Orders phase

The clash of the armor is coming closer. The smoke which was fired from Diamonds Sherman to protect Washingtons tank will not last very long, and the German tank is also closing in onto my position. It is out of sight, currently, but is moving forward and can be within firing range within well within next turn. It will be in hull-down position most likely, while my tank is protected only by some bare trees and a little by the smoke. Not much - but still the best that is available. All around the tank is open space and while I could use more smoke to mask my retreat into another position, I would still risk exposing my flank to the enemy. Mind you, the snow is slowing down movements to a crawl and there is always a chance of bogging down. I certainly don't want to be caught out in the open in a bogged down Sherman.

No, I rather leave my Sherman where it is. Fact is that the enemy tank will have to engage and destroy my tank first before it can move on towards the town if he doesn't want to risk some flank shots itself. So I rather wait in position, AP loaded and sights zoomed in then risk being picked off while maneuvering myself. The PzIV has an advantage in penetration power with its 75mm gun (due to higher muzzle velocity mainly), but my Sherman is well capable of piercing the PzIVs front armor as well at a little more than 200 meters. I sit and wait, while the roar of the engine and the clacking of the tracks come closer...

Sgt Washington is waiting for the enemy Panzer to come into his field of fire. The Sherman doesn't have much ammo left, but enough for The Duel...

In the center, I order my spotted bazooka team to run away and hide. I am using thewithdraw command first, which has a higher chance in resulting in a panicked retreat, but at least will be executed without any time delay. To protect my bazooka team, I order two MG teams from the other river bank to open fire at the Germans hiding in the farm house by the bridge. I hope to be able to at least pin them long enough to allow my bazooka team to retreat behind the small elevation. But actually the Germans are now so close (less then 200 meters) on the other side of the river, that some well placed MG bursts have a good chance of panicking the assaulters.

I order my MMG team to fire at the infantry in the house which is firing at my bazooka team. The MG is itself under fire from one of the halftracks further back, but is not pinned (it's hiding currently).

Around the town, the German attackers have reached the first tree line and I can see three platoons moving in from the south. I check my defenses and am happy for now.

The yellow circles mark the positions of my rifle platoons. There are several other positions manned by bazooka teams in between as well as two MGs in town. The red circles mark the German rifle platoons (I think they are rifle platoons) coming closer. Not on the picture are two halftracks and some more infantry moving down the central road. So it looks like I am attacked by five rifle platoons, two halftracks and the enemy Panzer.

The red arrows are the most likely options that I can see for the Germans. Whatever they will do, they will have to face fire from at least two positions at a time, which should make it difficult for them to simply overrun my defenders. All the positions are also covered by at least two other positions from the sides or back. I have no illusions though - if the Germans mass their three platoons which are moving in the south for a concentrated blow, they will most likely smash through my two platoons (more like one and a half) on the southern hill. But then there will be two more fresh platoons to deal with, and after that another two. So all in all I am confident that without the enemy tank, my defenses have a decent chance of holding against the attack. If, however, the Panzer manages to knock out my Sherman, things will be not so bright...

Action phase

ARGH!

Washingtons Sherman is waiting for the Panzer IV to move forward. But the Panzer remains out of line of sight and instead is firing HE ammo into town. The smoke in the woods is dissipating slowly...

...and soon reveals a number of German Grenadiers moving through the woods! Oh no!

The German infantry opens up on my tank with small arms fire, forcing Sgt. Washington to button up.

But it doesn't take long and the first Panzerfaust rocket is on its ways. From such a short distance, my Sherman is a sitting duck.

Actually, more of a dead duck.

One man is dead from Washingtons team, but although the rest bails out safely, it is soon pinned by the German infantry.

I really expected the German infantry to take longer through the woods, at least one or two turns more. The Sherman crew obviously failed to spot the German Grenadiers moving through. My mistake, and I pay dearly.

Meanwhile, the two halftracks are roaring further down the road and the enemy infantry is advancing on the far south flank towards the hill. The first enemy units are breaking through the woods and coming within lethal range of my defenders there. It appears that they intend to go for the wide sweep around the southern flank.

My platoons on the hill are watching the Germans come closer. I order the half-platoon (hiding so far) to open fire at the Germans, now about 200 meters away to the south and also target my MGs at the leading enemy platoon.

Bad, bad turn this was. My globale moral plunged 5% to 48% after losing the Sherman, and with only one immobile tank left in town, the Panzer IV can roam freely across the battlefield. Only if it would enter the town I have a chance to knock it out with one of my bazooka teams, but I seriously doubt that Fionn will do this. The last phase of the battle begins now, and the Germans are on the march...