Hill 145: To Victory! - First World War

1917 Apr 10, Western Front. 1515 hours.

Size: huge (brigade -)

At the end of the day on April 9th, Brigade General Odlum's gamble had worked; the Canadians stormed the summit of Hill 145 and finally drove the Germans off in the final hours of sunlight. The Germans had now been pushed back to the eastern face of the ridge, where they settled in along the last lines of their "Zwischenstellung" position. "Stellung II", the next defensive line, was some distance to the east, and Stellung III" was up to four or 5 kilometers beyond that. Not wanting to concede the ridge, the remnants of Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment 261, now with a strength of what would amount to a reduced battalion, held their ground.

On the evening of the second day of battle, they Germans rested and resupplied and prepared for further Canadian attacks. The defense of Hill 145 had been so severe that the fresh 44/Winnipeg and 50/Calgary battalions from the Canadian 10th Infantry Brigade had to be sent to the area to continue the advance; the six decimated Canadian battalions that fought across Hill 145 on the first day were relieved. Jumping off from the now consolidated "Black Line", the deliberate attack was to proceed forward to secure the "Red Line", the second and final objective in this sector, which would clear the whole of Vimy Ridge from German occupation and essentially bring about a victorious ending to the limited offensive.

MISSION:

(Allied Powers)Attack forward under rolling barrage, and secure the "Red Line", which is less than 300 meters away and runs through the remains of La Folie Wood. Trench mortars are available with a limited amount of chemical rounds, and machine gun teams are ready to lay down plunging fire.

(Central Powers)Hold your positions at all costs! We must not give up the eastern face of the ridge or the entire ridge will be lost as we will have to fall back to Stellung III 4km away to avoid enemy fire from the ridge. Artillery support is on call, and a company of the divisional elite machine gun sharp shooter battalion (Maschinengewehr-Scharfschützen-Abteilung) has been sent to Stellung II in your sector to provide fire support.

NOTES:

*This scenario abstractly represents the second day final push to clear the Germans off the Ridge in the Hill 145 sector, securing the "Red Line" for the Canadian 4th Division, and ending the battle.

*With the exception of smoke, the preliminary volley of artillery has already fallen; artillery will continue to fall on turn 2.