Monday 18 June 2012

The Rumble of German Artillery ... and then the British Return Fire

Right Hand Side German Assault:

With no targets visible (due to a total recce failure) the German artillery brings down SMOKE with covers too companies of German infantry and the battalion command up to the swollen river (see below). On the left a reinforced company of five platoons move to contact with a "known" enemy held wood (again see below):


The covering British infantry platoons take out a German assault platoon as every indirect weapon in the British battalion arsenal comes hurtling at the attacking Germans. The British Divisional artillery assets are then called in to the "crisis point" (see below):  


The result is quite devastating, three more platoons of Germans "drop" (or rather disappear from the tabletop), all for a tiny German toehold is made at the southerly tip of the contested wood. Inside the wood a close combat hangs in the balance. The morale of the German infantry battalion is holding despite the mounting losses. In a desperate attempt to rock the British infantry battalions morale (otherwise all is for naught) the German artillery/indirect assets strike at redeploying British AT guns "in trucks" (which should be "slaughtered" in the open) and cause a heavy 'morale check' (see below):    


German Left Hand Side Assault: 

Another preliminary smoke barrage (one artillery battalion instead of two) and a German infantry company advances supported by a company of Stug IV's (see below, center), a second company of Infantry and Panthers in support can also be seen moving into position (see below lower right):


Immediately the infantry takes "telling fire" from stationary British infantry (see below):


The attack presses on in the face of fierce opposition. Despite the attentions of a support company of 17 pounder ATG the German SS attack crosses the river and goes in (see below top). The situation looks ominous for the British, who despite no losses (yet) see a fresh Panzer IVH battalion enter the fray as the potential breakthrough force (see bottom left below):  


The German attack on the right seems to have stalled but the armoured Kampf Gruppe attack on the left looks promising. In desperation the British commander is trying to contact his flying taxi circuit of Typhoon Jabos and making begging calls for more artillery support.

Next: Weather Forecast "Wet, Windy and Severe Danger of Typhoons"

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