Bellefontaine Engagement

DATE: 10/11/2024

TIME (GMT): 18:00

ERA: WW2

MAP(S): Mortain

TYPE: COOP

GAME: Arma 3

EVENT: Official

AUTHOR(S): Sclembi for Brothers in Arms

SLOTS: 51 / 77

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RATING: (14)

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By the end of May 1940, the best-equipped French armies had been sent north and lost in Fall Gelb and the evacuation from Dunkirk, which cost the Allies 61 divisions. French commander Maxime Weygand was faced with the prospect of defending a 965 km (600 mi) front from Sedan, along the Aisne and Somme rivers to Abbeville on the Channel, with 64 French divisions.
Between six and ten million civilian refugees had fled the fighting and clogged the roads, in what became known as L'Éxode (The Exodus) and few arrangements had been made for their reception. The population of Chartres declined from 23,000 to 800 and Lille from 200,000 to 20,000, while cities in the south such as Pau and Bordeaux rapidly grew in size.

Morale improved after Fall Gelb because most French soldiers knew of German success only by hearsay; surviving French officers had gained tactical experience against German mobile units and had increased confidence in their weapons, after seeing their artillery (which the post-battle analysis of the Wehrmacht recognised as technically excellent) and tanks perform better in combat than German armour. The French tanks had heavier armour and bigger guns. Between 23 and 28 May, the French reconstituted the Seventh and Tenth armies. Weygand decided on hedgehog tactics, in defence in depth, to inflict maximum attrition on German units. He employed units in towns and small villages, which were prepared for all-round defence. Behind that, the new infantry, armoured and half-mechanised divisions were ready to counter-attack and relieve the surrounded units, which were ordered to hold out at all costs.

Our tasks revolve around the defense of Bellefontaine. We are defending France and her people so while we prepare our defenses we must evacuate the civilians from Bellefontaine itself and Le Pas. After that we must defend the town until relieved. Company commander has full control over how the defenses will be shaped and whether a forward defensive position in Le Pas will be established. In the meantime Luftwaffe will be active in the area making our and friendly units' life more difficult.