Goumier in the Vosges

 French attack at Rochesson

Vosges, Alsace. October 1944

This is a fictional tabletop wargame based on the tough fighting by the Free French trying to force a crossing of the Vosges in October 1944, an excuse to field my new Goumier Tabor.

After two weeks of hard, bitter fighting in the Vosges against well a dug-in determined defenders, the French were exhausted, but the US Seventh Army wanted one more push a diversionary action to draw off German reserves from a drive by Leclerc`s 2^nd Free French Amoured Division further north which it was hoped would break through to Strasbourg!

General De Lattre committed Guillaume`s Groupe de Tabores as the main element of this attack.

Scenario

2^nd Tabor (1GTM) commanded by Col. Rousel plus supporting units are tasked with assaulting Hill 675 (known as Monastery Hill) which overlooks Rochesson to the east.

French attackers

2^nd Tabor de Goumier (1GTM) includes artillery FOO (63RAA) and FAC (9^th Tactical Air Command)  #1 

Support

2 assault engineer platoons (87^th French Engineer Groupe)

3 x Sherman (2RCA)

Note this photo includes the 63RAA FOO and the FAC

2 batteries, 2^nd Battalion 63RAA (105mm) off table

#1 the FAC can call in close air support on a 5-6 (1D6) a P47 arrives the next turn.

German defenders

Consisted of elements of the 198^th Infantry Division -The Division had suffered heavy casualties during its retreat to the Vosges Mountains. After the retreat from France, several minor formations were folded into the 198th during its defensive operations in the this area. These formations included two battalions from Grenadier Regiment O/V, the Fortress Infantry Battalion 1432, the Fortress Machine Gun Battalion 40, the 8^th Kriegsmarine Ship Cadre Battalion, parts of the 2nd Battalion of the Security Regiment 200, the remnants of Battalion Mahnke and Battalion Märker, as well as several additional smaller units and disorganized groups of retreating soldiers. Obviously not a cohesive unit with some of the man-power well below battle quality but, protected by bunkers, wire and terrain, they could still put up a stiff defense.

Composite battalion HQ (includes FOO for mortars) & a ten man security platoon (LMG, Panzerfaust)

Composite battalion with:

4 x 10-figure platoons (lmg each)

2 x Panzerfaust, 1 Panzershreck, sniper

2 x MMG team

2 x 81mm mortars

20mm AA

Pak38 in fortress mount

2 mixed minefields

History

After 48 hours of attacking, the Goumier managed to take all the hill tops around Rochesson and two German counter-attacks failed to dislodge them! Unfortunately the attempt of the French II Corps to break through the Vosges onto the plains of Alsace and onto the Rhine had failed, this time.

My Table

The game

Deployment: The Germans deployed right across the table centered on the main trench/bunker. Each of the two forward bunker held a MMG team. There was a full platoon on each flank (each centered around an MG bunker), third platoon was entrenched in and around the ruined monastery, the Pak38 bunker was also near there. The last platoon was in the main trench system, the 20mm AA was also here along the Battalion HQ (safely in their command bunker).

The French decided to commit two Goum supported by all their armour and the two engineer platoon to a direct frontal attack supported by artillery, mortar and whatever air support could be called. The third Goum would try and end run down the left flank.

French center

French left flank

German center

Turn 1 saw a general French advance, the center Goums were immediately hit by German mortars and MMG fire which caused casualties

Turn 2-3 the French kept advancing under fire, Shermans tried to engage the bunker with direct fire, on Turn 3 the Sherman on the far left scored a direct hit and wiped out the MMG team.

Turn 4 finally saw the French artillery FOO contact his guns, calling fire down on the monastery - where he assumed (wrongly) the German mortar FOO as hiding

The German mortar scores a hit and claims the CO of the center Goum, luckily his 2IC and platoon commanders are close by to prevent any need for morale checks.

The Goum on the far left has encountered a bunker and comes under LMG fire!

Turn 5 On the French right the Shermans continue (ineffectively) to suppress the MMG bunker, one is also hit by the Pak38, but the shell fails to penetrate (and the gun goes un-spotted). In the French center, mortar bombs continue to drop among the Goumier, but as they are spread out casualties are light. On the far left one platoon engages the bunker (taking casualties) whilst the rest rush forward to flank it.

Turn 6 A Sherman hits a mine on the left!

Goumier of 1s and 2^nd Goums find minefields infront of them also and take casualties

Fortunately both units have Engineers with them who can spot un-mined areas

The Shermans on the French right finally suppress the MMG bunker on that side and its crew abandon their bunker

More french artillery drops around the monastery causing casualties among the platoon dug-n there.

The Pak38 once again hits a Sherman but fails to penetrate, this time however the gun is spotted by the FAC who calls in TAC air, a P47 is on the way.

On the far left the Goumier continue to exchange fire with the bunker (and now other dug-in Germans) as they move forward.

Turn 7 The lead Sherman wipes out a German position near the monastery (this causes a morale test among the defenders)

French engineers use Bangalore torpedoes to blow a gap in the wire

The center Goum unit is devastated by LMG, MMG and 20mm fire loosing 50% casualties including every officer and NCO, they go to ground or withdraw to cover.

One of the German LMGs is wiped out by the Goumier mortar

The P47 zooms across the tabletop and drops her eggs bang on target, wiping out the Pak38

On the far left the Goumier close assault the bunker

Turn 8 A Sherman nails another German position

The Goumier mortar targets the 20mm (miss), but the French artillery FOO also starts to bring his guns to bear on the upper hill.

On the far left the German platoon are over-run and wiped out by close assault.

Turn 9 The FAC calls in another P47

The Sherman by the monastery hits another German position, the survivors fail their morale check and flee

The 20mm is smashed by artillery

And with accumulative casualties the defenders in the trenches fail their morale check and abandon their positions.

Turns 10-11 the French artillery, mortars and tanks, ably supported by P47 strikes blast the hilltop until no return fire is felt

Turn 12 the Goumier advance to capture the hill