The Assault On Hill 105

D-Day: American

The Assault On Hill 105

By Rich Hamilton and Mike Haught 

This scenario allows players to recreate the assault on Hill 105; the first step in the conquest of Festung, or Fortress, Brest in northwest France. Hill 105 was a dominant terrain feature outside of the important seaport. It was heavily fortified with bunkers and well placed 8.8cm Flak guns, and tenaciously held by the German 7th Fallschirmjager Regiment. The job fell to the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division to attack this formidable position on 1 September 1944.

Read more:

The Brittany Campaign...

The Battle for Festung Brest...

The Scenario

The US 2nd Infantry Division quickly marches up to the jump off point at the edge of the bocage just As the artillery lets up. The signal is given and the men rush up the hill. The defending Fallschimjäger are determined to hold the hill at all costs. The Battle for Brest has begun!

This scenario uses the Fortification special rules from D-Day: American

Preparing for Battle
1. Set up the terrain as shown on the map. The table is 6’/160cm by 4’/120cm. The hill should cover all of one end of the table and Bocage (see pages 78-79 of D-Day: British) should cover the other end. There should be at least 12”/30cm of open ground between the Bocage and the hill. Place two objectives at the points indicated.

2. The German player sets up their forces on Hill 105 where indicated on the map The German player may also change the placement of the three HMG Bunkers (as Machine-gun Tobruk Pits, but are Bunkers, not Nests) and four barbed wire markers from the positions shown on the map within the deployment area.

3. The American player set up their forces in the Bocage area as shown on the map.

Beginning the Battle
1. All German Infantry and Gun teams on the table start the game in Foxholes and Gone to Ground.
2. The American Player has the first turn.

Ending the Battle
The battle ends when:
1. The American player ends their turn in possession of either objective, or
2. The German player starts any turn from Turn 9 with no Enemy Tank, Infantry, or Gun teams within 8"/20cm of an Objective.

Deciding Who Won
The American player wins if they hold an objective, having broken through Hill 105’s defenses. Fortress Brest will surely collapse in short order!

If no American Tank, Infantry, or Gun teams are within 8"/20cm of an Objective on or after turn 9, the German player wins. American troops are forced back to regroup. The Americans will have to try again to assault our well planned defences!

 Assault On Hill 105 Map

Forces
American
The American 2nd Infantry Division conducted the assault. The 2nd Infantry Division first saw combat in Normandy. As such, use the normal US Rifle Company to organise your assault force. Use 100 points select your assault force from a US Rifle Company found on page 42 in D-Day: American. For a more historical list you should not select any armoured forces, as they did not participate in the actual assault.

German
For the defence of Brest 2. Fallschirmjägerdivision formed the core of the defence forces. Both 266. and 343. Infanteriedivision manned the bulk of the defensive works. Use 67 points to select your defensive force from either a Fallschirmjäger Company or a Beach Grenadier Company from D-Day: German.

The German player also receives three HMG bunkers and four sections of barbed wire as provided by the scenario. Fortification rules are found on pages 107 to 109 of D-Day: American. Historically, the German 8.8cm Flak36 heavy anti-aircraft guns were the primary targets on Hill 105, but you do not need to use them in your defence force.

 Festung Brest

Terrain
Hill 105 was an imposing feature. Treat it as a Steep Hill.

Use the Bocage rules found in D-Day: British on pages 78 to 79 when navigating through the bocage.

Historical Notes
The German defenders put up a determined defence, but by the end of the day Hill 105 was in American hands. The victory was by no means easy and is a good representation of the fortifications faced on the way to Fortress Brest. The fighting inside the city itself was reminiscent of the fighting inside Stalingrad with the American infantry having to fight house to house. See the the City Fighting rules if you are interested in pursuing the story of the 2nd or 29th US Infantry Divisions during the battle for Festung Brest.
Hill 105


Last Updated On Wednesday, December 14, 2022 by Wayne at Battlefront