French infantry and engineers continue their slow advance under fire

Turn 6 The Somuas continue to target the bunker (47mm fire totally ineffective) but the German gunners buttoned up inside fail their morale check and abandon their position anyway!

On the French left the engineers and infantry are gaining the upper hand

Flame-thrower dealing with a German LMG team

Turn 7 the Somuas and infantry start to cross the bridge (still under small arms and LMG fire), the French gunners set their Pak40 up to cover this advance.

On the left the French have broken the German defenders there who are either dead, running or captured!

In town the two FFI platoons activate and begin to move.

Turn 8 the Pak40 targets and wipes out the German sniper`s nest (He had caused 4 casualties)

On the French left the infantry and engineers begin cross the closed end of the dock

At the back of the town the Kriegsmarine come under surprise LMG fire from the FFI, they take casualties

Turn 9 the Pak40 takes out the last LMG position covering the bridge

The lead Somua and infantry have crossed the dock

The infantry on the French left advance unopposed into the town

The second FFI unit close-assaults a cottage overrunning the Germans within! This also forces the German HQ to abandon their building next door!

Turn 10 the lead Somua is wiped out by a panzerfaust

French infantry and engineers are busy clearing houses

Elsewhere FFI and French troops continue their advance.

Turn 11 The second Somua engages the 25mm Hotchkiss in a duel, the Hotchkiss looses

On the far right a German unit withdrawing walks right into the second FFI platoon, they take casualties, the remaining men surrender….

Turns 12 – 14 The French slowly move house to house clearing out any remaining defenders, by the end of turn 13 the Germans are reduced to just one building, the remaining occupants surrender once surrounded at the end of turn 14.

The French then take a few turns to reorganise and move towards the battery.

They then spend several turns shelling and mortaring and eventually calling in air support to reduce the battery defences, who trapped without any means of hitting back finally surrender! Vive la France!

A fun game with a nice mix of terrain, figures and kit. 

I`m glad I reduced the French to just one infantry company plus the support and gave the FFI a larger role in my final draft, it seemed fitting they (the resistance) got to play a pivotal role in the French victory. I`m also glad I decided to use my naval figures as proxy Kriegsmarine, made them visually different on the tabletop.