Clash of Empires World War 2 The Conquest of Denmark and Norway 1940

The purpose of this article is to use the Clash of Empires Battle System to recreate two significant episodes that occurred during Germany’s conquest of Denmark and Norway 1940. This audacious campaign was the first and only in which Germany used combined land, air and sea forces to achieve its objectives. It also introduced the world to the efficiency of Germany’s paratrooper mission and demonstrated the importance of air power in naval warfare. This was the second round in the struggle for Scandinavia and was preceded by the Soviet Finnish War.

Background

The German operation to conquer the neutral countries of Denmark and Norway was called Weserűbung (Sud) and was carried out in April 1940. This operation was provoked by the Royal Navy’s boarding of the German supply ship Altmark in Norwegian territorial waters. However, the main motivation was Hitler’s fears that the export of iron ore from Sweden for Germany’s war industry could be threatened by a British naval blockade. This made necessary the possession of Norway to counter any attempt by the Royal Navy to seal off trade and to provide airfields to carry out attacks on the British Isles. Unfortunately for Denmark it was in the way and on the 9th of April the country known for its pacifism was quickly subdued by German troops that dashed across the border into Jutland. Complete surprise was achieved and subterfuge used to capture Copenhagen harbor by concealing German troops in a merchant ship. Meanwhile German forces under the command of General Falkenhaust began to land from the sea and air at all the major Norwegian ports especially Narvik and Tronddheim. Parachute assaults captured the airports at Oslo and Stavenger. Air transported troops quickly seized Oslo but a German flotilla which was also tasked with seizing the city was caught in the Oslofjord where it was fired upon by the coastal fortress of Oscarsborg. The German heavy cruiser Blűcher and another vessel were hit and sunk forcing the task force to retreat. Despite this set back the southern part of the country was quickly overrun. Actions at the port of Narvik between April 10-13th saw 10 German destroyers wiped out by the British battleship HMS Warspite and 9 destroyers. However, all the initial German objectives were taken and the Luftwaffe was now using Norwegian airfields to gain control of the sky and attack British warships off the coast. Together with contingents of French and British troops that had landed at Namsos and Andalsnes the Norwegian army which consisted mostly of militia troops tried and failed to recapture Trondheim, whereupon central Norway fell into German hands. Thereafter, the fighting shifted to the north where in Narvik a German force stubbornly held out against repeated but uncoordinated attacks by Anglo-French and Norwegian forces. By May the 28th the exhausted Germans were forced to withdraw and Narvik was occupied by the Allies. However, the German invasion of France and the catastrophe that was developing there convinced the French and British to evacuate Norway leaving the Norwegians to fight on their own. During this evacuation the British aircraft carrier Glorious and her escort of two destroyers were surprised by the German battlecruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau off Vestfjord. Out of range of the carriers guns the two German ships opened fire and sunk the Glorious along with the two destroyers. A later retributive attack on the Scharnhorst by Skua dive-bombers launched from HMS Ark Royal on the 13th of June failed to achieve any damaging hits. Nevertheless, both the Scharnhorst and Gneisenau were seriously damaged by torpedoes during the campaign. However, by now Norway was already under German control. The operation had been a resounding German success which loosened the British blockade of Germany and secured the Reich’s iron ore supply. However, the German navy had been seriously degraded and its operations were restricted from this point on.

The following scenarios considers two significant episodes that occurred during the campaign and recreates them using the Clash Battle System. The first is the German seaborne assault in Oslofjord at the start of the campaign and the second is the British dive-bomber attack upon the Scharnhorst in Trondheimfjord at the end of the operation.

Scenario 1

Seaborne Assaults in Oslofjord, 9th April 1940

Early on the morning of the 9th of April the German flotilla Marine Gruppe 5 which was tasked with capturing Oslo was proceeding up the Oslofjord. In the lead was the heavy cruiser Blűcher, then the pocket battleship Lűtzow followed by the light cruiser Emden and seven accompanying smaller vessels. Having been seen by a Norwegian minesweeper advance warning of the arrival of the force was reported to the coastal fortress of Oscarsborg on the island of Kalholmen. As soon as the lead ships were spotted the Oscarsborg fortress opened fire with its three 28cm (11 in) guns. This first salvo hit the Blűcher while on the eastern side of the narrows the lighter guns of the Husvik Battery also scored multiple hits. Badly damaged and ablaze the Blűcher tried to get out of range but as the cruiser passed the fortress, she was hit by two torpedoes from a shore-based battery. The next ship in line the Lűtzow also received hits from the fortress before quickly reversing course sending the whole force in retreat down the fjord. In the meantime, the Blűcher wracked with explosions rolled over and sank. Later the Lűtzow returned to the entrance of the narrows and bombarded the Oscarsborg fortress which eventually surrendered.

Using the Clash of Empires rules the battle strength and capabilities of the combatants can be shown as follows: -

Combat Rating to Fighting Bonus Conversion and Casualty Tables not shown.

Kriegsmarine Gruppe 5

The Kriegsmarine is defined as Ordinary in quality. The lead ships of the German flotilla and the first to emerge into the narrows of the Oslofjord are the Blűcher and the Lűtzow. Both are heavy cruisers with a main armament of eight 8-inch guns for the Blucher and six 11-inch guns for the Lűtzow. Both ships have a Combat Rating of ❺ which on the Combat Rating (CR) to Fighting Bonus (FB) Conversion Table in the Rulebook equates to a +5 FB. Neither warship has a Survivability Roll. Normally the flotilla could call in local air support on the roll of 4-6 on 1D6, but at this stage in the operation all nearby airfields are still under Norwegian control. In fact, the Fortress of Oscarsborg was subjected to heavy Luftwaffe bombing later the same day. Based on their firepower the German Kriegsmarine Battle Factor modifier is +4 which is added to the Battle Dice score. Admiral Oskar Kummetz is commander of Kriegsmarine Gruppe 5. A veteran of WWI Kummetz, in the game, is ranked as Average and rolls 1D6 for Initiative. The flotilla has been spotted and loses the element of surprise.

Oscarsborg Fortress

The Oscarsborg Fortress is an old fortification but still effective and is manned by reservists who are classed as Ordinary quality. The main armament of the Oscarsborg is three 11-inch guns. The nearby Husvik Battery has three 6-inch guns. As dictated by fortress size and gun calibre the combined Fighting Bonus for both forts is +5. Also connected to the fortress is a fixed torpedo battery which is designed to launch its torpedoes from under the water level. Based on this combined firepower the Oscarsborg fortress has a Battle Factor modifier of +4 (+3 fortress/+1 fixed torps) which is added to the Battle Dice score. A coastal fort also gets a saving throw against damage on 5-6 of 1D6. If successful any damage is reduced to half rounded down. The commander of Oscarsborg is Colonel Birger Eriksen who is ranked as Average and uses 1D6 for Initiative. The fortress makes its reconnaissance roll and gets +2 on the Naval Battle Sequence Table in the rulebook for finding and fixing enemy ships.

World War 2 Battle Log

Kriegsmarine Gruppe 5

Initiative	Battle Dice (Modifier)	No. of Units and CR to Fighting Bonus	Battle Bonus Normal (Enhanced)	Battle Advantage Dice	Total Score
1D6 = 4	2D6 (+4) 3 and 4  (Highest die only) 4+4 = 8	Hvy Cru. ❺ x2 = +5 FB Survivability Roll = N/A Air Support = N/A	No odds or evens 1D3(1D6) 1D3 = 2	Fortress outgunned 1D6 = 1	8+5+2+1 = 16

The Oscarsborg Fortress

Initiative	Battle Dice (Modifier)	No. of Units and CR to Fighting Bonus	Battle Bonus Normal (Enhanced)	Battle Advantage Dice	Total Score
1D6 +2 = 4+2 = 6	2D6 (+4) 6 and 4 (Highest die only) 6+4 = 10	Fortress = +5 FB Saving Throw 5-6 = 6	Evens Dice 1D3(1D6) 1D6 = 1	Reconnaissance based Tactical Advantage 1D6 = 4	10+5+1+4 = 20

WW2 Army Battle Bonus Calculation Table not shown.

Battle Bonus calculation determined by Navy Type and Fighting Bonus (FB).

(#D#) = Enhanced Battle Bonus on odds or evens Battle Dice.

Note: - The lead warships of Kriegsmarine Gruppe 5 emerge out of the early morning mist into the Oslofjord narrows unaware of the danger that they are steaming into, as indicated by a low Initiative roll. The Oscarsborg Fortress opens fire on both the Blűcher and the Lűtzow before they can bring their superior firepower to bear. The Torpedo battery also fires and hits the Blűcher. In the disaster that follows the differential between the two Battle Rolls is 4. After applying the specified modifier to the subsequent die roll for each ship on the Naval Battle Casualty Table in the rulebook the result is that the Blűcher is sunk and the Lűtzow receives 25% damage. If the Blűcher had been protected with armour thick enough for a Survivability Roll then if successful, the damage caused by the fortress guns could have been reduced by half to 50%. This would have resulted in the Blűcher being damaged instead of sunk. As the winner the fortress only receives 25% damage but makes its Fortress Saving Throw which reduces this to 10%.

Scenario 2

Air Operation against the Scharnhorst, 13th June 1940

To get some payback for the loss of HMS Glorious the Royal Navy directed the Home Fleet to come within striking distance of Trondheimfjord where the German battlecruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau were at anchor. On the morning of the 13th of June two squadrons of FAA Skua dive-bombers were launched from HMS Ark Royal and in clear weather came upon the two warships. However, the Luftwaffe had been alerted to the attack and a squadron of Messerschmitts from a nearby airfield were airborne and ready to intercept the raiders. Therefore, as well as having to contend with enemy fighters the RAF dive-bombers had to endure heavy AA fire from the ships below. As they took it in turn to drop their bombs eight Skuas were shot down with the survivors being forced to withdraw seaward back to the Ark Royal. No significant damage had been inflicted on the two warships.

Using the Clash of Empires rules the battle strength and capabilities of the combatants can be shown as follows: -

An Airforce unit represents 10 operational aircraft.

The Kriegsmarine Warships

The Kriegsmarine Navy Type is classified as Ordinary in quality and receives no benefit to Initiative. As for the Scharnhorst and her sister ship the Gneisenau they are battlecruisers each weighing over 30,000 tons and having a formidable armament of nine 11-inch guns. For this reason, the warships have a Combat Rating of ❻, a Survivability Roll of 6 and can withstand 1000 hit points of damage from bombing. Against air raids they can use their A.A. Guns. Each ship rolls 1D6 and a score of 3-4 = 1 aircraft shot down, 5 = 2 aircraft and 6 = 3 aircraft. The warships get air support on the roll of 4-6 on 1D6. All command ratings are set at Ordinary. 

Air Support

The Luftwaffe uses modern aircraft flown by well-trained and experienced pilots and for this reason the German Airforce is classified as Superior and gets +1 to Initiative. At Trondheimfjord local air support is provided by a unit of Messerschmitt BF 109s. These highly effective fighters have a Combat Rating of ❷ and because of their speed and agility get +1 to Initiative. Based on their speed, agility and firepower fighters have a Battle Factor modifier of +3 which is added to the Battle Dice score. Furthermore, due to the BF109’s Legendary Fighter status they can reroll their lowest scoring Battle Die to have a second chance at odds or evens. For Air Combat all command ratings are set at Ordinary.

The RAF Dive-Bombers

The RAF is classified as Ordinary in quality and get no benefit to Initiative. The Blackburn B-24 Skua is a carrier-based fighter-bomber which is a capable dive bomber but is severely limited as a fighter. It was withdrawn from frontline service not long after the Norwegian Campaign. As a fighter-bomber the Skua has a Combat Rating of ❶ but because of its lack of speed and manoeuvrability it gets a -1 penalty to Initiative. For bombing operations, a fighter-bomber unit will get multiple hits on the roll of a 5 and 6 on 1D6 which will cause 300 hit points of damage. They have a limited dogfight capability, so their Battle Factor modifier is only +1. All command ratings are set at Ordinary. In the air combat over Trondheimfjord the Skuas outnumber the Messerschmits so get a 1D6 Advantage.

Battle Sequence: -

1.     Defending fighters engage fighter-bombers.

2.     Surviving raiders shot at by A.A. Guns over target area.

3.     Surviving fighter-bombers drop bombs and then withdraw.

Any unit that suffers 75% or more losses becomes ineffective.

Any unit reduced below 50% can still be subject to an outnumbered penalty and a -1 modifier to bombing. Players Discretion.

Air Raids (A.A. Guns)

1D6	B’Ship/AC	Cru.	Dest.	Smaller	Army Div.
1	None	None	None	None	None
2	1	None	None	None	None
3	2	1	None	None	1
4	3	1	1	None	2
5	3	2	1	None	3
6	4	3	2	1	4

 Number of aircraft shot down

Roll 1D6 for each ship or Army Division able to fire AA guns.

Pre-set Scenario Condition: The Luftwaffe are alerted to the attack and therefore the Skuas don’t achieve surprise. In such an event any available air support is automatic.

World War 2 Battle Log

The Kriegsmarine Warships and Air Support

Initiative	Battle Dice (Modifier)	No. of Units and CR to Fighting Bonus	A.A. Guns	Battle Advantage Dice	Total Score
Warships N/A	2D6 (N/A) Automatic air support	Battlecruisers ❻x2 FB = N/A Hit Points 1000 each. Survivability Roll 6 on 1D6	Each ship rolls 1D6 (Cruiser column) 3 and 4 = 2 aircraft shot down	N/A	N/A
Messrs. 1D6 +2 6+2 = 8	2D6 (+3) 6 and 3 (reroll = 1) (Highest die only) 6+3 = 9	Air Support Messrs. Unit ❷x1 = +1 FB	No odds or evens 1D3(1D6) 1D3 = 1	Tactical Advantage 2D6 3+2 = 5	9+1+1+5 = 16 Minimal losses in air combat

RAF Blackburn B-24 Skuas

Initiative	Battle Dice (Modifier)	No. of Units and CR to Fighting Bonus	Battle Bonus Normal (Enhanced)	Battle Advantage Dice	Total Score
Skuas 1D6 -1 6-1 = 5	2D6 (+1) 5 and 4 (Highest die only) 5+1 = 6	Skua Unit ❶x2 = +1 FB	No odds or evens 1D3(1D6) 1D3 = 2	Outnumber Opponent 1D6 = 4	6+1+2+4 = 13 The equivalent of 1 unit shot down by Messrs. unit.

Bombing Table (Air Raid = 1 unit remaining)

Air Group	Target	Bombing to Hit Roll (1D6 per unit)	Scores	AA Gun Losses	Damage
F/brs x1	Scharnhorst	5-6 = 300 points	4	2 aircraft	No Hits

WW2 Army Battle Bonus Calculation Table not shown.

Battle Bonus calculation determined by Navy Type and Fighting Bonus (FB).

(#D#) = Enhanced Battle Bonus on odds or evens Battle Dice.

Note: - The defending German Messerschmitt fighters win Initiative and attack from above and behind. In the subsequent air combat, they score a differential of 3 and shoot down the equivalent of 1 unit of Skuas while only suffering minimal damage to themselves. The surviving raiders are then shot at by the AA Guns on the warships. Two aircraft are shot down. RAF fighter bombers drop their bombs. There are no hits and the remaining raiders withdraw.

Figure 4. Seaborne Assaults in Oslofjord, 9th April 1940. Steaming up the Oslofjord the Heavy Cruisers Blűcher and Lűtzow were fired upon by the Oscarsborg Fortress. Both ships were hit but the Blűcher capsized and sank. The fortress later surrendered. The main difference between Clash of Empires the WWII Conquest Game and other versions of Clash is that the three-dimensional nature of warfare in this new period makes it necessary to transfer to a separate battle map when contact is made between rival military forces. The number of units is denoted by blank coloured poker chips.

Figure 5. Air Operation against the Scharnhorst, 13th June 1940. In revenge for the loss of HMS Glorious FAA Skua dive-bombers attack the Sharnhorst in Trondheimfjord. The raiders take heavy casualties from Messerschmitt fighters and anti-aircraft guns with no damaging hits achieved. The main difference between Clash of Empires the WWII Conquest Game and other versions of Clash is that the three-dimensional nature of warfare in this new period makes it necessary to transfer to a separate battle map when contact is made between rival military forces. The number of units is denoted by blank coloured poker chips.

Sources

Curry, J. Dunn, P. 2009: Phil Dunn’s Sea Battle Games. Naval Wargaming 1650-1945. Revised Edition. Edited by John Curry as part of the History of Wargaming Project.

Dildy, C. D. 2007: Denmark and Norway 1940. Hitler’s boldest operation. Osprey Publishing Ltd.

Dupuy, R. E. and Dupuy, T. N. 1993: The Collins Encyclopaedia of Military History. Harper Collins Publishers.

Mayer, S. L. Various Contributors. 1977: Encyclopaedia of World War II. Hamlyn Publishing Group Limited.

Article Front Page Picture

MG34, Norway 1940, a German sentry with the classic machine gun looks over troops landing during the invasion. Lordprice Collection. After Alamy (IY05614556).