CMBO - Wiltz: airBiscuit vs Thunder

[airBiscuit]

Combat Mission Beyond Overlord - Wiltz
Axis: airBiscuit (member)
Allies: Thunder (not currently a member)
Type: Meeting Engagement


It's the middle of December, 1944. The Battle of the Bulge is underway and a detachment of German forces divert their course toward Bastogne to hole up in a town called Wiltz, Belgium. Hoping for some shelter from the cold, and possibly another route to Bastogne, the Axis forces encroach on the small town only to discover that the US Army has taken up defensive positions there. My mission as Axis is to take the hills around the township to box the Allied forces in.

My attacking force was split into two detachments. On the right flank, I had a mechanized platoon of halftracks sporting MG42s. On the left flank, I had a much more formidable force of armor to make the approach on the main road into town.

My objective was to make as fast a progress as possible to the hill objectives in order to catch the US forces on the run and not dug in at the flags.

It is important to note that this was my first game of CMBO in a long time, and it was my first multiplayer game as well. In my lack of understanding of CM game mechanics, there will be mistakes in evidence over the course of the game that could have been averted with experience.

[airBiscuit]

On the left flank, I have two Pumas that I put into recon action immediately. One of the Pumas shoots straight down the road, almost to the bend and cuts cross country parallel to the turn. At this moment, the tank commander spots about three groups of infantry at the outskirts of town and opens up with the coaxial MG.

The rest of the forces are following up behind along the road at marching speed consisting of a halftrack carrying a squad of Fallshirmjaeger and the rest of the Fallshirmjaeger platoon marching alongside. Behind this group is a Panther G and a Hetzer close behind. The rear group will take time to catch up to this advance, consisting of two StuH's, a halftrack, and two Fallshirmjaeger platoons either on a vehicle or walking alongside.

On the right flank, the mechanized platoon quickly leaves the road to run cross country through the cut in the woods, straight for the right hill objective. If the forces can deploy fast enough, I might be able to secure the hill before Thunder's forces arrive.

[airBiscuit]

A change of strategy overcomes the mechanized platoon on the right flank and the formation breaks up to cast a wider net on the objective area. Two of the halftracks advance further toward the hill and take up positions for dismount. The other two halftracks break for the roadway. One shortly turns off road again to the right and proceeds toward the edge of the hill. From this position, the halftrack is able to see a platoon's worth of US infantry already making their way to the top of the hill. The halftrack has a good lane of fire and proceeds to pepper the hill with 7.92mm rounds. The halftrack furthest down the road makes it almost to the turn in the road as it recons the clear view into town.

Meanwhile, the left flank has already become exciting. The lead Puma that was firing in the previous turn gets an unpleasant surprise as some sort of 'vehicle' just inside the town limits fires a rather large gun at it and brews it up immediately. The crew bails and makes a run for the nearby rubble as machine gun fire peppers the area. The 'vehicle' slips into hiding once again, no doubt waiting to spring its trap on another unsuspecting Axis unit.

The other Puma has made it to the foot of the left objective hill and finds itself in a target-rich environment. It can see countless infantry advancing on the center hill, as well as infantry advancing to the right hill. It's MG opens fire on the center hill positions, harrying the US troop advance. The terrain surrounding the center hill will make it difficult to approach from the road, especially with vehicles. It is pretty certain that the US forces will establish a firm position there in a couple of turns. Nonetheless, my recon unit has a good view of what is moving where. Also moving up into the fight is the lead halftrack carrying an FJ squad. It opens up with its MG as well as troops come into view.

The forces further back on the road are beginning to approach the bend in the road where the action is happening. The rearmost forces that started at the edge of the map are clearing the first turn in the road, now making their way down the main thoroughfare to bolster the attack.

[airBiscuit]

Now the right flank gets really exciting. The forward halftrack, carrying a platoon HQ unit, is at first engaging infantry at the edge of the roadway, only to spot what appears to be an M24 Chaffee coming from behind a building. Bad news for the halftrack. The driver quickly throws the halftrack into reverse and attempts to get out of the M24's gunsights. Too late. The first round fired blows the treads on the vehicle and leaves it a sitting duck. The Platoon HQ team bails out of the vehicle and takes cover from the incoming fire by crawling behind the vehicle. Meanwhile, the other three halftracks decide to move further toward the hill before dismounting troops. The US forces are on top of the hill, awaiting the inevitable assault.

On the base of the left hill, the Puma is having a field day opening up on the Center Hill positions. Little does he know about the danger looming on the roadway up ahead.

The lead FJ platoon makes it to the turn in the road, only to be supported by the Panther G that went at flank speed to take position at the turn, presenting its formidable frontal armor to the guns in town. Almost immediately, it begins firing with its machine guns and uses its main gun on a gun emplacement located just behind a wall at the edge of town.

[airBiscuit]

The continued firing of the Panther on the gun emplacement results in a satisfying kill of the fixed position. The Panther stands firm at the turn of the road, awaiting another target.

And no sooner I say this than our mystery 'vehicle' emerges from the edge of town. It's an M4 Sherman variant and it's looking for a target. The Panther already had its gun trained in that general direction, so a slight gun correction was all it took to place the killing shot. The Sherman didn't explode wildly on this hit, contrary to what I've seen happen sometimes.

The Puma on the hill didn't fare so well, as the M24 which immobilized my halftrack on the right, moved cautiously down the road using buildings as cover and popped off a killing shot on the recon vehicle. The Chaffee was becoming worrisome indeed and I was beginning to wonder if it would speed down the road to finish off my halftracks one by one and harry my infantry.

At this stage, it was decided to dismount the infantry and send them at the hill. The leftmost squad went into the nearby woods, however, since that was the closest cover from where the halftrack advanced to. It was felt that perhaps this squad could take a flanking position from the main line of attack, which was directly up the middle and to the right of the flag objective. The picture shows them engaging a squad moving on the hill as well as being targeted by another squad as they enter the woods. The squads proceeding up the center of the hill make contact with a US squad as they crest the rise, fortunately having the cover of woods.

[Palantir]

I like, I like!

Good overview of a battle!

[airBiscuit]

On the right hill, things are not going so well. A platoon HQ team and a squad of infantry are caught in a stand of scattered trees, being fired on by no less than two squads on the hill, the M24 Chaffee which has backed up to the town but maintains firing, and a squad from the center hill. This fire coming from all directions, as well as the tree bursts almost on top of it from artillery fire, exacts a few casualties and forces the men to cover. The infantry squad there is able to return only sporadic fire toward the squads on the hill.

Some help comes from the halftracks that pull up with their MG42s trained on the hill, but their maneuvering is sloppy as they try to work their way around an immobile halftrack where the crew has been shocked by sniper fire. Nonetheless, the machinegun fire they lay down is the one thing that is helping to keep the troops in the stand of trees from sustaining withering fire from the hill.

The top of the hill fares no better as a battle at the top rages with gunfire and grenades, where the Axis forces try in vain to dislodge the US defensive position. One of the squads takes casualties and immediately routs down the hill. The panzershrek team is now weary from their hasty climb and is only halfway up the hill as the battle takes place. A single intrepid squad makes it to the top and makes its stand in a group of trees, hoping to wear down the American defense. There is already some sign that the US squad has taken casualties, but they continue to doggedly return fire.

The left hill shows better standing as the Panther G maintains steady fire on a wide variety of infantry targets that attempt to advance on the center hill, and on infantry on the right hill. A StuH42 rushes up behind the tank, followed by a halftrack. They are briefly held up as they make their way around the monstrous Panther. Soon they break free and take up positions further advanced on the slope of the left hill. The StuH42 takes a flank hit by something, probably a bazooka from the center hill. The shot doesn't do permanent damage but reminds the crew that they are not invincible even behind all that armor. Another halftrack advances along the left side of the center hill, ready to deposit its troops close by for a run at the center.

[airBiscuit]

Continuing on the left hill, we watch as the StuH42 continues to draw bazooka fire from the center hill. One of the hits causes armor flaking, but the tank still holds together. Other rounds impact explosively around the tank as they are barely missed. The halftrack continues to move along with it until they both take up position on the side of the left hill facing the center. They begin their rotation to start laying town suppressing fire. There are some reports of troop movements coming from the other side of the hill, so the Axis forces will have to be careful as they make their advance.

A Hetzer has managed to catch up with the battle and begins to maneuver itself into a position where it can lay down fire. The Panther continues to blaze away as it finds a rich set of targets before it. The gunner knows his priorities, though. The M24 Chaffee has moved forward again, intent on tearing the Axis troops on the right side of the field to pieces. The Panther tries to get a bead on the tank, but it quickly falls behind the cover of a building.

Meanwhile, an FJ squad and a halftrack begin their reconnoiter around the backside of the center hill in hopes of finding a good position at the top and avoiding fire from the US troops on the other side. Other forces continue their advance up the road to bolster the attack.

The right hill is still in a dire position. The squad and HQ unit in the stand of trees continues to bear the brunt of what the US has to offer in firepower. The Chaffee is relentless in letting the Germans taste bitter lead from its bow machinegun. They also continue to take fire from the hill, which leaves them with little to hide behind.

On top of the hill is an ongoing exchange of fire where two squads are wittling each other down man for man. Grenades from both sides cause fire blossom eruptions to flash among their ranks. The Axis do have a surprise that is slowly lugging its way up the hill, in the form of an MG42 team, but the question is whether they will get in position in time to save their foothold on the hill. Meanwhile, the remaining squad is still in a state of Panic and cannot provide assistance on the top, even as the numerical advantage is badly needed. To make matters worse, one of the US squads on the side of the hill is firing over the lip of the plateau, making the job of the attack even harder.

[KG_Norad]

Nice play by play airBiscuit! I look forward to seeing how this turns out! :thumup:

[Doctor Sinister]

This is cracking stuff - I love reading things like this...

Dr. S.

[airBiscuit]

On the right hill, the two squads are the plateau are still going at it. The firing has abated somewhat as soldiers on both sides lie prone under cover and change out their magazines, doing a hushed roll call to get a head count. The two halftracks behind this hill begin laying down MG fire on both of the US squads sitting on the edge of the hill, suppressing those positions. The Panther lines up his main gun across the map to the US squad that was firing over the lip of the plateau and kicks up an enormous crater right next to them. That they managed to hold their position shows immense determination. Finally, support relief comes as the MG 42 team plants itself just behind a stand of trees and draws a bead on that very same US squad. It doesn't take long for the efficient German squad to set up their weapon and burp out streams of lead at the opposing side. There is still need of the other squad to get itself together and climb the hill to assist. The Panzershrek team has made it to the top and is keeping its head low for the meantime.

On the left hill, the halftrack and StuH move further along the edge of the hill and turn to begin firing down on visible positions, of which there are many. The halftrack lays down distant fire on one of the right hill US squads, placing a lot of pressure on the American forces as they stubbornly hold their position under the crossfire that has been set up. Meanwhile, the Hetzer sits a little further back on the low side of the left hill, somewhere between the Panther on the road and the halftrack on the side of the hill. It turns to present its front and looks for targets. Several squads of infantry dismount from vehicles, and are supplanted by forces that marched along the road. Now, they are running to get positions on the side of the hill in order to scout ahead their approach to the peak and to cover the center with extra firepower.

In the center, a halftrack and a StuH have crossed behind the center hill, while an FJ squad advanced up the wooded side. The advancing squad crests the lip of the plateau only to face a surprising volume of enemy fire. Men in the squad fall all around in the ambush and they quickly turn and flee down the side of the hill to avoid the onslaught. The halftrack continues on its course regardless and climbs to the lip of the hill, carrying the local HQ commander inside, laying down fire at US troops on the opposite side. The StuH continues along the back of the hill, carrying a Fallschirmjaeger squad that will soon dismount to take position on the hill. The tank commander ponders maneuvering the StuH to the road on the other side of the hill to challenge the M24 Chaffee which has continued to pour fire into the wooded positions containing friendly forces.

[Palantir]

This is cracking stuff - I love reading things like this...Dr. S.


Now why doesn't that surprise me? :D
:laugh:

Good battle Air, :thumup:

[airBiscuit]

The battle has really kicked into high gear in the center. The US squads near the top of the hill face incoming fire from several positions on the left. All that is present for the Axis is the halftrack, which continues laying down fire for a brief moment. The US forces are pinned down by withering fire, but manage to return their own barrage on infantry positions on the left hill.

As the HQ unit dismounts, the halftrack gunner looks up from his sights to the town in the distance. A vehicle has rounded the corner unnoticed and begins to resolve itself behind the knocked out Sherman. Before he can shout to the driver, the M10 Tank Destroyer fires its main gun and scores a frontal penentration kill. Shouts of pain erupt from the ruined vehicle as both the HQ unit and crewmen flee under a hail of gunfire from advancing US positions approaching the left hill.

Meanwhile, artillery blooms have begun to appear around the US ranks on the center hill. An Axis 81mm mortar spotter has his glasses trained on their position, and watches as the explosions fall into the cowering opposition.

The US is no less wise in their use of artillery, as large rounds begin whistling in around the Panther and exploding shards of metal and fire erupt among the final troop reinforcements along the road, sending two squads fleeing for the nearby trees while one advances ever faster to their destination.

The overwhelming firepower placed on the center hill finally takes its toll as two full US squads flee back down the hill to escape the endless torment. This leaves a smaller force to deal with, but our troop placement is pretty weak on this hill, so we will have to be cautious.

Meanwhile, Fallshirmjaeger troops have advanced to the top of the left hill in sufficient force to claim that position as theirs. They are all too aware of the US forces just on the other side, so they begin to set up defensive positions to drive back any advance on the hill.

The action on the right hill has abated somewhat. The two squads at the top are now on an asymmetric slant in favor of the Axis. The MG42 team moves further in among the trees, close to the rifle squad. Some sporadic fire occurs, but no casualties are taken. Down by the road, the Chaffee has fallen silent and the troops pinned in the stand of trees have a brief rest from their own personal hell.