Battle of Hondeghem (27 May 1940)
Scenario for Battlegroup Blitzkrieg
The Battle of Hondeghem is one of the most famous small-unit rearguard actions of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) during the historic retreat to Dunkirk. Ordered to hold a vital crossroads (Route D161) just outside Cassel, a scratch force of British troops found themselves directly in the path of the advancing 6th Panzer Division. The defense lasted for over eight grueling hours and featured vicious, point-blank street fighting, where British artillerymen were forced to fire their field guns over open sights at oncoming German tanks from distances of less than 100 yards.
Scenario Terrain & Table Setup
• The Table: Set up a standard 6' x 4' battlefield. A main road (Route D161) must run linearly from the German table edge straight through to the British table edge.
• The Village: The central third of the map represents the village of Hondeghem, densely packed with European stone houses, walled gardens, and farms. Sightlines are extremely tight—treat all buildings as Hard Cover.
- Objectives: One objective in Hondeghem town square exit to main road. German attacker places one other objective.
Special Scenario Rules
• Time is Pressing: The British are buying time for the main Dunkirk perimeter. Starting on Turn 4, the British player rolls a D6 at the end of each turn. On a 5+, a single reinforcement unit arrives from the rear British table edge. This rises to 4+ on turn 5 and 3+ on turn 6 and 2+ on turn 7 and autamatically on turn 8.
• Stubborn Crews: The 18/25-pdr field gun crews from 'K' Battery will not abandon their positions easily. They are Elite for the purpose of unit morale Experience checks.
• Inexperienced Searchlight Infantry: The British infantry support consists of green searchlight operators who are rated as Inexperienced. They must pass an Experience Test before they can an order.
• Improvised Roadblocks: The British player may deploy two Roadblocks across the main thoroughfares within the village boundaries. Vehicles can pass a roadblock as dangerous ground.
Orders of Battle (ORBATs)
541pts 4 Officers and 2 scouts
British Expeditionary Force (BEF) mostly F troop K battery 5th RHA — Defender
Battle Rating: 35 + 2D6 | Command: 3 Officers
Defenders British deploy on table first
Forward HQ: Major Hoare (1x Officer in Staff Car) Artllery spotter special rule
'J' Troop, 5th Royal Horse Artillery: 2x 18/25-pdr Field Guns (deployed dug in)
Searchlight Infantry Platoon: Platoon Command (1x Officer, 2x Rifles) and 3x Inexperienced Infantry Squads (Rifles + 1x Bren Gun each)
Foxholes x1
Anti-Tank Defence: 2x Boyes Anti-Tank Rifle Teams
'F troop, 5th Royal Horse Artillery, 2x 18/25 pounder field guns with Morris prime movers.
Delayed Reinforcements (Turn 4+) from B squadron 1st Fife and Forfar Yeomanry
1 HQ MkVIB Vickers light tank and 2x MkViB Vickers Light tanks
Recce Patrol: 1x Scout Carrier Section (with 2 Boyes AT Rifle), 1x Motorcycle Patrol
German 6th Panzer Spearhead mostly 65 Panzer regiment— Attacker
Battle Rating: 38 | Command: 5 Officers
Vanguard (Enters Turn 1 via Main Road)
Forward HQ: 1x Officer in Panzer 35(t)
Artillery Observer team in Light Car
1x Reconnaissance Sd.Kfz 247
3rd Light Panzer Company:
1 troops consisting of:
2x Panzer 35(t) and 1x Panzer 35(t) Troop HQ
and 1 troop consisting of:
2x Panxer II and 1x Panzer II Troop HQ
2 Company 4th Infantry Regiment
Motorised Kradschützen Infantry Platoon: Platoon Command (1x Officer) in Kfz 15 car and 3x Veteran Infantry Squads on BMW motorcycles and side cars
Motorised Schutzen Infantry Platoon: Platoon Command (1x Officer) in Kfz 15 car and 3x Veteran Infantry Squads in Medium trucks
Main Body Reinforcements (Enters Turn 3)
1 troops consisting of:
2x Panzer 35(t) and 1x Panzer 35(t) Troop HQ
Heavy Panzer Support: 2x Panzer IV (Short 7.5cm)
Infantry Gun Section: 1x 7.5cm le.IG 18 Infantry Gun (towed by light truck)
Artllery Support 1 battalion 76 Artillery Regiments
1 battery of Light Panzer artillery (off table)
2x 105mm howitzers
Victory Conditions
The game ends immediately when either side exceeds their Battle Rating.
• German Victory: The German player wins if they force the British force to break or successfully exit three functional vehicles off the British table edge before the game ends.
• British Victory: The British player wins if they hold the crossroads, force the German force to break, or survive until the end of Turn 8 without losing all the 18/25-pdr field guns.
AAR
