The Last Ditch-Bloody Bucket (6c/10)

We played our 10th game (actually 11th but one had to be replayed) last evening in our Bloody Bucket campaign. With this game, all tables have now been attacked at least once, some several times. This was also the last battle in turn 6, nominally the first day of the battle for Bastogne. In turn 7, we move to the 2nd day of that battle where my support options are now 12 + 5 for each time, there is a re-attack. 

I wanted to attack Table 6, so my supports would be 22 the next time I attacked. I also wanted to do some reconnaissance to see what P-Y supports had on this table. I really had no expectation of winning this game, but surprisingly it was closer than could be predicted. 

Sturm Platoon #2

CD 5 Green FM 8

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

1 Sturm Squad w/JL (-2 men)

1 Sturm Squad w/JL
1 LMG Squad w/JL 

Supports

Pregame Barrage

Panther

American Rifle Platoon

CD 5 Regular FM 9

2 SL's w/ Bazooka Team

3 Rifle Squads w/JL

Supports (?)

2 Minefields

Entrenchment

0.5cal HMG team

SL

Game Summary

As usual it was almost impossible for me to get good JOP's, they all ended up on the table edge. I was able to get one up on the western edge but this was immediately stymied by the placement of 2 minefields.I got an early double phase so was able to place my Panther on the road on overwatch. I then followed with my Sturm Squad with 6 men, behind the Panther. I was able to advance rapidly up the table and shut down 2 of the American JOP's. Things were looking good. I had a pregame barrage so that slowed the American deployment but they did get 2 squads down in the area to the right of the HQ (house on the right side of the intersection). These threatened my Sturm squad behind my tank so I had to place my LMG squad in the open on my left flank. This worked as I was able to rush the Sturm squad to the large barn on my left flank and capture the JOP there. This did cost me as they were fired by one of the American rifle squads before they got in losing all but 2 men. By now FM was down for us both, I was really handcuffed by the fact that I had no more troops to capture the HQ so had to rely on a FM drop to win the game. We went back and forth for almost 4 hours, I was able to take down a lot of Americans but while the the American FM had dropped to 5 mine was now 3. P-Y was able to deploy his HMG in hard cover and that was about it for the Germans. A hard fought American victory. This was a brutal game with both sides losing 17 men.

The Summing Up: Battle 10 /Turn 6c

The Americans lost 8 dead men with 5 wounded on Table 6.

Sturm Platoon #2: 16 dead, 5 wounded-pretty well a spent force!

Campaign Tracker

Germans

Men's Opinion -11 (-3FM), CR 6", I am now called the Butcher by my men!

Overall Commander Outlook Secure

Americans

Not tracked

So on to turn 7, I rolled up a 4, so VG Sturm Platoon (6), so positions are as follows at the beginning of turn 7.

Turn 7-German Force Position and Strength 
Sturm Platoon 1 unknown (11 dead)
Sturm Platoon 2 unknown (16 dead, 5 wounded)

Sturm Platoon 3 unknown (7 dead)

Sturm Platoon 4 unknown (9 dead, 6 wounded)

Sturm Platoon 5 unknown

Rifle Platoon 1 unknown

Sturm Platoon 6-Assembly Point A