5th July 1940
Sottevast, 9km west of Valognes, 19km east of Siouville-Hague, 14km south of Cherbourg, Brittany.
A bruised and battered motley collection of Allied soldiers, whose stories of how they came to be left behind would fill a book several times over, have a tough decision to be made. Every organised evacuation event has long since gone. They are left behind with no command, no support and no hope of survival. The logical outcome would be to surrender themselves to the nearest mayor or police station and wait for the occupying German authorities to deal with them once that part of France had been militarised. And yet, while there is life there is hope - they had come so far already and the coast is but a few miles away. Perhaps they could persuade a fisherman at Cherbourg to take them across the channel? Or would a a boat ride to Alderney be a more viable option?
Having been so far in front of the Germans, travel up until this point hadn't been too much of a problem. Although the French had been very accommodating en route with offers of rest, food, drink and medical care, nothing could be taken for granted. Not all French thought the same way and there were plenty that were of a like mind to the Germans.
And so it was that they found themselves in a sheltered wood on the edge of Sottevest. A typical rural French village in many ways but, as luck would have it, had been a garrison of the BEF. Supplies abounded and while all kit useful to the enemy had been destroyed or removed there were still stocks of medical supplies and light ammunition and a little heavier stuff. Not only that, the locals were very positive to the soldiers, sharing food and the services of the local doctor. The French civilians became the eyes and ears of the lads, forming a network that reached to the coast. There was a way out of this mess and with the locals help and by following the railway line to Sain-Martin-le-Gréard it was just possible to reach Cherbourg before the Germans.
Yet this glimmer of hope was about to be dashed. A breathless lad, red in the face, cycled into the allies camp. The Germans were here! Word was that a phalanx of forward troops of the German Army had arrived by train from Bayeux and disembarked at Valognes just 9km away. Carts and requisition lorries were being loaded with their supplies and they and the troops on foot were heading directly towards Sottevast.
The fact that they appeared lightly armed was of little consolation. And that they were mainly engineers and administrators wasn't realised of course but in any case, a jerry is a jerry. Worse was that, a few SS troops had been seen and that had to be bad news.
What wasn't realised was that as far as the new German arrivals were concerned all of the BEF had long since left, killed or been captured. If there were any left then they were bound to surrender in any case. Of course it didn't mean they weren't cautious. The locals didn't want them there and there were bound to be attempts to frustrate their occupation.
The Germans had express orders to open the way for the bulk of occupational forces, in particular to clear and protect the railway to Cherbourg, since the Germans held great store by the efficiency of moving men and equipment by rail. In addition, they were to extend the army telephonic communication network to Cherbourg. The local telephone system worked well enough but would be easily cut or tapped and in any case native switchboard operators were notorious gossips!
So there the allies were, in a glade beside the railway track, the sound of jackboots marching down the road. The instinctive reaction was to run for their lives and yet they hadn't survived this long without being enterprising, cunning and ruthless. Perhaps, just perhaps, they could make use of the few resources available to them to cause a bit of mischief before they left for the coast....
Heh, just realised Sottevast was later the site of a V2 launch site (unused)!
http://www.atlantikwall.org.uk/new_page_51.htm
http://www.warrelics.eu/forum/battlefield-archeology/sottevast-v-site-relic-rocket-shaped-design-marked-runes-4693/
Game outline
This game is set a few weeks after the BEFs evacuation from France and is played in real time. German troops are advancing into surrendered territory south of Cherbourg and West of Valonges, looking to secure road and rail lines and establish control of the area.
Two small groups of British Troops have been left behind. They will initially attempt to blow up the railway line and cause other mischief before looking to make their way to the coast with a view to stealing a boat to return to Blighty.
Administration
Saturday Organisers on Site by 1500
Allocation of parking and camping area
Walk through of site and familiarisation for Jay & Stephen
Setting up initial props - basically all signage & posters plus allied dumps
Players on site from 1800 - Feldgendamerie to administer gate/parking
Sunday
Players to be on site by 0900
Player registration / count from 0830
Safety brief 0915 - 0930 in car park, followed by brief rummaging in backs of cars (meh, they always do it, why not plan for it! 
)
Deployment 0945 - Germans head up the road to start position, Brits head in opposite direction and down bank, then split left and right to start positions. When at start positions do minimal team briefing and await 1000 game-on by the clock. From game-on its in character.
Game Play 1000 – 1230
Germans
Germans to start in the Second Car Park and marched in column to Coal yard (Safety Zone) and there paraded and briefed by OC.
Initial objectives.
1. To establish a base of operation in the vicinity of the charcoal burners hut just east of the small railway station
2. Ensure security of German HQ
3. To set up the 8 man zelt and/or command tent with radios and Enigma.
4. To send out a patrol and sweep the railway line for mines using a mine detector – troops are NOT to be warned to look out for trip mines, just buried mines. (Mines to be buried on set up day, boobies to be set up on morning of event.) The boobies will comprise a real and dummy traps. Initial real trip will be located close to HQ and hopefully walked into. This will alert Germans to skulduggery and great caution will be required to clear the railway. Thereafter, when trip mines are detected a pioneer team will need to be called up and 'made safe' with a controlled explosion (5g e-det & clacker). Once cleared as a far as the railway tunnel, then to establish a command post and second regen at that point. The railway must be held safe for the duration of the game as it is key to their mission.
5. Send out small sweeping patrols to scout territory. Locate bridge and river, and explore road to Brix.
6. Fill sandbags and construct m/g position in location of commander's choosing.
The area is liberated France, there should be no armed persons in the area. Any found to be arrested and returned to the Kommandanter .
British
Brits to Start in two locations..
A Group, small section led by Headshot - west of the Coal Yard, hidden from German view .
B Group, main section in the far SW end of the site south of the La Douve bridge .
A Group Mission
To evade capture and make for the coast via La Caudiere. Staying west of the railway line. This group will have some explosives and may attempt to sabotage the railway line during their retreat provided they do not risk capture.
This route is close to the railway line in parts and will require stealth and need not be rushed. At the beginning of the game they will be in full view of the German arrival and drilling so will need to remain camouflaged if they are to survive.
Group A will aquire specialist knowledge not only of the run of the railway line but also the tunnel and the route to the west coast and German movements.
On reaching the edge of the site at the La Caudiere road, they decide to loop back and seek out other Brits and give assistance, since fighting will have been heard. If it is possible to use the tunnel then do so (sneaking across one by one avoiding patrols might be fun) otherwise use the back end of the site beyond the railway.
B Group Mission
Desperately trying to avoid capture, they start with only 50 rounds each ( loose can be carried but only used at regen points). They hear the arrival of Germans and send out observers to remain hidden, observe and report back. The rest of the group must search the area east of La Douve looking for food, ammo, explosives and other useful items e.g. mortar. These items to be hidden on Saturday. All these will be on the perimeter of the site and marked by signs (Bakery, Farm, BEF HQ, Doctor, BEF Store etc) and these will all become regen points for the Brits.
If they come across any Germans they may engage or set snap ambushes at their discretion but caution will be the watch word – no point aggravating. A non-returning German patrol will surely result in a heavier weight of men coming to find out why.
Both sides are learning the site in the morning with a small Brit contingent running the west of the railway line, Germans occupying the central ground and main Brit force the east of the site.
Game Play 1230 -1315 Lunch
Lunch deployed in field , Germans at main base, Brits at BEF HQ. Eat in field, game doesn’t stop (in the sense of coming out of character) just slow down. Clearly attacks of any sort can't be planned at this time as it would be a bit ghey to attack when eating, better that chaps eat, chat and have a bit of a break. Commanders can take this opportunity to debrief/re-brief men.
Game Play 1315-1630
Germans
Continue to guard the railway and the Douvre bridge. Sending out patrols south of the Douve to round up these stragglers. If captured Brits to be returned to the main German base and held for 15 minutes. Brits may attempt recapture.
Germans must extend their area of control to the road to Brix. This will require constant patrolling. Pioneers must run cable from communications tent to checkpoint, install road barrier and maintain communication at all times.
Germans to bring up their explosives at store at HQ.
Brits
1. Sabotage Douve Bridge with found explosives or captured German ones. Bridges must be blown using MK9 under commander's direction and a smoke deployed. Once blown the bridges are marked with a red flag and cannot be crossed by Germans. German pioneers can repair the bridge by spending 10 minutes working on them with planks etc and then remove the flag.
2. Disrupt German telephone lines.
3. Ambush German patrols.
4. Rescue captured troops.
5. Major objective – blow tunnel under railway. Group A will already have discovered this and found it an ideal way to completely severe the railway line. Headshot to bring this proposition to the group at lunchtime. Tunnel will be pre-wired with naptha at either end and bang in the middle and fly lead terminated near-by. If Brits get to blow tunnel then railway no longer is a focus for German activity and can be abandoned. If the Brits don't get to blow it then it will be detonated anyway at 3.30pm (local resistance will have done it). This way Germans can put more men into the main area of site for some heavier skirmishing.
4pm Brits make push towards escape route (road to Alderney via La Caudiere) which Germans are to prevent, all other objectives can be dropped.
Endex at 1630 called by Air Raid Siren
Notes:
Game oriented by railway running North from coal yard.
Medic rule: Bandage to be carried on person, may be administered by anyone. No designated medics. Bleed out or second hit, return to nearest regen point.
Ammo limit: 300rnds, support gun 2,000rnds (there will only be one m/g at fixed position)
Prisoner rule: Either side may take prisoners (discretionary). Must be taken to either German HQ or British secure point on east of Douvre bridge. Prisoners must be guarded with a ratio of no more than three prisoners per guard. Prisoners may not effect their own release and are considered unarmed. Should guard ratio fall for any reason then they are automatically released, otherwise they may be held for a maximum of 30 minutes (to give time for a rescue operation to be put into effect). The prisoner rule is discretionary and is there to deny enemy of men (for tactical reasons) and for gameplay (rescue missions adding value).
German HQ may be attacked at any time, if under fire (as with all regens points) then regen not possible. Only reasons to attack German HQ are to rescue prisoners or loot explosives.
Site map to follow.
Game style.
This will be a slow, measured and controlled event. There are no winners or losers - it should be as much fun lying in ambush as it is being ambushed.
German regens will be in the centre of the site, Brits on the perimeter. This will keep wide areas open for gaming and prevent bottlenecks and stalemates.
Both Germans and Brits will need to be kept occupied - Germans in establishing control of an occupied areas, Brits to frustrate this.
Hit and run and sneaky stealth tactics are equally valid for both sides. There will be no opportunity for massed assaults or major battles, if there is any blatting to be done then it will be at the end of the game.
This event will be a test of player's resolve to stay in character - the Germans as disciplined and professional soldiers, Brits as desperate souls employing pluck and initiative to stay alive and frustrate the enemy.
Game plan as word doc:
