Map Size: 2 km x 2.5 km Version number: 1.02 Author: The Desert Fox DOWNLOAD

Type: German Attack Forces: Canadian / British / Polish / German Date: 8 August 1944 Location: Saint Aignan de Cramesnil, south of Caen Region: Normandy, France Weather: Clear, warm Terrain: Rural, farmland Wind: Breeze Turns: 60+ Play: 2 player or Germans vs AI Points: 10.000 points

Description:

By noon of August 8th, the Allies had generally reached the objectives assigned for Phase 1 of Operation Totalize, which began at 23:30 on August 7th. The objectives of Totalize were of pivotal importance to the campaign in the West and if executed properly, the Operation could seal the fate of the German forces now trapped in the Falaise pocket. The only 'sag' that had developed in the allied advance during Phase I, formed on the western wing of the front, near Caillouet. However, the German resistance in this area was soon to be smashed by a renewed assault by combined allied forces.

Thanks to aerial bombardment by more than 1,000 bombers, the concentrated action by more than 600 tanks and more than 700 artillery guns, the superior Canadian/British forces compouned their previous successes and secured their Phase 1 objectives. They had managed to break through the positions of the 89. Infanteriedivision at a width of approximately 6 km. The Infanteriedivision, recently moved into the position, was without its Panzers and heavy mobile antitank weapons. The brittle and under strength German force crumbled under the weight of the massive combined assault.

As scheduled for Phase 2, the allied advance would resume from their now established positions near Gaumesnil, Cramesnil and Saint Aignan, into the depth of the terrain along the Caen-Falaise road. They were close to success in an Operation that could destroy the brunt of the German forces in France. Only refitting elements of the 12.SS-Panzerdivision could be deployed to assist the German defenses. These lone elements would be responsible for throwing back the combined Canadian/British Operation and maintaining some stability on the ever weakening German frontline.

Acknowledgements:

Play testing and design assistance by my fellow members of "Der Kessel". Many special thanks go to Kris Handshin and Dick Reece for their efforts and testing of the original design. Thanks also to all other members of "Der Kessel" for their help and assistance.

Special thanks to "Pyewacket" for his wonderful tool "Map Converter". Without him this conversion of my old CM:BO scenario most likely would never have happened.

Many thanks also to all those out there who wrote those fine words of encouragement to me. You keep the tanks rumbling!

Sources:

• [1] Hubert Mayer "War diary of 12th SS Panzerdivision" Fedorowicz Publishing

• [2] Patrick Agte "Michael Wittmann and the Tigers of LSSAH" Fedorowicz Publishing

• [3] Ken Tout "A fine night for tanks" Sutton Publishing

• [4] Michael Reynolds "Steel Inferno" Sarpedon Publishing

• [5] Will Fey "Panzerkampf im Bild" VGB-Verlagsgesellschaft

• [6] 1/25000 map 16130 Series Bleue "Bretteville zur Laize" IGN