(FoW) US vs Germans,mid-war/ englantia/ Breakthrough (kuvia)

[Second Stringer]

US rifle company (me) vs. German grenadier company
1500 pts

Mission: breakthrough

Attacker: Grenadier company (kampfgruppe Creutzfeld)
Defender: Rifle company (45th ”Thunderbird” division, Oklahoma national guard)

Location: Sicily, north coast, Messina road near town of Sant’Paradiso.
Date: August 1943
Situation: Allies have breached the Etna line. Axis troops are falling back to Messina for evacuation generally in good order. However, german kampfgruppe defending a small town of Sant’Paradiso finds out that their positions have been bypassed by advancing US troops. Kampfgruppe commander gives immediate order to break through the encirclement while it’s still possible. The situation is pretty fluid, though, and both sides try also to outflank each other.

Notes: The game was played again in very relaxed atmosphere. The main goal was to get a good game :) Some of the aar is written in more narrative style (to add flavor in it). One picture does not necessarily represent on turn.


US rifle company:
(led by Captain Tex Willer - the fastest draw in Lawton, Oklahoma)

Hq:
HQ + 2 bazookas

Combat platoons:
Rifle platoon + bazooka
Rifle platoon + bazooka
Rifle platoon + bazooka

Weapons platoons:
MG platoon
Mortar platoon (3 mortar sections)

Divisional support:
Engineer combat platoon (2 operating squads, supply truck)
Tank platoon (4xM4A1)
Limited warhawk air support


German Grenadierkompanie
(led by tough hauptmann Creutzfeld)

Hq:
HQ (2 x panzerknacker)
1st plt (full + panzerknacker)
2nd plt (full + panzerknacker)
3rd plt (full + panzerknacker)


Weapons Platoons: 330pts
Mortar plt (full + panzerknacker)
Machine-gun plt (full + panzerknacker)

Regimental Support: 120pts
Anti-Tank plt (full)

Divisional Support: 510pts
Assault gun plt (3 StuG G)


Small and battleworn group of soldiers in field grey uniforms were gathering in the central piazza of town of Sant’Paradiso. They gathered around a scarred hauptmann standing in the shadow of StuG assault gun. With quick and precise instructions he briefed his platoon leaders: ”Everything clear? Gut! Dismissed!”
The platoon leaders began to run back to their troops. The StuG’s started their engines.

Outside the town, in his foxhole, combat engineer lieutenant Boone looked at Sant’Paradiso through his binoculars. His platoon was dug in around him on well concealed positions. The heat of Sicilian summer was searing. Almost like at home in Oklahoma... Suddenly he saw movement. He saw soldiers moving cautiously in the edge of the town. Then a glimpse of an assault gun... no, at least two assault guns. Boone rised his portable radio, and selected company commander’s channel. ”Brave-three calling Chief. They are coming. I’ll repeat, They are coming...”


In the beginning…
http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx23 ... /Start.jpg
The german attack started from Sant’Paradiso. US were dug in in both sides of Monte Zucca. Facing the german main thrust were rifle platoon and engineer combat platoon. Engineers had constructed some barbed wire obstacles in front of their positions. This forced germans to use the StuG’s to lead the assault from town (and to destroy wire), and to send two platoons of infantry to flank instead.
The objectives are around the vital crossroads of Messina road. (red circles)

The germans moved cautiously from Sant’Paradiso for to start the attack.


Smoke on the foxholes:
http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx23 ... /Smoke.jpg
German mortars opened fire at the engineer combat platoon and covered their positions in smoke. Machine-gun platoon in Sant’Paradiso town hall opened fire at the closest US rifle platoon. The storm of bullets from four spandaus was truly impressive, but the GI’s of second platoon were quite safe in their foxholes.


Air strike!
http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx23 ... strike.jpg
The german advance has also been noticed by USAAF! Engine howling, a P-40 warhawk dived from the sky. Bombs fell from the wings – and hit the StuG leading the advance. ”Wo ist Luftwaffe!?”


Preparing to assault:
http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx23 ... ssault.jpg
Despite the setback, the german grenadiers advanced over the wall and closed the american wire. The StuGs moved to get some suppressing shots at the riflemen – but it was the massed mg fire from the town hall that pinned them. Engineers covered in thick smoke, the scene was set fot the close assault.
The StuGs began closing the americans again…


Over the wire and on to them!
http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx23 ... ssault.jpg
One of the assault guns crashed straight through the wire at the pinned americans while the other one moved at them from the other side of the ruined farmhouse. Grenadiers followed close behind. The US defensive fire hit some, but not enough to break the assault.
The germans did not know that these were Oklahomans who they were picking fight with. In the resulting chaotic brawl germans managed to fell several GIs, but in brutally impressive counterattack they made short work of the whole grenadier platoon except one team who promptly fled.
The victorious oklahomans noticed that their impressive hunting knives proved significantly less effective against the overrunning german assault guns. Platoon leader, lieutenant Bonney, yelled an order: ”Hey boys! We’ve done our share today! We’ll need some tank support to crack those machines! Disengage and retreat to reserve positions!”


Assault – result:
http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx23 ... lt-end.jpg
As the result of the assault, just the US engineers were blocking the Messina road. However, the german spearhead had been reduced just to two assault guns. They took positions near the ruined farmhouse and began bombarding the engineer positions. Also the mg’s from the town hall joined in. The engineers were well concealed and dug in, however, and received no casualties.
The german commander hauptmann Creutzfeld was covering behind the command StuG. He muttered: ”What is delaying those flankers? Now would be the good time to arrive…”
But no german reserves arrived.


Securing the crossroads:
http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx23 ... sroads.jpg
In the meanwhile, the US main force had not sat idly. Captain Willer ordered two of his rifle platoons to move out and to secure the crossroads that were clearly the german objective. German mortars harassing them as they moved, but the riflemen managed to move as planned. US mortars and two warhawks bombarded and strafed them in return. The US mortars had not very convincing start, but as the bombardment proceeded, casualties began to add up in the german battery. It proved too much for the germans, whose will to fight broke and the mortars were abandoned.
The crossroads area was now firmly in US control. The GI’s began to dig in the side of the road and in the slopes of Monte Zucca.
Now let the germans come! We’re ready!


Like a ton of bricks:
http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx23 ... bricks.jpg
The StuGs were still pumping shell after shell in to the dig in US engineers who remained calm and stoic under withering fire.
Suddenly hauptmann Creutzfeld’s wish materialized: the flankers arrived! Unfortunately for the germans, it was the US flankers that arrived.
Unnoticed and unheard in the middle of the wild firefight, a Sherman tank platoon from 753th ”steel tigers” had managed to sneak in the rear of the german attackers. And you know what they say on Oklahoma state penitentiary McAlester: ”Don’t expose your rear carelessly, of you might get a nasty surprise”. Well, just that happened to germans…
The Shermans opened fire at assault guns at close range while moving using their stabilizers. 75mm ap rounds hit the exposed sides and rear. Two catastrophic explosions shook the ground as the StuG’s were reduced to wrecks.
Hauptmann Creutzfeld hit the dirt. Now he alone was left of the german spearhead…


Firefight:
http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx23 ... efight.jpg
German 50mm at-guns took some shots at the shermans but were not well positioned and scored no hits. Shermans moved to the other side of the ruined farmhouse and engaged at brief firefight with town hall mg platoon and at-guns but with little effect. Bloodied but still determined, hauptmann Creutzfeld ordered his aide to arm one of their magnetic mines if he could spot a chance to attack one of the Shermans.


Flank attack:
http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx23 ... attack.jpg
Then the german reserves arrived, or at least some of them… A platoon of grenadiers was spotted to close the road. Was it to be too little, too late?


Flank attack backfires:
http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx23 ... troyed.jpg
As a response to the rhetorical question, an US warhawk swept down from the clouds all guns blazing. Grenadiers were hit and pinned in place. The US mortars joined in. And the hmg’s and small arms of closest US rifle platoon joined in...
Just a few german survivors managed to flee from the killing ground.


The end:
http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx23 ... theend.jpg
With majority of german platoons destroyed, hauptmann Creutzfeld was forced to make a company morale check, which promptly failed…


Aftermath - Sant’Paradiso, in the evening of same day:
The firing had ceased. White flags were waved at the windows of Sant’Paradiso town hall. The american truce envoys walked cautiously at central piazza and stopped in the middle of it. Captain Willer saw a small group of germans emerge from the city hall with a makeshift white flag. The germans walked straight at the american group. They were led by big and scarred officer of some sort. He saluted, spoke some words and carefully surrendered his Luger to american captain. German soldiers began to appear from the town hall hands rised high.


Some comments:
Game went very smoothly for my americans.
I’m not expert with fortifications, but the wire at least the forced the StuG’s be used to spearhead the assault instead of placing them in mobile reserve. I think it was a good thing for me... Also that the US reserves arrived before german ones was pretty decisive. Especially since they were able to hit immediately the StuG’s from behind.
German player commented that maybe some heavier firepower would have been needed. The mg’s did really impressive job at pinning, but lacked punch with well dug in target.

[Salvo]

Hyvä pätkä tämäkin, kerronta tempaa mukaansa.
Näytti saksalaisten vinkkelistä lähes toivottomalle skenaariolle, kun aloitus kuvaa katsoi. Päähän varmaankin ottanut, kun ilmatuki jää ottamatta. Kyllähän ne lentsikat silloin vastapelaajalta löytyy ja joka kierros saapuu kentälle&löytää kohteensa, hehheh.