In other recent news, I got to play
HF2 Bertoldo the Brave yesterday, courtesy of
@Matt Boehland.
This is another excellent Hatten fight by
@Andrew Rogers, albeit one with a bit more meat to it than some of the quicker playing scenarios in
Hatten in Flames.
I had the Germans. My plan was pretty simple-- push west between Rue Hohl and Rue Principale until I took the D16 objective buildings, then turn south to attack the J17 and J21 areas from the north and east. The Panthers were to stay near the north edge to keep them from getting flanked by the American TDs. American strong points were to be suppressed by the AA Halftracks. One platoon of infantry and all three SPW 251/1s would form a reserve to exploit any breakthrough, taking advantage of the "Enter on/after turn 1" entry condition.
It was a pretty good game from the German perspective. They say that no plan survives contact with the enemy, but this one held up pretty well. The initial attack overran the American outpost line (mostly made up of dummies) in short order, with some units making it almost to Rue de Wissembourg and the school by the end of Turn 1.
From there, things slowed down a bit, as American resistance stiffened. The northern elements were held up a bit by an MG nest in D17 reinforced by a Hellcat at the crossroads in D13. There was also fighting along Rue Principale, as German troops attempted to push towards “The Fort.” An American outpost in Temple Neuf was taken under heavy, well directed, machine gun fire and was abandoned to the advancing Germans.
The pace of the attack picked up again when the Hellcat at D13 was destroyed by a Panzerschreck, and the machine gun nest in D17 was overrun. The one remaining American HIP unit (the 57L AT gun) was forced to reveal its position near “The Fort,” enabling me to commit my reserve platoon in an end run down Rue Hohl and Rue de Reuisseau, supported by one of the Panthers. At this point, the Panthers were the majority of my fire support, as the AA halftracks had been reduced to burning wreckage by the Hellcats.
As things worked out, two of the three halftracks made it to their destination, the northwest corner of the G23 woods. One was burned by the Hellcat detailed to intercept, before the Hellcat in turn was driven off by the Panther. Meanwhile, a second Hellcat was destroyed, also by a panzerschreck-- this one fired from behind a wall in G17.
Thus began the final assault. German troops closed in on the remaining Americans from three sides. From the east, they attacked along Rue Principale towards “The Fort,” but were repulsed before demolition charges could be properly placed. From the north and northwest, they met with better success, seizing buildings along the north side of the road, including the last two buildings needed for victory.
This left the Americans with one last chance-- a desperate push north across the road and east out of “The Fort.” When this failed in a hail of German machine gun fire, the Americans conceded. It was the end of turn six.
Thanks to Matt for an excellent game! As with every Hatten scenario I've played so far, I would certainly try this one again from either perspective.