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US-German Encounter Scenario

Page history last edited by Kiwi Dave 14 years, 4 months ago

Occasionally our club has a one-day event spectacular, where all kinds of games are played. Rob, Adam and I decided it would be a good opportunity to get all (or most) of our WWII 10mm toys on the table, and a have a good bash at each other.

 

ENCOUNTER SCENARIO North West Europe August 1944

A fictitious meeting engagement between elements of a US Infantry division and a Wehrmacht Panzer division. Forces used were:

 

US Army (Rob and Adam):

CO (CV10)


Mechanised Infantry Battalion (Adam)

HQ (CV8)

Recce Unit (M20 Utility)

7 Infantry Unit

Engineer Unit (Combat Engineers)

8 Transport Unit (M3 Half Tracks)

2 Support Unit (MG)

2 Support Unit (Medium Mortar)

4 Transport Unit (Trucks)

1 Support Unit (Mortar, M4)

2 Tank Destroyer Unit (M10)


Mechanised Infantry Battalion (Rob)

HQ (CV8)

Recce Unit (M20 Utility)

7 Infantry Unit

Engineer Unit (Combat Engineers)

8 Transport Unit (M3 Half Tracks)

2 Support Unit (MG)

2 Transport Unit (Trucks)

1 Support Unit (Mortar, M4)

2 Tank Destroyer Unit (M10)


Mechanised Infantry Battalion (Rob)

HQ (CV8)

Recce Unit (Stuart)

7 Infantry Unit

Engineer Unit (Combat Engineers)

8 Transport Unit (M3 Half Tracks)

2 Support Unit (MG)

2 Transport Unit (Trucks)

1 Support Unit (Mortar, M4)

2 Tank Destroyer Unit (M10)


Armour Battalion (Rob)

HQ (CV8)

Recce Unit (Stuart)

6 Medium Tank Unit (Sherman 76)

1 Medium Tank Unit (Sherman 75 - Flail)

2 Tank Destroyer Unit (M36 Jackson)

1 Support Tank Unit (Sherman 105)

1 Support Unit (Mortar, M4)

 

Towed Artillery Battalion (Off-board) (Adam)

FAO (CV7)

3 Artillery Unit (105mm)

 

Self-Propelled Artillery Battalion (Off-board) (Rob)

FAO (CV7)

3 Artillery Unit (105mm, Priest)

 

1 Artillery Unit (RL, Calliope) (Off-board)

German Army (Me):

CO (CV9)

Towed ATG company

3 Anti-Tank Gun Unit (75/76mm)

3 Transport Unit (Trucks/Half-Tracks)

 

Self-Propelled ATG company

2 Medium Panzer Unit (StuG-III long)

1 SPAT Unit (Hetzer)

 

Armoured Panzer Grenadier Battalion

HQ (CV8)

9 Infantry Unit

1 Support Unit (Mortar, 251/2)

1 Support Unit (IG, 75mm, 251/9)

1 Support Unit (IG, 150mm, Grille/Bison)

3 Transport Unit (SdKfz 251)

3 Transport Unit (Trucks/Half-Tracks)

 

Motorised Panzer Grenadier Battalion

HQ (CV8)

Recce Unit (Infantry)

9 Infantry Unit

3 Support Unit (MG)

1 Support Unit (Mortar)

1 Support Unit (Heavy Mortar)

1 Support Unit (IG, 75mm)

3 Transport Unit (Trucks/Half-Tracks)

 

Panzer Battalion

HQ (CV8)

Recce Unit (SdKfz 234/1)

6 Medium Panzer Unit (Pz-IV long)

 

Panzer Battalion

HQ (CV8)

Recce Unit (SdKfz 234/1)

4 Medium Panzer Unit (Panther)

 

Assault Brigade

HQ (CV8)

3 Engineer Unit (Combat Engineers)

3 Transport Unit (SdKfz 251/7)

2 Assault Gun Unit (StuG-III long)

1 Assault Gun Unit (StuH-42)

1 Heavy Tank Unit (Tiger I)

 

Towed Artillery Battalion (Off-board)

FAO (CV7)

2 Artillery Unit (105mm)

1 Artillery Unit (150mm)

 

Self-Propelled Artillery Battalion (Off-board)

FAO (CV7)

2 Artillery Unit (105mm, Wespe)

1 Artillery Unit (150mm, Hummel)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

The table was 8’ x 4’, with two towns (Ganzstadt and Zerfallendorf), an industrial area (the Klinkerhoffen Riemen und Pulverbeutel factory complex), a small river (the Wenigstrom - fordable by issuing an order to cross) and numerous hills and woods set up in a way that gave us a nice looking board. The more observant of you may notice the lack of paint on some of the buildings: scenery painting is on the “to do” list…

 

 

Ganzstadt

 

Zerfallendorf (in the distance!)

 

Klinkerhoffen Riemen und Pulverbeutel factory

 

We didn’t set a turn length: basically playing until either one side breaks or we run out of time! As it happened we only got 5 turns done, due to taking a while to set up, chat, check rules, buy lunch, etc etc….

 

During deployment, both sides opted for a flank attack, which worked out well for the US, and bad for me! The US flank force was scheduled for turn 1, and eventually arrived in turn 3, and mine were scheduled for turn 5, and never showed up! I scheduled mine for later in the game, as I have found that often it takes me ages to get anywhere! Ah well…

 

The flank forces were:

US

CO (CV10)

HQ (CV8)

Recce Unit (Stuart)

6 Medium Tank Unit (Sherman 76)

1 Medium Tank Unit (Sherman 75 - Flail)

2 Tank Destroyer Unit (M36 Jackson)

1 Support Tank Unit (Sherman 105)

German

HQ (CV8)

3 Engineer Unit (Combat Engineers)

3 Transport Unit (SdKfz 251/7)

2 Assault Gun Unit (StuG-III long)

1 Assault Gun Unit (StuH-42)

1 Heavy Tank Unit (Tiger I)

 

TURN 1

I got the option of starting first, and did so, but had a mixed bag of results: Both Panzer battalions and the AT companies turned up, but neither infantry battalion arrived, which meant I was reluctant/unable to advance too far with the armour without infantry support – I have learnt that Rob likes bazooka-ing tanks…..The towed AT company deployed in the woods near Zerfallendorf, covering the open ground towards Ganzstadt., with the SPAT company pushing forward to support the Panther battalion who had moved forward to positions threatening Ganzstadt. The Panzer IVs advanced into the farmland north of the railway.

 

The Yanks arrived in relatively good order, having allocated their divisional assets to the four main battalions. Luckily (sort of) for me, neither their flanking force or Adam’s infantry battalion showed up, so both my flanks were safe for now. Rob managed to get one of his recce and his FAO across the rail bridge, and this set them up nicely for turn two.

 

Breakpoints: German 0/29 US 0/39

 

Panthers and both ATG companys turn up on time

 

As does the Panzer IV battalion

 

US mechanised battalion

 

TURN 2

My second turn saw the infantry finally show up, the foot battalion advance confidently into the KR&P complex, and the mechanised infantry move around the north end of Zerfallendorf. As the Americans had chosen to ignore Ganzstadt completely, and have all of their forces south of the Wenigstrom, this meant the Panthers, the mechanised infantry, and both AT companies had to be relocated so that I could make inroads into the US advance.

 

The US’ second turn got off to a very good start: Rob’s recce manage to spot one of my infantry platoons in the KR&P complex, and relayed their position to the FAO skulking behind him on the bridge (who was unsighted). This allowed the Americans to pound the bulk of the battalion (they got a nice scatter) with 18 dice worth of shellfire. At this point I was a tad concerned, as this could really hurt! Luckily, Adam pointed out that troops in buildings are hit on a 6, not 5 or 6, so I was now less concerned, and almost cocky! As the shells rained down, the infantry took casualties, but remained committed to the plan (no suppressions, but lost a couple of MG units). However, in the jammiest/most hilarious moment of the game, Rob rolled 7 hits on the battalion HQ, 2 of which I saved, but it still left enough to knock out the HQ! This completely changed the dynamics of my right flank, as I could no longer command the infantry, and they spent the rest of the game hiding in the KR&P (and formed a “Prussian Square” by evading away from the advancing US flank force). This turned out to be the beginning of the end…

 

Breakpoints: German 4/29 US 2/39

 

German right flank severly hampered...

 

TURN 3

Turn three saw the Panzer IVs trade shots with some M10s, my mechanised infantry advance towards Ganzstadt, the towed ATG company load up and move off after the infantry, the Panthers mill about ineffectively, and the US armoured flank force finally arrive. So at this stage I had 9 leaderless infantry stands being cut off by an armoured battalion and two mechanised infantry battalions – not good! My Panzer IVs were taking a bit of a beating as well, with my right flank now collapsing faster then a badly made soufflé! At the end of the turn, I zoomed my CO over to the river, planning on taking charge of the trapped infantry.

Breakpoints: German 9/29 US 2/39

 

Germans load up and move off to find some Yanks

 

US advance slowed (a bit) by fire from Panzer IVs

 

TURN 4

I advanced the mechanised infantry into Ganzstadt with a view of advancing South across the river, but they got shelled (twice) and the HQ got suppressed with the Panther HQ ending up suppressed as well! (Bloody artillery…) The US wisely ignored the Germans skulking in the KR&P (they weren’t going anywhere) and pushed the armoured battalion around to the East.Accurate op fire from 2 M10s and 2 M36s dealt with the remaining Panzer IV (after making 4 successful command rolls to redeploy him!), and Rob’s first infantry battalion had managed to completely cut off my trapped infantry, so I chose not to push my CO over to them ( there was a good chance Rob could have overran it if I had!). I decided to abandon them to their fate (such is war…). The US artillery and Adam’s mortars were making a nuisance of themselves again, and managed to knock out three trucks, four infantry, 2 halftracks and 2 PaK40s (the consequences of not debussing troops). In some consolation my two FAOs did themselves proud and managed to suppress quite a bit of Rob’s second battalion, who by this stage had wisely got out of their halftracks (which scarpered to the rear) and had entered the western end of the KR&P complex. I also managed to suppress the HQ, and knock out a couple of MG stands. Nice! It didn’t make a lot of difference though…

 

Breakpoints: German 19/29 US 6/39

 

Still haven't found any Americans over this side of the table...

 

Americans to the right of them, Americans to the left of them, Americans to the front of them...(notice the nicely formed Prussian Square)

 

TURN 5

My expected flank force failed to materialise, but I doubt at this stage it would have made much difference! My FAOs when off the boil a bit and I lost more troops to artillery fire and massed tank fire (Rob’s tanks were ganging up on beleaguered infantry). I pushed the SPAT company over the river in a effort to flush Adam’s battalion out, but he had hidden them quite nicely behind a ridge line, which would have made them difficult to shift, as I couldn’t see any of them to shoot at/shell. Adam responded by killing more stuff…

 

Breakpoints: German 23/29 US 8/39

 

END OF GAME

At this stage we had run out of time, and it was pretty clear that I wouldn’t be able to do much more anyway. Rob and Adam had played a good game, with some excellent planning (a well executed refused flank), and even rolling 5 command blunders they made it look easy! My problems were two-fold; loss of the HQ turn 2, and having to move half my on table force down the length of the table to deal with the enemy. Overall, on my right flank, I ended up trying to fight 2 infantry, 1 armoured and 2 artillery battalions with one infantry and one Panzer battalion, and with only one HQ between them! On my left flank, I was forced to cross dangerous open ground – and paid the price for good enemy FAO targeting!

 

Things learnt:

1)       troops in BUA are tougher than I thought. Hitting them on 6s makes getting rid of them difficult.

2)       the enemy will never do what I think they will do.

3)       late war Allied artillery is quite potent, especially if combined with recce.

Comments (2)

Keith Flint said

at 9:32 pm on Nov 16, 2009

You definitely have a talent for laying out interesting terrain: a very tasty set up. And more confirmation that BKC results in unexpected and challenging scenarios, even when you just go for a standard encounter set-up.

Nice photos too. Best wishes, Keith.

Kiwi Dave said

at 10:32 pm on Nov 17, 2009

Cheers Keith! :D

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