Allied turn 36
Orders phase
Well, I guess it's time to withdraw my bazookas before the enemy infantry gets too close...
With the infantry and the MG team in the church giving cover, I withdraw Cpl. Jacobs back into town. A total of fours rifle squads and one MG team are firing at the approaching infantry. Caught in open snow, I expect to seriously hurt them.
Same story in the corner building. The bazooka team, pinned by MG fire from the two halftracks, is ordered to withdraw behind the infantry shield. Especially since the assault from the south towards the corner building can be expected any second now, I don't want to waste my AT assets out in the open - and certainly not for the halftracks.
One bazooka team moves back - but I have another one! And that one currently has a fair LOS to the approaching halftracks. I do not order it to fire (yet), because I hope to lure the Panzer further up the hill. If it doesn't - well, the halftracks will take their town going uphill through the snow. Notice the platoon just arriving from the corner building in its new position.
Cpl. Doe, meanwhile, arrived in position to open up at the closeby Germans in the open. I hope that his MG team will cause some casualties before the Germans spot him and are able to pin him down.
At 121 meters the enemy is at point blank range, in the open and up on the slope. That's what I call juicy targets...
Action phase
The bazooka team in the corner building races out of the house under heavy MG fire from both halftracks. Caught in the open outside of the building and with a hail of tracers whizzing past, the team breaks and looks for cover in a nearby shell crater.
ZZIINNNGGG... that was close, too close! The bazooka team breaks.
However, in the meantime my second team springs to life, aims for one of the halftracks and fires.
While the halftracks are moving forward up the slope and the MG gunners are busy nailing the other bazooka team, another rocket comes from the side...
...but it sails past the halftrack and explodes more than 15 meters behind the enemy vehicle.
Worst thing - since this bazooka team has only one man left, reloading takes much longer, and the last man is not able to fire again during the turn.
In the east, things are going fair. The MG in the church wipes out one of the German squads running uphill, and several other infantry teams are pinned in the open. In fact, one of them - it appears to be a tank crew - surrenders at the edge of town.
While Cpl. Jacobs retreats with his assistant gunner, the MG in the church and the rifle platoons in town wreak havoc among the assaulters. However, one squad makes it into the first building in the town, but all others are pinned in the open.
Looks good, but a second look shows another platoon just crossing the river and preparing to reinforce the assault. My ammo is running shorter and shorter in the meantime... will there be enough to repell the second wave?
The MG gunner in the church sees another rifle platoon crossing the river...
In the south, the Germans are still taking their time, it seems. I can see one platoon move forward, while the other two are waiting in position. Those rifle squads of the Germans are moving in very closed formations and jumping from shellhole to shellhole. I cannot see if my defensive fire from the town has much effect, though, or if the enemy is simply reorganizing for the final assault.
Meanwhile, the two halftracks move further uphill, and reach the edge of town. Ond moves in between the Germans and the town, hiding behind the wooden farmhouse. I am not clear what the enemy plans to do with this, but if they keep moving on, they will come in view of my Sherman...
The middle platoon is moving forward, while the other two seem to be waiting. Notice the bazooka rocket on the right...
In the meantime, the Sherman finishes off the vehicle crew spotted moving westward on the southern hill. One accurate HE shell and that team is no more...
See that infantry team? See that muzzle smoke on my Sherman? It's the last thing this infantry team will see...
Another turn passed. The Germans are obviously taking their time to assemble for the assault. I can see the Panzer moving towards the bridge now, and it will probably close in towards the town soon. Despite the broken bazooka team, I still have four other bazookas in the town, at least one of which most likely has not been spotted and identified yet.
I am not sure why the Germans hesitate - maybe they are too weak for a quick assault without the help of their armor? Or maybe they are so strong that they know they can take their time? I am not sure, and the only thing I can do is count my ammo clips and wait...