Game 141 : Crete 1941 Maleme Airfield

 A short battle with a few pics. Off to Crete, the German Sturm Regt with assets landing around the area of Maleme which was defended by the New Zealand Brigade supported by 2 Greek Btns and some other assets. This included the single Matilda II tank platoon!

A pic of the battlefield. The table to the right is the sea. The Allies had random naval support based on destroyers or a light cruiser steaming near the coast to give direct fire support. The Germans had air supremacy and random Stuka support. 

Maleme is in the distance at the far end of the table. This end had the single village in the area. Control of these were the objectives. Maleme would facilitate reinforcement/supplies via air whilst the village was deemed to have a small jetty capable of landing supplies or troop reinforcements.

The Allies had a free deployment whilst the German airdrop was spread with a fixed minimum distance between the 3 landing zones they had to select. Drops in the zones was subject to random drift. some of which was quite severe.

The village became the subject of intense fighting. It was garrisoned by a New Zealand Btn reinforced by a Greek Btn. It was assaulted by a supported Sturm Btn. The fighting was continuous for the whole days fighting. Eventually the Germans forced the Allies out. 

Maleme is just to the top right of the pic. A pretty non descript place in the open, no  cover. The area is dominated by a low hill to its south. There was a running fight to this hill by both sides in Btn strength. The Germans won the race, partly due to heavy weapons being in the right place at the right time. The holding of this hill allowed the Germans to silence the emplaced AA guns at Maleme and then to begin a 2 pronged assault with aid from another Btn to the north. 

The Allies are slowly forced away from the airfield to the "beach areas" where the Germans will not follow because of potential naval support, but happy to hold both objectives.

By our standards, this was truly a small game, regimental sized for both. However, the fighting was quite intense with 2 of the 3 German parachute Btns not far from being combat ineffective. The New Zealand Brigade was in a similar situation. We viewed it as a historical result. On to Napoleonic Naval now!!