Gembloux Gap-Blitz on Villeroux (5)

We had the next game in our Gembloux Gap campaign last night. The Germans have failed in their first two attempts to take this table, time to win!

Here is a photo of the table which should be well known to you now.

Dice were rolled and the game started:

Germans (FM 10) (3 Schützen Regiment)

Schützen Platoon #2

Supports (22)

IG 18

Jean-Claude

Red Dice

PzII

Sd.Kfz 222

Pregame Barrage

?

?

?

French (FM 10) (110e Régiment d'Infanterie)

Infanterie Platoon #2 (less 10 men)

Supports (9)

Canon de 47mm L53 ATG

Pregame Barrage

Squad de Motocyclistes

As usual we played out the Patrol Phase on P-Y's ap. The smaller dots are the JOP's, while the numbered dots are the PM's at their final positions. Again, I really did not accomplish what I set out to do, ie trying to prevent P-Y getting an advanced JOP in the south of the table, you can also see that I completely abandoned the northern approach with my JOP's. I did leave the option open though of deploying in the cornfield. My other main goal was to get the IG in a better position than I had previously. As you can see below I was able to accomplish this.

The Action

These photos were all taken at the end of the game, with the exception of the first.

An early move of course was to try to shut down the forward French JOP, I had a good roll when I deployed my 222 AFV but was just outside of 4", fortunately my pregame barrage prevented French deployment and I was able to shut it down on my next phase.

A big factor in the game was the placement of my IG, this was an excellent placement, but I had to move it there. The squad with it got caught in the open but was able to link up with the IG team to share the shock. The SL placed there helped. the French had set up their ATG at the crossroads and a infantry squad in the White House. I was able to capture the JOP with the 222 and I ended the turn, this dropped the French FM to 9. I was reluctant to ent the PGB but it was worth it. The French could really only deploy to the 2 houses and the surrounding area.

They also placed their VB team in the house next to it. This presented quite a problem to me as every French unit was in hard cover as they had placed the ATG in an entrenchment. Their motorcyclist team was in the entrenchment from the last game.

You can see the infantry squad and the IG team took quite a pounding but were able to stay in place until the end of the game.

I really focused most of my fire using HE coming from the IG team, the PzII and the 5cm mortar team, initially they did not do much but the ability to reduce cover by one started to work. The French FM started to fall, the first unit being the motocyclistes being wiped out with the JL routing. French FM was now down to 6, while I was still at 9.

The French squad started to take some shock.

The French ATG with a nearby SL. The ATG was the 2nd to fall with the team being wiped out  with the JL being killed, I believe this dropped the French FM to 2 or 3.

The PzII delivered the final coup de Grace, taking out the LMG team with the  JL on the 2nd floor of the house, French FM 0. Villeroux has fallen.

I did not forget to advance the 222 AFV, it almost got off the table before the French withdrew.

Butcher's Bill

Germans (platoon 2)

Final FM 9

3 men killed (negated by FM difference)

CO +2

MO 0

Prickly (-1 FM)

French (platoon 2)

Final FM 0

3 men killed

1 dead, 2 missing (10 dead 2 missing next game)

CO +2

MO -5 (-1FM)

Cheerful

 P-Y, I felt was a bit unlucky in this game. I had no problem deploying under his PGB but he had great difficulty. He did however get a few double phases as where I did not get any. It was the shortest game we have played, around 90 minutes but that was OK as we both got to watch the Habs game last night!