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...