George Kelln
Elder Member
CG 2- 0900 11 July 1944, Lurking Panthers, Scenario 3 of 5;
Having survived the 8-turn marathon of last scenario with little more than a platoon and a half left. I was looking forward to some much-needed reinforcements and I was not disappointed. My CP DR was a 3 with the –1 CP DRM gave me 23 CP to work with. Seeing that I close so to the board edge I could have these reinforcements enter by foot on board saving me a few points. The next surprise in the refit phase was the addition of a 10-2 leader who commanded the rifle platoon. The German was now through the bocage and breaking out to open terrain. His mobility and firepower would soon be felt. My best bet was to grinding to a halt by laying my defence and to give him the village on the left flank, consolidating on the northern village.
For this I purchased 2 x Rifle Platoons, a MMG Section, a Bazooka Team, AT-Gun Section, Lt. Mortar Section, and a module of 81mm Battalion Mortars. To this I beefed it up with some wire, a roadblock and more dummy counters. I set up my AT-Gun and Lt. Mortars to cover the open ground south of the northern village. In addition I would move up my rifle platoons, Bazooka Teams and MMG Sections into the village. The German had a bit of distance to move to make it up to the village. This would allow me move onboard in time. Meanwhile on the left flank I would immediately withdraw an 8-1 leader, and two squads back to the northern village. I would cover this withdraw with 2½ squads which I hoped to withdraw later if possible.
The early turns saw the German move on a pair of Panthers up the main road, giving him a total of four on map. Aboard these were 2 squads and a leader, another group of infantry moved up the road on foot. On the left flank the German moved another platoon plus from off map. These looked to be reinforcements for the assault on the left flank village.
The German moved forward assaulting the left flank village. With very little to defend with, I started to withdraw the surviving 2 squads and their 8-1 leader back to reinforce the northern village. However when I saw that the German was not pressing this flank I halted setting up a defensive line with 1 x 8-1, 1 x 6-6-6, and 2 x 3-4-6 along the northern side of the east-west road which cut the village in half. Bill made to forays out and each time nailed him with 6-2 and 6-1 attacks, with the results only pinning his forces. This however was enough to halt him as this was not his main effort of the scenario but it also tied me up and prevented me from reinforcing the much-needed centre.
In the centre the Germans moved his Panthers to engage my lone M-10 that was hulldown behind a wall along the crestline of the northern village. German infantry moved forward impervious to my fire, which at best pinned them. My artillery observer was unable to get battery access and the German slowly moved into firing position. My M-10 did managed hit his bogged Panther that was caught up in the woods, not once but twice, but each time watched as his AP round ricocheted off his frontal armour. This good fortune only inspired Bill to press his attack and as his squads pushed forward through the centre using the cover of a few wrecks and stone walls to close up to what I hoped would be the Alamo but it soon became apparent that a break through was eminent.
Meanwhile on the right flank which up to now had been pretty quite, saw the first German probes into the orchards. Having shifted most of my forces to the centre in the previous scenario all that remained was a 3-4-6 HS, a MMG and its Crew, along with 2 dummy stacks. This gave the German the impression that there was a platoon still in the bocage. However the real reason that I didn’t pull them back was that they were to guard a 57mm ATG whose field of fire covered the open ground in the centre as this would prove to be quite fortuitous as describe later.
US Turn 1, I quickly moved my offboard reinforcements on to the board and into the centre in an attempt to plug the German break through.
Turns 2-3 saw the bulk of the fighting in the centre, once my M-10 was knocked out the German charged forward as my reinforcements were just arriving. This is when the placement of an ATG is vital, as two Panthers rolled into the sights of the right flank 57mm ATG and when they halted with their side and rear facing, it was nerve racking DFPh as I din't whether I should wait for the third one to move forward or fire. But as it turned out it moved towards the left flank.
In Turn 3 DFPh, I let loose with the 57mm ATG striking the first Panther in the side with a CH destroying it and the squad on its back deck in a flaming wreck. The next shot missed but retained ROF and caught the other the Panther in its rear also destroying it in a flaming wreck. The German managed to free his bogged Panther and with the reinforcing Panther that narrowly escaped destruction moved forward to engage my reinforcements. While my 8-1 leader directed fire of the MMG Section, the 10-2 leader lead his men forward and started clearing out German SW Teams and MG crews from the three stone buildings in the centre that they had earlier captured.
By Turn 4, things were looking up for the Americans; On the left flank it was a stalemate as my 8-1 leader and 2 squads held their own against Bill’s 8-1, 2 x 4-6-8 armed with a LMG, and MMG with its Crew. The right flank saw two forays by Bill with a 4-6-8 and a 2-4-8 that only discovered that I did in fact have real units there. The centre was where the action was, Bill moved his remaining Grenadier Pl of 3 x 5-4-8 2 x LMG and 9-1 leader forward supported by his two remaining Panthers and whatever remaining SW Teams and MG Crew he could scrape together. I met this force with 10-2 and his 2 x 6-6-6 squads supported by the MMG Section directed by the 8-1 leader.
Turn 5, saw the centre forces collided, and after I broke a 5-4-8 and wounded his 9-1 leader. I thought that I could weather the storm, but as the 10-2 was congratulating the squad for its good shooting, the long barrel of the Panther swung over and let loose an HE shell that struck the 10-2 squarely in the chest (CH Hit), vapourizing him. The 2 x 6-6-6 seeing this crumbled, later surrendering when the German whipped the other Panther around to cut off their route path. The 8-1 leader was killed by only the second German sniper shot of the entire Campaign as Bill finally raised his SAN to 3 very fortunate him.
Now I am one who doesn’t get set back by much, but these two events broke open the game as in the next Turn the German moved in behind the left flank village to cut off my stalwart platoon with a Panther and a squad and half. Meanwhile the right flank which was holding its own was now was facing reinforcements from the centre in the form of 2 x 5-4-8 reinforced by a Panther whose thick hide brushed aside the 57mm ATG AP rounds. At this point things looked bleak and when the Game went to Turn 7, we called it as the German had achieved or was about to achieve his CG Victory Conditions of control the main north-south road with no Americans within six hexes of it.
A well fought game and the campaign went 3 of 5 CG Scenarios. It would have gone at least four had not the two events mention happen. Both Bill and I appreciated the difficulties that fighting bocage presented for both attacker and defender.
I went back to work on the CG scenario in an attempt to refine it, as I presented Bill Bird and Blake Ball the next in the series, CG III- Calling the Bluff.
Having survived the 8-turn marathon of last scenario with little more than a platoon and a half left. I was looking forward to some much-needed reinforcements and I was not disappointed. My CP DR was a 3 with the –1 CP DRM gave me 23 CP to work with. Seeing that I close so to the board edge I could have these reinforcements enter by foot on board saving me a few points. The next surprise in the refit phase was the addition of a 10-2 leader who commanded the rifle platoon. The German was now through the bocage and breaking out to open terrain. His mobility and firepower would soon be felt. My best bet was to grinding to a halt by laying my defence and to give him the village on the left flank, consolidating on the northern village.
For this I purchased 2 x Rifle Platoons, a MMG Section, a Bazooka Team, AT-Gun Section, Lt. Mortar Section, and a module of 81mm Battalion Mortars. To this I beefed it up with some wire, a roadblock and more dummy counters. I set up my AT-Gun and Lt. Mortars to cover the open ground south of the northern village. In addition I would move up my rifle platoons, Bazooka Teams and MMG Sections into the village. The German had a bit of distance to move to make it up to the village. This would allow me move onboard in time. Meanwhile on the left flank I would immediately withdraw an 8-1 leader, and two squads back to the northern village. I would cover this withdraw with 2½ squads which I hoped to withdraw later if possible.
The early turns saw the German move on a pair of Panthers up the main road, giving him a total of four on map. Aboard these were 2 squads and a leader, another group of infantry moved up the road on foot. On the left flank the German moved another platoon plus from off map. These looked to be reinforcements for the assault on the left flank village.
The German moved forward assaulting the left flank village. With very little to defend with, I started to withdraw the surviving 2 squads and their 8-1 leader back to reinforce the northern village. However when I saw that the German was not pressing this flank I halted setting up a defensive line with 1 x 8-1, 1 x 6-6-6, and 2 x 3-4-6 along the northern side of the east-west road which cut the village in half. Bill made to forays out and each time nailed him with 6-2 and 6-1 attacks, with the results only pinning his forces. This however was enough to halt him as this was not his main effort of the scenario but it also tied me up and prevented me from reinforcing the much-needed centre.
In the centre the Germans moved his Panthers to engage my lone M-10 that was hulldown behind a wall along the crestline of the northern village. German infantry moved forward impervious to my fire, which at best pinned them. My artillery observer was unable to get battery access and the German slowly moved into firing position. My M-10 did managed hit his bogged Panther that was caught up in the woods, not once but twice, but each time watched as his AP round ricocheted off his frontal armour. This good fortune only inspired Bill to press his attack and as his squads pushed forward through the centre using the cover of a few wrecks and stone walls to close up to what I hoped would be the Alamo but it soon became apparent that a break through was eminent.
Meanwhile on the right flank which up to now had been pretty quite, saw the first German probes into the orchards. Having shifted most of my forces to the centre in the previous scenario all that remained was a 3-4-6 HS, a MMG and its Crew, along with 2 dummy stacks. This gave the German the impression that there was a platoon still in the bocage. However the real reason that I didn’t pull them back was that they were to guard a 57mm ATG whose field of fire covered the open ground in the centre as this would prove to be quite fortuitous as describe later.
US Turn 1, I quickly moved my offboard reinforcements on to the board and into the centre in an attempt to plug the German break through.
Turns 2-3 saw the bulk of the fighting in the centre, once my M-10 was knocked out the German charged forward as my reinforcements were just arriving. This is when the placement of an ATG is vital, as two Panthers rolled into the sights of the right flank 57mm ATG and when they halted with their side and rear facing, it was nerve racking DFPh as I din't whether I should wait for the third one to move forward or fire. But as it turned out it moved towards the left flank.
In Turn 3 DFPh, I let loose with the 57mm ATG striking the first Panther in the side with a CH destroying it and the squad on its back deck in a flaming wreck. The next shot missed but retained ROF and caught the other the Panther in its rear also destroying it in a flaming wreck. The German managed to free his bogged Panther and with the reinforcing Panther that narrowly escaped destruction moved forward to engage my reinforcements. While my 8-1 leader directed fire of the MMG Section, the 10-2 leader lead his men forward and started clearing out German SW Teams and MG crews from the three stone buildings in the centre that they had earlier captured.
By Turn 4, things were looking up for the Americans; On the left flank it was a stalemate as my 8-1 leader and 2 squads held their own against Bill’s 8-1, 2 x 4-6-8 armed with a LMG, and MMG with its Crew. The right flank saw two forays by Bill with a 4-6-8 and a 2-4-8 that only discovered that I did in fact have real units there. The centre was where the action was, Bill moved his remaining Grenadier Pl of 3 x 5-4-8 2 x LMG and 9-1 leader forward supported by his two remaining Panthers and whatever remaining SW Teams and MG Crew he could scrape together. I met this force with 10-2 and his 2 x 6-6-6 squads supported by the MMG Section directed by the 8-1 leader.
Turn 5, saw the centre forces collided, and after I broke a 5-4-8 and wounded his 9-1 leader. I thought that I could weather the storm, but as the 10-2 was congratulating the squad for its good shooting, the long barrel of the Panther swung over and let loose an HE shell that struck the 10-2 squarely in the chest (CH Hit), vapourizing him. The 2 x 6-6-6 seeing this crumbled, later surrendering when the German whipped the other Panther around to cut off their route path. The 8-1 leader was killed by only the second German sniper shot of the entire Campaign as Bill finally raised his SAN to 3 very fortunate him.
Now I am one who doesn’t get set back by much, but these two events broke open the game as in the next Turn the German moved in behind the left flank village to cut off my stalwart platoon with a Panther and a squad and half. Meanwhile the right flank which was holding its own was now was facing reinforcements from the centre in the form of 2 x 5-4-8 reinforced by a Panther whose thick hide brushed aside the 57mm ATG AP rounds. At this point things looked bleak and when the Game went to Turn 7, we called it as the German had achieved or was about to achieve his CG Victory Conditions of control the main north-south road with no Americans within six hexes of it.
A well fought game and the campaign went 3 of 5 CG Scenarios. It would have gone at least four had not the two events mention happen. Both Bill and I appreciated the difficulties that fighting bocage presented for both attacker and defender.
I went back to work on the CG scenario in an attempt to refine it, as I presented Bill Bird and Blake Ball the next in the series, CG III- Calling the Bluff.
