Our Pegasus Bridge CG has now been going strong since the end of February. Staring at the same map for nearly 4 months might be expected to lead to burnout for the CG in question, but in our case, each CG Turn has refreshed the battle and forced both sides to adjust tactically and strategically in order to keep control of position and momentum in what has been an extremely enjoyable ASL experience. This AAR deals with Turns 1 and 2 of Day III and by the end of the second Turn, the game's protagonists...the British Col. Pine-Coffin and the various German officers facing him, would find themselves locked in a struggle to destroy one another!!
My German Landsers prepped once again to force their way into Benouville and the approaches to Pegasus Bridge...they know that Day III is their last best chance...
Preparing to hold off the Germans yet again, are the valiant men of the Ox and Bucks, who have staved off attack after attack.
The relative positions as Turn 1 gets into full swing. Not a great deal of change, but the Germans purchased 2 Fortification Points for Day III and 10 foxholes are the result.
The Ox and Bucks also spend fortification points for HIP, and other yet to be discovered surprises!
My Landsers move forward keeping an eye on Pine-Coffin's 1st Floor HQ of Doom, which continues to rain death down upon them!
By the canal, my Germans are once again making a run for the O16 house. Lt. Sweeny and some of Pine-Coffin's boys manage to break one squad during the assault.
And finally in the Northwest, my Germans begin their advance through the fields. At long last, moving towards the famous T-Intersection.
Ever vigilant, the Ox and Bucks watch as the Germans approach.
In his HQ, Pine-Coffin takes the news in stride. He expected the attack from the west and has prepared to give it a hot reception.
The British laughingly referred to the German line of foxholes as the
local U-Bahn station! Meanwhile Pine-Coffin wrecks havoc on the Germans
in his line of sight, while Lt. Sweeny to the East does much of the
same.
And then it happens...the Germans concentrate fire from across the battlefield in an attempt to neutralize Pine-Coffin...but Pine-Coffin rolls Snake Eyes and becomes an Heroic 10-3 harbinger of Death...a literal 5th rider of the Apocalypse is born!!!
Having rolled pretty poorly myself for much of Turn 1...my personal ELR sunk to a new low as I watched Pine-Coffin grow into a hulking beast!!!
Yep...I don't really know how best to take out a bad-ass 10-3 in a stone building with a commanding view of the battlefield...I'm open to suggestions...
As feared, Pine-Coffin's -3 modifier spells doom for my boys. The Chateau rooftop is cleared off and littered with fallen Germans. My 9-2 is hit and wounded as I roll one of my three "12's" for the first two turns.
Now truth be told, my personal ELR had suffered a near fatal hit. Turn 1 had just left me shaken as my dice were cold as ice and the Ox and Bucks could do no wrong. It took me a few minutes to shake off my building self-pity and once again take up my dice once more.
Like Tyrion of old...I resolved to fight!
Yeah Pine-Coffin...I'm coming to get ya!
"Who's with me to go get ol' Pine-Coffin!?!"
Having resolved to keep fighting, I moved my MKIV's towards Pine-Coffin's position in Benouville.
But then, behold one of Pine-Coffin's surprises...an HIP Piat Team...I prepared myself for the worst and tried to console myself that at least my burning MKIV would make some much needed smoke.
The Ox and Bucks rarely miss hitting my tanks, so it was no surprise when the Piat round connected with the turret, but then my opponent rolled a 10...my tank made the possible shock MC and had survived. It quickly bounding fired the Piat Team and managed to break them.
And just like that a momentum shift had occurred.
Next up, the Germans brought in their final Reinforcement Group of this CG. After days of deliberation, I had finally decided to spend 18 points to bring in 3 MKIV's from the west edge. It was a calculated move that could hurt me, should I need additional manpower in the Dusk turn.
My three new MKIV's represent my last great hope to swing the momentum of the battle to the Germans.
My MKIV's succeeded in entering the battle without being hit by the British 57LL AT Gun. And in their current positions in the depression are not visible to the AT Gun.
Back in Benouville, Lt. Sweeny remains very tough and he repels each German movement towards him. But now he is threatened by MKIV's to the west. Will he stay or fall back??
We shall see in Turn 3.
Pine-Coffin studies the developments of Turn 2. He is now facing 7 MKIV's with only a single AT Gun and a handful of Piats.
Along the canal road, the Germans finally succeed in taking the O-16 House. A great personal moment for me as I have longed to finally retake that position since it's loss on Nights II and III.
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A look at the positions in the western wheat field at the conclusion of Turn 2.
Inside Benouville, the Ox and Bucks are still holding tough, but German tanks and infantry are threatening.
Germans continue to move forward in the streets of Benouville to protect the MKIV's.
The final platoon of MKIV's represent my last great gamble of the CG. Their success or failure this turn may well decide the fate of the Germans in this CG.
And so we conclude the Turn 1 and 2 AAR. We head into Turn 3 with a game that is becoming a desperate struggle between Pine-Coffin and the many German officers facing him.
It will indeed be a trial by combat!
Notice that Grumble Jones is wearing a helmet!
IMO your final RG purchase of the MkIVs was the best choice to help get you up to the VC environs; although you might wish you had the additional 'boots' on DUSK in order to hold your VC-line. Yet, if your final RG was a company of 'boots', you might not have had the punch required to get up to and around the VC-road. The best of two tough decisions I think, I'm just glad I wasn't the one having to decide! If the majority of those MkIVs survive this date though, it will definitely make the final British counterattack no walk in the park.
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