[crewman]

37. Lingevres June 7, 15:00 turn 4: Allies moved into Bayeaux and found it without German defenders, but wait one turn for second friendly BG to arrive, in order to keep full control of map, before moving deeper into enemy territory ... Lingevres.

Tough German Recon BG also just arrived here, which results in a meeting engagement. Allies realize importance of racing forward to take as much ground as possible. Germans arrive at bottom middle VL and Allies top right. Allies split into two groups, each tasked with capturing different VL's or at least gaining as much ground possible towards that goal.
Lead tank for each group sent directly to VL's while other tanks set to hold back slightly to wait for and support infantry.
First Allied Sherman moving left and down across bridge spots German ATG half track directly beside as they pass each other on separate bridges. Sherman swings to fire, but can't acquire fast moving target heading up road and into top left corner and pinning Allied infantry in that area with MG fire. Last tank in that group sent back and up dirt road to take out half track ... while first Sherman and Flame tank proceed to left VL. Sherman gets knocked out by ambushing half track, so Flame tank waits and throws flame and MG at German infantry in surrounding buildings. Sherman up top holds back from pursuing left corner half track, cause infantry see it in ambush position. Therefore Sherman moves to help Flame tank which is without infantry support due to being pinned at bridge area by MG's in buildings. Sherman and Flame tank try to get line of sight together against half track, but Sherman gets knocked out and Flame pulls back, but holds ground there.

Second Allied group gains VL's while moving down right side, but first Sherman get knocked out by waiting half track, and similarly as other group, infantry gets pinned near bridge. Second Sherman supports two infantry teams into buildings at right side, but infantry finds half track waiting on other side of house ... and lose majority of men, but immobilize HT and grab VL. A Bren team runs across road to capture crossroads VL, while taking fire from another HT ... as time runs out.
Allies take big losses, in somewhat careless strategy ... but gain valuable ground for next battle.

38. Ranville June 7, 15:00 turn 4: Allies decide objective is to capture three VL's at right side of map which include the linking VL to Merville. The burden of risk is high with the strategy, but if accomplished ... an AB BG will be moved in from Merville next turn and connect ground with Ranville AB, and then hv better opportunity to keep German units pinned on left side of map.

Two 6 pdr's, and a Vickers team set up cross fire sights from hedges and buildings at left side of map to protect against German movement towards Allies Pegasus VL.
Three Tetrarch tanks and all other infantry placed in orchard (encircled with hedges) at right side where Allies control one VL in left top of orchard corner hedge.
Battle begins with fire from several German units in various locations embedding within hedges, as well as house across orchard where next VL is.
Tetrarch tanks help infantry destroy and push enemy units back, but taking big infantry losses. Tetrarch tank at orchard gateway exchanges fire with half track ATG at crossroads, but gets knocked. AB eventually move into house and capture VL there, but continue fighting to hold ... and receive MG42 bullets from across field buildings. Mortar smoke placed on road to cover two Tetrarch's exit from orchard and help a Bren team cross road and get behind house.
German HT backs into ambush location near church. One tank stops at cross roads area and puts fire into German infantry in houses while second Tetrarch swings around building and get sights on rear section of HT ... fires and destroys.
More German infantry arrive from across the field and retake corner orchard VL and half of house VL. Extremely tough fighting, but German units hold.
Allies' gamble here is a costly failure, but will regroup at Pegasus VL area.

[crewman]

June 8, 07:00 turn 5: Strat moves

I've had some extra free time to finish 7.3, have battles, and post some AAR stuff ... but vacation time is ending and back to work. So I'm ending the AAR's after these "turn 5" battles are finished. Going to keep the Campaign going, but don't have time to post AAR's too.

As you can see the front line has pretty much been established ... with incoming German Battle Groups making contact with Allied forces pushing inland after fighting through Static BG's.
No new Allied arrivals at beach this turn, but German forces continue to pour in and move forward ... going to be some tough fights ahead.

Allied Airborne units are still in big trouble, with supply cut at Benouville ... but there are still chances for Allies to establish this supply route and get armor across to support that separate section of the campaign. This break in supply stresses the importance of getting Allied BG's to Benouville as soon as possible, which means inland VLs have to be captured during first battles at Sword and Ouistreham. Steiner's suggestion of using 20 minute battles would probably have helped the Allies accomplish this, but 15 min battles are intense and keep pressure on the Allied player to attack hard and keep moving. Supply across to the Airborne is an interesting variable that is hard to predict and keep stable for either side.
Allies also have a good chance of capturing Bayeaux in this campaign, and it seems the front line has formed in similar areas as historically.

[crewman]

39. Bayeux June 8, 07:00 turn 5: Germans storm into Bayeux with two Battle Groups from two different maps, which combines ground at map entry areas from side by side VL's.
It also caused a bit of a game glitch, because Allies were not able to deploy in their own VL at top left. Players were going to back out and retry, but Steiner suggested to allow Allies a chance to move into that VL after battle started.

Therefore, as battle started ... Allies moved four infantry teams to top left VL, but didn't feel right about moving any armor into that corner. A flame tank did edge line of sight around a crossroads building, but no further. Allies decided to protect supply to Lingevres and put more infantry in buildings to right of crossroads.
Near bottom of map, Allies set three tanks, infantry team, and Vickers. German MG42's kept Allies heads down and constantly moving for cover, and several tough close building fights broke out.
Both sides held ground for most part.
Allied tanks tried to get clear shot at first of two Pz IV's in open courtyard area, but two were destroyed with help from a third unseen Pz IV. A last minute rush by three infantry teams destroyed a Heavy MG42 team and captured VL in center of buildings ... but used up most of those teams to get it done.

[stiener]

my 2 cents about the GC so far........

LUCK........lets talk about " luck" a little bit   IMO if david had a bit more luck in a couple more of his attacks on the beaches, he could have gained some more ground inland....luck and a 20 min timer. I think the game should be played on 20 mins. BUT this is what makes CC so much fun, each battle or GC will most likely be different every time you start one.

im happy so far with the changes to the game play. its more historical.....IE: allies getting into Bayeux early on, and the allies getting 3 maps inland before they hit stiff german resistance.
the germans now have to make more tough strategic choices. what to do about Bayeux and where to move his reinforcing BG's to make the defensive line etc.

im also happy with the changes to the force pools and data. the allies play better and are more up to the challenge of fighting the strong german reinforcments. the allied inf now is not just cannon fodder for the MG 42, and the FF and 17 pdr a/t gun fuction better now in being able to counter german heavy armour.

don't get me wrong, in no way have we screwed this mod up IMO. the germans are still a force to be reckoned with and as before this mod will turn into a slug fest for awhile, while the allies play a game of attrition with the germans. the allies still must whittle down the german forces to move inland and win the GC. the allies have the ability to replace a lot of there losses and the germans cant.
so at some point the german has to give ground and play for time or be destroyed.

I also think that playing the germans on VET is a good idea. [ as we are in this GC ] this reduces there equipment by less than 1/3 [ so If u had 20 tanks on line you now have 17 on vet approx. ] and you have a few less inf squads but IMO the germans on LINE are just WAYYY to strong. this evens it out a bit IMO.
for those of you who don't like this idea...well go ahead and play the germans on line....and good luck to the allies  8O

I think this mod has great potential. as Cathartes says in the read me....the options LSA has makes GJS mod a whole different game form the original mod....and the original mod was classic !!!

Steiner

[crewman]

40. Bieville June 8, 07:00 turn 5:  185/3 takes over frontline duties as 9/3 Brit is relieved to get rest.
Allies move infantry left down bottom side buildings of main center road. German infantry pushed out of some buildings and VL captured near T section of road. Intense fire from across road and Pz IV in field fired into buildings. in later stages of battle, German infantry teams recaptured VL and attempted to push Allies from area buildings. Allies had several teams at backside of buildings which held ground and repelled the German advance.
At crossroads, to right, a Bren team was lost due to accidental deployment in open area. Germans made several attempts to attack into crossroads area from top road, but lost two Pz IV's and Allies had a Sherman knocked out. Late in battle Allies captured several houses in the area with efforts of three infantry teams.
One attempt by Germans to flank the top field was held at cabbage field hedge by a rifle team in hedge and an M-10 pounding infantry with MG and main gun rounds.
This is a good example of the type of battles ahead, now that tough German BG's have arrived at the front line ... every building, hedge, and field is not easily won.

[crewman]

Allies interrogation of senior German officer revealed movement of heavy tanks (Tigers) at Lingevers and Panthers approaching Hermanville area.
Also, information, at field and higher level tactics and strategies, has been gleaned from varies enemy sources ... while German counter intelligence has been identified and reinterpreted.    

[crewman]

haha, above is a poor attempt to use psychological warfare. Seriously though, Steiner is a wealth of info concerning GJS and LSA gameplay ... fun working together and having battles.

[stiener]

LOL
I was inspecting my Panzer Troops in regards to finding out which officer had been captured and was supplying information to the enemy. a Commando raid is being planned to liberate him from the Canadians who have him as there prisoner.
a company of BRANDENBURGERS and 2 squads of SS commando's commanded by Sturmbannfuhrer Skorzeny, are being briefed on the details of the raid.

 8)

Oberst Steiner

[crewman]

haha, funny.
careful who you recruit ...


41. Benouville June 8, 07:00 turn 5: ground gained from last battle provided line of sight into areas from which enemy units kept Allied infantry and armor from reaching fire positions needed to stage attack to recapture Pegasus VL.

As well, two knocked out Allied tanks were used for cover in one of those critical areas. From these positions, two tanks got line of sight between building close to Peg VL and hedge ... and into area near T junction where German tanks and MG's could fire at Allied units moving towards Peg VL.
During battle a Pz IV seen through gap, and both Allied tanks had green line of site. Five or six shots exchanged, but Pz IV kept firing with help of side hedge for cover. One Sherman then knocked out and Pz iV moved back while taking another round from second tank. German artillery thundered down on Allies close to VL, but damage was minimal ... since units were spread out. German infantry then came across in force to capture house, but tanks and infantry in area held them back. A Pz IV from VL area came around building and had an Allied tank for side shot, but a waiting Fire Fly knocked it out first shot at close range. A Sherman at top of T section peered through hedge and fired at ATG half track, which was able to back to cover, but bounced a shell from Pz IV which was there too, and gave a shell or two back as line of sight broke. in final minute of battle this same Pz IV knocked out the Sherman as it pushed through hedge to support an assault at Peg VL ... which saw Allied artillery rattle German side of VL. As shells rained down, a Sherman moved into open VL area and had green target on Pz IV whose barrel was pointed in different direction hitting infantry ... Allied tank didn't fire in time before battle ended.
Allies gained further ground, but failed to capture Pegasus. One Pz IV and ATG HT loss for Germans and two Allied tanks knocked out.

[mooxe]

http://www.closecombatseries.net/GJS/

You may find this useful if the map VL totals havent changed.

[crewman]

Thanks Mooxe,
some of the maps have changed, but having the map previews like that is handy

[pvt_Grunt]

[crewman]

[crewman]

42. Thaon June 8, 07:00 turn 5: 22/7 arrives at Thaon and takes over frontline duties, and is perhaps one of the Allies most capable BG's ... due to its armor vehicle column, as well as, good supply of infantry units.

BG 22/7 enters map at top right, but doesn't have complete ground connection with Allied BG fighting previously on this map, which entered map right side center.
Players use VL rule, and since ground was connected with only a diagonal ... it meant Allies are required to start all 22/7 units only in top VL deploy area.
Allies did this, but also manually put four reserve units in lower deploy area.

Allied commander made two tactical mistakes which resulted in extremely high armor losses during this battle:
First was, the idea that lots of armor units will overpower and push through enemy resistance. But like history revealed, the Normandy countryside with its hedgerows and narrow roads, allowed German forces to set up firing positions along exclusive and congested transportation lanes and be concealed within the landscape features and buildings.
Second mistake, spreading resources to thin.

Allied objective was to gain as much ground as possible and capture inland VL at left side center.
Four reserve units (including an M-10)  deployed at Allied lower VL near center road, but held back from direct enemy contact.
A Stuart, two Cromwell's, and three infantry teams moved left across the top of map securing top left VL, then moved down center road. A Cromwell was knocked out by AT infantry in buildings, which stalled movement down road. Two infantry teams searched buildings and attacked German unit and destroyed it, but leaving few soldiers left to carry out further actions. Stuart and Cromwell moved into field behind buildings attempting to flank enemy positions. Stuart got tracked on hedge, and near end of battle ... Cromwell had line of sight on side turned ATG, but missed first shot. 7.5 cm ATG swung and destroyed Allied tank.

A second group of tanks moved down center road from top VL and waited for first group of tanks to engage enemy units in flanking maneuver. But with their progress stalled, they were sent forward anyway and first tank was hit first shot by ambushing ATG in hedge deep in left side. A second tank destroyed there, and a Fire Fly got tracked on stone fence at roads edge.
A Cromwell was finally able to knock out the ATG, during same time it was swinging to hit flanking tank from first group.

Reserve infantry units were sent forward into houses as second tank group engaged enemy, and M-10 moved to support action. A StuG fired into infantry from behind field hedge, which helped German infantry across the road to stop the Allied assault. The M-10 was knocked out and a Stuart took AT infantry fire and was knocked out also.

Allies capture lots of ground, but at high cost ... and learn a hard lesson about warfare in Normandy. Steiner set up two ATG's in good positions and masterfully maneuvered a pair of StuG's.
note: StuG's are very effective in this mod, and win most head to head battles against Shermans and Cromwell's.
Six Allied tanks knocked out, only one German ATG.

[stiener]

 tim hortons...LOL

[crewman]

43. Hermanville June 8, 07:00 turn 5: Allied commander makes error while bringing in a second BG to stack on this map. New BG enters at top right, but without connecting ground.
First battle here was costly, due to attacking into a map under German control and against a tough BG. So, didn't want to give up any of this hard fought ground because of strategic map mistake.

Objectives: Keep entry VL (top right) secure, to avoid being disbanded, then link ground with bottom right reserve units ... and also try to hold ground there

Reserve units set up defense ... Sherman behind hedge, Vickers in building to cover lower field, Piat Group and Heavy Co. Cmd in lower hedges.
Up top, several infantry teams set to move down to lower field, but tanks held back due to suspected ATG in hedge left side of connecting field.

Infantry battles start near top road hedges as both sides moved to gain small field at left side of road. Sherman moved in to help and hit opposing infantry hard. But fighting continued as each side repositioned.
Other infantry and two Shermans approach hedge at top of connecting field and gun fire erupts. An 88 in left hedge and a Pz IV behind hedge at bottom left of field.
Two infantry teams move in and knock out the 88 while fighting off infantry fire, but had back up from Sherman.
Tanks exchanged fire, bouncing shots, until a second Pz IV arrived and knocked out a Sherm. An M-10 move down road to help but got destroyed from a shot further down the lane.
Sherman that helped infantry moved to support and one of the Sherms got a Pz IV.

At lower area, the Vickers played a big role in holding back infantry, along with two lower teams. Sherman with them got line of sight into crossroads area and knocked out a Pz IV.

Allies secured upper VL, connect with cross field reserves and held most ground there.
Very tough and gritty fighting throughout the entire battle.
Germans lost two Pz IV's and an 88 ATG ... Allies lost three tanks

[crewman]

44. Lingevres June 8, 07:00 turn 5:  Across the frontline, Allies have engaged powerful German Battle Groups ... 12 SS Panzer at Bayeux and Hermanville, 22. 21 Panzer at Bieville and Benouville, KG Meyer's StuG's and ATG's at Thaon, and now 130 Lehr at Lingevres.

There is risk of units being cut off, if Germans bring a heavy assault across the center bridge ... therefore, Allies decide to pull back from top left side of map and set up a defensive line near the bridge. Also, a concentrated effort will be made to secure bottom right corner buildings and hedges.

As battle begins, German units advance up left side of map ... using recon by fire, and then moving forward when things appear clear. Allies are not in those positions, and ground there is taken without return fire.
Fighting breaks out though among infantry units at bottom right corner. Allies move forward through buildings and hedges, but the pace is slowed as German fire intensifies from established positions. A Tiger is spotted waiting on the road and it puts some MG fire into a building. Allied infantry assault a German held building from several directions, which prompts the massive tank to move in closer. An M-10 17 pdr was waiting at far right side of the road, and as the Tiger found its sites ... it fired. The Tiger was knocked out first shot from 280 meters. A rare knock out hit, against a big cat ... and one that won't soon be forgotten.

[stiener]

" wont soon be forgotten " LOL  ...... a good shot for sure. one always has to be carefull around the 17 pdr's


     

[crewman]

45. Ranville June 8, 07:00 turn 5: Airborne regroups after heavy losses from previous battle here. Objective for this battle is to push German units out of top right side of map.

Three light tanks and six infantry teams set up positions and make contact with enemy infantry across the road and behind house. As more AB units moved up ... two German Half Tracks fired from further back in field from behind side cover. Allied light tanks helped infantry repel a German infantry assault and clear a couple of areas, but tanks were kept back from entering into enemy AT cross fire in field. Allied artillery pounded the area, but enemy held ground ... and AB were content with results for time being.

[crewman]

That's the last of the June 8, 07:00 battles. And the end this AAR ...

Will the Allies be able to reconnect supply across Pegasus? Or will the Airborne Battle Groups be forced to disband as they slowly run out of ammunition and fuel?

Can Allied units keep supply moving through Bayeux to Lingevres? Is it possible to stop the relentless German SS and Lehr Battle Groups from recapturing Bayeux?

Will the June 8th frontline hold, or can British and Canadian forces break through?