I’d argue that it’s more likely that some germans would try to get in the bunker today than in 1939. I mean, they don’t even have to have travel papers to get in to France!
Solid tactic.
I took a moment to look inside the bunker, and I was surprised how poorly it had been designed into its surroundings.
The bunker itself was very solid (walls of up to 2.5 meters thick), but I was surprised at how poor its armament was: a single 25 mm Hotchkiss anti-tank gun (which, granted, in 1940 was still able to knock out any Panzer II, III or IV) and two 7.5 mm machine guns (albeit three firing positions).
From the AT gun emplacement (picture 4), the road's embankment actually blocked most of the gun's field of fire, so it could not even aim at any tank that was using the road it was supposed to defend.
Meanwhile, the three machine gun ports more or less could defend the bunker's 11 to 1; 2 to 4; and 5 to 7; so there were considerable blind spots around the area, especially the left flank which was more or less completely indefensible if the crew was hunkered inside the bunker.
Today the landscape have changed around the bunkers still existing, at the time there would have been clear lines of sight, trenches, tank traps, minefields and barbed wires to stop the approaches. Together with pre-calculated artillery support from other neighboring forts.
But yeah,today some bunkers are in forests or at the side of roads because the landscape and purpose of land changed in the last 80 years..
I found what would probably be as close to a period map as is possible - a 1956 geological survey.
[https://search.arch.be/imageserver/topview.php?FIF=511/511\_0635\_000/511\_0635\_000\_00635\_000/511\_0635\_000\_00635\_000\_0\_0007.jp2](https://search.arch.be/imageserver/topview.php?FIF=511/511_0635_000/511_0635_000_00635_000/511_0635_000_00635_000_0_0007.jp2)
* the bunkers are in the lower left quarter around the green area.
It, and documents, show that the bunker was part of a complex of 7 bunkers, all situated on the French side of the border on the Mont Noir. They were not part of the original Maginot Line, but rather a late, 1938 addition to extend the line along the Belgian border.
The survey shows the location of the 7 bunkers and their firing directions - and the logic completely escapes me. The survey confirms what I already saw - the bunker (1) is oriented incorrectly to defend the actual road itself (this was apparently done by a - since-demolished - bunker (2) on the opposite side of the road); however the pair of bunkers cover the D.223 - BOTH shooting FROM the Belgian border INTO France. A third bunker (3) up the hill also gave covering fire, although it had no direct line of sight on the D.223; its position also allowed it to give cover fire in the opposite direction. A fourth bunker (4) near Puidefort gave cover in the general direction of the Scherpenberg in Belgium. The fifth (5) bunker, north of the D.318, and sixth bunker (6), south of the D.318, would have given covering fire from the direction of Mont Noir towards Dranouter in Belgium; the seventh bunker (7), located north of Month Noir, was the only bunker oriented in a north-westerly direction.
While I accept changes would have occurred to the roads and surroundings, there would not have been changes to the actual geography - all seven bunkers would have been useless against an enemy advancing from the Belgian border, out of the direction of Westouter or Loker.
The way I approached the complex, starting out from Westouter in Belgium, approaching Mont Noir via the Bellestraat, the only bunker covering the ground in my direction would have been bunker (4), however for most of my approach its field of fire would have been blocked by a the crest of a hill and a small forest between the road I was using and the bunker; and it would be on the outer edge of the bunker gun's effective range of fire (+/- 1500m). This would bring me into the blind spot between bunkers (4) and (5), where the road has a sharp, 10% incline that would provide me with cover all the way to the top of the road, to the crossing of the Bellestraat and the Rodebergstraat. Progressing along the Bellestraat towards the French border, the first 300 meters would be outside the field of fire of Bunker (5), however just when I would approach its field of fire, the farmhouse on the border would block the bunker's field of fire on the approach road (the farmhouse was already there in 1940). It is also here where the Bellestraat/D.318 splits, with the D.223 going south.
Progressing from this position, the embankment into which bunker (3) is built - so conversely, bunker (3) would itself block most fire out of bunker (5), while at the same point allowing bunker (3) to be taken from its blind spot. Bunker (3) covers bunker (6), however from bunker (3) you can easily approach bunker (6) from its blind spot. At the same time, going south from this point along the D.223, you would easily take out bunkers (1) and (2) since they are protecting the road to the south and have just a single machine gun protecting them towards the north. Once you have bunker (6), you can easily progress along the D.318 and take bunkers (4), (5) and (7) from their flanks.
Seriously though, the way these bunkers were planted seems like somebody took a long think before answering the question "How can I use as many bunkers as possible to ineffectively defend a point and create as many blind spots as possible".
All around, actually. This one's nearly on the top of a rather steep hill; the road 'round the back actually has a 1 in 10 incline (which is quite tiring to climb on foot)
It's not something I've often seen, but the actual door for the cannon and ammunition supply was removed; both armored doors were locked in an open position; and they had actually landscaped steps into the mound so you could get on top of the bunker.
On Maginot I think this is that little hill right next to the B point village. :-)
I visited some bunkers on the German side last year, on their southwestern border. It was very interesting to see all these structures for real. It's cool you got to go visit these.
No, I attacked the D-point afterwards and got myself some CAS there.
(Translated: I followed up my visit to the bunker with a visit to a nearby model store and bought myself an F-4J Phantom and four Bf 109Gs.)
Attack the D point!
Yes!
I AGREE!
Roger that!
Defend the D point!
No!
Attention to the map!
Cover me!
No
Excellent!
Never!
Affirmative!
Attention to the designated grid square!
I agree!
Air alert!
YES!
MAYBE THE D POINT WAS IN OUR HEARTS ALL ALONG!
No ! Defend the D point!
Well done! Destroy enemy troops!
Attack enemy base!
Its low cloud cover, cas wont be as effective. U good homie :)
It was actually raining horribly, and storm winds, and even some lightning. ... the bunker was open, so I stayed inside for a while.
It’s strange to me that the bunker is just sitting there open. Doesn’t it know it’s supposed to be hard to get into?
The last time I checked it wasn't 1939. >.>
I’d argue that it’s more likely that some germans would try to get in the bunker today than in 1939. I mean, they don’t even have to have travel papers to get in to France!
Neither did I (I captured the A-point from the Belgian side).
Those fucking Belgians, again?
Sorry, just came to cap the A point, reclaim my fries, and cause some minor waffle.
Is it stupid?
Now find the d point
They took the D point from maginot line, can't Have shit in real life
He really did it
tell us when you find the D point
Lmao I'm in Alsace for the same thing
Blud lost their point 💀
As a german i would go over the flanks
Solid tactic. I took a moment to look inside the bunker, and I was surprised how poorly it had been designed into its surroundings. The bunker itself was very solid (walls of up to 2.5 meters thick), but I was surprised at how poor its armament was: a single 25 mm Hotchkiss anti-tank gun (which, granted, in 1940 was still able to knock out any Panzer II, III or IV) and two 7.5 mm machine guns (albeit three firing positions). From the AT gun emplacement (picture 4), the road's embankment actually blocked most of the gun's field of fire, so it could not even aim at any tank that was using the road it was supposed to defend. Meanwhile, the three machine gun ports more or less could defend the bunker's 11 to 1; 2 to 4; and 5 to 7; so there were considerable blind spots around the area, especially the left flank which was more or less completely indefensible if the crew was hunkered inside the bunker.
Today the landscape have changed around the bunkers still existing, at the time there would have been clear lines of sight, trenches, tank traps, minefields and barbed wires to stop the approaches. Together with pre-calculated artillery support from other neighboring forts. But yeah,today some bunkers are in forests or at the side of roads because the landscape and purpose of land changed in the last 80 years..
I found what would probably be as close to a period map as is possible - a 1956 geological survey. [https://search.arch.be/imageserver/topview.php?FIF=511/511\_0635\_000/511\_0635\_000\_00635\_000/511\_0635\_000\_00635\_000\_0\_0007.jp2](https://search.arch.be/imageserver/topview.php?FIF=511/511_0635_000/511_0635_000_00635_000/511_0635_000_00635_000_0_0007.jp2) * the bunkers are in the lower left quarter around the green area. It, and documents, show that the bunker was part of a complex of 7 bunkers, all situated on the French side of the border on the Mont Noir. They were not part of the original Maginot Line, but rather a late, 1938 addition to extend the line along the Belgian border. The survey shows the location of the 7 bunkers and their firing directions - and the logic completely escapes me. The survey confirms what I already saw - the bunker (1) is oriented incorrectly to defend the actual road itself (this was apparently done by a - since-demolished - bunker (2) on the opposite side of the road); however the pair of bunkers cover the D.223 - BOTH shooting FROM the Belgian border INTO France. A third bunker (3) up the hill also gave covering fire, although it had no direct line of sight on the D.223; its position also allowed it to give cover fire in the opposite direction. A fourth bunker (4) near Puidefort gave cover in the general direction of the Scherpenberg in Belgium. The fifth (5) bunker, north of the D.318, and sixth bunker (6), south of the D.318, would have given covering fire from the direction of Mont Noir towards Dranouter in Belgium; the seventh bunker (7), located north of Month Noir, was the only bunker oriented in a north-westerly direction. While I accept changes would have occurred to the roads and surroundings, there would not have been changes to the actual geography - all seven bunkers would have been useless against an enemy advancing from the Belgian border, out of the direction of Westouter or Loker. The way I approached the complex, starting out from Westouter in Belgium, approaching Mont Noir via the Bellestraat, the only bunker covering the ground in my direction would have been bunker (4), however for most of my approach its field of fire would have been blocked by a the crest of a hill and a small forest between the road I was using and the bunker; and it would be on the outer edge of the bunker gun's effective range of fire (+/- 1500m). This would bring me into the blind spot between bunkers (4) and (5), where the road has a sharp, 10% incline that would provide me with cover all the way to the top of the road, to the crossing of the Bellestraat and the Rodebergstraat. Progressing along the Bellestraat towards the French border, the first 300 meters would be outside the field of fire of Bunker (5), however just when I would approach its field of fire, the farmhouse on the border would block the bunker's field of fire on the approach road (the farmhouse was already there in 1940). It is also here where the Bellestraat/D.318 splits, with the D.223 going south. Progressing from this position, the embankment into which bunker (3) is built - so conversely, bunker (3) would itself block most fire out of bunker (5), while at the same point allowing bunker (3) to be taken from its blind spot. Bunker (3) covers bunker (6), however from bunker (3) you can easily approach bunker (6) from its blind spot. At the same time, going south from this point along the D.223, you would easily take out bunkers (1) and (2) since they are protecting the road to the south and have just a single machine gun protecting them towards the north. Once you have bunker (6), you can easily progress along the D.318 and take bunkers (4), (5) and (7) from their flanks. Seriously though, the way these bunkers were planted seems like somebody took a long think before answering the question "How can I use as many bunkers as possible to ineffectively defend a point and create as many blind spots as possible".
That’s the C point.
Looks better than actual map. Where are the steep roads?
All around, actually. This one's nearly on the top of a rather steep hill; the road 'round the back actually has a 1 in 10 incline (which is quite tiring to climb on foot)
Good, that is one more soul to feed to the line You shall defend it no matter the cost
Very nice photos!
Thanks! \^\_\^
You welcome!
You should touch some banana tree.
Interesting. I actually know of a fortification that is an exact copy of this one. Except it is built in the Czech republic, not france.
Negative! Attack the D point!
That's pretty cool imo. Nice graphics card. Gaijobblin when update to this graphics?
Well, my sincere respect, bro not only creates models, he also touches grass
(... *and then he went to the nearby shop to buy some more models. Sorry*. v\_v )
Probably a dumb question, but is anyone allowed to go inside the bunkers and fortifications?
It's not something I've often seen, but the actual door for the cannon and ammunition supply was removed; both armored doors were locked in an open position; and they had actually landscaped steps into the mound so you could get on top of the bunker.
Attack the D point!
Nice, I don't like the map ingame but still nice that you went there.
On Maginot I think this is that little hill right next to the B point village. :-) I visited some bunkers on the German side last year, on their southwestern border. It was very interesting to see all these structures for real. It's cool you got to go visit these.
Well I mean it’s more sight seeing than touching grass🤷♂️
Allied forces have captured a zone
*Germany - "yeah, we're gonna drive around that"*
good job, now you have enough SP to CAS the shit out of the enemy
Fun fact: after this I went to a nearby shop and picked up four Bf 109s and an F-4J. I think that's enough CAS for the rest of the mission. <.<
Nah that's the D point
Germany, but only for a short time.
We've visited the same places! Have you toured Ouvrage Schoenenbourg or Hackenberg yet?
Don't you mean you attacked the D point?
No, I attacked the D-point afterwards and got myself some CAS there. (Translated: I followed up my visit to the bunker with a visit to a nearby model store and bought myself an F-4J Phantom and four Bf 109Gs.)
Did you find D point?