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Order phase
After the initial shock of losing my first tank,
I decide that it's about time to start turning around the tide.
The shaken crew from the tank receives orders to run back and
hide besides the KO'd Sherman. With only their pistols, I'm
afraid this team is not going to be of much use to me for the
rest of the game.
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The crew bailed from the KO'd Sherman. They're
taking cover in the small patch of trees. As can be seen, two of
the crewmen have been killed or seriously injured. Also good to
see - the orders menu (it's different for every unit type) and
the info window of the selected unit. The brown line goes the the
Platoon HQ hiding nearby and shows that the crew is in command. I
am ordering it to run back to the vehicle and hide there.
Besides that, I am ordering the Sherman in the
north, which came under fire from the Panzer, to back up a little and to get into a hull down position. Couple this together with the woods, which hinders the LOS
for the German tank, it should be good life insurance. Since I
still have not identified the German tank, I have no clue if
there is any point at shooting the front of it. But, I intend to
test my luck for at least another turn hoping that my tankers can
identify the enemy unit.
Another order I give is for additional 81mm
mortar fire into the clearing to the east. So to as support the
MG team and squad out there. I guess they will need any support
they can get.
The only other situation which really needs my
attention during the orders phase are the two squad platoon on
the south hill. Just before the end of turn 2, an enemy MG team
opened up on the right sqaud from one of the town buildings and I
already lost a couple of men there! I give them orders to
slightly change their routes of approach, in order to bring one
of those houses between the MG and them.
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MG42 spotted! Note all the information
you get when using the LOS checking tool...
That's about all I can do. The two platoons are
almost over the river and should be in position to assault the
town very soon.
Action phase
Awww..... nothing goes as planned so far, it
seems. Tons of bad news again... :(
Where to start? Let's go around the clock and
start with the worst news first...
Another tank down - sigh. Whoever designed
those tin cans called Sherman should be court martialed! After
several misses and just as the Sherman started moving back, one
round from the enemy Panzer penetrated the front hull. The
Sherman didn't brew up, but I lost two crew members. All I gained
from this is a probable identification of the enemy tank as
Panther. Should have known THAT before...
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Another Sherman down. Notice the
shellholes behind it and the crew running into the woods.
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As the Germans advance, more intel
becomes available. Now I can see some infantry, a few halftracks
(one identified) and the tank - obviously a Panther!
In the clearing to the east, the situation
worsens as well. The Germans are close to a clean breakthrough!
The MG Team lost two teammembers from a direct hit from the enemy
tank, abandoned its MG and started routing to the back. Then, a
direct hit killed another man. The last survivor decided that it
was all too much and surrendered. The squad to the left is
unharmed so far and has opened fire on the halftracks and
infantry. But - facing such an overwhelming enemy - I do not
expect it to last much longer. I am probably going to withdraw
them in the next turn. My last hope is the bazooka team hiding
around the road bend further west.
Click on Image to Enlarge
The .30 cal MG has had enough and the
last survivor surrenders to the advancing Germans. The squad on
the left is unharmed and just opened fire on the halftracks and
infantry.
In the center, the Panzer that has killed the
first Sherman races down the road and stops at the edge of the
woods. The Jumbo spots it immediately and starts turning the
turret towards the enemy. After a few seconds it becomes clear -
this must be a StuG! The turn ends before both could open fire...
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Turning the turret to face the threat...
an enemy Assault Gun, probably a StuG!
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Yep... looks like a Sturmgeschütz to me!
The generic German marker indicates some accompanying infantry.
Please note that the infantry really might be in a completely
different place by now - the cross marks only the last known
position.
The town now finally springs to life as well...
as my platoons come closer, I can see a lot of infantry moving to
defensive positions within.
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A town swarming with the enemy! Notice
that the victory flags have changed - since my platoon moved
closer to the town, they are not in German hands anymore, but are
"neutral" right now.
The Sherman which I put behind the northern
woods as well as the 60mm mortars and HMGs open fire on the
Germans moving in the town, providing covering fire for the
advancing platoons.
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This Sherman is providing some "artillery
support"...
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...as the infantry storms forward. Note
that the bazooka team in the foreground is pinned currently,
probably from the incoming enemy fire.
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Ever wanted to look over the shoulder of
an assaulting rifle squad? Note the explosion behind the tree on
the left - probably from a mortar.
All in all, there is more enemy units in town
than I had hoped. This one will be tougher than I thought, I
guess. Even more so, since it seems that the defensive line
around the town is strong. Even the understrength platoon on the
south hill runs into heavy resistance from two enemy squads and a
machinegun. One of the squads already lost one third of its men!
Click on Image to Enlarge
Normally, squads in CM are represented
by 3 soldiers. The squad on the right has only two soldiers,
because it has already lost one third of its men.
So the third turn was again a near catastrophy.
If the luck doesn't change very soon, this game might be over
really fast. It's not lost yet, though - I still have the Jumbo
and two more Shermans and the assaulting company is close to full
strength. Two of the platoons are already over the river and are
supported by three 60mm mortars and at least half a dozen HMGs...
The key point will be the German advance in the east - can I stop
it?
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