Sweeping the Doorstep

Carpiquet, France, July 4, 1944: The village of Carpiquet lies to the north of a 
major airfield; both were selected as the objective of Operation Windsor, a major 
assault designed as a prelude to taking the city of Caen. Four weeks after D-Day, 
that vital communications hub was still in German hands despite being a major 2nd 
British Army objective on June 6th. Carpiquet, right on the doorstep of the city, 
had been within reach of the Canadians since the landings but the buildup of German 
armor on the Commonwealth Front made major gains against it difficult. At the start 
of July a reinforced brigade launched itself towards the airfield behind a massive 
barrage, with two battalions reinforced by tanks of the 1st Hussars aimed at the 
village, perched atop of high ground overlooking the wheatfields outside Caen. 

Game Length: 7.5 turns

For the Canadians to win they must capture the majority of multi-hex stone buildings
For the Germans to win they must prevent the canadians from capturing the town

Canadians: Squads, MMG, LMG's, mtr, MTR, PIAT, AFV's
Germans: squads, HMG, MMG, LMG, PSK, AT Gun's, AA Gun  

Boards: #T, #W

Historical Result: The Canadians were met by their old nemesis, the 12th SS Panzer 
Division, with whom they had shared the sector for the preceding month. Fighting for 
the airfield itself was costly, and while other battalions were turned back from their 
objectives across the runway, the fighting was just as costly in the town. There, the 
North Shore Regiment had its costliest day of the entire Nomandy campaign, losing 132
men. However, both the Brunswickers and the Francophones of Le Regiment de la Chaudiere 
did manage to secure the village, and effectively paved the way for further operations 
that were to follow a few days later under the code name CHARNWOOD which finally resulted 
in the liberation of Caen.

Source: TWJ2, designed by Michael Dorosh
