Orders phase

The fact that Fionns Panzer turned around and seems to be heading south again, makes me recheck the deployment of my bazooka teams. I have three in the forward area (ready to fall back as soon as the enemy infantry comes too close), creating a rather lethal killing zone for Fionns armor (tank or halftracks).

Bazooka team one, in the middle of town, has a good LOS to both sides of the tanks current position, but is also the most exposed to the enemy infantry right now. I guess this team has about one more turn before I will have to pull it back behind my infantry.

Team two is between team one and the corner block house, with a good field of fire to the road as well as downhill.

Team three is in the corner blockhouse and looks down the road.

But I do not intend to leave my bazooka teams there. Since I expect Fionn to attack with infantry forward, I have left them there "just in case", but am prepared to move them all back. Especially the team in the corner house has only one more turn to go, since I intend to withdraw the platoon defending that building this turn.

It is very low on ammo right now, and although the MG fire from the bridge has not hurt anybody yet, I don't want to risk the position being overrun from two sides. And unlike some other games, I do not have to be right under the victory flag to hold it, but only in the "general area"

I decide to withdraw the forward platoon. As the Germans are moving their third platoon up and obviously preparing for the assault and with increasing pressure from the east, I feel it's better to save the manpower for later. And my forces definitely cannot take another morale hit...

One last thing - Cpl. Doe and his MG team in a very forward position, decide to stay a little longer near the river and deliver some MG fire into the flank of the infantry advancing uphill towards the town. It's a bold move, but with the Panzer facing the other direction the danger of being overrun is much smaller. At the very least, Cpl. Doe will pin down some of the infantry moving across open ground uphill. At the very best, he will force them to head north first to get rid of the annoying MG - which will bring them in front of my Sherman again.

Not much ammo and one casualty, but Cpl. Doe is sensing the chance for an ad-hoc defensive position on the northern flank. The team is under MG fire from the southern hill right now, but once they move back into the cover of the trees, things should be better.

Action phase

The forward enemy infantry has some keen eyes. All of a sudden, the Germans open up with small arms fire at my hidden bazooka team. If they just spray the house to flush the bazooka team out or if they know what they're shooting at, I don't know. But the result is that the bazooka team decides to do the best out of the situation...

Cpl. Jacobs bazooka team comes under small arms fire from the approaching enemy infantry...

Detected, the corporal decides to do the best out of the situation, and fires a rocket at the distant Panzer at the base of the hill...

Not surprisingly, the rocket misses, as does a second one. At almost 200 meters and with the tank obscured by trees, it would have been a really lucky shot.

The enemy infantry advances, under MG fire from the church and my infantry platoons further in the town. The leading team (a vehicle crew apparently) seems to be hit by the MG and turns away from the house and towards a patch of trees on the edge of town.

With Cpl. Jacobs pinned from the incoming small arms fire, the MG in the church is firing at the approaching infantry.

Meanwhile, the Panzer moves a little south, but stays near the river and hammers round after round into the corner block house, obviously with the aim to rip it rubble. At the same time, the two halftracks advance down the bridge and start their way uphill. They don't use the road, however, probably afraid of bazooka teams covering the road. Nevertheless, they come within line of sight of my bazooka team in the corner house (the last unit in the house after the platoon retreated).

The bazooka team in the corner house fires a couple of rockets at the approaching halftracks, but with not success.

The rocket detonates behind the halftracks...

As they are coming closer, the mounted MGs are raking the house, pinning the bazooka team effectively.

Near the river, Cpl. Doe and his MG team are crawling into cover, undetected by the enemy infantry moving towards the town. They should be in position next turn to provide some nice flanking fire...

Hugging the ground, Cpl. Doe's MG team is slowly crawling into firing position

In the town, the Sherman crew is desperately looking for targets. Since the Germans have withdrawn from the northern flank and the houses bock the view towards the south and south east, there is nothing to do... until a lonely infantry team (again some halftrack crew... sheesh - these Jerries seem to have no regular infantry left ;-)) is spotted moving west across the southern hill. The Sherman turns its turret and places two accurate HE rounds on top of the enemy.

"Infantry spotted, three o'clock - load HE! FIRE!"

So far, the Germans seem reluctant to go for the final assault. The two platoons on the hill have not moved an inch during the turn, probably because they are waiting for the third platoon and the armor to catch up. I can also see another platoon (the one that withdrew from the north) reforming further back across the river. But they are a long way back, and with the northern flank empty for now, I can concentrate on defending south/south-east.