Firestorm Bastogne Campaign, Turn 6, Battle 5

Guest Writer: Vladimir

 

On Wednesday (2.11.2016.), Dejan and I played game of Firestorm Bastogne campaign, Turn 6, game 5, Longchamps „Northern Attack“ - 21 DEC44...

Dejan played US, Parachute Rifle Company

 

 

He got one Parachute Rifle Platoon (FV) as Firestorm troop.

While I played German, Panzergrenadier (2nd)
 

For Firestorm troops I got:

 

Gepanzerte Panzergrenadier (CV) and 12.2cm FH396(r) Volks Korps Artillery battery (CT)

 

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We played Hasty Attack. Light snow was in effect, limiting cross-country movement as “slow going”.

 

Dejan decided to defend his position with two big infantry platoons, on the flanks, and 155mm artillery in the middle of the line.

 

I attacked with two Panzergrenadier platoons (one on the left flank and one in the middle of the table) with two artillery platoons supporting the attack.

 

Turn 1. My left Pzgr. Platoon advanced through the forest on Chateau de Rolle, while one in the center used the road to reach houses on the crossroad. Since all Dejan units are concealed and GTG, my artillery could not locate the targets.

 

Turn 1. Dejan decided to return fire with his artillery and knocked out one of my Hummels. Infantry remained concealed and GTG.

 

German forces are advancing on the left and in the center of the table. US forces are spread behind the main road and hold Chateau de Rolle.

 

Turn 2. Pzgr. First reserves came on table. I decided to bring in another Panzergrenadier Platoon to support attack on the left wing. Platoon on the left reached end of the forest, and remain hidden. Other Pzgr. Platoon dismounted and occupied houses in the center of the table, getting ready to strike in the next turn. Artillery shooting was inaccurate, but managed to pin his artillery and infantry on the left.

 

Turn 2. Dejan forces remained stationery waiting for Germans to come in the open. He unpinned his artillery and managed to hit my Volks Artillery battery, but didn’t kill anything.

 

Situation on the German left flank. Two Pzgr. platoons are advancing on Chateau de Rolle. Black tanks are Hummel proxies.

Turn 3 Two platoons decided to show up from the reserve. This time I put mobile AA and another Pzgr. Platoon on the table. Mobile  AA came in the middle of the table and Pzgr. bolstered left flank. Pzgr.Platoon in the center of the table jumped from the houses and made their way into assault position. At the same time, second Pzgr. Platoon on the left flank was going through the woods to join platoon already there. After some not so successful shooting, I assaulted 155mm Artillery platoon, killing staff team and capturing two guns, while losing one infantry stand to defensive fire. I consolidated back to the houses to get away from his multiple MG in the vicinity.

German assault in the center managed to capture and destroy two 155mm guns. German infantry consolidated back to houses.

 

Turn 3. Delayed reserves were delayed some more…  Dejan unpinned remnants of artillery platoon and scored direct hit to the house I was hiding. Ouch. Three infantry stands were destroyed due to bunker buster gun. Second gun missed the other house, but I was down to 3 stands. Luckily I passed the moral test.

 

House hit by bunker buster… roof is gone, as well as all the occupants.

Turn 4. Last reserve came on the table, two flame thrower SdKfz 251/16. Since the snow limited movement to slow going, I put them on the road and advanced to the nearest houses in the crossroad. Pzgr. Platoon in the center decided to retreat and called their transports, while both Pzgr. platoons on the left flank went forward to the stone wall, in order to reach assault distance. My artillery managed to score a hit on the US 155mm guns, knocking off one, and the rest of the platoon failed moral check and decided it was time to go home. Mobile AA advanced on the Chateau de Rolle.

 

First wave of Pzgr. advancing on the Chateau de Rolle.

 

Turn 4. Dejan received his first reserves. His infantry showed in the middle of his table side, and immediately advanced through the forest on the left flank.

 

Followed by the second platoon.

 

Turn 5. Infantry finally got into assault position. I will attack with two infantry platoons, hoping that one will manage to drive enemy from the building and contest objective. After preparatory bombardment and some successful shooting I jumped into the building and after short but fierce combat, managed to secure both buildings with minimal losses. On the other side, Dejan failed moral check and lost one infantry platoon.

 

Turn 5. Dejan received two reserves, one infantry platoon and one anti-tank gun platoon. Anti-tank gun platoon came on the far right side of the table, but infantry came in the center and started to march toward to join the battle at the chateau. He tried to dig in his  infantry on the edge of the forest, and contest objective until his second infantry platoon can arrive, but failed.

 

 

And the third. At this point German forces assaulted Chateau de Rolle and managed to secure it.

 

Turn 6. I opened fire from all weapons available. Two Pzgr. platoons, three mobile AA guns, and three APC shredded enemy platoon in the forest to pieces. What survived, failed moral test and retreated. On the other flank, my artillery managed to score some hits on his anti-tank guns and pinned nearby infantry platoon in process.

 

Turn 6. Dejan lost the platoon that was securing objective, and the other platoon was too far away to reach it in time. At this point we shook hands.

Germans secured  Chateau de Rolle objective, and turned American flank. US forces decided to retreat to more defensible position.

 

Result: German victory 6-1

Firestorm Bastogne Campaign, Turn 5, Battle 4

 

On Saturday, Vladimir and I played game for Firestorm Bastogne campaign, Turn 5. We played game 4, Longchamps „Northern Attack“ from 20DEC44...

Vladimir played Gepanzerte Panzergrenadierkompanie, and has 6 Platoons and 2 additional Fire storm platoons, all Fearless Veteran, except Volks Artillery Battery (FK43):

• HQ - CiC Panzerfaust SMG, 2IC Panzerfaust SMG, 2 x SdKfz 251/1 Half-Track
• Gepanzerte Panzergrenadier Platoon – Cmd Panzerfaust MG, 6 x Panzerfaust MG, 4 x SdKfz 251/1 HT
• Panzer Platoon – 3 x Panzer IV Ausf. J
• Gepanzerte Panzergrenadier Platoon – Cmd Panzerfaust MG, 6 x Panzerfaust MG, 4 x SdKfz 251/1 HT
• Armoured Flame-thrower Platoon – 3 x SdKfz 251/16 (Flam)
• Armoured Heavy Artillery Battery – Cmd SMG, Staff, Kfz 15, Kfz 68, Panzer IV Ausf. J, 3 x Hummel
• Panzer AA Gun Platoon – 3 x Mobelwagen (3,7cm)

And dice decided that he get followed Firestorm Platoons:

• Panzer Platoon – 4 x Panzer IV Ausf. J
• Volks Artillery Battery – Cmd SMG, stuff, observer, 3 x 8,8cm FK43 (PaK43)

I organized defense with Parachute Rifle Company, and made list with 7 platoons:

• HQ – CiC Carabine, 2IC Carabine
• Parachute Rife Platoon – Cmd SMG, 5 x Bazooka, 3 x Rifle/MG, M2 60mm mortar
• Parachute Rife Platoon – Cmd SMG, 3 x Bazooka, 4 x Rifle/MG, M2 60mm mortar
• Parachute MG Platoon – Cmd Carabine, 4 x M1919 LMG
• Tank Destroyer Platoon - .50 call Rece Jeep, 2 x M20 Scout Car, 2 x M10 3in GMC (late)
• Airborne AT Platoon – Cmd Carabine, 4 x M1 57mm gun (late)
• Rifle Platoon (2’nd ID) – Cmd Rifle, 4 x Bazooka, 6 x Rifle
• Field Artillery Battery (155mm) – Cmd Carabine, Staff, Observer Carabine, Jeep, 4 x M1 155mm

Plus one Firestorm Troop platoon, to total of 8 platoons:

• Parachute Rife Platoon – Cmd SMG, Bazooka, 6 x Rifle/MG, M2 60mm mortar

Mission we play was Hasty Attack (Vladimir rolled 5)...

 

I deploy two Parachute Rifle Platoons, Big Artillery and M10’s Security Section. All others go to the delayed reserve...

 

 

1'st Parachute Rifle Platoon was deployed on left side

M10's security section are in middle, and 2'nd Parachute Rifle Platoon little right

 

And Big Artillery (M1 155mm howitzers) are far right

 

 

Tank destroyer Security Section

 

Vladimir Deployed two Gepanzerte Panzergrenadier Platoons, Panzer IV’s and Hummel's, all remaining left in reserve. One dismounted Gepanzerte Panzergrenadier Platoon advancing on left side, Hummel's are also on left side (poxyed with turetless Panzer IV's) and another Gepanzerte Panzergrenadier Platoon along with Panzer IV's move forward on the road, because we have moderate Rain in Turn 1.

 



Panzer IV's press forward on the road, followed by the SdKfz 251/1

 

 

After moving forward, he made stormtroop move with all troops except Hummel's... Panzer IV movw from road to avid US Arty tepmate, and Grenadier dismounted from their Half-tracks.

 

 Dismounted grenadiers stormtroop forward thru the wood

 

 

In my turn I try to bombard hid Panzer IV's, and manage to range-in them on second attempt, hot one and... Bailed them out...

 

In Turn two rain was light, Germany gets first reserve platoon - another PzIV, and all Panzers go forward to engage my Big Guns,

 

And destroyed one...

After that they made stormtroop move

Grenadiers also advanced and occupy houses in the middle of the table

 

 In my 2'nd turn I finally destroyed one German tank.

 

 

Rain is still light on Turn 3, and Germans get another two reserve platoons. Flame half-track and Panzer Anti Aircraft platoons arrived and moved forward on the road in the middle...

Dismounted Grenadier in the wood on the left bring they transport and embarked in, and grenadier in the middle of the table cautiously continue to move from house to house looking for the cover.

 

Panzer IV's continue attack to my Big guns destroying another one...

 

Flame Half-tracks and Panzer AA Guns on advance...

 

 

With only two 155mm howitzer's I managed to kill another Pz IV

 

Mounted grenadiers in the wood

 

Dismounted grenadiers in the houses, and Flam HT's in the back

 

 

Flamm HT's and Panzer AA Guns on the move with last unit arrived from reserve on the back (8,8cm FK43)

 

Panzer IV destroyed 3'rd M1 howitzer...

And redeployed with stormtroop move in expectation on arriving my reserves...

At this stage of battle, I start to forgetting taking pictures...
Off the pictures Gepanzerte Grenadier Platoon from the wood on the left pinned down my para platoon with help of the Flamm HT's and Panzer AA Platoon, and made German famous mounted assault on them. In defensive fire, one Hanomag is bail-out, germans kill two of mine teams, I made my moral check to counter assault, destroyed two Hanomags, Germans motivated self for counter attack, and killed remaining of my teams close enough. Remaining of my platoon ben to far to be attacked.
 

On my Turn 5, I finally get some reserve units... M1 57mm AT guns come on the right side and Parachute MG platoon on the left side of table, and I revealed M10's from ambush...
M10's and M1 57mm guns, destroyed 3 Pz IV, leaving both German Tank platoon with only one tank... And bot platoons passed his morale check...
LGM's from MG Platoon finished remaining's of grenadier platoon who assaulted my Parachute Rifle platoon.

There again I forget to take pictures... Pz IV in retaliation destroyed one M10.

Another Gepanzerte Grenadier Platoon mounted in their Half-tracks and attacked same Para Platoon who attacked their friends turn before. I Kill two Half-tracks of five, and loose all but two teams from that platoon, and they made their morale check... Germans fail their and withdraw.

Last of my platoons from reserve arrived in the wood on the middle of my deployment zone, and go at the double thru wood thanks they special rule.

Surviving M10 move left, and kill one Hanomag.

One of Surviving Pz IV bailed-out M10's, and I fail my morale check to stay on the table, including reroll from CiC! And CiC run out of the table with M10...

 

German's relay and continue attack on objective. Two of surviving Half-tracks, three Panzer AA guns and Flame HT's finish my MG Platoon, and try to kill two of Parachute Rifle Platoons, but failed...

 

And there time in run out and Germans fail to secure anyone of objectives...

 

I have 2 platoon destroyed: Parachute MG and Tank Destroyer Platoon...

Germans loose one complete Gepanerte Paznergrenadier Platoon.

 

US Paras win this battle closely 4:3, but win is win...

 

 
Right site of the my deployment zone. M1 57mmAT guns, one M1 155mm howitzer far right, in the corner, with Cmd and staff team in the big house right ot the church, and Parachute Rifle Platoon far front...

 
Left side od my deployment, on the left firestorm Parachute Rifle Platoon, and on the right side two surviving teams from first compulsory Parachute Rifle Platoon, both of them denying objective to the German. 

And in the middle of this two pictures are Rifle Platoon from 2'nd ID...

Nice and interesting game, and thanks to Vladimir who is always good and tough opponent...