Historical Background: Taking advantage of the departure of two Panzer Divisions hastily sent west to counter the 1st US Army's Operation Cobra, Montgomery sends the 2nd British Army to the assault of the Virois bocage in Operation Bluecoat. Their first objectives are two heights to the east of Saint-Martin-des-Besaces: Hill 226 and Hill 309. On July 30, the German front lines, held by the 276 and 326 Infantry Divisions who were entrenched behind minefields, are bombarded and then eviscerated by the assault of the 15th "Scottish Division" and 43rd "Wessex Division" along with support from the "Crocodile" flame thrower tanks of the 141st RAC.
Following the breach made by the British infantry, the tanks of the Guard Armoured Brigade rumble forward toward their objectives. But a surprise setback soon comes with the appearance on the battlefield of the "Jagdpanthers" of the 654.sPzjg Abt, soon followed by the "Tiger II" tanks of the 503.sPz Abt and a Kampfgruppe of the 21.Panzer Division. During the day of July 31, the "Guards" lose many Churchill tanks from the repeated blows of the German heavy armor, but manage to hold their ground on the positions conquered earlier. Operation Bluecoat is now ready to move to its second phase - the capture of Mont-Pinçon.
The stage is set, the battle lines are drawn, and you are in command. The rest is history.
Briefing: Axis Player [Germany] Take 5 Command cards.
Allied Player [Great Britain] Take 6 Command cards. You move first.
Conditions of Victory: 12 Medals.
Hill 226 and Hill 309 are Temporary Medal Objectives for the Allied forces.
Special Rules: Place a badge on Allied engineer units (Troops 4 - Combat Engineers) and on Allied "Crocodile" Flame Thrower Tanks (Troops 13 - Flame Thrower Tanks).
Place a badge on the Allied "Sexton" and German "Wespe" Mobile artillery units (Troops 14 - Mobile Artillery).
Place a badge on the German "Jagdpanther" and "Tiger II" elite tank units and another on the German Grenadier infantry units (Troops 2 - Specialized Units).
The German player lays out the Minefields (Terrain 29 - Minefields).
Air Rules are optional: If used, shuffle both Air Sortie cards into the deck before game start.
Scenario Bibliography: BADGES German elite units Mobile artillery Allied engineers Flame Thrower tanks
LOGOS Breakthrough Terrain Pack Pacific Theater Air Pack
- Album Mémorial Bataille de Normandie - Ed. Heimdal. - Magazine Batailles et blindés n°22 - La garde meurt mais ne se rend pas.
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