Combat Mission: Battle for Normandy patch version 1.0

Played from German perspective with Warrior settings.

Turns = 1 Minute WEGO

Briefing

The fighting has been going on almost exactly a month now since the landings.  We Germans are feeling the noose beginning to tighten around our necks.  These Amis are not the pushovers that the Reich Propaganda has been telling us.  They keep exhorting the Wehrmacht to drive them back into the sea but you know better what will really happen.  Too few men, not enough tanks and to be honest you are tired....tired of the fighting, tired of death and today you hope you won't get tired of living.

Setup Briefing

As you can see the division has handed us a real charmer today.  We are trying to prevent the Amis from crossing the river (which we failed at).  After confused chaotic fighting during the night we found an old farm house to hole up in.  Tomorrow we know they are coming.  On the radio I was told that no reinforcements would be coming my way.  Also no artillery.  The news just keeps getting better and better.

Looking at the briefing I see that I can gain a maximum of 500 points, 250 point or 50% are awarded for inflicting casualties, 150 points for occupying the orchard and only 100 points or 20% for keeping my casualties below 20%.   This scenario is a real stinker and my only hope is to inflict as much damage on the US forces while holding them out of the Orchard.

Now let's look at the map

Bird's Eye View of the Map

I am located in the red area on the sourthern edge of the map.  The Orchard is the highlighted green portion in the center.  My forces are a mixed bag at best. 

3 X PzrGrenadier squads (2 with Panzershrecks) 1 with just a Panzerfaust.  

Heavy Machingun MG42 on a tripod.

Dedicated AT team with Panzershreck.

PSW 234/1 heavy armored car. 

Leading this ragtag motley crew is yours truly a +1 command group. 

Conditions are a light fog cool and damp.  That means ATV and tanks will be able to cross the fields relatively easily without fear of bogging down.  Your job just got that much more difficult.

Lets examine the map and look for vehicle and personnel access points in the bocage:

Possible Allied Access Points

I have removed the trees in game using Alt-T.  This allows me to view the map more clearly and to see where there are gaps in the bocage.  All the orange circles are gaps that soldiers can infiltrate through (there are more than the ones shown I have just highlighted the most important ones).  The large orange arrows show potential armor routes.  Armor was a double edged sword in Normandy.  Its great if you have it but in the twisty hedges of Normandy it requires a lot of support from your troops or it can be easily picked off by Panzerfaust wielding Germans.  The other obstacle is the hedges. Typically tanks cannot cross bocage unless they had been fitted with improvised armor and blades called Rhinos.  This keeps them contained to roads and wide gates or gaps in the bocage.  By July the tanks were beginning to sport the Rhinos.  I am going to have to hope that the armor I am facing doesn’t have the rhinos because I am too thin to spread myself out to defend everywhere.

The Plan

Looking at the south edge of the orchard I see is a double wall of bocage with offset gaps wide enough for soldiers.  I will eventually need to take the orchard so using those double bocage walls will help me.  Here is where I will commit the majority of my forces.  I will put the HMG in the far right southeast corner in the trees for additional concealment.  I will support it with squad 3 (squads 2 & 3 have Panzershrecks).  Their job will be to cover the orchard and any armor/infantry that go down the road on the east.

HQ and squad 2 will remain behind the second bocage wall south of the orchard as support and reinforcements if the enemy pushes down the west or left road.

The armored car along with squad 1 will be in or next to the burning barn on the west side.  The large open field will provide excellent opportunities to pick off any American soldiers that filter through the bocage gaps on that side.  Also squad 1 can be brought to the orchard side if needed.

Lastly the AT unit gets the glorious job of being furthest upfront overlooking the west road to hopefully take out any armor advancing down the lane.  I will use the armored car as a backstop to prevent any soldiers from getting into the field and spotting the AT unit before it can take out some armor.

The Plan

Everyone will be given hide orders except the scout car.  I will also make sure he is not buttoned up.

Turn 1 - Setup

Wearily you drink the last of your ersatz coffee.  You call the squad leaders and assistant leaders over to tell them your plan.  You know from your time fighting Ivan how important it is that everyone knows what they need to do.  You don't have enough men to have someone sitting on the sidelines when you need them the most.  The boys are good, they have been trained well and if they are still alive now that means they at least listened to the veterans.  Now its time to try and give the Amis one more bloody nose for some nameless field in France.  Just like your father did!

Setup is completed and move paths from the initial formation area have been plotted for turn 1

The Plan and Move paths

US Viewpoint of the Barn and PSW 234/1

Here is what the first US troops who would enter the open field on the left flank (looking south) will see as they pass through the first gap in the bocage.  A burning building (barn) and German armor is ready to light them up.  As a nice scenic touch note the smoke plume and fire effect in the building; the scenario editor placed a wrecked and burning Kubelwagen inside the barn to create this effect.  A trick I will need to remember since it is very atmospheric.  (A bug has caused the Kubelwagen to displace outside the barn while leaving its plume of smoke in place.  This is a known issue and has also occurred with trees shifting.  Battlefront has stated they will be fixing this in the first patch.  Adding to the drama you can see the pre dawn ominous skies.  Today is going to be a bad day for some people.

Same Shot from the German Perspective

A quick tip on buildings if the side you want to shoot from does not have windows and doors then just like in real life you will not be able to see and or shoot from that section.  Luckily the barn in this scenario is facing the open field so squad 1 will be able to support the armored car.

Turn 2

Everyone has made it into position without any shots being fired.  It is a good thing you ordered that HMG to pick up their feet and hurry since they have barely made it in place and deployed the machine gun before we start hearing some suspicious noises on the east road.  You rest against the wet long grass that covers the hard packed dirt mound that is the bottom of the bocage and catch your breath.  The air was cool when you ran but these damn boots always were crap for slogging through muddy field causing you to sweat ferociously now.  With a quick couple of low urgent shouts you establish contact with squads 2 and 3 and the HMG:

Noise to the North of Us

Turn 3

The first hiccup in the plan - Unterofficer Kruwel from the HMG whispers that he can see nothing from his position.  "It's as black as the inside of a cats ass from here...sir he hisses to me."  Quickly you tell him to swap positions with squad 3.  "And get that bloody gun set up fast.  We will be needing it soon!"

(A quick note on capturing these images: with the graphic options on full there are multiple layers of foliage seen on screen.  For some reason the screen grabs do not capture these layers.  Trust me in game the scenery is lush, foliage is swaying and adds tons of atmospheric immersion.)

End of Turn 4

Here you can see the HMG has moved to the left of Squad 3.  In doing so they have positioned themselves to have a much better LOS.  In this case out to 70 or so meters in this pre-dawn murk.  This will be a real surprise for anyone that stumbles into their sights.  A quick check with the armored car shows he has clear LOS to the far hedge.  The AT unit meanwhile hears some noises in the hedges north of them.  It doesn't sound loud enough for armor that means GI's are pushing through.  Let's hope they don't panic and open fire on them I really want to save them for any armor that appears; but this is the price to pay for pushing a unit so far forward.

So far we have contact noises in or around the hedges and intersection of the west road and somewhere on the east road - frustratingly vague intel that doesn't cause me to change the plan at this point. Turn 4 passes with nothing really happening.

Turn 5 - More noises around our AT unit

"Shhh can you hear something?"

Our AT unit is feeling very lonely up there wait was that something clanking like a buckle on a canteen?  With all the noises coming from roughly ahead to the North on the other hedge rows I am beginning to think that we might be seeing more than a probe on the left flank.  He is caught between a rock and a hard place if I pull him back there is a good chance he will be seen as he moves or he can sit tight and hope the armored car will deal with these GI's.

Turn 6

I order the armored car to target the far hedge row.  That should make sure the commander is not looking at some letter from his sweetheart or picking his nose.  I make sure the target arc misses the AT unit.  For which I am sure they are grateful.

"Get your eyes onto that far hedge!"

Turn 7

With a soft crackle of branches one of the Amis light tanks swings into view of squad 3.  There is some frantic movement as 3rd squad repositions.  Scheiße, 3rd squads MG 42 gunner is too eager.  He squirts a couple of rounds that clang uselessly off the Stuart turret.  Damn now they know we are close.  Junge the Feldwebel of Squad 3 is an old hand and he quickly cuffs the gunner on his helmet to make him cease fire.  It's going to get hot very soon now.

Turn 8

Quiet returns apart from the whine of mosquitoes.  Damn if the American don't move we might need to winkle them out of those hedges ourselves.  Wont that be a turn for the books us attacking for a change.

Turn 9

I spoke too soon.  At least one light tank possibly more cross the orchard from east to west.  Out AT unit has lots of enemy company around him now.  (I have turned the orchard objective off for better clarity)

How I Wish I Was Lonely

Damn and blast.  It's only been 10 minutes since you gave your Feldwebels their orders and already it’s going to hell.  The Amis drove across the orchard to the west side.  The armored car is in the wrong spot being too far south and on the wrong side of the bocage to engage the units in the orchard.  Squad 1 only has a Panzerfaust so bringing them up the lane to engage the tank would be a mistake.  I will have to pull squad 3 with its Panzerfaust over to the southwest corner of the orchard.  Hopefully they won't get spotted.  I can keep squad 2 in reserve in case the Amis push more men and armor down the east road.  If only we had more men!

Turn 10

Squad 3 begins to work their way down the lane between the two rows of bocage.

Turn 11

After about 50 seconds have passed a rifle grenade goes soaring over the PSW 234/1 to explode harmlessly behind it.  The commander immediately drops into the car and closes the hatch.  Further shots ring out and the car judders as its front tires start to get chewed up.  So much for him concentrating on the hedge line those shots rang out from the gap previously identified as a potential entrance for GI's.  He must have been reading some good Reich porn.

The amount of noise contacts on the road for the AT unit have increased but still no concrete sightings.  I am beginning to suspect that there is no armor on the west road maybe only GI's along the hedges.

Squad 3 is still moving into position, they were ordered to crawl the last 20 meters or so to keep them as hidden as possible.

Time to give some back to the GI's I order the PSW 234/1 to open fire on the gap in the hedge.  Even though he can't see anything there.

Turn 12

With a jump you hear the L55 main gun of the PSW kick off followed by the thumping sounds of the 20mm HE rounds impacting.  That means the Amis are working their way towards the barn.  Grimly you prepare to dance one more time with the devil.

Squad 3 has reached the SW corner of the orchard and is now sliding into position behind the bocage breathing hard from having crawled those last 20 meters.  The PSW has not identified any targets and is laying suppressive fire.  Time to conserve the HE and switch to the machine guns.  I change the order from Target to Target Light but continue to fire into the gap in the hedges the armored car commander and gunner have not spotted any targets.  Suppressive fire is chewing up those hedges and making things hot for any GI's who are peeking through that gap.  Meanwhile I will reposition myself (HQ) between squads 3 & 2 so that they remain in command and control.

"You sure you saw GI's there?"

Turn 13

The AT unit is flashing signals back to squad 1 that they are hearing all sorts of GI noise on the west road.  At least a squad and maybe a squad and a tank.  Baumeister the Feldwebel of squad 1 is in a dilemma.  The barn is useless for attacking anyone who makes it down the road.  But being the backbone of the German army Feldwebels are experienced at making on the spot tactical decisions.  He can't shoot them from inside the barn so he must get out.  His options are to go to the corner of the hedge in front of the barn or to go to the second floor of the farm house behind the barn. 

"Right lads pack your gear we are going to sprint to the farm house Schnell Raus" he orders.

Meanwhile you realize that by positioning yourself between squads 2 and 3 all you have achieved is that no one can hear your orders now even if you shout.  You will have to choose a flank to help west or east?  Squad 3 looks like it will need the most help time to provide them a little personal motivation.  Up you get and you sidle along the hedgerow moving until you hear squad 3.  Report you whisper and make it short.

Repositioning

Lots of noise contact moving towards where Squad 3 is holed up behind the bocage of the southwest corner of the orchard.  You are sitting in the bocage hedge behind squad 3 and now the closest way to reach them is by going around to the gate and heading up the lane.

Squad 1 scrambles up the steps of the bombed out farm house.  The AT unit must have the eyes and ears of a bat since they can hear a mouse fart but they have not been able to see anything passing right in front of them.  All in all its shaping up to be another lovely day to be in Panzer Lehr.

Turn 14

Finally we see the enemy.  With a startling rattle of small arms fire squad 3 announces its presence to a company of GI's who were working their way down the west side of the orchard hedgerows.  In a couple of seconds it was all over with a lone survivor (for the moment) running back in blind panic.  Apart from a couple of wild shots the GI's never had a chance leaving behind 7 of their number.

The Broken US Squad

Turn 15

The last survivor of the unfortunate GI squad is gunned down in the back as he flees.  Fighting in the hedgerows is brutal violent and merciless and so are the men.  It is time for Feldwebel Baumeister of Squad 1 to make another on the spot decision.  The LOS from the farm house is not great.  With time beginning to run out we really need to start securing and owning the Orchard.  We know there is a Stuart light tank out there and the AT unit has been signaling about a lot of noise on the road or in the hedges.  Baumeister doesn't hesitate "Wrong spot boys were going to go down the lane and into the orchard.  Once we enter the orchard we hunt!....Now MOVE IT"

Baumeister on the Move with Squad 1

Turn 16

Baumeister gets the squad moving and over to the lane without drawing any fire.  You decide you will be better served if you are sitting with squad 3.  Meanwhile you order squad 2 up into the bocage bordering the orchard.  They will help support squad 1 when they enter.

Cursing you get up and sprint down the hedgerow and back up to be on the side where the action is with squad 3.  Throwing yourself down you see your radio operator struggling under the weight of his radio is panting like a dog.  He wouldn't be able to relay your orders even if you wanted him too.

Baumeister pauses at the hedge corner.  THERE! Down the east road a little south of the crossroads and the AT unit is the Stuart tank.  Squad 1 squeezes off some rounds but continues to press on to their goal of the orchard.   How the hell did that tank get past the AT guys.  Meanwhile the AT unit sees GIs running across the open field behind them towards the burning barn and the armored car.  The GI's are ignoring the MG fire from the PSW.  Things are getting hairy indeed.

The PSW is given orders to unbutton.  Hopefully this will give them better LOS.  Also their target will be cleared letting them fire on targets of opportunity like the GI squad running across the open field that they totally missed spotting.  The AT unit will try and sneak south down the hedge line until they spot the Stuart.  To cover my bets I will move squad 3 to where Baumeisters squad 1 spotted the tank.  If the AT unit buys the farm hopefully squad 3 will finish the job.

Moving to the bocage you push the nettles down with your hand to peer through the gaps.  Squad 1 trots by you "Stuart Tank just up the road"  You look for it but don't see it, these tanks must be camouflaged like the devils own.  Wait there is some movement up there.  You see a GI helmet bobbing about.  Quickly you raise your MP40 and rip off some bursts.  The man falls.  Too far to see if you hit him or only scared him.  You remember your officer training in Paderborn about leading from the front.  Here in these bloody hedges everything is the front.

Leading By Example

Your tracers from your MP40 twinkle as they speed towards the target

Turn 17

The US's turn to draw blood.

The AT unit not knowing exactly what is over the hedge blindly tosses a grenade.  Doesnt do much but scare the Stuart crew (who they cannot see).

Grenade vs Stuart Not a Smart Move!

But what it did do is convince the Stuart driver to get the hell out of what is the American idiom...oh yes get the hell out of Dodge.  That he achieved by driving straight down the road to where squad 3 was repositioning itself.  By throwing the grenade the AT unit revealed itself to a US HQ and HMG unit that was behind the Stuart in the intersection.  Quickly they gun down one of the AT soldats as they move west away from the hedge corner.  His partner lies in the ditch praying that the Amis dont see him.

Turn 18

We got it you exclaim as the Panzershreck tears through the flimsy armor of the Stuart tank.  The smell of cordite and burning rubber now begin to fill the air along with an odor you have become all to familiar with recently, burning flesh.

Moment of Impact

One Panzershreck from Squad 3 was all it took and the Stuart crew lived up to the unfortunate nickname of Ronson Lighters!

Now you order Squad 1 to continue to hunt north on the west side of the orchard.  Also one of your best assets the HMG has been unused protecting the south east corner of the orchard.  Quickly you yell get your asses up here.  You want them to anchor the south west corner of the orchard to support Squad 1.  Let's keep squad 3 where they are but be able to bring them closer down to support the farmhouse if needed.

Meanwhile the PSW has buttoned up again.  The GIs are closing in and it's time to trade some space for some breathing room.  Backing up about 30 meters will let it continue to fire on the ploughed field and also on the barn if the GIs make it into there. 

You check your watch 18 minutes have passed since you issued your initial orders.  You can feel time is slipping away from you.

Turn 19

There is lots of sound contact in the Orchard.  Squad 1 stops to assess the situation (note when you give a unit a hunt order it will stop and hunker down on meeting the enemy forgetting any further sequence of orders). 

On the far west flank the PSW has moved back so it can cover the barn as well.  Squad 3 will be given orders to move south down the hedgerow so it can help cover the barn and engage any GIs crossing the courtyard in to the farmhouse from which they could potentially shoot at the PSW.

Turn 20

Once again Squad 3 puts itself in the right place at the right time.  GIs begin to fire at them from the hedgerow across the road.  Junge is having nothing of that.  Quickly he orders grenades to be thrown and two of them explode behind the GI hedgerow.  The rest of the squad starts laying in with some serious firepower.

The MG42 makes a sound as of cloth ripping as it spits out rounds towards the US GI's who are hunkered down in the hedges.  "Shoot at the muzzle flashes" you order the gunner.  He swings and methodically and using controlled bursts takes on the GI's.  The volume of incoming fire noticeably slackens.

Grenades in the Hedgerows

Squad 3 starts hurling grenades at the opposing US forces.  The fighting is desperate and the one who responds with more violence quickly is usually the victor.

When you are in command and control range of your squads you can apply your leadership bonus to increase offensive fire and morale.  Your position is perfect to apply that modifier to Squad 3 right now.

With the GI squad being seriously engaged by Junge and hopefully pinned down by the grenades now would be a good time to bring the PSW back up into the action and see if it can take the GI's out from behind. 

Meanwhile lets have squad 1 start crawling north we need to clear out this orchard! We will send then to the where the bodies lie of the first US patrol.  Perhaps they can get some useful intel or at least some souvenirs.  I hear the Americans carry chocolate rations.

The remaining AT soldat is running for his life north having never picked up the Panzershreck from his dead teammate.  If he makes it back later today he will be severely punished for losing Wehrmacht equipment!

Surprise

Panicked by the volume of fire and grenades coming from Squad 3 GIs' begin to break and run towards some shell holes on the west side of the barn.  It is at that moment that the PSW reappears!  When it is all over three more GI's have been cut down by the PSW.

It was difficult to hear with your ears ringing from the close MG42 fire but you can feel the force of the 20mm HE shells from the PSW joining in the battle.  You know you are the hammer with squad 1 and the armored car is the anvil and the Amis are about to get crushed between the two of you.

Turn 21

Once again Kruwel from the HMG yells back to you that he is totally blind and cannot setup to fire through the hedges.  "The devil take you and your shit for eyes crew and get where you can see" you roar back.  That HMG and its inability to see through the hedges has been playing havoc with you.  If they can't see from this side of the hedges then it's time to put them where they can see and do some good. " MOVE your arses into the orchard" you order...."NOW!"

With the HMG having trouble setting up to fire through the hedges it's time to do something drastic.  I need to be able to use the HMG to support Squad 1 who has reached the bodies of the unlucky American recon squad.  I order the HMG to sprint to the hedgerow gap and push them up the middle of the orchard about 20 meters.  They better be able to spot something from there.

Squad 2 will enter the orchard on the east side and set up there.  I am not trusting that the Americans have not left a squad or surprise for us on the east road.

Squad 1 will stay with the bodies of the US recce squad facing towards the noises that they are hearing coming from the as yet unseen Amis.

Squad 3 will continue doing what they are good at....being murderous bastards.  I will have them continue firing at the US hedgerows but also get them to move up directly against it.  Hammer and Anvil

I will go with the HMG since it looks like those guys should not be let out in the dark without a guide dog.  Hopefully my being there will encourage them to start being able to see.  If not at least I will be able put my boot up Krewels arse to keep him motivated and moving fast!  Along with the remains of the AT unit the HMG is rapidly beginning to piss me off.

Taking the Orchard

The floating Icons don't represent the actual positions of the squad (in game they are accurate but the screenshot has shifted them).  The blue ovals are the real positions with the arrows indicating where they will be moving to.

Turn 22

Cursing you slide down alongside Kruwel and his HMG.  He might be blind as a bat but he knows how to get that gun up and running.  Barely is it on the tripod before Squad 1 sees more Americans to the north of them.  The HMG, squads 1 and 2 open fire cutting some of the Amis down as they try to cross back to the west side of the orchard.  The MG42's distinctive sounds and 3 foot long muzzle flash strobe the air.  Answering shots from the American come from somewhere on the north east side of the orchard.  Lead zips around your head as you burrow your face into the sweet smelling grass.  Oh you did something drastic all right; now let's see if you live to tell the tale.  A scream along with cries for Sanitator from squad 1 tell you that the butcher’s bill is getting higher!

Squad 3 has smashed the GI's and taken possession of that hedge.  I would like to move them up the west lane to help support Squad 1 on the other side of the bocage.  However I remember seeing a US HMG and other assorted squads and if they are holding the cross roads further north they will be able to annihilate squad 3 before it can get close enough to be of any use.  No this is the time to keep squad 3 where they are and bring the PSW around and move it up the west road.  I can use squad 3 to support it time permitting.

The HMG and squad 1 and 2 stay where they are trying to support and eliminate the incoming US fire.  They all have overlapping fields of fire so hopefully we can put more lead downrange than the Amis.

How Not to be Seen

Here we see that the HMG squad has been watching the Monty Python sketch "How not to be Seen" As they have cunningly placed the HMG in this very obvious lonely bush. Turns 23 to 24 are uneventful.

Turn 25

Things quiet down.  You hear the sounds of additional rounds cooking off in the burning Stuart. You also hear the engine sounds of the PSW as it starts moving. Grabbing your field glasses you start scanning the orchard for movement. Time to see if you can get squad 2 to hunt up the east hedgerow to spot where that incoming fire was originating from.

Turn 26

Suddenly it’s quiet.  All you can hear are the crickets and the whine of the mosquitoes. Even the distant shelling has seemed to stop.

Squad 3 is ordered up to support the PSW which is having difficulty in maneuvering around the burning hulk of the Stuart tank.  This would be a really bad time for the rest of the ammo to cook off in it.

Turn 27

The PSW engine grumbles as it shifts gears so it can swing up the embankments to get around the hulk of the Stuart.  3rd Squad moves over to the hedgerow and hunkers down watching with detached interest as the armored car gets ready to move further north along the road.  Their job is to engage any units that the PSW stirs up.

Suddenly Squad 1 sees a command unit crouching behind the hedges.  As they fire they hear the unmistakable sounds of a mortar.  Seconds later mortar rounds start impacting behind Squad 3 and the PSW.  Time for them to move forward on the trot since whoever is shooting that mortar has them in their sights.

Turn 28

Damn and double damn just when you thought the Amis had packed up and left.  The west lane explodes in a hail of tracers, rifle grenades and mortar fire.  Right away you lose a man in Squad 3.  More cries for sanitator are heard as the crescendo of firing increases.  Another drops, Jung struggles to keep the men moving they are rattled and want to hunker down.  The PSW takes a rifle grenade on the right flank but thankfully apart from shaking up the crew it doesn't do any damage.  Now they reverse back down the lane but not before they put about 10 rounds of 20mm HE into the freshly revealed US HMG crew causing them to abandon their gun.  Jung reaches out to the soldat carrying the Panzershreck.  He has a hole in his side you can put a fist in and has dropped to the ground bleeding heavily.   He won't be able to go any further.  Up ahead you can hear squad 1 firing wildly into the hedges in support of your 3rd squad.

Rough Day for the PSW

Here Squad 3 is trying to relocate to better cover as the PSW takes what I think is a rifle grenade hit.  You can clearly see the soldier carrying the Panzershreck who gets hit seconds later.  If I keep squad 3 in place for a minute one of the other soldiers will pick up the Panzershreck providing that there is not too much enemy fire.   They will also perform first aid on one another, that helps reduce you KIA count at the end of the battle.

Time to send the PSW up the lane again.  Squad 1 will shift targets to the hedge to the north where the fire and mortar sounds came from.  Squad 3 will regroup and support the PSW they have lost three men in a matter of seconds.  That mortar has to be found and taken out.

Turn 29

Screams fill the air another mortar round impacts crumpling another soldat in squad 3.  Squad 1 rushes up to the bend in the hedges and starts blindly throwing grenades over to where the Americans are.  The HMG lights up firing on what they think are Americans on the immediate right of Squad 1.  Baumeister is hit comes the cry from Squad 1.  Off to the right an American HMG has opened up on them and Baumeister has made his last on the spot tactical decision.  He lies now bleeding into the ground.  Wahlstein you are in charge of Squad 1 you shout.  He is a good lad steady and will be able to help them keep going through the loss of Baumeister.  Squads 2 and the HMG you order to shoot in the general vicinity of the American HMG that killed Baumeister.  Hopefully that will keep their heads down.  Meanwhile time for another sprint towards the action.  You are going to link up with squad 1 and help direct their fire. Pushing off the ground you crouch and get ready to run towards the sounds of the guns.  Your mama would not be pleased to see you taking such risks.

Turn 30

Maintaining positions you pour the fire on those hedges.  Time slows

The Results

A Tactical Victory.  I did not inflict enough damage on the US to get the full set of points (only 145 out of 250).  I got the full 100 points for keeping my casualties light but the big loss was not being able to push all the Americans out of the objective area.  That lost me 150 potential points.  The butcher’s bill is much lighter for the Germans with only 3 KIA versus the Americans 22 KIA.

The Aftermath

Blue are the German final positions along with the casualties that they have caused.  Orange US final positions and the casualties they inflicted on the German.  Ovals are squads or survivors of squads and Xs are KIA units.  The Stuart tank was knocked out further south down the west lane as indicated by the arrow.

Looking at the map afterwards a couple of key things pop out.  Almost all the US squads are rattled or broken and many of them have either been killed or have suffered some sort of casualties. The US mortar squad and the east HMG squad with their attached ammo carriers are the only ones who have escaped this day unscathed from the US side.  I have definitely wounded their psyche and all US remaining squads are all very brittle and close to panic at this point.  Seeing your squad mates and company get shot up around you will tend to do that. 

The mortar has displaced from the hedge line where the PSW, the HQ and squad 1 were shooting at.  So I was doing nothing more than putting lots of holes into leaves there.  I did manage to prevent the mortar from continuing to decimate squad 3 by making them redeploy. 

I had managed to suppress the MG ammo bearers to the east but would have needed to close with them if I wanted to really do any damage

In all the hullabaloo I missed some amazing heroics that took place from the US commander on the left flank.  After losing most of the people in his command and in his HQ squad this individual by himself ran into the same field where the survivor of the German AT unit was hiding.  He single handedly killed the AT gunner that was left and he took out at least one other German.  He was the only real standout on the US side.

How did I do?

Using the double line of hedges south of the orchard was a smart move.  It allowed me to be able to shift forces from the east to the west flank with relative ease and not expose them to fire.  Keeping the HQ unit with as many of the key units helped make sure they achieved their goals by applying my leadership bonus to them (especially Squad 3).

Good use of the terrain let me put the PSW where it would do the most damage (across an open field with viewpoints onto the hedge line) and willingness to be defensive let me attrite the attacking US forces whittling them down.

Shifting the squads around let me overcome my weakness in men and keeping Squad 2 as a reserve let me feel more confident that I could react if other events (a push down the east road etc) occurred.

I really should have taken the PSW onto the west road earlier.  I had hints that the majority of the remaining US forces where at that intersection by the AT unit and I should have pushed more forces towards that sooner.  The same goes with getting my forces into the Orchard.  I really needed to push further north to kick the US forces out of the objective.  Not doing that hurt me.  I should have committed 1st squad earlier to the fight instead of dithering them from the barn to the house etc.  Lastly I wish I could have supported 1st squad better with 3rd squad.  But I really wanted 3rd squad for their better spotting abilities and sending an armored car without support is a recipe for disaster.  That mortar and HMG fire really did a number on third squad though.  In hindsight I should have split 3rd squad into a heavy and reconnaissance sections. Then I should have sent the recce section up the road for spotting while leaving the main section to support the PSW.

With a shake you clear your head, ears still ringing from the fire fight.  So you live to fight another day.  In fact today we showed those Amis that the Fatherland can pack quite a punch.  Maybe those bloated generals and politicians back in Berlin are right and we are winning this war.  Straightening up you gather the men and start wearily trudging back to regimental HQ.  Perhaps there will be hot food and showers for you today.

Far in the distance, too far for you to hear two thousand airplane engines cough to life, getting ready to decimate Panzer Lehr as Operation Cobra begins to get into swing.

From Wikipedia:

(On July 19, Saint-Lô fell to the Americans. Six days later the Americans launched Operation Cobra, their breakout from the Normandy lodgment. The operation was preceded by a massive aerial bombardment by over 2,000 allied bombers. Panzer Lehr was directly in the path of attack, and the division suffered heavily during this bombardment.) 

AAR written by: Conrad Maher, Contributor