Section Leaders:
Fionn Kelly & Madmatt

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German Commander - Fionn Kelly

German Turns 11-15

This turn was extremely interesting from an intelligence-gathering perspective.

On my right flank I have identified an enemy unit in the front-line as being a platoon HQ. Its position is such that it cannot be easily said to command any nearby infantry BUT it is positioned at the “pivot” of the enemy’s widely-flung recon screen.

If I had to guess I’d have to say that Chris has deployed one platoon for recon purposes. One and a half squads are moving up my extreme right while the other one and a half squads seem to be guarding the enemy thrust’s left flank. Apart from this widely spread recon platoon I have definitely identified three FULL enemy platoons advancing behind this screen. Overall though I’d have to say that my enemy force estimate on my right flank is now 2 companies. This thoroughly terrifies me since I only have two platoons to defend with. I am really going to have to open up at long range and hope to severely attrit Chris before he gets close. If he gets close to me he can simply overwhelm me ( especially since Chris is very good at laying firebases).

On my left flank I’m definitely ID’ing two platoons so I’d have to say that Chris has a  company there but just hasn’t shown me the third platoon there. MY single platoon is going to have fun holding off a US company. Still, this is all good training for fighting on the Eastern Front in CM2.

One of Chris’ half-tracks tries to make a dash across my rightmost Panther’s line of fire  following the same route as the Sherman 76 did a minute or two ago. Unfortunately for the M3 my gunner must have woken up a bit more by now since he puts an AP shell right through the side of the M3 and destroys it.

Meanwhile ‘s Panther has reversed out of its previous position ( which was being smoked by Chris’ artillery) and is moving to take up a position overwatching the likely American routes of advance on my right. This is a good example of how one should ALWAYS site units with a view to SAFE displacement to alternate firing positions. This Panther could reverse from its previous position, enter full defilade, and then manoeuvre either left or right to alternate firing position all without being in the enemy’s line of fire until it entered its new firing positions.

During the twelfth turn my HMG42s on my left flank fully enter the game. Their positions are excellent for bringing fire to bear on the American infantry as they advance and I’m going to pour the fire on continuously from now until whenever my HMG42s have to displace. I also notice an American half-squad taking up position in a house and decide to let my Jpz IV shell it. I always like seeing my enemy enter buildings because it gives me a great discrete target to area fire at and gives me a guarantee of causing casualties. Every time a house comes down you can just guarantee that you’ve caused at least 50% casualties to everyone in the house. After a few rounds the house bursts into flames and the infantry half-squad races out of it leaving 3 of its men behind. My SPW 250/9 continues making a nuisance of itself. It isn’t doing any real damage obviously but it sure is paying for itself in terms of nuisance and gaining info on the enemy’s strength.

I’m quite happy with how most of the game is going so far ( except for the fact that Chris bought so much infantry of course ;) ) but this turn deals me an absolute disaster. After managing to penetrate the front turret of the enemy M36 my rightmost Panther has its gun damaged by a return shot. Truly the Gods aren’t smiling on me today. I’m now down to 2 serviceable tanks and have lost roughly 40% of my total on-map direct fire HE capability. Chris probably has 7 or 8 tanks. Being outnumbered 2 to 1 isn’t so bad but 3 or 4 to 1 is a different matter entirely. What’s even worse is that this Panther carried enough HE to really mess up an entire enemy platoon but now it won’t be available to attrit them as they close. Ah well, one must greet disaster with equanimity lest it unbalance one’s play.

Over the next turns you may be a bit surprised to see me keep my Panther in the front line. I am doing this purely for its value  in terms of misdirection. Chris will certainly understand at some stage that it is damaged and no longer a threat but by shuttling it around he may lose track of it and mix my functional Panther with my damaged one. This would give me a tactical advantage. The chances of this are small but in a game as tight as I expect this to be one takes whatever straws one can grasp.

I have inserted this picture here to show one of Chris’ platoons advancing. As you can see this platoon comprises 3 squads, the HQ element, a mortar team and a bazooka team. It appears that Chris is attaching his mortar and bazooka elements to his forward platoons. This provides me with some valuable intelligence. He obviously believes in homogeneity and isn’t saving his mortar teams to utilize en masse against one specific portion of my front.

Unteroffizier Steinbauer’s Panther advanced over the crest of the hill and took a Sherman 76 under fire. Of course, as befits my luck with Panthers it managed to miss every time ;). Elsewhere I lost a 3.7cm FlaK to Sherman main gun HE and managed to drop some 81mm arty on some woods on my right flank but I don’t think I even caused a single casualty. I usually advance much more quickly than Chris has been and I think that’s throwing my timing of arty off.

By the end of the fifteenth turn things are heating up.

I have identified 5 enemy platoons in the first wave of units on my right flank with at least one, possibly two, platoons following up a couple of hundred metres behind. Interestingly enough he is bringing an M7 around to bring direct fire to bear on the infantry platoon I place in tank-unfriendly country. Unfortunately for him I DO believe in covering my infantry units with AT-capable units. My 2cm FlaKVierling should take care of that quite easily next turn.

On my left flank Chris keeps advancing and I keep pouring MG fire on in the hopes of convincing him that maybe he should stop and eat some chocolate. It doesn’t seem to be working so far though ;).

Trivia question: You have a company-sized defensive position along with two combat-capable tanks. You have identified a MINIMUM of ten enemy platoons ( quite possibly up to 12 enemy platoons) heading towards your position. 7 enemy platoons are advancing on your right flank, which is defended by only two of your own platoons. 3 enemy platoons are advancing on your left flank, held be only 1 friendly platoon. You are outnumbered roughly 3 to 1 in tanks. You have ONE platoon in reserve in a central position. It could

a)        Move left and make your left flank completely safe or

b)        Move rightwards and reduce the extent by which you are outnumbered there. An extra platoon on your right flank would give you some ability to recover from any errors etc.

Which option do you choose?

Correct, you choose the hidden third option… You decide to launch an attack using your reserve platoon to kill those FO's which have begun really annoying you with all this smoke they keep dropping all over your Steinbauer’s Panther. You then decide that once the FO's are killed you’ll swing the SMG reserve platoon rightwards and hope to draw some heat from the enemy’s primary attack. It’s an aggressive decision which has its basis firmly in aiding the defence by:

a)      Killing FO's.

b)      Occupying some of Chris’ follow-on forces.