Scenario 5
Next battle in the "Forward the Guards" Campaign from KG Normandy with lists tweaked to fit the lists for Battlegroup Overlord.
The large farm at Le Pourier has been a thorn in the Guard's side all through the 18th July. German Antitank guns and infantry have used it as a strongpoint to pick off passing tanks from units moving south across the Caen to Vimont railway. The Welsh Guards have been given the job of clearing the farm before the push on to Frenouville later this day and thus securing right flank of this thrusts .
The farm is a re-enforced building with little damage . The rail line runs along the northern board edge.
British Force - The Welsh Guards
2 x Cromwell Tank squadrons
1x Infantry platoon
HQ
3x Infantry squads
1x PIAT team in Bren Carrier.
1x Wasp (I didn't use this)
2 x Counter battery fire missions
BR 30
German force - 125th Panzer Grenedier Rgt and supporting elements of Assault Gun Brigade200
1x Panzer Grenedier platoon
HQ
3x Infantry squads with 2 panzerfausts each one with sdkfz251/1
3x MMG teams
Dispatch rider
1x Assault gun platoon
3x H-39 Assault Guns ( We used Marders)
FAO team in Sdkfz250/12
Offtable 2x 105mm howitzer batteries
1x Reinforced building
2x Foxholes
BR14
Turn 1
The German's are defending and therefore deployed first in hedge lines around the Le Pourier Chateux. Two assault guns to the north and one to the south both defended by a MMG and a grenadier squad. The third occupied the farm building which also the Headquarters for the platoon. The FAO began in the field to the north of the farm expecting the British to use the Cromwell's speed to advance swiftly along the rail line to outflank the Germans position.
Once the German player had deployed it was the British turn. Half the force - 3 tanks and 2 infantry section deployed to the left flank to the South of the farm. I was playing the British and decided that the rail line was too obvious an approach. The infantry rode into battle on the Cromwell's decks. I wanted a quick advance as there was little cover for the infantry on any approach. We rolled for who went first and the the German player won. His first move fore shadowed the rest of the game calling in artillery fire on the lead British unit. The British used their first counter-battery fire rolled high and silenced the German guns which where to dominate the game on way or another.
Saved from a pounding the British advanced disembarking from there tanks and detaching the Bren guns at extreme long range they began the long, hard task of winkling the Grenadiers from their hedgerows .
Turn 2
The Germans MG-42 and supporting infantry in hedges and building began a long range effort to supress and pin the advancing Welshmen ineffectively in this case. The artillery crashed in, British counterbattery fire was ineffective. Despite deviating long both tanks and infantry where pinned and one Bren team wiped out by a direct hit. The worst fears of the British about the lack of cover on the approach was being confirmed.
Those unpinned Welsh infantry advanced gamely into the barrage trying to close with the Germans to escape the probing artillary. Supported by HE from the stationary Cromwells tanks.
Turn 3 and 4
German artillery barage really gets going causing casualties and pinning tanks and infantry . The British are starting to regret concentrating their troops on their left flank. The observer team are now have a clear view and the insesant barrage means that only a few sections can move or fire each turn
The British move up re-enforcemnts 3 more Cromwell tanks and another infantry section forward into coaxial MG range and supress with the infantry and there MG-42 in the farm . Marder moves into position behinf the farm and takes a pot shot at a Cromwell on the farm track. One shot deflects off front armour and the other misses misses. The second Marder open up from the hedgerow but miseses. Return fire from the Cromwell destroys Marder in the hedgerow on the left flank.
Turn 5
German MMG kills three more inf from forward sqaud and pins remainer. Ineffective supressing fire against section on the far left means it is able to press on and try to present a less dense target to the continueing artillary deluge. Farm infantry now have the forward British infantry in a deadly crossfire. This continual flanking fire westroys the most forward british section. Last man removed as pinned according " last man standing" rule.
The Cromwells Tanks and infantry light up hedgerows and farm to supression, But great cover saves mean the Germans remain unpinned and able to continue there murderous defensive fire in there turn.
Turn 6
A wild German artillery barrage still pins several infantry and tank again. MG-42's rout a second Welsh infantry section (another chit - BR wise thing are really racking up for the British 16 in only 6 turns!) At this stage German BR is only 5 and I can see the German player unpinning his units freely.
British tanks machine gun fire on the grenadiers in the hedge and farm is ineffectively trying to supress raking German machine gun fire playing havoc with the infantry . Too many tanks are getting pinned to concentrate fire. The tanks can't get to close for fear of Panzerfausts.
Turn 7
German communications now start to impact on the battle. The German commander failed the first of several communication checks. So he uses his dispatch rider to call in his most accurate barrage so far. A direct hit on a Cromwell fails to penetrate but 3 other tanks and several Bren teams are pinned. A "Beyond call of duty" from the Cromwell causes him to race forward and take a shot at the Marder now behind the farm. The shot at Marder bounced off the tank destroyers front armour and the Marder passes his own morale check and "Beyond call of duty" immediately return 2 shots one struck and bounced off front armour of the Cromwell. Morale check was OK. Relief!
But not for long and brave grenadier emerged from the hedge and used a Panzerfaust against the side armour of the same Cromwell tank. Quickly reducing it to a burning hulk!
With covering fire pinning many units things looked poor for the remaining Welsh Guards. In desperation the PIAT team in there Bren carrier make a run towards the North flank hoping to distract the Marder there from the tanks an perhaps get a shot at the SPG. But although they did force the Marder to change facing the MG42 on this flank managed to pin the Bren carrier. Not moving they made a sitting target for the Marder - at least the tanks were safe.
Turn 8
At last British counter battery fire stops the constant German artillery fire. With most of the British now not pinned (although BR is now at 26!) concentrated machine gun fire from the tanks and rifle and Bren fire from the infantry first pins and then eliminated the left hand grenadiers The left flank of the German position is looking shaky. The German player takes a further chits to unpin a lot of his MMG's including his last MG-42 nest on the left flank.
Turn 9
The German player failed to communicate with his guns giving the British another turns repite fro the heavy guns. The German commander withdraws one Marder due to lack of ammunition. A second a Marder crosses hedge to flank the Welsh Guards tanks. Its 75mmL46 shot and missed nearest Welsh guard tank. The German Infantry concentrated on pinning remaining infantry in centre causing 1 casualty and leaving them the last British infantry section pinned down.
Unable to spare the BR to unpin the infantry the British bringing unpinned tanks to bear shoot up hedgerow with a mix of HE and co-axial MG pinning and killing an MG-42 team MG42 team this pulled a final chit and broke the Germans fragile BR by 1The game ended 26/30 for the Welsh Gurads and 15/14 for the 125th Panzer Grenadiers Rat.
A tight battle that went down to the wire. But the Germans withdraw for the farm leaving the right flank of the Gards thrust toward Frenouville covered
Next battle is Forward the Guards - Assaulting Frenouville .. where unbeknownst to them rapidly deploying 12th SS awaits!
BR14
The German's are defending and therefore deployed first in hedge lines around the Le Pourier Chateux. Two assault guns to the north and one to the south both defended by a MMG and a grenadier squad. The third occupied the farm building which also the Headquarters for the platoon. The FAO began in the field to the north of the farm expecting the British to use the Cromwell's speed to advance swiftly along the rail line to outflank the Germans position.
Once the German player had deployed it was the British turn. Half the force - 3 tanks and 2 infantry section deployed to the left flank to the South of the farm. I was playing the British and decided that the rail line was too obvious an approach. The infantry rode into battle on the Cromwell's decks. I wanted a quick advance as there was little cover for the infantry on any approach. We rolled for who went first and the the German player won. His first move fore shadowed the rest of the game calling in artillery fire on the lead British unit. The British used their first counter-battery fire rolled high and silenced the German guns which where to dominate the game on way or another.
Saved from a pounding the British advanced disembarking from there tanks and detaching the Bren guns at extreme long range they began the long, hard task of winkling the Grenadiers from their hedgerows .
Turn 2
The Germans MG-42 and supporting infantry in hedges and building began a long range effort to supress and pin the advancing Welshmen ineffectively in this case. The artillery crashed in, British counterbattery fire was ineffective. Despite deviating long both tanks and infantry where pinned and one Bren team wiped out by a direct hit. The worst fears of the British about the lack of cover on the approach was being confirmed.
Those unpinned Welsh infantry advanced gamely into the barrage trying to close with the Germans to escape the probing artillary. Supported by HE from the stationary Cromwells tanks.
Turn 3 and 4
German artillery barage really gets going causing casualties and pinning tanks and infantry . The British are starting to regret concentrating their troops on their left flank. The observer team are now have a clear view and the insesant barrage means that only a few sections can move or fire each turn
The British move up re-enforcemnts 3 more Cromwell tanks and another infantry section forward into coaxial MG range and supress with the infantry and there MG-42 in the farm . Marder moves into position behinf the farm and takes a pot shot at a Cromwell on the farm track. One shot deflects off front armour and the other misses misses. The second Marder open up from the hedgerow but miseses. Return fire from the Cromwell destroys Marder in the hedgerow on the left flank.
Turn 5
German MMG kills three more inf from forward sqaud and pins remainer. Ineffective supressing fire against section on the far left means it is able to press on and try to present a less dense target to the continueing artillary deluge. Farm infantry now have the forward British infantry in a deadly crossfire. This continual flanking fire westroys the most forward british section. Last man removed as pinned according " last man standing" rule.
The Cromwells Tanks and infantry light up hedgerows and farm to supression, But great cover saves mean the Germans remain unpinned and able to continue there murderous defensive fire in there turn.
Turn 6
A wild German artillery barrage still pins several infantry and tank again. MG-42's rout a second Welsh infantry section (another chit - BR wise thing are really racking up for the British 16 in only 6 turns!) At this stage German BR is only 5 and I can see the German player unpinning his units freely.
British tanks machine gun fire on the grenadiers in the hedge and farm is ineffectively trying to supress raking German machine gun fire playing havoc with the infantry . Too many tanks are getting pinned to concentrate fire. The tanks can't get to close for fear of Panzerfausts.
Turn 7
German communications now start to impact on the battle. The German commander failed the first of several communication checks. So he uses his dispatch rider to call in his most accurate barrage so far. A direct hit on a Cromwell fails to penetrate but 3 other tanks and several Bren teams are pinned. A "Beyond call of duty" from the Cromwell causes him to race forward and take a shot at the Marder now behind the farm. The shot at Marder bounced off the tank destroyers front armour and the Marder passes his own morale check and "Beyond call of duty" immediately return 2 shots one struck and bounced off front armour of the Cromwell. Morale check was OK. Relief!
But not for long and brave grenadier emerged from the hedge and used a Panzerfaust against the side armour of the same Cromwell tank. Quickly reducing it to a burning hulk!
With covering fire pinning many units things looked poor for the remaining Welsh Guards. In desperation the PIAT team in there Bren carrier make a run towards the North flank hoping to distract the Marder there from the tanks an perhaps get a shot at the SPG. But although they did force the Marder to change facing the MG42 on this flank managed to pin the Bren carrier. Not moving they made a sitting target for the Marder - at least the tanks were safe.
Turn 8
At last British counter battery fire stops the constant German artillery fire. With most of the British now not pinned (although BR is now at 26!) concentrated machine gun fire from the tanks and rifle and Bren fire from the infantry first pins and then eliminated the left hand grenadiers The left flank of the German position is looking shaky. The German player takes a further chits to unpin a lot of his MMG's including his last MG-42 nest on the left flank.
Turn 9
The German player failed to communicate with his guns giving the British another turns repite fro the heavy guns. The German commander withdraws one Marder due to lack of ammunition. A second a Marder crosses hedge to flank the Welsh Guards tanks. Its 75mmL46 shot and missed nearest Welsh guard tank. The German Infantry concentrated on pinning remaining infantry in centre causing 1 casualty and leaving them the last British infantry section pinned down.
Unable to spare the BR to unpin the infantry the British bringing unpinned tanks to bear shoot up hedgerow with a mix of HE and co-axial MG pinning and killing an MG-42 team MG42 team this pulled a final chit and broke the Germans fragile BR by 1The game ended 26/30 for the Welsh Gurads and 15/14 for the 125th Panzer Grenadiers Rat.
A tight battle that went down to the wire. But the Germans withdraw for the farm leaving the right flank of the Gards thrust toward Frenouville covered
Next battle is Forward the Guards - Assaulting Frenouville .. where unbeknownst to them rapidly deploying 12th SS awaits!
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