Holzthum Village Captured- Bloody Bucket (7a/11)

 

Another busy week of wargaming, with the 11th game in our Bloody Bucket campaign. We are now at Turn 7, so the chances of a major German victory has passed. In this game I was attacking Table 3 (Holzthum Village) for the 3rd time. Previous attacks had been by the Flank Attack Scenario, both of course had been unsuccessful, so this time as I had some choice I felt I should go with the Attack and Defend Scenario. As previously reported I now have the sobriquet "The Butcher" from my troops so it was time to win one, before I got shot in the back!

Sturm Platoon #5

CD 5 Green FM 8

1 SL (CR reduced to 6")
3 man rifle grenadier team

2 Sturm Squads w/JL

1 LMG Squad w/JL 

Supports (27)*

Pregame Barrage (2)

Sniper

SL

Panther w/SL (12)

le. iG.18 (4)

MMG Team (4)

*should have been 22...miscounted!

American Rifle Platoon

CD 5 Regular FM 9

2 SL's w/ Bazooka Team

3 Rifle Squads w/JL

Supports (?)

2 Minefields

2 Entrenchment

0.3cal MMG team

Bofors ATG

The Game

I have laid out a few photos below from P-Y, they are always better when taken directly rather than through the internet. As noted above I decided to attack across a broad front, I felt for the first time the Patrol phase went well for me as I was able to restrict all go the American JOP's to on the road or in the houses just south of the road. At the same time I was able to place my JOP's across a very broad front, with one in the centre south and one each on the western and eastern flank (the 2nd picture below is flipped so the south is at the top of the screen). I do not like having unsupported JOP's but the Americans have been very cagey in deploying in all the games so I felt that I only opportunity to win was to force them to deployed when I had all my troops on overwatch. The Pregame Barrage is always a help here.

So I planted my Panther on my left flank, this time with a SL to increase my CI, the tank has 3 weapons. I then got the IG in position on my right flank, and because of a double phase was able to get a MMG team and a LMG squad in the middle of the table behind a hedge all on overwatch. P-Y did put down his Bofors in an entrenchment and it did get off a shot or 2, but I was able to take it out relatively easily.

I threw a quadruple 6! This was the 2nd random event in our game. The last time it was a torrential rain fall which was quite helpful to me. This time, however, one of the house got fire with rapidly spreading smoke to the southwest (5th photo). My plans were a mess. The game settled into multiple CD throws with very little action. We were both accumulating CoC dice, but nothing else was happening. I then decided to shake things up by deploying 2 scout teams, one on the right and one on my left flank. As the JOP's were well up the table, I was able to get both teams in a fairly good position. I captured the entrenchment where the Bofor's had deployed, just south of the road with my left flank advancing scout team. I also was able to advance the the team on the right flank, with a SL and the Rifle Grenadier team to a position just south of the houses on the road behind a hedge and close to the other entrenchment that was placed on road in the previous game. I still could not get the American's to deploy!

I am always fearful of the Bazookas, despite being in a Panther. But it was time to finish off the game so I advanced the Panther up my left flank and got almost to the road. P-Y had move one of his JOP's back to protect it. It was certainly well protected as it was placed in a high walled garden. The Americans had already had one JOP in difficulty as it was in a burning house and I had observed that the other 2 JOP's were quite close to each other. This could be it. I advanced the Panther down the road, but this is where I made a big mistake. I left my side armoured exposed and the tank got ambushed at close range. I felt I was done for but P-Y threw just one hit, despite being 4+. An easy save. The Panther advanced and was able to get within 4" of both JOP's. P-Y withdrew! 

On to Table 5-Consthum Village with a Blitzkrieg!