After a month the British and Commonwealth campaign against Vichy forces in Syria was coming to a close. The coastal town of Damour was the last major Vichy outpost before the key city of Beirut. The Vichy commander in the Damour region, allocated a battalion of tough Algerians in the defense of the southern approaches to the village which was covered by banana groves. Artillery pieces and armored cars provided additional support. Lightly armed Australian pioneers supported by tanks and carriers crossed the Damour River and pushed forward into the Vichy positions.
Attacker: Australian (D Company, 2/2nd Pioneer Battalion, 17th Brigade and 6th Division Cavalry Regiment)
Defender: Vichy French (2ème Bataillon, 29ème Régiment de Tirailleurs Algériens, Armée du Levant)
5.5 turns
Players: 2 OBA: None Night: No
Unit Counts:
Squads: A:12.0 D:10.0
AFVs: A:5
Mk VIB x 2 Carrier A x 2 Carrier B
D:2
AMD 20 cv TOE x 2
Guns: A:0
OML 2-in. Mortar x 3 Boys ATR x 2
D:1
Canon de 75 M mle 28 Mortier de 60 mle 35
Misc Rules:
Wooden buildings, ground level only, no Rowhouse bars.
Map Board(s):
35
58
Overlays:
X18
Errata (source)
Players wanting to play this game/Request a match:
Australians vs Vichy French in this scenario where the terrain is dominated by orchards. It turned out to be a fun scenario, well worth playing, although I played it very badly!
The Australian MkVIB’s seem to be virtually unstoppable early on, and I made the mistake of setting up a defence line in the orchards. I simply got over-run (breaking even when concealed in a foxhole!). Moreover, the Aussie AFVs – even carriers – can easily get behind any forward line to prevent any broken French units from routing. Even after the French armoured cars come on, the Aussie AFVs can run around them and the carriers can unload their HS’s who take their MGs or ATRs with them. I did better on the eastern side where my Gun and mortar held up the flanking force coming over the hill, but it wasn’t enough and I conceded on Turn 4.
So is the best defence for the French to form a series of defensive ‘islands’ based around the buildings? Still seems tough if the Aussies can surround them, but I’d like to try this scenario again sometime.
2022-02-12
(A) Richard Jenulis
vs
Rob Wirthlin
Vichy French win
NWASL Championship 2022 (round 3)
2021-07-23
(A) nathan wegener
vs
Scott Martin
Australian win
Smoked out the forward Vichy defense and my armour swirled around causing havoc. My dice were hot and opponents were not which made the outcome ugly. StL2021
2021-07-23
(A) Paul Works
vs
Bob Bendis
Australian win
I pushed up the center; slowly at first, leveraging smoke rounds from my light mortars. I then used my vehicles to get on his flanks and break up his defensive line; eventually causing route-path issues.
2021-07-13
(D) O Ramaille
vs
Eric W
Vichy French win
The Vichy French setup his foxholes just in front of the first building objective in order to create a defensive strongpoint. Dummies and one HS were waiting upfront under the banana trees to make the Australian lose some time. The Australian attacked frontally and soon a Carrier was recalled by sniper shot. The few upfront units slowly withdrew and slipped on the Australian flanks. The advance of the Australian was cautious and their assault was held back by the French. Some units tried to use mortars from the hills but they did not have enough LOS to be effective. The French armor counterattack to the rear of the Australian defense causing some mayhem and closing the trap. The Australians were surrounded with several broken units eliminated from failure to rout. A complete Vichy victory.
2021-06-27
(A) Kermit Mullins
vs
Dan Best
Australian win
My Australians moved straight into the orchard and by the end of Turn 1, I had lost a tank and 2 carriers to the 75 ARTY. But the smoke from burning wrecks allowed my infantry to move into the building complex. A seesaw battle ultimately ended with an Australian win.
2021-06-26
(D) Dan Best
vs
Kermit Mullins
Australian win
2021-06-25
(D) Ian Morris
vs
Martin Mayers
Vichy French win
Martin hustled his troops forward and was next to my final line on turn 4, but couldn’t pass a MC for love or money. Lot to do for the Australians.
2021-06-11
(A) Eric Topp
vs
John Fedoriw
Australian win
After several abortive attempts by myself to do a competent Vichy defence, John had a go. I ran out of Smoke with two MTR but the third did the job. With the help of the Smoke Hindrance and suicidal Carrier attacks, my Aussie infantry moved in. On the final turn, Advancing Fire broke the remaining Vichy defenders.
2021-05-17
(D) X von Marwitz
vs
David Wallace
Vichy French win
Small action in Syria in 1941 pitting a force of Australians supported by light and fast AFV against the Vichy French that have to defend a couple of buildings and just hope to hang on.
A full AAR can be found at GameSquad Forum under the following link:
Plenty of Aussie squads got broke in the initial assault but they rallied back and were able to push hard in the penultimate turn. Encirclement fire and enforcing failure to rout won the day and the Vichy player conceded with his few remaining squads either in Melee or about to be. No mobile AFVs left by game end
2021-05-12
(A) patrick palma
vs
Fabio Mazzucchelli
Australian win
2021-04-30
(A) Rick Galli
vs
Brian Kaschyk
Australian win
2021-04-16
(D) nathan wegener
vs
Ron Schatz
Vichy French win
Aussies struggled to find smoke and the Vichy defense stood fast.
ASLOpen21
