29, Let's Go: The Radar Station at Cardonville

Tactical Situation:

The Americans in their advance towards Osmanville (the German HQ) have eliminated all threats on their left flank, but they now informed that a German platoon is situated on their right flank, they are ordered to attack to clear this threat. The American platoon advances with a Sherman in support.

So this was our 4th game (5th turn) in our campaign, I had to rush into the Hobby Bunker early last Saturday as it was game day and the annual party and it was necessary to secure a table, with luck there was one un-reserved table left. This was a do or die game for the Germans, and I had worked out a pretty careful plan of action to stop the American advance. This is one of the two scenarios where I start with a fresh platoon as well as some fairly reasonable supports. The Americans had 14 points, if I have it right Mike spent it on a Sherman (required), a sniper as well a medium mortar team. I went all defensive with two minefields, 2 entrenchments as well as a HMG team.

My basic plan was to wait to the Americans showed themselves, and then plant down the HMG team in some entrenchments. They were to weaken the American infantry and then I was to bring on my platoon slowly at the most opportune time to benefit from their 4 man LMG teams. My Panzershreck team has been quite successful in taking out Shermans and if I was lucky and got a CoC die early, an ambush would work well.

It started well, with Mike having a relatively unsuccessful patrol phase with him advancing really no more then 18" from his edge. JOP's were placed and the game started, I was starting with a -2 on morale, we both threw poorly and Mike started with a 8 and I started with a 6. Mike had these new pink dice that were really quite lucky for him early in the game and he was able to advance fairly quickly. My much vaunted HMG team took some early losses without a whole lot of reciprocation by taking out Americans. The Sherman also seemed to cause some havoc and unfortunately my Panzerschreck team was quite unsuccessful in taking it out and was destroyed fairly early on in the game. By this time things were looking quite bad for the Germans. Aside from the first game in the campaign, I had been quite conservative playing very defensive games. Mike for the first time played a fairly conservative game, advancing his troop slowly and relying on his Sherman, sniper and mortar team to whittle me down at long range.

It was time to get stuck in I thought, so I just placed all my troops on the table and started to advance against the Americans. They had taken over the chalet in the middle of terrain, but I was able to rapidly advance up my right flank, luckily the LOS from windows really cut down their angle of fire. I was able to take out the Sherman with my Panzerfausts, the first attack failed but my second rifle team fired their weapon at close range and Kaboom! Really it then turned into a meatgrinder with us each trying to rack up morale tests on the other. I dropped down to a Morale of 2 and Mike was at 3 when I launched my final offensive push with an ad hoc team of my SL, 2 JL's, 2 riflemen and a LMG (this was the remnants of 2 infantry squads). I threw a 4 (enough to activate the two teams) and a 5 (giving me a CoC dice). Finally, the dice went my way: Lots of 6's. Mike threw his saving dice, more 6's, his rifle team broke and his morale failed. A German victory! I had lost 18 men but the Americans had lost 24.

On to some photos, unfortunately the batteries went in the camera but I did capture some action.

Cardonville, with the American entry to the left and the German defensive position to the right. Very little hard cover here except for the two houses. Lots of hedges though.

I started my patrol phase 18" into my position while the Americans started at their edge, fortunately they diced up only one free move, limiting their advance to about 2' maximum.

German JOP's. I protected my left flank with a minefield

The American JOP's, causing them to have a long way to advance.

The Panzerschreck team trying to take out the Sherman.

The Americans advance and take the chalet and advance two squads up the road.

Very carefully that is. 

The HMG team well entrenched, despite having a firepower of 10d6 at a close range of 24" and reducing cover by 1, they really did very little before they were taken out.

The battle starts to turn when my rifle team takes out the Sherman with their Panzerfaust.

So after this turn, the Germans made a Tactical Withdrawal. This brings us to the last scenario in the campaign. Hopefully we will get it played this coming Saturday.