Sunday, February 1, 2015

The Conclusion of the 0600 Hours CG Turn in Purple Heart Draw


We concluded the 0600 CG Turn of Purple Heart Draw on Friday evening. And this CG Turn went squarely to the American Infantryman. Despite early losses...barbwire infested woods and the constant crackle of MG-42's, they managed to turn the right flank of the German position and get past the draw.

As you will see, this was not without much gnashing of teeth by the German Fallschirmjaeger, who did all they could to stop the Amis!!!


Turn 5 began without any Prep Fire as the Americans launched forward. As the CG Turn was nearing a possible roll out, Big Kansas knew that he had to acquire as many Tactical Control positions as possible. I had hoped that my wire would slow down the Americans, but it failed to do so. Remarkably, the Americans rolled all "1"s except for a single "4" when attempting to go under the wire. So not only did they get under the wire, but were able to move with assault movement and maintain concealment, which spelled doom for my anxious Fallshirmjaegers.





They were in position...but wouldn't be able to halt the US movement.

The US Artillery continued to pound my wounded 10-2 and the half-squad with him.






The US Artillery was on target and would ultimately eliminate the wounded 10-2 and his group.

This occurred when the 10-2 rolled "12" on during the Turn 6 Rally Phase. The DM'd half-squad failed their Leader Loss MC and that was the end of them.










They just couldn't escape the artillery....

 The Americans surge forward all along the front. And the Dozer Sherman made a breach into D10.



Before I knew where the Dozer Tank was headed...I made a critical choice and had my units hold their fire as the Amis moved adjacent. I didn't want to lose the chance to fire a Panzerfaust if the Sherman was headed right for me. 
This cost me big as I missed the chance to leave residual fire and to have Pointblank Subsequent Fire.

And rolling badly in D-Fire only compounded this poor choice. 



Now anyone who plays ASL long enough comes to understand that the dice are fickle and sometimes will leave you high and dry.

After my defense failed to even cause a NMC on the oncoming Americans...I was pretty miffed. Rolling 8's, 9's, 10's just won't cut it when you have to stop the attackers.

Managing your emotions in moments like that can be difficult. Suffice to say, I did express my dismay at not achieving anything with a defense that I thought prior to game time was going to get the job done in Turn 5.

Alas...it was not to be...darn Ewoks!!!!



The Americans rolled forward and through the center of my defense. Plain and simple.


A look at the American movements. The Dozer Sherman fooled me as it headed east instead of south where I had patiently held my fire...


Back at the bridge, my Paras managed to catch some of the Amis moving in the open and sent them scurrying for cover.




One of the Fog of War things in this CG is the possibility of having purchased some dummys. This kept my opponent guessing as to what might or might not be real.

Having spent nearly all of my fortification points on Wire...I didn't have any dummys...so this helped my cause from time to time.



The US Dozer Sherman had succeeded in breaching the Bocage. My paras first let fly with their Panzerschreck, but missed. Next they tried for and got a Panzerfaust. And another burning Sherman filled the French countryside with black smoke.

Meanwhile on the east edge, the 8-0 with the flamethrower went after my MMG and wounded 8-1 officer.





Quite the beast!






Ja...I see him!!!



The Americans had succeeded in getting adjacent. Never a good thing when Big Kansas is ready for a bit of Close Combat.

Ok...shhh...let's listen in...
"OK boys...these Germans are led by Grumble Jones...he can't win Close Combats to save himself...so we go on three...one...two..."

I think the red arrows tell the story of my sorrow...the blue arrows show my Germans running for their lives back into the depths of the bocage.





Time to relocate...schnell...schnell...


While my boys had been very successful against the American armor...the same couldn't be said about the US infantry. They were bypassing my boys in the middle with style.








Some of my boys fell into American hands. They would later be KIA'd by German MG fire.

Yeah...go figure...managed to hit and take out my own boys.






My wounded 8-1 was also nabbed and went into the bag after I self-broke him, but then didn't have enough movement to get over the hedgerow....how embarrassing..







Yeah...I did that...outwitted myself...


Back at the bridge, the Americans grabbed some valuable Tactical Locations. And just because I could...I sent a half-squad of Paras to run back to the North and steal back some locations.





I know...I was reduced to sleaze...


Now...I knew sooner or later, Big Kansas would send someone into the draw. The final Sherman moved into the draw and trundled towards M10. My boys in R12 contemplated firing their Panzerfausts (needed a "5" to hit) at the Sherman. But I decided against it. I'd been rolling high and just knew that I would miss and then break my squad. And they were sorely needed for stopping the Americans pouring into the center...where I had no one to stop them.

My Fallshirmjaegers did note something peculiar about the last US Sherman....

 Turn 6 began with the Americans exploiting their breakthrough. I was powerless to stop them. And could only hope for a roll out at the end of the US part of Turn 6.

One positive note for the Germans was the breaking of the US Radio during the contact phase. The Germans had just rolled a "12" when attempting to rally the wounded 10-2 . So the US go for radio contact...and "12"...busted radio.






Should have gone with a Motorola dude!!!

My dastardly Para Half-Squad had attracted some attention as the Americans sent some fellas to deal with the threat.


A look at game end. My Germans had pulled back but the US had a well placed bulge that was right in my center.




A final look. 0600 Hours had been hard fought....Three Shermans were blazing away the morning mist. Fallen Germans and Amis carpeted the bocage  lined fields.

The Germans earned 32 CVP - resulting in 23 TP for the 0930 Turn
The US earned 16 CVP  - resulting in 32 TP for the 0930 Turn



We spent about a hour walking through the CG Turn end sequence. We determined our zones of control and redeployed as per the rules.


With the conclusion of the 0600 Turn...I have to give the Americans the victory. They succeeded in turning the Right Flank.

My own objectives for the turn were not entirely met. #1 I had hoped to hold the bridge and I succeeded there. #2 I had hoped to keep my hold on the right flank. I failed...but came oh so close. That failure will definitely haunt me though.


OK...the Ami's took the 0600 Turn...but my 6+1 is still on special assignment deep in the French woods...so beware Ami's...beware...muhahahahhaha!!!!

2 comments:

  1. It's going to be tough for your guys in date 2 given the success getting past the draw. The bridge will probably be lost on date 2 as you won't have the troops to cover it and block the buldge

    Good AAR though

    Ian

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    Replies
    1. I agree Ian. I can only add 4 squads to an already stretched front. I worked out my defense tonight. I'll look at again tomorrow night and then lock it down. Time will tell if it was a good plan!

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