Memoir '44: Sword Beach Breakout

 

A couple friends of mine (Ben & Nick) have cautiously entered into the world of wargaming. To keep it interesting, face paced, and enjoyable for them, we've been playing a lot of Memoir '44. They like the cards, so it's a mental note for myself. Probably something like Paths of Glory next, something card driven, as opposed to OCS or ASL. That might crush their interest.

We've played through about 5 scenarios, rotating the sides that have two players. Ben faced off against us as the Germans in the Sword Beach scenario. It was interesting enough that we turned it into alternate history, after feeding ChatGPT as much background as possible. (It still got confused, but we had fun producing an AI generated background, analysis, and aftermath of the scenario).

Sword Beach and its Defenders:

The objective for the Germans at Sword Beach on D-Day was to prevent the Allies from establishing a foothold in Normandy and to slow down the invasion force. The beach was defended by units of the 716th Infantry Division, which was made up of older and less experienced soldiers, as well as conscripts from occupied countries.

The German defense of Sword Beach was divided into several strongpoints, including concrete bunkers and fortified positions. The Germans placed artillery, including the 10.5 cm leFH 18/40, in these strongpoints to cover the approaches to the beach. The German defense also included obstacles that were intended to slow down the advance of the Allied armor.

It's worth noting that the 716th Infantry Division was a reserve unit and was not as well-equipped or as well-trained as some of the other German units on the front line.

The Battlefield:

The battlefield was divided into three sectors, with sector King in the center, sector J on the right, and sector Queen on the left.

The central sector at Sword Beach, sector King, was more heavily defended than sector J. It was assigned to the British No.41 (Royal Marine) Commando, supported by Universal Carriers and Churchill Tanks, who faced a more difficult task in securing their sector due to the more challenging terrain. The central sector was more heavily defended than sectors J and Q, as it was protected by a higher number of natural obstacles, such as cliffs, and was also covered by a greater number of German artillery emplacements.

The central sector, sector King, was the most heavily defended, with a strongpoint  anchoring the very center: a ferroconcrete bunker housing two German 10.5 cm leFH 18/40 artillery pieces. The bunker was protected by a number of infantry units and fixed emplacements across all three sectors, making it a formidable obstacle for the British.

The flanks, sectors J and Queen, were assigned to the British infantry and special forces, who were tasked with securing the beachhead and advancing inland towards the other objectives. The flanks were protected by a lesser number of artillery emplacements and infantry units compared to the central sector.

The Battle:

Initiating the battle, Allied aerial forces and bunker-busters flew in close air support to neutralize the German strongpoint in the center of the battlefield. This greatly reduced the firepower of the enemy and allowed the British armor to move up the middle and neutralize the remaining defenders in the bunker. The use of CAS was a key factor in neutralizing the strongpoint. The heavy aerial barrage damaged the bunker and knocked out one of the German guns, allowing the British armor to move in and complete the neutralization. With the strongpoint neutralized, the British infantry and special forces were able to advance further along the flanks and inflict enough losses on the Germans to force a retreat from the field without being hampered by the artillery’s harassing fire.

Analysis of the Engagement:

By prioritizing the neutralization of the strongpoint, the British forces were able to neutralize the enemy's primary source of firepower and gain a significant advantage on the battlefield. The British forces were able to adapt to the situation and adjust their tactics as needed to achieve their objectives. When the CAS heavily damaged the German bunker, the British armor moved straight up the middle to neutralize the remaining defenders. This allowed the infantry and special forces on the flanks to advance further and inflict enough losses on the enemy to force a retreat from the field.

It's possible that the German defense was too concentrated in the center of the battlefield, making it vulnerable to the British armor and the American close air support. The German strongpoint in the center of the battlefield may have been a key factor in their defense, but it also made their defense vulnerable to attack. By over-relying on this strongpoint, the Germans left themselves exposed to a concentrated attack from the British forces. By having a deeper defense, with multiple layers of defenses and reserves, the Germans might have been able to slow the advance of the British and American forces and give themselves more time to respond to the attack. The German defense may have also been hampered by poor coordination between the various units, which could have made it difficult for them to respond effectively to the British attack.

There’s also an issue with the artillery itself. The 10.5 cm leFH 18/40 was a light field howitzer used by the Germans throughout World War II. It was a versatile artillery piece that was capable of providing indirect fire support to the infantry.

However, while the 10.5 cm leFH 18/40 was a capable artillery piece, it may not have been the best weapon to cover the central approaches to the beachhead, as it had limited range and was not well-suited for direct fire support against armored targets.

Instead, the Germans might have benefited from using more heavy artillery pieces with greater range and firepower. They could have used the 15 cm sFH 18 (heavy field howitzer 18), which had a longer range and greater firepower than the 10.5 cm leFH 18/40. They could have also used anti-tank guns, such as the 8.8 cm Pak 43, which were more effective against armored targets.

In addition to artillery, the Germans could have also used anti-tank obstacles, such as minefields or tank traps, to slow down the advance of the British armor. This would have given them more time to respond to the attack and could have made it more difficult for the British and American forces to penetrate the German defense.

The 716th Infantry Division began to retreat from the beachhead late in the day on June 6, 1944, after the Allies had secured a foothold on Sword Beach and began pushing further inland.