The German attack in the first scenario of the All American campaign was repulsed by the US paratroopers (read the report here). So they had to try again. I decided to change my support options this time and went for 2 tanks with the idea of using the campaign rule that infantry using a tank as cover can move as one with the tank.
The patrol phase was not that different from the first game, except that my opponent now spread out his jump off points along his table edge:
I deployed a German tank and Obergerfreiter Kühn with his squad in overwatch, but my opponent deployed an entrenched squad of paratroopers led by sergeant Longabaugh to block the flanking move I attempted in the previous game.
Remembering that elite US paratroopers are very difficult to hit I decided to send as much high explosive their way as possible.
Which killed sergeant Longabaugh! Not a good start for the Americans. Fortunately the US platoon leader Bob Dalton arrived quickly to take over and ordered the squad to fire on Obergefreiter Kühn's men.
Since I chose an adjudant as a support option, I could afford to send in the German platoon leader, Unterfeldwebel Wepper, to help keep the shock down.
It wasn't long before the Americans ambushed the German tank using a full Chain of Command dice.
The bazooka rounds missed however and the MG team of Obergefreiter Becker's squad wiped out the bazooka team. The rifle team started advancing together with the tank.
The American squad led by sergeant McNabb and the platoon mortar team now revealed themselves and destroyed the German MG team.
The second German tank now arrived and Chain of Command points had been building up to 2 full Chain of Command dice for the Germans.
And then, YES! a double 6 for the Germans. Time to start the mad dash to the board edge.
Obergefreiter Faber deployed on the other side of the hedge and started to run with his squad in the next phase.
They got a little further, using a full Chain of Command dice to interrupt the Americans, but then the concentrated American fire pinned them.
More US fire wounded Obergefreiter Faber, inflicted more shock and killed some of his men.
When the turn was ended with another full Chain of Command dice, the broken German squad routed, taking their wounded leader with them.
Although Gefreiter Schnecke managed to blow the second US bazooka team to bits with his immobilised panzer, Becker's squad behind the tank was taking casualties.
Until they too routed off table.
The Germans were now not only running out of options but also their force morale was dropping fast.
An attempt to get the panzershreck team to the other side behind the tank was also foiled by the paratroopers.
In a final attempt to reach the other side, Gefreiter Hammer backed up his panzer and Unterfeldwebel Wepper ordered Kühne and his squad to jump the hedge and advance behind the tank.
Meanwhile sergeant McNabb's paratrooper squad, joined by the platoon sergeant Wyatt Earp sneaked past Schnecke's panzer and made their way to the abandoned German jump off point, taking the German Force Morale down to 2!
It was all or nothing now for Wepper, Hammer, Kühne and their men!
With some lucky dice rolling they managed to crawl ever further towards the table edge, while being pounded by the American mortar and the entrenched squad commanded by Lieutenant Dalton.
The paratroopers got out of their entrenchment to be able to keep firing at the Germans. I decided to let the Germans make a break for it and rolled 3 dice....
Pretty good! Wepper and his men reached the table edge and secured a German victory.
This was an extremely exiting and tense game. The Germans won but only just. They now must win every one of the three remaining scenario's at the first attempt otherwise they will lose the campaign.
Due to the number of German casualties the men's opinion has dropped to -4 and in the next scenario (Holding the Line at Cauquigny) the paratroopers will be in stone buildings and even harder to hit...
No comments:
Post a Comment