On September 11, 1944, Wade Haislip's XV Corps of Patton's 3rd Army began moving forward to push the weakened German 64th Corps back over the Moselle. While the U.S. 79th Division pinned the German 16th Infantry Division via frontal attack, the French 2nd Armored Division found a gap between the 16th and its neighbor. Kampfgruppe Ottenbacher. Soon French armored columns were behind the German positions and threatened to encircle them in the Epinal region.
Attacker: German (Kompanie 1, Panzer Grenadier Regiment 2112, Panzer Brigade 112)
Defender: Free French (HQ, Langlade Combat Command, Free French 2nd Armored Division)
7.5 turns
Players: 2 OBA: None Night: No
Unit Counts:
Squads: A:13.0 D:10.0
AFVs: A:4
SPW 251/9 x 2 SPW 251/1 x 2
AFVs: D:2
M5(a) x 2
Guns: A:0 D:0
M2(a) 60mm Mortar
Misc Rules:
All buildings are wooden. D: 1st French MMC to pass any MC goes Fanatic and generate a Hero.
Looked like an interesting scenario with lots of moving around, repositioning, and delaying action. I had the Free French in this one, who wasted some of my sympathies for them because I had to learn that despite using British counters, they are subject to Cowering... The Germans need to capture a number of buildings on board 42, which is not renown for having lots of clear LOS. With the OB-given Foxholes, an up-front defence seemed in order as the attacking Germans had to cross a rather open board 19. The Southern (left) side was protected by no less than five hexes of OG. The south offered the protection of a large grainfield and a hedge to hide behind on the advance. Thus I put my Schwerpunkt on my right side. The left open ground was covered by no less than 2 full squads, one with MMG, the other with 60mm MTR and 8-1 to either to be in place to stop an approach on that flank or poised to redeploy to the central woods quickly to cover the 19I1-A3 axis and 19I1-P4 axis simultaneously. Together with the 2nd MMG, approaches to the central woods area could be covered by Fire Lanes. On the right, the B4/A4 gap was heavily covered by 4.5 squads, the 9-2, MMG, and a BAZ, partly taking advantage of the 19I1-A5 axis. The two squads & leader required to set up in the headquaters buliding were able to rush to the right flank or center as reinforcements where needed. My plan for them saw them in the center, while the right would be strenghtened by the reinforcements of Free French turn 3. Overall, I think, my plan to slow the attackers on the rather dangerous grounds of board 19 to then fall back delaying the German was sound.
A token force of 2 HS, 1 Sqd, and 1 leader entered on my left to tie down some forces. All the rest came on under the cover of the hedge only to be seen immediately by my HS in A4. So far everything went as anticipated.
Unfortunately, things went down very quickly: You think that 4-5-8+MMG and 4-5-8+60mmMTR+8-1 are enough to fend off 2x 2-3-7, 1x 4-4-7, and 1x 7-0 to cross 5 (five!) hexes of Open Ground? Not in my game... On the right side, a 2FP FL through the grain, a 6 even attack and various -2 shots at B6, B5, B4 managed nothing but to break his 8-1 leader and pin a squad. The Free French taught me, that they could indeed cower, and I managed to malf both MMGs (the only two MGs I had...) during the first turn, never to come back. This allowed the German hordes to close in almost completely intact, which had a number of unwanted consequences: The left flank could not redeploy completely out of danger, and promply suffered a K/2 on a calculable risk while trying to do so, leaving me only with one 4-5-8 and 2-4-8&MTR&8-1 in a bad spot. The headquarter section had no choice but to take precautions against the overwhelming fire that would pour in by the virtually untouched Germans on the right by moving into that direction and thus would be soon missing in the center, where it was originally scheduled to create some confusion by intermingling with my dummies in that area. The unexpected strength of the unharmed Germans on the right would additionally make it more difficult for the Free French to fall back from some forward positions. Basically, my only highlight in the game was my brave HS being a PITA in A4 surviving only pinned a firestorm of a LOT of angry Germans. I continued not to be able to bring on any significant effects on the Germans (2 morale check DRs on 16 or 18 IFT attack DRs during DFPh German turn 3...) and to cower leaving open paths in an area that should have been closed by the threat of -2 shots and residual FP. This allowed the Germans to pass my forward positions and messed up my rout paths that I would eventually need.
I conceded end of German turn 3 since it made no sense to go on. This game was frustrating to play as the Free French with the given circumstances. Looking back, I still think my plan was sound and that this is basically a scenario I would recommend to play as either side.
2014-06-11
(D) Paolo Cariolato
vs
enrico catanzaro
German win
2013-02-25
(D) patrick palma
vs
Chuck Dye
Free French win
2011-05-19
(A) Mark Drake
vs
Bryan Vieages
German win
Miracle win--had to cross Open Ground and Capture 3 of 4 remaining Buildings on last turn--took 3 of them after surviving DF!
