As Martin’s forces withdraw my volksgrenadiers are beginning to cross the river and/or reach the road leading to the blockhouse. I’m going to wait until they are all gathered at the base of the road leading to the blockhouse safe from enemy fire and then I’ll rush them forward. I don’t want to risk committing them piecemeal in case Martin decides to retake the blockhouse.

This shot shows a HT suppressing a US bazooka team as Wiesenhofer advances into the midst of the city.

It is time for Wiesenhofer to do his duty and push the infantry farther back. He advances along the road and behind the blockhouse safe from any enemy bazooka teams but in a nice position to bring fire to bear on some of the nearby Americans. Ammunition is now critical. I have a total of six AP rounds left in Wiesenhofer’s panzer and I need to be careful not to expend too many of them as I want to destroy the Sherman in the town. Given Martin’s obvious agitation I think that if I can destroy that Sherman without loss then he will finally break and run.

On the west bank I have lost 4 men taken prisoner since they simply couldn’t take any more but have also captured an enemy bazooka team. It looks like Martin only has two bazooka teams left now and one of those is in a whole heap of trouble with my infantry firing madly at it in an attempt to wipe it out. If I can take that out then I can move my units with much greater impunity.

The two half-tracks are also maneuvering constantly to bring fire to bear on the American infantry facing south whilst also attempting to remain out of effective bazooka range. I don’t think the fire from the 251s is particularly effective in whittling down the US numbers but it certainly is keeping their heads down and allowing my infantry to filter into the houses on the south which they need for shelter. Only three or four infantry have made it into the house but the others are recovering from their panic attacks and in a couple of turns should be able to move up too.

It’s like a subway station at rush hour here. At least two platoons are on the move either into or out of this house. I’ve removed the roofs to make this clearer to everyone as they obscured some of the squads otherwise.

Martin’s plan is becoming ever clearer. He has just pulled one entire platoon back from the houses near the blockhouse and run it down the main north/south road in the town into the central building of the apartment complex. Martin is slowly but surely pulling his forces deeper into the town. He really must think I have more forces available than I do. I’m partially surprised all my machinations appear to have worked but glad too.