Purple Heart Draw - CG Turn 1530 Hours - Turns 3-4 and CG Conclusion...

Our Friday night game...saw Big Kansas and I once more bleeding and blasting through the Bocage of George Kelln's outstanding PHD CG.

For the Americans, there was the distinct hope that Turns 3 and 4 would see the issue decided. For the German Fallschirmjaeger...defeat was expected...but survival was still hoped for...could they hold long enough to take the game to CG Turn 5.

As the afternoon of 1530 Hours slowly waned into the final dusk...the smoke of the day's battle would still drift heavy upon the bocage hiding the bodies of the fallen Fallschirmjaeger from their captured brothers who at a nod from their Ami captors made the long march into captivity.

What follows is the final chronicle of our Purple Heart Draw CG...a game filled with all the joys and pathos we have all come to know so well from playing a hard fought ASL battle.

And may this final AAR convey the FURY that was the final two turns of this magnificent CG.

OKW...do you copy...situation at location PHD is desperate...require immediate permission to withdraw....

"Grumblejones...hold your position...this is a Fuehrer Befehl...do not give the Amis an inch of ground."

Boys...get those POW cages ready...we're going to fill 'em up in about two turns!

 Turns 1 and 2 had reduced the German perimeter significantly. My boys would soon have no viable rout paths...which would lead to many squads captured and/or interdicted and destroyed..(3 in a row lost at one point).

 My boys tried to hunker down and weather the storm...

 As with each turn, the Americans surged forward. The end was in sight and it was time to let the curtain fall on the final act of PHD.

 With their artillery finally contacted, the Americans shrouded the battlefield in smoke. It would be the decisive move of the battle and render German defensive fire nearly non-existent.

You hear from the grognards about the importance of smoke in ASL...well trust them, because it can make all the difference!

 In the west, the Americans moved forward unimpeded. Only a single German 5-4-8 was still outside the fortified location. They had been unable to escape and could only watch the oncoming Amis with resignation as to their final fate.

And so they would....

 Big Kansas gave considerable time and thought to the attacks on the fortified goose egg. His forces on the east edge had been pushed back in turns 1 and 2, so they were not as strong as the forces to the west. But again...efficient and wise use of his armor assets became a signature move for Big Kansas in the latter parts of this CG. German panzerfausts were not heard from at all during the 4th CG Turn...not a one...

 With the smoke in place the Amis surged forward to seize the pillbox on the final crossroads victory location.

 A close view of the final victory location...soon to be in American Hands...

Inside the bunker...my boys waited for the end.

 In the west, my lone 5-4-8 continued to battle and managed to DM a few of the Ami squads before going down...

 And in the ensuing US D-Fire...it became too much and the 5-4-8 broke and surrendered...next stop Camp Gruber, Oklahoma...

 Working under an Oklahoma sky...

 Surviving the war...

 

 As the west fell...the maelstrom of battle continued to consume the center of the battlefield as US Infantry stormed on top of the pillbox.

On they came...

 The Germans in the Pillbox managed to win the close combat...but more Amis were right next door.

The Americans decided to play hardball and tossed two Demo Charges on my units. One hit my 9-2, with the Hero and 4-4-7 squad. 30 down zero...roll was a three...absolutely the lowest moment of the entire CG for me...hands down...

 Corporal Reese placed the Demo Charge that essentially broke the back of the German resistance.

Big Kansas kept his Shermans moving hard and furious. He rolled three ESB's successfully, but then did bog one Sherman as it tried to traverse the hedgerows...we'll give that one to George Kelln and his fierce bocage!!!

 Wise man...

The Americans finally stormed the Pillbox and took it in CC. The final Crossroads Victory Location was in American Hands. 

"Danny boy to Broadsword...come in Broadsword..." "This is Broadsword...what is your status?" "Danny boy to Broadsword. The road is open...I repeat the road is open."

 A close up view of the American Tidal Wave that finally secured the final crossroads.

With the conclusion of Turn 4 and the hour getting very late...the Germans decided to raise the white flags and offer the concession to CG Turn 4 and to the entire CG itself. The Amis had won.

The battle for Purple Heart Draw was finally over.

Game End.

 In the streets of St-Georges-d'Elle..jubilation!!!!

 A few intrepid Fallschirmjaeger would escape to tell of the fall of Purple Heart Draw.

 The prisoners and equipment taken by the Americans in this final CG Turn.

 Mom will love this stuff!!!

The remaining American forces at the end of the CG.

Final US CVP = 34
Final German CVP = 11

 Congratulations to Big Kansas on a fine victory in the Purple Heart Draw CG.

We shall meet again...