A Long Day at Work - December 1944

 

     I've been reading a lot of Battle of the Bulge material lately, and just wanted to put this on my table as a representation of the sort of fighting that I am reading about.  This scenario does not specify units or specific action, but is wholly fictional.  The German force consists of SS Panzergrenadiers and SS Panzer units, featuring some pretty heavy tanks.  The American units are a thrown together group of infantry and some armor, with a combat command arriving to help slow down the Germans.  I am hoping to be able to run a follow up scenario featuring some Paratroopers on the American side in the same general area.  The table is set up with two towns across the bridge from each other and a river splitting the long axis of the table.  There are forested areas throughout the table, small hills, and some other various terrain features.  Here is a shot of the general set up prior to the forces being placed on board:

 

Set up Pictures

 

The Americans defending the area:

 

Command Group

CO (CV10) - 1

FAO (CV8) - 3

Off Board Artillery Support

155mm Howitzer - 3

105mm Howitzer - 3

Reserve Troops - May be ordered to join one of the other task force groups.

105mm Howitzers - 3 (Trucks/Halftracks)

Infantry - 3

MMG - 1

M4 Sherman 105mm - 1

 

Task Force Vixen (Located in Cobblestone Village)

HQ - 1 (CV9)

Infantry - 6

MMG - 1

81mm Mortar - 1

M16 MGMC - 1

3" AT Guns - 2 (Trucks)

M18 Tank Destroyer - 2

M5 Stuart Light Tank - 3

 

Task Force Comet (Located in Railroad Village)

HQ - 1 (CV9)

Infantry - 6

MMG - 1

81mm Mortar - 1

M4 Sherman 75mm - 2

M7 Priest SP Howitzer - 3

M36 Tank Destroyer - 1

 

Task Force Cupid (Engineers Holding the RR Bridge)

HQ - 1 (CV8)

Engineers - 3 (Halftracks)

57mm AT Guns - 2 (Trucks)

 

Task Force Blitzen (Combat Command R)

HQ - 1 (CV8)

Infantry (Halftracks) - 3

M4 Sherman 75mm - 3

M4 Sherman 76mm - 1

M8 Greyhound AC - 1

 

American objective is to delay the German force as long as possible, while inflicting maximum damage to their formations while minimizing the damage inflicted on your forces.

 

The German attack force:

 

Command Group

CO - 1 (CV10)

FAO - 2 (CV7)

Sd 234/1 Recon - 1

General Support Artillery

Wespe SP 105mm - 3

150mm Howitzer - 2

 

Kampfgruppe Blumenstock

HQ - 1 (CV9)

SS Panzergrenadiers - 6 (Sd 251/1)

8cm Mortar - 1 (Truck)

MG42 - 2 (Truck)

Sd 251/9 - 1

STUG IIIG - 1

JagdPazner IV/70L - 1

JagdPanther - 1

 

Kampfgruppe Schmiede

HQ - 1 (CV9)

SS Panzergrenadiers - 6 (Sd 251/1)

8cm Mortar - 1 (Truck)

MG42 - 1 (Truck)

STUG IIIG - 3

Marder II - 1

 

Kampfgruppe Hammer

HQ - 1 (CV9)

Panzer IV - 3

Panther - 3

Tiger - 3

Konigstiger - 1

 

German objective is to advance down the highway capturing both towns and securing the river crossings.  Speed is the key as you force an opening in the American lines for follow on forces to exploit.

 

Scenario Information

Task force Blitzen is not available until turn 3.

The German KG enter the board in the following order - Blumenstock, Schmiede (Turn 2), and Hammer (Turn 3)

The river has two bridges, but is also fordable by infantry at one point.

 

Victory Points

Germans - Holding Cobblestone village +50, Holding RR village +50, Crossing River +10 per bridge, Each turn past #5 -10 Points

Americans - Holding Cobblestone village +25, Holding RR village +75, Keeping Germans from Crossing River +10 per bridge, Each turn past #5 +10 Points

Both - Each unit lost -10 Points, Each unit destroyed +10 Points.

 

After Action Report

 

All of the pictures will be located here, with short descriptions:

Action Pictures

 

A brief write up of the action:

Germans

Kampfgruppe Blumenstock makes a fast run up the highway making a serious move against the village.  After six activations to start, they finally halt with the infantry in the field near the village and the armor threatening the center.  KG Blumentsock would end up bogging down and getting hit pretty hard eventually, losing over half of it's strength, but gaining a hold in the village around turn 4.  KG Schmiede follows KG Blumenstock up the road, and gets stuck on the highway, luckily the assault of KG Blumenstock's infantry overran the American FAO that was causing serious troubles, and that should open the door for them to control the village.  KG Hammer entered the board turn 3 and has only managed two moves, heading toward the lightly held railroad bridge.  Hammer eventually makes it across the bridge and advances on the railroad village being very aggressive and eventually maving into the crossroad area.  Some nice shots and combination of artillery with the armor at the crossroads eventually knocks out the King Tiger and one Panther, but Hammer is making it's presence felt and is pressuring Task Force Blitzen.  KG Blumenstock and Schmiede finally drive out the last of the Americans in the cobblestone village, with the infantry paying the price.  As the Americans fall back across the bridge, there is a measure of payback as German fire kills off over a company of American troops.  The two KG have bogged down a little and may need to reorganize to push across the bridge and re-engage.  The two infantry forces are still stuck and are pinned down every turn by effective artillery fire, they have not made it across the bridge yet.  KG Hammer has taken some losses, but is paying back the Americans in the railroad town.  The Germans have passed breakpoint, but are planning to withdraw as they do not believe they can take the town with what remains of their initial forces.

 

Americans

TF Vixen is holding very well in the Cobblestone village, with the help of the FAO who has taken up residence in one of the local buildings.  That man deserves a metal.  The light armor took out a JagdPanther with combined fire, but the process of holding back the hun has taken a lot out of the unit.  Most of the infantry is fine, but almost all the armor has been destroyed.  They also lost their two 3" AT Guns.  The small task force holding the railroad bridge has taken some heavy shelling and has lost it's 57mm AT guns, as well as most of it's transport.  The engineers are dug in and waiting.  Task force Blitzen has entered from the far edge and is moving slowly towards the railroad town, while task force Comet is holding tight in the railroad town waiting for the inevitable German attack.  Rooting out TF Vixen has cost the Germans, but they eventually cleared the structures and chased the infantry out of town.  The Germans attempted a blocking action with some halftracks, but the remaining M18 blasted through them and shoved them off the bridge.  The CO sent in three platoons of halftracks to help the surviving infantry escape the kill zone on the edge of town.  TF Cupid was bypassed by the German armor and watches helplessly while the heavy German armor rolls past.  They eventually pull back and are trying to make their way back to American lines.  TF Blitzen and TF Comet have engaged the German armor that is closing on the town.  They are taking casualties but holding for now.  The German tanks have driven a gap in between the two task forces, forcing the Armor of TF Blitzen to deploy in the open.  The M7 Priests are firing point blank into the Germans as they enter the town, knocking out a Panther with the help of an infantry platoon's bazooka section.  Artillery fire has been very effective against the German assault and has made the difference for the defenders.  The German armor has been stopped at the edge of the railroad town with the combined firepower of TF Blitzen, TF Comet, and the artillery brought down by the FAO.  TF Vixen has set up shop on the other side of town waiting for the Germans to make an attempt on the bridge in the open, but the Germans seem to be unable to press forward from their position.  Last reports have the Germans withdrawing to the edge of the woods in front of the railroad town and back to the cover of the buildings in the cobblestone village.  We hold the railroad town...for now.

 

In the end...

The Americans hold on to the railroad town, but have taken heavy losses.  The American artillery made the difference in this one, battering the German infantry and armor during almost every turn.  Based on the victory points I set up prior to beginning, the Germans can claim this as a minor tactical victory (60 to 35).  The Panzergrenadiers lost all of their transport during the game, so they will not have it for the follow on attack.  I am going to work up a follow on scenario and hopefully get it gamed out this week.  The lower CV for TF Blitzen hindered the unit and they did not make it into town, which hurt them as they were caught on the highway.  Task Force Comet was pretty much useless, but the blame lies with the commander.  I did not assign any of the bazooka upgrade to that unit, and they should have either had more support or placed differently for cover.  The German commander might have been better served using the fordable area to cut off TF Vixen instead of moving straight into the attack.  Just one idea, but the reaction of the American commander may have moved the TF to avoid getting cut off from the other forces on the board.  Really enjoyed having all the toys on the board!