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2

1. Introduction 4

2. Syllabus 4

3. Module Objective 4-5

4. Setup and Counter Descriptions 5-6

5. Turn Sequence 7

6. Turn Marker Phase 8

7. Strategy Event Phase 8

8. Equipment Phase 8-9 9. Tactical Event Phase 9-10

10. Character Event Phase 10

11. British Movement Phase 11-12

12. German Placement Phase 12-13 13. German Movement Phase 13-14 14. British Combat Phase 14-18

15. German Combat Phase 18-21

16. German Advance Phase 21

17. The Final Attack 21-22

18. The Hunt for Chaplin 22-24

19. Recovery Phase 24-25

20. End of Module Phase and Assessment 25-26

Table of Contents

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4

1) InTroduCTIon

‘Codeword Cromwell’ is a military simuation depicting the German Armed Forces’ invasion of England, in the summer of 1940.

It is produced by the Combined Forces Military College in Greenwich, in association with Fifth Column Games, and is a replica of the Module used to train officers of the Combined Defence Force established following the cessation of hostilities in March, 1941.

This simulation does not recreate the entire invasion, but concentrates on the famous ‘Battle of Birkham Stokes’ in which a small group of civilians, Home Guard irregular forces, and regular British and US soldiers defended the strategically vital Sussex village against advance elements of the German invasion force.

This is the first occasion that CFMC has publicly released one of its official training modules, and purchasers should be aware that certain elements contained within the original have been deleted or amended on grounds of national security.

2) SyllabuS

This Module constitutes Part III of the CFMC seven-part Field Tactics Evaluation course.

Students are required to complete the Module in its entirety, and are evaluated and marked according to their success or failure in mounting a successful defence of the objective. In addition, they receive further marks for demonstrating strategic aptitude in integrating their tactical ‘Mission Goals’ with the overall campaign.

Detailed success/failure criteria are outlined later in this tutorial booklet.

As well as contributing 15% of the course’s practical end of year assessment, students will also receive questions on this Module in their final assessment exams.

3) Module objeCTIve

A more detailed briefing on the historical, tactical, and strategic background to this Module is contained within the Intelligence Briefing, produced by Analysis Group E4.

The basic scenario is as follows:

a) It is Saturday, June 8, 1940. German Armed Forces have launched Operation Sea Lion, the invasion of Great Britain.

b) You control the British Home Forces, consisting (for the purposes of this Module) of individual notable ‘Characters’; groups of generic civilians, ‘Villagers’; members of the ‘Home Guard’ (including 2 ‘Officers’); British and US regular forces, ‘Regulars’ (these may or may not enter as reinforcements as the Module unfolds); British armoured vehicles, ‘Armour’; and miscellaneous support weapons. Collectively these forces are referred to as ‘British units’ (including US regulars). Individual counters may also be referred to as a ‘unit.’

c) The German invasion forces (including airborne troops, infantry, and armour) are controlled by the game system. Collectively these are known as ‘German units.’ German units may also be classified as ’Regiments.’

Introduction

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d) The scenario is centred around the strategically important village of Birkham Stokes, which is depicted on the map board and overlaid with 33 named squares denoting areas of tactical importance.

e) The Main Offensive Objective, simulated by the game system, is for the German forces to occupy the Church square, located at the centre of the board. The Secondary Offensive Objective is for the German forces to occupy all four British Primary Defensive Locations by the end of Turn 8 (i.e., on any of the first 8 Turns).

f) Your Main Defensive Objective is to deploy your forces and engage the enemy in a way that ensures the German forces fail in their attempt to seize control of the village.

g) You also have a Secondary Defensive Objective, which is to ensure that you manage your resistance in a way that does not negatively impact upon the broader strategic situation facing the Home Forces.

h) Your final mark will be based on an analysis of the local and strategic situation at the end of the Module (Turn 16 —or earlier if certain conditions have been met).

4) SeTup and CounTer deSCrIpTIonS

The scenario is set up in the following way:

Setup

a) Place the two sections of the map board together.

b) Take the Cromwell Cards and divide them into four distinct piles. Pile 1: card numbers 1-15 (British Strategy Events), Pile 2: card numbers 16-30 (German Strategy Events), Pile 3: cards 31-60 (Tactical Events), and Pile 4: cards 61 -120 (Character Events). Shuffle each pile and then place them face down in front of you in the order described.

c) Procure a container to hold the 43 Equipment counters. The more evocative a container the better.

d) Set up all 198 counters as listed on the “Counter Setup Chart” included. Counter content is outlined on the following page.

6

Counter descriptions

Note: Reynolds’ split stripe is a bit hard to see, but it’s there — he may use khaki specialist weapons.

Note: The pink diagonal of course means he may use pink non-specialist weapons as well as khaki weapons.

7

5) Turn SequenCe

The Module consists of three distinct parts: the Pre-Invasion Segment, the Invasion Segment, and the End of Module Phase and Assessment.

a) Pre-Invasion Segment. The Pre-Invasion Segment recreates the period immediately following the broadcast of “Codeword Cromwell”, the message alerting UK Home Forces that invasion was imminent. During this Segment you deploy your units (Characters, Villagers, and Home Guard), occupy defensive positions, distribute support weapons, mount roadblocks, fortify strong points, etc. The Pre-Invasion Segment itself is divided into two distinct Phases; the Deployment Phase and the Alert Phase:

i) Deployment Phase. Draw one Equipment counter from the Equipment Container and place it in any square. You may then take any one Unit currently on the board, and place it in any square of your choice (observing Stacking Limits - see 11.d).

ii) Alert Phase. Roll 1d6. If the result is > the current Pre-Invasion Turn Number, advance the Turn Marker one space and conduct a new Deployment Phase. If the result is ≤ the current Pre-Invasion Turn Number the Invasion is underway. The Pre-Invasion Turn Number is represented by the current location of the Turn Marker. Return the Turn Marker to Turn 1, place the Invasion Marker in space 2 of the Invasion Track, and proceed to the Invasion Segment.

b) Invasion Segment. The Invasion Segment recreates in detail the Battle of Birkham Stokes and, in a more abstract way, monitors the advance of the German landing forces. This Segment is divided into the following Phases:

I. Turn Marker Phase [Skipped on Turn 1]. The Turn Marker is advanced. II. Strategy Event Phase [Skipped on Turn 1]. German or British Strategy cards are drawn,

the Sea Lion Roll is conducted, and (if appropriate) the Invasion Marker is advanced along the Invasion Track.

III. Equipment Phase. Weapons and other Equipment are drawn and supplied to the village defenders.

IV. Tactical Event Phase [Skipped on Turn 1]. A Tactical Event card may be drawn.V. Character Event Phase [Skipped on Turn 1]. A Character Event card is drawn.VI. British Movement Phase [Skipped on Turn 1]. Village defenders move.VII. German Placement Phase. New German units

are placed on the board.VIII. German Movement Phase. German units move.IX. British Combat Phase. Village defenders fire at

the Germans, and engage in Close Combat.X. German Combat Phase. German units fire at the

village defenders.XI. German Advance Phase. German units Advance

or Infiltrate further into the village.XII. Recovery Phase. British units attempt to recover

from their injuries, rally morale amongst the village defenders, and repair weapons.

c) End of Module Phase and Assessment. Your grading is covered on page 25.

Turn Sequence

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6) Turn Marker phaSe

Historically, the battle commenced at approximately 06.00 hours when advance elements of 7th Flieger Corps encountered elements of the Home Guard defending the Bridge, and continued until 06.00 the following morning, when the Germans withdrew.

Each space on the Turn Track represents 1 hour of ‘real time,’ and is represented in BST. At the start of each new Turn, advance the Turn Marker 1 space along the Turn Track. If the Turn Marker has reached “S-Day+1” the Module ends on completion of this Turn.

7) STraTegy evenT phaSe

The Strategy Event Phase recreates the first 24 hours of the landings. As you know, the British Home Forces had warning of when and where the invasion was to be launched, due to [--------------------------------------------------Censored-----------------------------------------------].

a) British or German Strategy Event Card Draw. Choose whether to draw a British or a German Strategy Event card. Each Event replicates an historical episode and provides a modifier for the upcoming Operation Sea Lion Roll. A detailed description of the Event is found in the Intelligence Briefing booklet. A British Strategy card will provide an advantage to the defending British forces, whilst a German Strategy card will help the German landing forces. [Note: If you draw for the British side, you cannot Activate or Deploy a Tactical Event in the Tactical Event Phase; the phase is skipped.]

b) Draw the top card from the chosen (British or German) Strategy Event card pile. You must always draw a British or German Strategy card during the Strategy Event Phase.

c) Operation Sea Lion Roll. Roll a red d6 and a blue d6. If a British Strategy card was drawn, add the Event’s Sea Lion modifier to the number on the red d6. If a German Strategy card was drawn, add the Event’s Sea Lion modifier to the number on the blue d6.

d) Invasion Marker. If the (modified) value of the blue d6 is ≥ the (modified) value of the red d6, advance the Invasion Marker one space along the Invasion Track. If it is not, the Invasion Marker is not advanced. The Invasion Marker indicates the progress of the German forces and will determine which German Regiments are deployed (as well as what sort of tactical support is available during the battle). If the Invasion Marker enters the “Surrender” space, the Module ends. Go to the End of Module Phase.

e) Each Strategy Event can only be used once per game. Once a card has been drawn, and the Operation Sea Lion Roll performed, it is permanently discarded from play.

8) equIpMenT phaSe

In the days leading up to the battle, Home Guard munitions and equipment were stored in the Church crypt. This ultimately presented problems for the defenders.

a) Equipment Draw. During the Equipment Phase draw one Equipment counter from the Equipment Container. The counter must be placed in the Church.

b) The Church. For an Equipment counter to be drawn, at least one British unit must be present in the Church square.

Turn Marker phase

9

c) Sabotaged! A number of pieces of Equipment have been sabotaged by a ‘traitor’ amongst the villagers (historically, this was a German Abwehr intelligence officer, codename “Chaplin”). If a Sabotaged counter is drawn, immediately place it back in the Equipment Container, and move to the Tactical Event Phase. [Note: If ‘Chaplin’ has been Revealed, any Sabotaged counters subsequently drawn are Removed permanently from the Module.]

9) TaCTICal evenT phaSe

As the fight for the Village developed and British High Command came to realise the tactical importance of Birkham Stokes, additional resources were deployed to the defence of that sector.

a) Tactical Event Card Draw. You may draw one Tactical Event card during the Tactical Event Phase, provided you did not draw a British Strategy Event card during the Strategy Event Phase. If a British Strategy Event card was drawn, go straight to the Character Event Phase.

b) Drawing a Tactical Event. Draw the top card from the Tactical Event pile, and locate the corresponding Event in the Tactical Event section of the Intelligence Briefing. This describes the historical incident upon which the Event is based and how it influences the Module.

c) Deploying a Tactical Event. Once chosen, a Tactical Event is said to be ‘Activated’ but it must still be ‘Deployed’ to be played. You may try to Deploy it immediately, or retain it and try to Deploy it in a later Turn. To Deploy a Tactical Event, look at the Tactical Event’s Deployment Number, then the current Deployment Modifier. The modifier is on the map board, in the green or red shading on the row containing the Invasion Marker. Adjust the Deployment Number by the Deployment Modifier. This figure is the Final Deployment Total.

d) Deployment Roll. Roll 2d6. If the roll ≥ the Final Deployment Total the Event is now Deployed. If the roll is < the Deployment Total the Event is not Deployed. It remains Activated, but you cannot Deploy this or any other Tactical Event this Turn (Tactical Events already “In Play” may still be used). [Example: During the Tactical Event Phase of Turn 6 you draw Tactical Event card 53, “Angels One Five,” which has a Deployment Number of 6. The Invasion Marker is currently on space 9, which means a Deployment Modifier of +2. The Final Deployment Total is therefore 8. You roll 2d6 and get an 8. As this equals the Final Deployment Total, the Event is now Deployed and may be played.]

e) Using a Tactical Event. Once Deployed, a Tactical Event must be used immediately. It cannot be retained with its Deployed status, then brought into play on a later Turn. Once Deployed, most Tactical Events only influence play for a single Turn and are then discarded. However, some (such as “Baker Sugar”) may affect play for longer periods, as indicated. Others (such as “Here Comes The Cavalry”) allow Reinforcements to arrive or additional Equipment to be drawn. These Events are discarded as soon as the Reinforcements or Equipment are placed.

Tactical event phase

10

f) Multiple Tactical Events. You may only ever attempt to Deploy one Tactical Event in any one Turn. You may, however, have more than one Tactical Event influencing play at any one time.

10) CharaCTer evenT phaSe

The Character Events replicate various individual incidents that occurred to—and between—the villagers during the fighting. The differing characters, and their ever-changing relationships, had a significant influence on the course of the battle.

a) Activating Character Events. You must conduct a new Character Event draw at the start of every Character Event Phase. Draw the top card from the Character Event pile. Some Events will provide additional support for the British units during the Turn they are played, whilst others hinder the defenders. [Note: Most of the Events described are taken from official sources, such as “The Official History of Operation Sea Lion” (Werner Masser, Combined Forces Stationary Office, 1951), or from battlefield reports. However, one or two incidents have been based upon unofficial sources, such as Clarence E. Pitts’ published account of the battle, The Village That Would Not Die (Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1943), or the allied propaganda film, Went The Day Well? (Ealing Overseas Studios, 1942). Students are advised that this material has been inserted for reasons of playability and tactical flexibility, and they should not rely upon this data when studying for other areas of the syllabus.]

b) Character Event Deployment. As with Tactical Events, Activated Character Events must be Deployed before they can be played. However, Deployment is not determined by a dice roll but by a condition, or series of conditions, called “Special Cases.” For example, Character Event 66, “Up And At ‘Em”, requires one Villagers unit to be in a square adjacent to a German unit. To be Deployed, the Event must simply meet the conditions outlined in the Intelligence Briefing at the start of the Character Event Phase.

c) Using Character Events. Once a new Character Event card has been drawn, you must attempt to Deploy one Character Event. To do this, you must see which Activated Events are currently eligible for Deployment (i.e., which ones currently meet the Special Case criteria outlined in the Intelligence Briefing).

d) If no Character Event cards are currently available (because none of the Special Case criteria on the currently Activated cards can be met), then the Character Event Phase ends. All cards currently Activated (including the one just drawn) remain Activated.

e) If any Activated Character Events do meet their Special Case criteria you must choose to Deploy one (even if this card would have a detrimental effect on the Characters or Villagers in question).

f) Discarding Character Events. Some Character Event cards are discarded at the end of the Turn they are put into play. Others may influence play for a longer period. Details are included in the Intelligence Briefing. On occasion it may become impossible to Activate a particular Character Event (due to the Module situation or other Events). If this occurs, simply discard the Event permanently from the game. If you draw a Character Event that is impossible to play, discard it and draw a new card.

Character event phase

11

11) brITISh MoveMenT phaSe

During the British Movement Phase you may move the various British units.

a) Moving British Units. To move a British unit, roll 1d6. Compare that number to the Movement Value, the bottom number on the right of the unit counter. If the number thrown is ≤ the Movement Value, you may move the unit up to the number of squares indicated by the die. If the number thrown is > the Movement Value, the unit may not move this Turn. [Example: Captain McGowan has a basic Movement Value of 6. Arthur Pendrake has a basic Movement Value of 4. Rolling a 5 for Captain McGowan means he can move up to 5 spaces, whereas rolling the same for Arthur Pendrake means he is unable to move this turn.] In addition to their own Movement Factors, units may move as a result of Tactical or Character Events, or as a result of the introduction into the Module of certain pieces of Equipment.

b) Moving Equipment. When they move, British units may carry pieces of Equipment (Ranged weapons, Close Combat weapons, etc.) with them. To carry an item of Equipment, simply move into the square containing the Equipment counter and place it on top of the unit. Picking up a piece of Equipment counts as (i.e., costs) 1 additional square of movement. Equipment may be left in a square at no movement cost.

c) Equipment Limits. Characters and the Home Guard may carry one piece of Equipment each. Villagers units may each carry three pieces of Equipment. British and US Regular units do not carry Equipment (their weapons are automatically factored into their Combat Values). In addition, one Medical Kit may also be carried by each British unit.

d) Stacking. The village defenders ARE subject to stacking restrictions (this is because each location is also assumed to contain villagers who did not historically play a significant part in the fighting—the elderly, women and children, etc.). Each square may not contain more than 5 Stacking Points. The exception to this rule is the Church, where you may have 7 Stacking Points. In addition, each square may hold no more than one armour unit. Stacking limits apply to units that have completed their movement, they do not apply to units moving through a square. Each unit has the following Stacking Point value:

Value

Uni

t

Armour 1 unit per squareVillagers

2 pointsRegular (US or British)Character

1 pointHome Guard

e) Move Sequence. Moves are resolved one square at a time. You must move all the units of your choice from one square before moving others. [Example: Arthur Pendrake and a Regular unit are defending Church Lane. They are surrounded on 3 sides by German units and decide the time has come to withdraw. Pendrake rolls a 6 and cannot move. The British Regulars must now decide whether to try to leave the square, or stay with him to defend the Lane before Units in any other squares can be moved.]

[Note: Historically, the incident described above did actually occur, when the bank manager, Arthur Pendrake, was wounded during the siege of the Kent Alliance. Realising the squad of four East Kent regular soldiers with him were refusing to leave, Pendrake famously turned his gun upon himself, allowing them to withdraw and save themselves.]

british Movement phase

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german placement phase

f) Occupied Squares. British units cannot move into or through squares containing German units, or squares containing German Control markers (unless allowed by Equipment, a Character trait, or an Event).

g) British units may only move from square to square horizontally or vertically. They cannot move diagonally.

h) The Church square may be accessed directly from the NE, NW, SE, and SW Square squares; and vice versa. [Note: Despite their aesthetic differences, these four squares are normal squares for game purposes, as is the Church itself.]

i) The two British armoured units may move up to three squares per Turn. There is no Movement Roll.

12) gerMan plaCeMenT phaSe

The German Placement Phase replicates the efforts of the German invasion forces to infiltrate Birkham Stokes.

a) German Regiment Availability. Determine which individual Regiments are assaulting the village by examining the current location of the Invasion Marker. As the marker advances (representing the advance of the German landing forces), the number of units assaulting the village will increase and the direction of their attacks will become more varied.

Invasion Marker Position

Reg

t. A

ctiv

ated

7th Flieger Corps 2+5th Light Infantry 4+1st Light Infantry 6+20th Mechanised Infantry 8+18th Light Panzer 10+4th Heavy Panzer 12+

Once a Regiment is Activated, it is in play for the rest of the game. Destroyed German units are ‘recycled’ and brought back into play at the end of the following German Placement Phase. [Note: Historically, German commanders quickly came to realise the importance of Birkham Stokes and the battle developing around Sector 2, and deployed significant resources in the hope of securing a breakthrough.]

b) German Initial Placement. German initial placement is conducted for each Activated Regiment in turn, using Activated units not previously placed, units Activated for the first time, or destroyed units no longer displaying their “KIA” side.

The process is:

i) Identify which Regiments are, or are about to be, Activated, using the German Regiment Availability Table.

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german Movement phase

ii) Roll 2d6 and cross reference with the German Assault Direction Table. This tells you the map edge each unit will enter from; the North, South, East, or West. [Example: It is Turn 6. You roll a 7. This particular attack will take place from the west map edge.]

iii) Again roll 2d6 and compare with the Red Entry Numbers by the appropriate map edge’s Approach Boxes. This shows which Approach Box will be used for placement of the German units. [Example: Having determined the attack will take place from the west map edge, you roll again and roll a 3. The units will be placed in the Approach Box into the North Stream square.]

iv) Roll 2d6 a third time and compare with the German Squad Assault Table. This indicates how many units will be placed in the Approach Box. [Example: Having determined the attack will take place across the North Stream, you roll a 7. Three Squads will be placed in the North Stream Approach Box.]

v) Repeat the process for each Activated Regiment. vi) If not enough units from a particular Regiment are available after having thrown on the

German Squad Assault Table, simply place all those units that are available, and begin a new round of placement for any remaining Activated Regiments.

c) Stacking. There are no stacking restrictions for German Infantry units, and units from different Regiments may occupy the same square.

d) Armour Units. Armour units are placed differently. For each eligible Armour unit roll 2d6 on the German Armour Entry Table and place the unit in the Approach Box indicated. Only one German Armour unit may occupy the same Approach Box at any time. If the indicated Approach Box is occupied, or otherwise unavailable, the Armour unit is not placed this Turn. It remains Activated, and an attempt can be made to enter it on later Turns.

e) Once all eligible units have been placed, flip any off-board German Infantry units currently on their “KIA” side to their full-strength side. They are now available for placement in the next German Placement Phase.

f) British units never occupy Approach Boxes.

13) gerMan MoveMenT phaSe

In the German Movement Phase, German units move into the village square by square. Their movement is designed to replicate their historic advance towards the Church.

i. Conducting Movement. Movement is conducted by advancing units from the north and south of the board in a vertical direction, and from the east and west in a horizontal direction. Each unit in a square fully completes its movement before other units commence their own movement.

ii. Eligible Units. German units in squares or Approach Boxes not adjacent to a British unit with a Ranged weapon (see 14.a.ii) move in the German Movement Phase. German units in Approach Boxes are only adjacent to the square they are attached to. [Example: The Approach Box to the Bridle Path is only adjacent to the Bridle Path. It is not adjacent to the Bank, Old Barn, or the West Woods.]

iii. Moving Units. German units move in the German Movement Phase by advancing a single square and stopping. If the square they have entered does not already contain a German Control Marker, place one. If there are no Control Markers left to place (because all 26 are in play), the game immediately ends. The village is now under German control. Go to the End of Module Phase.

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british Combat phase

iv. Additional Movement. German units continue moving in this way, placing Control Markers in empty squares, until they enter a square adjacent to a British unit with a Ranged weapon or their Line of Advance is blocked by a British unit. This ends a German unit’s movement for this Phase.

v. Line of Advance. German units move towards the Church (their ultimate objective) along a series of squares called their Line of Advance (LOA). For units that were initially placed in northern or southern Approach Boxes, their LOA is always the next vertically adjacent square. For units initially placed in the eastern or western Approach Boxes, their LOA is always the next horizontally adjacent square. German units only ever move along their Line of Advance. [Example: A German unit that was initially placed in the Approach Box adjacent to the Cricket Pavilion would have a Line of Advance comprising the Cricket Pavilion, Pub Lane, and the NW Square. One initially placed in the Approach Box of Hangman’s Lane would have the Line of Advance: Hangman’s Lane, Police Station, NE Square.]

vi. The Village Square and Church. As soon as a German unit moves adjacent to the NE, NW, SE, or SW Square, that square automatically becomes the next square on its Line of Advance. [Example: A unit starting in the East Woods Approach Box would move: East Woods, Surgery, Garage, and then the SE Square.] As soon as a German unit moves adjacent to the Church, it no longer moves, except to enter the Church and end the Module.

vii. Units in the same square. German units may never enter a square containing British units.

viii. Armour Units. German Armour units move in the same way as Infantry units. The exception is that for movement purposes, a German unit is only deemed adjacent to a British unit if the British unit’s square contains a specialised Anti-Tank weapon (see 14.b.iii), a British or US Regular unit, or a British Armour unit. Only one German armour unit may occupy a square at any time.

ix. Same Square, different LOA. There will be occasions when German units with a different Line of Advance will find themselves in the same square. Each unit’s original LOA is retained. To help remember the correct LOA, you may find it helpful to rotate German units 90 degrees when advancing from the east or west map edges.

x. Equipment. If a German unit ever enters a square with an Equipment counter, that Equipment is permanently Removed from the game.

14) brITISh CoMbaT phaSe

During this Phase British units engage the German units assaulting the Village. Combat is resolved square by square, with a throw of the Attack Dice. Each eligible British unit may choose to attack any adjacent square containing German units. British units in the same square may attack German units in different squares, but each unit may only attack one square; it cannot ‘split’ its attack. There are three basic types of combat, resolved in the following order: Ranged Combat, Anti-Tank Combat, and Close Combat. All combat is concluded in one square before being resolved in another square.

a) Ranged Combat. The procedure for resolving Ranged Combat is as follows:

i. Attack Square. Identify the square the British units will attack from. Ranged Combat is resolved one unit at a time, then concluded with a single Terrain Modifier Roll.

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(ranged Combat)

ii. Weapons. To conduct Ranged Combat, each attacking unit must be carrying a firearm, grenade, or other type of Ranged weapon (Ranged weapons are identified by the white number—not in brackets—on the weapon counter.) These should be obvious to the student, but the full list of available weapons can be found in the Intelligence Briefing (p54). If a unit is not in possession of a Ranged weapon it cannot participate in Ranged Combat. British and US Regular units are assumed to be carrying their standard equipment and may always participate in Ranged Combat.

iii. Attack Factor. Identify the attacking unit’s Attack Factor. This is the uppermost number on the right hand side of the unit counter. [Example: Home Guard volunteer Ford has an Attack Factor of 2. Reynolds an Attack Factor of 3. US Regulars an Attack Factor of 6.]

iv. Weapon Factor. Identify the Weapon Factor of the weapon being used. The is the white number on the weapon counter. [Example: The Shotgun has a Weapon Factor of 2. The Lee-Enfield 1. The Vickers machine gun 5.] Remember, Regular British and US units do not use individual weapons. Any weapon whose Weapon Factor is in brackets is not a Ranged weapon, it is a Close Combat weapon.

v. Attack Dice. Add the Attack Factor to the Weapon Factor. This gives the number of Attack Dice. [Note: Debriefing of the German units involved in the battle revealed they were unprepared for the level of resistance they faced in the village. One German officer was quoted as saying, “We were told Birkham Stokes was a soft objective. I’m glad I never came up against a hard objective.”]

vi. Attack Roll. Conduct an Attack Roll with the appropriate number of Attack Dice. The result of the Attack Roll depends on the type of weapon being used: If the weapon contains a black triangle in the upper left hand corner, each roll of 5 or 6 results in one hit. If the weapon does not have a black triangle, each roll of 6 results in one hit. [Note: British and US Regular units hit on a roll of 6.]

vii. Hits. Each hit results in the removal of one German Infantry unit (your choice). Place the unit off-board on its “KIA” side. German Armour units are not affected by Ranged Combat. [Example: Lord Thorncroft is defending the Schoolhouse and decides to fire at a group of Germans who are advancing across the Bridge. He attacks the Germans with a Lee-Enfield. He has a basic Attack Factor of 3, and the Lee-Enfield has a Weapon Factor of 1. He rolls 4 dice, resulting in a 2,5,5, and 6. As the Lee-Enfield is relatively accurate at range (and shows the black triangle) he obtains three hits (one for the roll of 6 and another two for the two rolls of 5). Three German units are Removed and placed off-board on their KIA side.]

viii. Specialist Weapons. Some weapons require specialist training to be used. They have a khaki bar across the top. [Examples: The Thompson, the Bren, and the Northover Projector.] These weapons may only be used by the following units: Home Guard, Earl Thorncroft, Reynolds, Sgt. Drake, Betty Tanner, the Women’s Institute, the South Sussex Hunt. They are identified by the split khaki shading on the bottom right hand side of their counters. [Note: During the battle British Regular units reportedly refused to use Home Guard weapons such as the Northover Projector and the Spigot Mortar because they regarded them as more dangerous to the user than the enemy.]

ix. 2-person weapons. Some weapons require two Characters or Home Guard units to operate them. They have a double khaki bar

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at the top of their counter. [Example: Vickers machine gun.] You must select which units will operate a 2-person weapon before resolving combat. Units that use a 2-person weapon combine their Attack Factors, add them to the Weapon Factor, and resolve combat as a single attack. [Example: Home Guard volunteer Sherwin and Sgt. Drake are both manning the Vickers machine gun. Sherwin’s Attack Factor, 1, is combined with Drake’s, 3, and added to the Vickers’ Weapon Factor, 5. A single attack would be conducted with 9 Attack Dice, with each roll of 6 scoring a hit.] At least one of the Characters or Home Guard units chosen to operate a 2-person weapon must be the unit carrying it. Any other Character, Home Guard, or Villagers unit may be selected from the same square to assist operations, but they must be eligible to operate the weapon, as per Rule 14.viii. Eligible Villagers units (in practice the Women’s Institute Shooting Club and the South Sussex Hunt) may use 2-person weapons they are carrying without assistance from other Characters or Home Guard units.

x. Number of attacks. Each Character, Home Guard, or Regular unit may only conduct one attack per Turn, including an attack involving a 2-person weapon. Villagers units may conduct a separate attack with each individual Ranged weapon they are carrying. Each weapon may target a different adjacent square. They use the same Attack Factor for each attack. [Example: The Women’s Institute Shooting Club members are armed with a Lee-Enfield, a Webley, and the Vickers. They could conduct up to three separate attacks in a single Turn; the first resolved with 3 Attack Dice (Attack Factor 2, Weapon Factor 1 - Lee-Enfield); the second also with 3 Attack Dice (Attack Factor 2, Weapon Factor 1 - Webley); and the third with 7 Attack Dice (Attack Factor 2, Weapon Factor 5 - Vickers).]

xi. Combat Modifiers. Attack Rolls may be modified by Events or Character traits. [Example: Any square containing Earl Thorncroft benefits by adding 2 to its Terrain Effect modifier.]

xii. Non-combatants. Rev. Barnstaple and Dr. Greystone are classed as non-combatants. They may not engage in Ranged Combat, Close Combat, or Anti-Tank Combat unless indicated by a special Event. They may carry weapons and other Equipment, and are treated as normal units for all other purposes. Drayden Fox retained an ambiguous combat status as a journalist. He may only engage in Close Combat, and use Close Combat weapons. Non-combatants are identified by a darkened stripe down the right hand side of their counters.

xiii. Terrain Modifier Roll. Once all Ranged Combat attacks from a square have been resolved, you conduct a final Terrain Modifier Roll. This is a special one-off attack reflecting the advantages of defending and attacking from different buildings and types of terrain. Each square contains two terrain modifiers. The one on the left is used by British units attacking from the square; the British Terrain Modifier. The one on the right is used by German units attacking the square; the German Terrain Modifier. [Example: British units located in the North Stream have a Terrain Modifier of 2. German units attacking the North Stream have a Terrain Modifier of 1.] To resolve the attack roll a number of d6 equal to the British Terrain Modifier. Each die may be used to launch one attack on German units occupying a square that has just been subjected to a Ranged Combat attack. Each roll of 6 results in a hit on 1 German Infantry unit (not Armour). Hits are resolved normally. Note that the British units use the Terrain Modifier of the square they occupy, not the square they are firing at. [Example: Sgt. Drake and Betty Tanner are defending the

17

(anti-Tank Combat)

Pub. They are under attack from German units advancing across the North Stream, the West Orchard, and from the Schoolhouse. At the start of the Combat Phase Drake had opened fire on the Germans moving across the North Stream, whilst Tanner had engaged the units in the Schoolhouse. As the British Terrain Modifier for the Pub is 2, they have 2 final Attack Dice. They can choose to use the dice to attack units in the North Stream, or the Schoolhouse, but not the West Orchard (as neither Drake nor Tanner fired at that square).]

xiv. Armour and Ranged Combat. British Armour units may conduct Ranged Combat against German Infantry units. They resolve their attack by rolling the number of Attack Dice indicated by the white combat number on their Armour counter. Each roll of 6 results in a hit. Their attack is conducted in the same way (and is subject to the same restrictions) as other British units. [Note: British armoured units are widely acknowledged to have performed poorly during the battle. Birkham Stokes was not suited to the use of heavy or light armour, and neither the 2nd Tank Regiment nor the Essex Yeomanry had experienced combat during the Battle of France.]

b) Anti-Tank (A/T) Combat. Attacks upon Armour units are conducted differently to Ranged Combat attacks. They are resolved using the British Anti-Tank Table found on the reference card. For the purposes of this Module, Armour units are the Panzer IIIs of the 18th Light Panzer Brigade, Panzer IVs of the 4th Heavy Panzer Division, the Cruisers of the 2nd Tank Regiment, and the Matildas of the Essex Yeomanry. There are three types of Anti-Tank Combat: Armoured, Special Weapon, and Unarmed:

i. Eligibility. No British units that just participated in Ranged Combat may participate in Anti-Tank Combat. Only one Anti-Tank attack of any type may be conducted from each square in any one Turn. The attack must be launched on an Armour target in an adjacent square. Only one Armour target in a square may be the subject of each attack, and must be identified before the attack is resolved. The Anti-tank attack is attempted after all Ranged Combat in a particular square has been resolved (including the Terrain Modifier Roll).

ii. Armoured Anti-Tank Attack. This is resolved by British Armoured units attacking German Armour units. Look at the British Anti-Tank Table and identify the appropriate To Hit numbers listed alongside the relevant attacking unit (or in red on the front of the Armour unit’s counter). [Example: The To Hit numbers for a British Matilda are 5,6, or 7.] Roll 2d6. If the result is the same as ANY of the To Hit numbers, the target unit is destroyed. It is Removed permanently from the game. [Note: German Armour units are not ‘recycled’ in the same way as German Infantry units.]

iii. Special Weapon Anti-Tank Attack. This is resolved by British units using weapons specially designed for Anti-Tank Combat. For Module purposes they are the Spigot Mortar, Mills Bomb, DeGaulle Cocktail, Northover Projector, and Gammon Bomb. The Fougasse Mine also acts as an Anti-Tank weapon, but attacks using the Fougasse are resolved in a unique way, described in the Intelligence Briefing. British and US Regular units are already assumed to be carrying variants of these weapons and have their own Special Weapons number on the British Anti-Tank Table. The process for conducting a Special Weapons Anti-Tank attack is identical to that described above. Cross reference the type of Special Weapon (or British or US Regular unit) with its To Hit number, and roll 2d6. If the To Hit number is rolled, the Armour unit is destroyed. [Example: The To Hit number for a Special Weapons Anti-Tank attack using a Northover Projector is 8. For a British or US Regular unit the To Hit number is 8 or 10.]

iv. Unarmed Anti-Tank Combat. This is resolved by Character, Home Guard, or Villagers units not in possession of a Special Anti-Tank weapon. Again, cross reference the individual Character, Home Guard, or Villager unit with their appropriate To Hit number, and roll 2d6. As before, only one Character, Home Guard, or Villagers

18

(Close Combat)

unit can conduct an Unarmed anti-tank attack. However, there is one important difference. Once the To Hit Roll is made, if the appropriate To Hit number is not rolled but a 6 is rolled on either die, the attacking unit automatically suffers one hit. This replicates the uniquely dangerous nature of these types of attacks.

v. Anti-Tank Attack Marker. If a Special Weapon Anti-Tank attack has been launched, regardless of its outcome, place an Anti-Tank Attack marker in the square where the attack originated. The marker is Removed during the Recovery Phase.

c) Close Combat. Close Combat replicates those moments during the battle when British and German forces engaged in what may be loosely termed hand-to-hand combat.

i. Close Combat Eligibility. Close Combat attacks are only conducted by units that did not engage in Ranged Combat or Anti-Tank Combat during the Turn. They are made against German Infantry units in any adjacent squares, but resolved with a single roll of 2d6.

ii. Close Combat Factor. To conduct Close Combat, find the attacking unit’s Close Combat Factor, and the Close Combat Factor of any Close Combat weapon they are carrying. The Close Combat Factor is the second number on the right hand side of the Character, Home Guard, Villagers, or Regular unit counter. [Example: Home Guard volunteer Hartwell has a Close Combat Factor of 9. The Teachers 10. US and British Regulars 7.]

iii. Close Combat Weapons. Close Combat weapons have their Close Combat Factor in brackets on their counter. [Example: Acid has a Close Combat factor of 7. Pitchforks 6).

iv. British Close Combat Resolution. Close Combat Attacks are resolved one square at a time. Identify all eligible units in a square who you want to conduct Close Combat, identify which German-occupied squares they are targeting, and make a single roll of 2d6. If this roll matches the Close Combat Factor of the attacking units, or their Close Combat weapons, a hit is secured. One German Infantry unit is ‘killed’ for each separate Close Combat Factor that matches. The hits can be allocated amongst any Infantry units (not Armour) in the targeted squares. [Example: The Teachers, who are carrying bottles of Acid, and Hartwell engage in Close Combat. You roll 2d6, resulting in a 7. One hit is secured (because the Teachers had the Acid, which has a Close Combat number of 7).]

v. German Close Combat Resolution. Now roll 1d6 for each German unit remaining in a square subjected to a Close Combat attack. For each roll of 6, one British unit that engaged in Close Combat takes one hit. [Example: 3 German units were engaged in the attack described above, so one is Removed. Two are left, so 2d6 are rolled—representing German Close Combat—resulting in a 6 and 3. One hit is scored, with the British Casualty Priority Table showing Hartwell takes the hit.]

vi. Additional Attacks. Once all Ranged, Anti-tank and Close Combat attacks have been resolved for one square, repeat the process for any other squares involving eligible British units.

15) gerMan CoMbaT phaSe

The German Combat Phase is conducted in a quite different manner than the British Combat Phase. There are three types of combat: Ranged, Armoured, and Anti-Tank. There is no German Close Combat, as that is performed as a reaction to British Close Combat attacks (14.c.v).

a) Concentrated Fire. German combat is resolved one square at a time. All units in a square belonging to the same regiment attack the same target square. Attacks on Armour units are dealt with separately. You decide in which order squares conduct their attacks.

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b) Target selection. If there is only one adjacent square containing British units, all German Regiments in a particular square will attack that square. If there is more than one adjacent square containing British units, the German Targeting Priority Table (below) determines which square will be attacked, in the following order:

Location of British Units

Prio

rity

1st The Church

2nd The square that contains the most British unitsHome Guard, British Regular, and US Regular units count double for target selection purposes.

3rd Square next on Line of Advance of most units

4th A square containing an Anti-tank marker If more than one, student’s choice

5th A square that has not previously been fired upon this Turn6th Student’s choice

c) Combat procedure. For each attacking German square:

i. Attacking Regiments. Identify which Regiment will fire first. This is always the Regiment with the most units in a square. If there are the same number of units, units from the Regiment that entered the Module first, fire first. [Example: 3 units of the 7th Flieger Corps are in the same square as 3 units from 1st Light Infantry Division. The 7th Flieger Corps would fire first.]

ii. German Combat Factor. Count how many units from the firing Regiment are in the square. Then cross reference with the appropriate column of the German Combat Table. This gives you the German Combat Factor. [Example: There are 4 units of the 5th Light Infantry Division in the square . The German Combat Factor is therefore 2.]

iii. German Terrain Modifier. Identify the Terrain Modifier. This is the number to the right of the “/” in the square being targeted (not the square that the German units are firing from). Add this number to the German Combat Factor. Both German and British Terrain Modifiers may themselves be modified at various points during play—but they can never be reduced below a level of 0.

iv. German Control Markers. Count how many German Control Markers are adjacent to the British square being targeted, excluding the Control Marker in the square launching the attack. Add this number to the German Combat Factor and the German Terrain Modifier to give the total number of German Attack Dice used in this attack.

v. German Attack Dice. Roll the Attack Dice. Every 6 results in one hit.

vi. British Casualties. Unlike German units, British units are not ‘destroyed’ when first hit. Instead, the counter is flipped to its ‘Injured’ side. Any British unit hit a second time is then ‘killed’ and Removed

german Combat phase

20

permanently from the game. All hits on a British-occupied square are distributed amongst the units based on the British Casualty Priority Table:

Unit

Prio

rity

1st Regular

2nd Home Guard

3rd Villagers

4th Sgt. Taylor

5th Cpt. McGowan

6th Character

vii. Distributing Hits. Hits are attributed to Uninjured units, before Injured units. If hits must be allocated to units with the same ranking on the British Casualty Priority Table, you choose which ones. [Example: The fully-fit Home Guard volunteer Sharma, an Injured Regular unit, and Rev. Barnstaple are all under assault in the Church. The Germans launch an attack and inflict three hits. Normally, the first unit to be hit would be a Regular unit, but as the unit is already Injured, the hit is transferred to Sharma (he is flipped to his Injured side). The second hit is now allocated to Barnstaple, as the allocation of that hit to either the Home Guard or Regular unit would kill those units, and Barnstaple has not previously been Injured. However, there is one more hit to be allocated. As all three units have now been Injured, the next hit is allocated solely on the basis of the British Casualty Priority Table. The Regular unit is therefore killed and Removed from the game.]

viii. British Casualties. If a British unit is killed, any Equipment they are carrying is left in the square. When a Character is killed, their corresponding Chaplin marker is also Removed from the board.

ix. Additional Attacks. Repeat the procedure outlined above for each individual Regiment in the square currently engaged in combat. Each new Regiment chooses a square to target based on the German Targeting Priority Table. This may result in the same square being targeted, or a completely different square. All units from the same Regiment attack together, even if they have a different LOA.

x. Armoured Combat. Once each Regiment in a square has completed its attack, any German Armour units in the square fire. Again, they identify targets using the German Targeting Priority Table. Each unit resolves its attack using the number of Attack Dice indicated by the white number on the front of the unit counter. During Armoured Combat no additional dice are thrown for Terrain or Control Markers. Each 6 is a hit, and is resolved in the normal way. The exception is if an adjacent square contains one of the two British Armour units. If it does, that automatically becomes the target square. Each eligible German Armour unit will then target one British Armour unit. Combat is then resolved in the normal way using the German Anti-Tank Table. If there is a choice of targets, the Cruiser of the 2nd Tank Regiment is always targeted first. xi. Anti-Tank Combat. Once Armoured Combat has been resolved, German Infantry units conduct Anti-Tank attacks against any adjacent British Armour unit. The attack is resolved using the German Anti-Tank Table, in exactly the same way as a Special Weapon Anti-Tank attack by a British or US Regular unit. The exception is that German units may conduct the attack even though they performed a Ranged Combat attack this Phase. Two attacks

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may be launched from the same square if both British Armour units are adjacent. A separate attack is launched for each British Armour unit. If more than one German Regiment is in a square, units from the Regiment that entered the Module first conduct the Anti-Tank attacks.

d) Completing Attacks. Once all Ranged, Armoured, and Anti-Tank Combat attacks in a square have been resolved, repeat the process outlined above for any outstanding squares (you choose the order).

16. gerMan advanCe phaSe

a) Advance. At the end of the German Combat Phase, if the next square on their Line of Advance is empty of British units, any German units not adjacent to a British unit with a Ranged weapon Advance into that square. Each eligible unit may only move one square during the German Advance Phase.

b) Infiltration. When all eligible German units have Advanced, those German Infantry units who were unable to Advance because they were adjacent to a British unit with a Ranged weapon may attempt to Infiltrate into the next square on their Line of Advance (if it is empty of British units) using an Infiltration Roll. Each eligible German unit rolls 1d6, and compares the result with the Infiltration Number on the front of the German unit’s counter. If the roll ≤ the Infiltration Number, the unit moves into the adjacent square. On any other result, it remains where it is. Each eligible German unit may only make one Infiltration Roll per Turn. Remember, no German unit may ever enter a square containing a British unit.

c) Armour. German Armour units may Advance, but they cannot Infiltrate.

d) Control Markers. German Control Markers are placed in the same manner as 13.iii. [Important Note: German commanders were surprised by the intensity of the opposition they faced, and advanced somewhat cautiously towards their objective. No German unit may Advance more than one square, using either Advance or Infiltration, during the German Advance Phase.]

17. The FInal aTTaCk

Historically, the German invasion forces launched one final concerted assault on Birkham Stokes, commencing at 21.00 hours on 8 June, and lasting until approximately 06.00 hours the following morning, when the fighting was finally resolved.

To replicate this, Turn 16 is amended in the following way:

a) Units from all German Regiments currently Activated are placed normally. But for each German Infantry Regiment not currently Activated, roll 2d6 on the German Squad Assault Table. The indicated number of units are now also placed in the normal way (regardless of the position of the Invasion Marker).

german advance phase

22

b) Unless already Activated, 1 unit from the 18th Light Panzer Brigade and the 4th Heavy Panzer Brigade are placed on the board; one in the Main Road Approach Box, one in the Bridge Approach Box. Choose randomly which unit is placed in which Approach Box.

d) At the end of the Character Event Phase, the German secret agent Chaplin is Activated. See below.

e) All British non-combatants can use weapons and engage in Close Combat attacks.

f ) During the final German Advance Phase, all German units may continue to Advance an unlimited number of squares along their Line of Advance; until their LOA is blocked by a British unit or they find themselves adjacent to a British unit with a Ranged weapon and fail the subsequent Infiltration Roll. After any successful Infiltration Roll they may continue moving and (if necessary) making additional Infiltration Rolls. [Note: This is an exception to the normal movement rules.]

18. The hunT for ‘Chaplin

In 1980, Ministry of Defence documents declassified under the ‘40-year rule’ confirmed rumours German military intelligence had infiltrated an operative, codename ‘Chaplin,’ into Birkham Stokes in the years preceding the war. Although the identity of ‘Chaplin’ has never been officially revealed, the hunt for the spy is integrated within the Module.

a) Uncovering Chaplin. Chaplin is uncovered in 4 ways: by Police Sergeant Drake (who had been warned by Special Branch 48 hours before the invasion that a ‘person of interest’ was in the village), by Deploying the ‘Something Fishy’ Event (No. 61), by Deploying the ‘Eagle Has Landed’ Event (No. 62), or as part of the Final Attack:

i. Sgt. Drake. During the British Movement Phase, instead of making a Movement Roll, Sgt. Drake may attempt to identify Chaplin by conducting a ‘Chaplin Roll.’ Roll 2d6, and compare with the Chaplin Chart. If the roll matches a Character in Drake’s square, Chaplin has been Revealed. For the effects of this, see below. No combat of any kind may be initiated this Turn from a square in which Sgt. Drake has attempted to identify Chaplin.

ii. ‘Something Fishy’ Event. Once this Event has been Deployed, any Character, Sgt. Taylor, or Captain McGowan may attempt to Reveal Chaplin. The process is identical to that outlined for Sgt. Drake above except that you choose which Character or Officer will attempt to detect the German agent (Sgt. Drake may still be used in the normal way). Only one attempt to Reveal Chaplin may ever be made in any one Turn (including attempts by Sgt. Drake). A different Character or Officer may be chosen to make the attempt each Turn. A Character whose Chaplin marker is currently in the ‘18B Status’ space cannot conduct the roll. No combat may be initiated from a square in which an attempt has just been made to identify Chaplin. If the Character Revealed on the Chaplin Chart is the same as the Character that conducted the roll, treat the result as if Chaplin had been Activated via the ‘Eagle Has Landed’ Event instead. If the Character Revealed is no longer on the board, there is no effect.

The hunt for Chaplin

23

iii. The ‘Eagle Has Landed’ Event. Once this Event has been Deployed , Chaplin is Activated. If there are any Chaplin markers in the ‘18B Status’ space of the Chaplin Track, remove them and place them face-down in a pile. Then randomly select one Chaplin marker from the ‘Person of Interest’ space (if available) and add it face-down to the pile. If there were originally no markers in the ‘18B Status’ space, two markers should be selected from the ‘Person of Interest’ space. Now randomly select one marker from the pile just created. This Character is Chaplin, who has now been Activated.

iv. Final Attack. Immediately following the Character Event Phase of Turn 16, if Chaplin has not already been Activated, he/she is automatically Activated at this time. The process used is identical to the ‘Eagle Has Landed...’ Event above.

b) Chaplin Activated/Revealed. The moment Chaplin is Activated or Revealed, he or she attempts to shoot their way to freedom.

i) Chaplin Shootout. For each British unit in the square with Chaplin, you alternately roll 1d6 for the unit (your choice) and then 1d6 for Chaplin. If Chaplin was Revealed, the British unit fires first. If Chaplin was Activated, Chaplin fires first. The result is:

To Hit Roll

Com

bata

nt

Character/Officer that Revealed Chaplin 4,5,6Sgt. Drake, Reynolds, Thorncroft, Cpt. McGowan, Regular, or Home Guard

5,6

Villagers or any other Character 6Chaplin, if Revealed 5,6Chaplin, if Activated 4,5,6

This process is repeated, alternating ‘shots’ between each British unit in the square (you choose which order they fire and are fired upon) and Chaplin (Chaplin fires – 1st British unit fires; Chaplin fires – 2nd British unit fires, etc.). The shootout continues until all units have fired once, Chaplin is ‘Killed,’ or all the British units are killed. [Note: You do not have to fire at Chaplin. But if you do not, he/she will still fire at each British unit in the square in a bid to escape.] If Chaplin is hit s/he is immediately Killed. The effects of Killing Chaplin are outlined below. Hits by Chaplin on British units have the normal effect. British Characters/Villagers may attempt to fire at Chaplin even if they are unarmed or are not normally eligible to engage in combat. They are assumed to have attempted to seize Chaplin’s own weapon, or another readily to hand.

c) Chaplin Resolution. As a result of the shoot-out Chaplin will either be Killed, be Captured, or Escape:

i) Chaplin is Killed. The Chaplin Character is permanently Removed from the game. Add 1 to all British Terrain Effect Modifiers for the current Turn.

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ii) Chaplin is Captured. If, after all units have fired on Chaplin, he/she is still alive, roll 1d6. If the roll is ≤ the number of British units in the square, Chaplin is Captured (each Injured unit counts as half a unit, rounded down).

If Chaplin is Captured:

• The Chaplin Character is Removed permanently from the game.• All British Ranged Combat attacks hit on a 5 or 6 during the Final Attack.• Any Character Events of your choice that are currently Activated or Deployed may

immediately be discarded.

iii) Chaplin Escapes. If, at the end of the procedure outlined above, the roll is > the number of British units in the square, or Chaplin is now alone in the square, the spy Escapes. For these purposes, each Injured unit again counts as half a unit, rounded down.

If Chaplin Escapes, after being Revealed:

• The Chaplin Character is Removed permanently from the game.• All Tactical Events currently Activated are immediately Removed. • All German Ranged Combat attacks hit on a 5 or 6 during the Final Attack.• Any Activated German units currently off-board (including any on their KIA side) are

immediately placed face up in the nearest non-British-occupied square to the one Chaplin just occupied (this may be the square Chaplin was actually in). If unclear, this square is based on the Line of Advance rules.

[Note: According to some reports, Chaplin was successful in infiltrating a squad of German soldiers into the heart of the village just prior to the climax of the battle. In Pitts’ novel, this is replicated by the appearance of five Fallschirmjäger disguised as members of the Sussex Ambulance Service, who throw open the door of their ambulance and open fire on the defenders of the Church. However, no incident of this kind is recorded in any official history of the action.]

Once Chaplin has been Activated or Revealed, all rules and Events relating to the spy are now discarded. Despite persistent rumours to the contrary, no evidence has been uncovered to indicate the presence of more than one Abwehr operative in Birkham Stokes at the time of the battle.

19. reCovery phaSe

The Recovery Phase is used to update the status of the Module and the units within it.

a) If there are any German units or Control Markers in the Church at the start of this Phase the Module ends. Proceed to the End of Module Phase.

b) If this is Turn 16, the Module ends. Proceed to the End of Module Phase.

c) German Strategic Objective. If the German Invasion Marker is in position 15 the Module ends. Proceed to the End of Module Phase.

d) German Artillery. If the German Invasion Marker is in position 14, roll 3d6 in each square containing

recovery phase

25

a British unit. Each 6 results in a hit. Apply the results normally. This replicates the moment when Birkham Stokes came in range of German artillery.

e) Treat Injuries. Injured British units may receive medical attention. Refer to the Intelligence Briefing for more information.

f) Weapons Maintenance. Jammed British weapons may be repaired. Roll 1d6 for each jammed weapon in a square with a British unit. On a roll of 6 the weapon is repaired. Refer to the Intelligence Briefing for more information.

g) Event Resolution. British Characters who are Incapacitated may attempt to rally. Other Event-driven issues may also be resolved at this time. Refer to the Intelligence Briefing for more information.

h) If this is the end of Turns 1-8 check to see if all 4 Primary Defensive Locations currently contain German units or Control Markers. If they do, the Module ends. Go to the End of Module Phase.

i) New Turn. Return to the Turn Marker Phase, and begin a new Turn.

20. end oF Module phaSe and aSSeSSMenT

Your final mark for the Module is assessed in 3 areas:

• Your ability to conduct your defence of Birkham Stokes in a way that integrates the operation with the overall strategic priorities of the Home Forces.

• Your ability to conduct your defence in a manner that secures a Tactical Victory over the course of the Module (in practical terms, this means ensuring a number of key defensive locations are still in British hands at 06.00 hours on 9th June - as was the case historically).

• Your ability to conduct your defence in a way that minimizes casualties amongst the local Home Forces and the civilian population.

a) German Strategic Victory. The Module is scheduled to last 16 Turns. If at any stage the Invasion Marker advances to space 15 of the Invasion Track, the game immediately ends. The German invasion forces are deemed to have secured a “Strategic Victory.” You are immediately deemed to have failed the Module, and will be allocated an automatic ‘X’ Grade.

b) German Tactical Victory. If the Invasion Marker does not reach space 15, the Module ends at the end of any Turn in which a German unit occupies the Church. The Module also ends if a German unit or Control Marker occupies all four of the designated Primary Defensive Locations by the end of Turn 8, or if all 26 German Control Markers have been placed.

c) British Tactical Victory. Any result other than a German Strategic Victory or German Tactical Victory is classed as a British Tactical Victory.

Given the overwhelming operational challenges faced by the British Home Forces in June 1940, a British “Strategic Victory” is deemed outside of the scope of this Module. Students interested in “what if ” scenarios, exploring hypothetical circumstances where Operation Sea Lion may have

end of Module phase & assessment

26

been resisted, are pointed to Invasion! Operation Sea Lion 1940 (Marix Evans, Pearson Education, 2004) and Invasion, 1940 (Robinson, Constable & Robinson, 2005), two of the most well-respected ‘alternate history books’ on the subject.

A British Tactical Victory is further assessed using the criteria listed below, with Merits contributing to Part III of your Field Tactics Evaluation Course.

You are awarded the following Merits:

+5 Merits for each space below space 15 the Invasion Marker has advanced along the Invasion Track.

+10 Merits for each of the following locations that are British-occupied at the end of the Module; Bridge, Main Road, Schoolhouse, Police Station

+3 Merits for every Home Guard unit on the board at the end of the Module

+5 Merits for every Villagers unit on the board at the end of the Module

+10 Merits for every Character or Officer unit on the board at the end of the Module

+30 Merits for Capturing ‘Chaplin’

+20 Merits for Killing ‘Chaplin’

+10 Merits for Revealing ‘Chaplin’

Based on those Merits, the following Course Mark is awarded:

200+ Citation. Outstanding performance. Exemplary grasp of strategic, tactical, and operational command. Leading candidate for Combined Special Forces Induction Course. In top 1% of Officer Candidates.

180+ (A) Excellent performance. Exhibited strong leadership and tactical awareness skills. In top 10% of Officer Candidates.

130+ (B) Good performance. Demonstrated competent leadership skills. Above average Officer Candidate.

90+ (C) Average performance. Acceptable leadership and tactical skills for this stage of the Course.

50+ (D) Below-average performance. Module has highlighted some issues in relation to leadership skills and tactical awareness. Recommended for Status 2 Review.

25+ (E) Poor performance. Serious issues over leadership, tactical awareness, and strategic analysis. Recommended for Status 1 Review.

0-24 (X) Fail. You have been unable to complete this Part of the Field Tactics Evaluation Course. You will be required to undergo an immediate Red Status Review with your Principal Course instructor.

Fin.

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