Orders phase

Biggest problem this turn - how to deal with the armored car which simply raced past my tank? I check LOS thoroughly and Fionn placed his unit really well. There is no chance to move into a position with LOS to that car without exposing a flank to the advancing Panzer IV.

But I also cannot leave my Sherman where it is. A quick LOS check reveals that the enemy tank will shortly be in a position to engage my Sherman from a hull-down position behind that stone wall! And the last thing I want to see is the Sherman being attacked from two sides!

So I decide that my best bet is to withdraw the Sherman further back into the woods, so far, indeed, that the Panzer IV will have to come around into a more vulnerable position in order to engage my tank. The threat of an infantry attack through the northern woods seems to be low for now, as my tank crew (running for the northern map edge) still didn't spot any German movements there. It doesn't mean much, but I see myself how slow the going through the snowy forest is.

I intend to withdraw the Sherman further into the woods to avoid contact with the advancing enemy tank. This move WILL expose my vulnerable flank to the armored car should it choose to stick its cannon around the building (and the 50mm gun seems able to penetrate the Shermans side armor), but I am not too worried about it, since my 75mm gun can rotate fast and knock out that armored car at point blank range with ease...

The rifle platoon and MG teams near the bridge are getting under a lot of pressure, being fired on from a few sides and under a mortar barrage. Casualties are heavy and most rifle squads are down to 4 or five men. But morale seems still to be ok, and I feel that retreating now would be the worst choice of all. Hug the ground and survive the mortars, boys! However, I order the mortar team to run back into town. They will be pretty useless in defense and I feel that getting them out of there quickly might save a few lives.

The rifle platoon and supporting MG team are hugging the ground. The mortar crew (on the right) is ordered to retreat back to town. The MG team crossing the river is under MG fire from the rear (the yellow line), but should make the last few meters to cover in good shape.

Along the southern road, the German breakthrough is complete. All three units that are left there (HMG team, mortar crew and bazooka team) are panicked or routed and down to one or two men. The German infantry seems to have taken not many casualties and at least two platoons are approaching the position. The 105mm artillery fire I plotted two turns ago is about to strike at the end of this turn, and with a good chance that all of my remaining units down there will be wiped out, I take the risk and keep the artillery barrage scheduled to fall on my own position. It's three rounds only that I have left, and if they will have much effect is dubious at best.

A zoomed-in and enlarged view off the southern hill across the river. Time to impact is estimated at 26 seconds, but this is just a guess. It might take much longer or a little shorter before the first rounds arrive.

Also on the southern hill, I am moving my rifle platoon still further forward in a position next to the halfplatoon covering this approach. I also relocate one of the MGs after a few LOS checks. I still suspect the German attack to come from the south and want to make sure to close down that flank. Somebody once said that the key to holding a town is to own the key terrain around it. That's what I'm intending to do...

Action phase

Suddenly, we can hear it! WEEEEE!

I look at Sarge, and his face turns pale.

"Screaming minnies", he says. And then the first explosions go off!

I had heard about the German Nebelwerfer rockets, but the worst what I imagine doesn't come close to it! The explosions literally made the earth under my feet buckle as it was hit by giant blows! The explosions were ear shattering, knocking down walls and trees by sheer blast! It was pure armageddon!

German Nebelwerfer rockets impact in and around the town. I count eight or ten impacts and have huge luck - only five or so casualties in the church from an almost direct hit! Oh... and the Sherman is immobilized :-(

The impact from one of the Nebelwerfer rockets more then 20 meters away near the church blew the thread simply off the track! Not only that - notice that one crew member died (probably from the blast since the Sherman was unbuttoned at that time). That Sherman won't go anywhere soon, but it still can shoot...

Also the group near the bridge gets their share of near hits, but I can't spot more than one or two casualties. BIG luck! A direct hit could have easily taken out the entire platoon.

Check out THESE craters!

But as sudden as the barrage began, it doesn't last for long. I have the feeling that this was not all and the Krauts are saving ammo...

Meanwhile, my own artillery arrived on the positions along the southern road. A direct hit annihilates an enemy infantry team, but that's all I can see. Shortly after, my remaining units surrender, except for the mortar crew which manages to escape. Taking three casualties (out of five crew members), it manages to get to the edge of the river... but how much further will it go?

"Hände hoch" is what I hear, and then my guys are dropping their guns. I can't blame them, really... the mortar crew manages to escape, but takes casualties as it runs down to the river. Only two of the original crew of five are still alive...

The rifle platoon on the southern hill is watching this and the Nebelwerfer barrage on the town, probably happy that it's not in one of these positions and at the same time cursing the loss of so many fellow soldiers.

Arriving in position on the southern hill, the GIs are watching with grinding teeth as the forward defenses surrender...

In the north, my Sherman safely escapes further behind the woods. It seems that the Panzer IV is not moving forward to the wall like I anticipated, but instead moves back towards the road. This will keep him out of LOS of my tank for another turn or so at least. And since the armored car is not moving either (but pumping round after round at my defensive position near the bridge), the Sherman is left without any real targets for now.

The shock of so heavy caliber falling down on the town is sitting deep as I realize how lucky I have been so far! But how much luck will I have in the next turn, should the Germans have ammo reserves?