Action at Balberkamp

After the initial landings at Oslo, the Germans began to move northward, through the valley of the Gudbrandsdalen, towards Trondheim. The Norwegians and British forces there attempted numerous blocking actions which were largely unsuccessful. One such was made by elements of Group Ruge outside the village of Balberkamp. …

1940-04-22

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A063

After the initial landings at Oslo, the Germans began to move northward, through the valley of the Gudbrandsdalen, towards Trondheim. The Norwegians and British forces there attempted numerous blocking actions which were largely unsuccessful. One such was made by elements of Group Ruge outside the village of Balberkamp. Knowing they could not halt panzers, the Norwegians fully expected British reinforcements to come to their aid in their desperate stand. Displaying superb tactical insight, the German commander dispatched a lightly armed company in a wide flanking movement to seize the heights behind the enemy position. Luck was with them, and the Germans were able to establish themselves on the hills just prior to the arrival of the British.

Trondheim, Norway

The Norwegian campaign (8 April – 10 June 1940) describes the attempt of the Allies to defend northern Norway coupled with Norwegian forces' resistance to the country's invasion by Nazi Germany in World War II. Planning and 13 British ships setting steam, narrowly preceded the German invasion of the mainland on 8 April 1940. Planned as Operation Wilfred and Plan R 4, while the German attack was feared but had not happened, HMS Renown set out from Scapa Flow for the Vestfjorden with twelve destroyers on 4 April. British and German naval forces met at the first Battle of Narvik on 9 and 10 April, and the first British forces landed at Åndalsnes on the 13th. The main strategic reason for Germany to invade Norway was to seize the port of Narvik and guarantee the iron ore needed for critical production of steel. The campaign was fought until 10 June 1940 and saw the escape of King Haakon VII and his heir apparent Crown Prince Olav to the United Kingdom. A British, French and Polish expeditionary force of 38,000 soldiers, many days in, landed in the north. It had moderate success. A rapid strategic retreat took place after Germany's overwhelmingly quick invasion of France in May. The Norwegian government then sought exile in London. The campaign ended with the occupation of the entirety of Norway by Germany, but exiled Norwegian forces escaped and fought on from overseas.

German

Allied

Scenario Type = Standard