** Find a Way Through - The Matrix Games version of West Front

[Thisnes, 62 kilometers SE of Brussels, Belgium]: [H2H][HISB][GD]: The task of "waving the red cape" in the Allies' faces in Belgium in May 1940 fell to General Hoepner's XVI Armee Korps (mot.), which included the veteran 3rd and 4th Panzer Divisions. On the morning of May 12, 1940, armored units of 4th Panzer Division clashed wiith elements of the French 3rd Light Mechanized Division's 5th Light Mechanized Brigade (5e BLM) near Hannut, Belgium. 5e BLM was part of General Prioux's Cavalry Corps, the mission of which was to delay the onrushing panzers long enough to allow the main Allied forces time to establish a strong defensive line on the Dyle River in Belgium. During this initial clash, which was the first real tank-vs-tank battle of World War Two, the tankers of 3rd Squadron, 2nd Cuirassiers fought hard and bravely but were forced to retreat. They left behind 11 of the 21 Hotchkiss H39 tanks with which they had entered the battle, and their commander, Capitaine Sainte-Marie Perrin, who was killed when his tank was hit. On the afternoon of May 12, General Hoepner, believing that Allied resistance in front of his Korps was crumbling, ordered 4th Panzer Division to conduct a reconnaissance in force to "find a way through" and prevent retreating Belgian forces from taking up positions behind the anti-tank barrier at Perwez. Oberstleutnant Eberbach, commander of Panzer-Regiment 35, 4th Panzer Division was assigned this mission, and a battle group built around I./Pz-Rgt 35 and I./Schutzen-Rgt 12 was assembled. The need to refuel imposed a delay on the Germans, and it was not till after dusk that Eberbach set out to complete his mission. Contrary to what Hoepner believed, however, not all Allied forces in the area west of Hannut were in retreat. In fact, the 5e BLM, despite having been formed only in February 1940 from French cavalry branch reservists, was not at all discouraged by the results of the earlier fighting and was intent on completing its mission of imposing a delay on the Germans. As the sounds of advancing German tank tracks floated towards them in the evening air, 5e BLM tankers slammed their hatches shut, dragoons readied their weapons and all said a quick prayer for courage and luck. [ALL: N VV]

*** Make sure both players have Version 2.0 downloaded; .org file updated 01/02/21, .scn file updated 01/03/21 ***