Caumont's Gap is a scenario in Back to Hell, set near Caumont-L'Evente on June 12th, 1944.
Briefing
Caumont's Gap covers lost opportunity by US 1st Infantry Division to break the German front even before the Normandy campaign really started.
After landing at « Bloody » Omaha with dreadful losses, the elite « Big Red One » moves carefully inland.
Near Caumont-l'Eventé, unbeknownst to them, they advanced right into a major gap in the German defenses, virtually undefended: only two companies from 2. Panzerdivision's recon battalion are there, screening the complete lack of in-depth defense behind them …
Historical outcome
Although they lost Caumont-l'Eventé quickly to the Big Red One, 2. Panzer's scouts managed to hide their weakness. Screening the gap behind them, they held La Londe long enough for reinforcements to arrive, preventing the Americans from tearing the German front apart before the Normandy campaign even really started.
La Londe would therefore remain in German hands for almost two more months, only being liberated by the British army during Operation Bluecoat.
Objectives
- Americans
- Capture the village of La Londe to break through the German screen.
- Avoid excessive casualties.
- Germans
- Hold the village of La Londe to prevent the Americans to break the German front.
- Inflict enough casualties to break the American morale.
Available forces
Americans
- 26th Infantry Regiment : this force regroups a full infantry battalion with its support weapons, all from the elite « Big Red One », as well as some armored cavalry elements.
Germans
- Panzeraufklärungs-Abteilung 2: with only two companies of armored infantry and scouts, supported by a handful of armed half-tracks, this force is the underdog. Only a skillful use of every single vehicle, as well as the ability to give up ground slowly, will prevent the enemy from breaking through.
| Activation Points | Battlegroup slots | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Recon | Inf | Tank | Sup | AT | AA | Art | Air | |
| 20 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 |