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
12th
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
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.
