[stiener]

Great AAR David.
IMO...the GC will become a bit of slug fest now. [ as this Mod always does ] if the allies concentrate on destroying german armour and pushing hard they will move forward. the germans must conserve armour or will have to pull back. germans cant replace losses.
BAYEUX.....well still not sure about that map.....bit of a love hate relationship....it always becomes a meat grinder. its a key map as it connects so many other maps. if the allies can take thoan and rauray..... the germans will be in trouble. I anticipate heavy fighting and large tank battles on these maps.

with the LSA options tho, this GC will be anyones guess at this point. its early and its a long GC    

[crewman]

News from the War Department:
Resources from Domestic Affairs and the Intelligence Agency have helped bring back battle field reports ... on a trial basis.

[crewman]

June 8, 15:00 Strategic moves:
Of interest ...  A second German BG moves into Hermanville, bringing Panther tanks. Allies move a second BG to Lingevres from Bayeax and an Armoured BG moves into Bayeax.

[crewman]

46. Bayeax June 8, 15:00 turn 6:  Allies objective is to keep supply open to Lingevres at area 2.
Battle begins with exchange of infantry fire between areas 2 and 3, as well as opposing infantry in buildings at area 1.
Germans make a couple of attempts to overtake both these positions, but Allied infantry holds.
Cross building fighting also at area 4.
During later stage of battle, a Pz IV moves up road from area 3 and takes fire from two Allied tanks emerging from area 2. Pz IV takes a few hits and sends shots back, but times runs out before any tanks are knocked out.
Allies hold, but both sides fight hard and take heavy infantry losses.

[crewman]

47. Bieville June 8, 15:00 turn 6: Fierce infantry fighting in buildings at area 1, and both sides keep a determined effort to hold their ground. A Pz IV in field left side of area 1 moves to support infantry, and forces Allied soldiers to move back into far side of buildings.
Allies have two tanks in road at area 2, and fire at Pz IV moving towards them along road. Pz IV gets immobilized, but keeps firing. Germans move infantry teams into building beside Allied tanks at area 2, and throw grenades ... and one Allied tank takes knock out hit from Pz IV.
Allies try to move infantry to help tanks, but are pinned while moving. This movement destabilizes area 1, and Allied infantry takes big losses. Second tank is destroyed at area 2.

A Sherman at area 4 takes a hit from ATG at area 5, but combined fire of Sherman and Allied ATG destroy it. Sherman moves into field and is knocked out by Panzer at area 1.
Small gains at area 6, as infantry probe and face cross fire.
Three Allied tanks lost, one German 5 cm ATG.

[mooxe]

I like Bayeux. The way the battles is always orientated is you fight from West-East or East-West, never from the North or South. So it prevents supporting fire from across the street. You have to laterally house to house, busting doors down without supressing fire for the most part. It takes a very skilled attacker to position the attack to head North or South.

[crewman]

[crewman]

48. Benouville June 8, 15:00 turn 6: Allies try again to capture Pegasus VL at area 2 ... and restore supply to Airborne BG's in desperate need of ammo and fuel.

Piat group in hedge at area 5 spots Pz IV in side field at area 6, and moves to take shot. M-10 from top right of field moves to support action. Piat fires, but misses and takes fire. Another Piat team further up crawls in cabbage field for shot. German infantry seen moving to support tank ... Allied Mortar support directed to area 6, taking out some infantry and a hidden ATG. Second Piat destroys Pz IV.
Another Pz IV at area 6 moves onto road to meet M-10 taking position in hedge. Sherman behind area 3 building moves to get shot, but gets knocked out first shot from Pz IV. M-10 destroys the side turned Pz IV.
Infantry exchange fire from buildings at areas 3 and 4.

Approximately same time German infantry move in force from area 2 and attempt to overrun infantry in area 1 house. Sherman behind knocked out tank between area 1 and 2, two infantry teams and Fire Fly behind house, and Artillery support disrupts the advance. Allies place smoke at area 2, and send infantry and two tanks towards Pegasus VL. First infantry in open gets cut down, but FF destroys Pz IV waiting in open at area 2. Sherman and infantry finally capture VL, while FF moves slightly to left.

During this area 2 battle, a Pz IV moved right from position 7 and took fire from a 17 pdr ATG in position 3 hedge. Several shots exchanged, but Pz IV backed to cover.

three German tanks and ATG lost, Allies one Sherman.
Tough battles ahead to hold Pegasus VL, but supply finally moves across to Airborne again.

[crewman]

49. Thaon June 8, 15:00 turn 6: Allied infantry takes over area 2 and send in more infantry and tank support from area 1. StuG near position 4 moves into hedge to hit infantry at area 2. Infantry spread out into areas 2 and 5. StuG moves back to position 4 to help infantry under attack at bottom VL and also intercept Allied infantry running to help at lower area. StuG sees ambushing FF below area 3, so doesn't advance to lower area. Two Allied tanks move to position 5 to support large infantry advance into V shaped field at area 6. FF gets knocked out by ATG in area 6 hedge, but Cromwell takes out ATG. Cromwell from lower field catches StuG with side shot and immobilizes. StuG can't turn to fire and takes two more shots before exploding.

Cromwell and infantry capture VL's working way down from top area. Cromwell at position 8 takes knock out hit from StuG at position 9, but gets destroyed from Cromwell at position 7.

Infantry and three tanks move from areas 6 and 4, in attempt to capture final VL. Lead tank gets immobilizes by faust close to VL and infantry under fire needs just five seconds more to take area 10 VL, but battle ends.

Germans lost two StuG's and an ATG, Allies 2 tanks

[crewman]

50. Hermaville June 8, 15:00 turn 6: infantry at area 1 try to push into buildings in area 2, but back out due to superior firepower from buildings and roaming Pz IV. Two infantry teams advance to position 3, and fight to capture buildings above and to left side. Fighting there continues to end of battle, both sides take big losses.
Sherman at area 4 moves to support but finds Panther approaching hedge at position 5. Sherman backs but engages Pz IV from area 2 ... eventually Sherman goes up in smoke. M-10 gets knocked out at position 6 from Panther, one shot.
Several infantry teams battle to dominate area 7 hedges.

Allied tanks destroyed - two

[crewman]

51. Lingevres June 8, 15:00 turn 6: Battle begins with relative quiet ... then smoke pops along river field below position 1. German infantry seen moving towards position 1, where Allies have a 17 pdr ATG and a couple infantry teams. Fire Fly at position 3 puts some MG fire into them and a couple of shells. They move into field between position 1 and 2, and get hit. More German infantry moves along top road hedge to take out ATG, but are held back. Pz IV moves to position 2 and fires into infantry and ATG. Fire Fly gets line of sight, and after an exchange of a couple/few shots ... Pz IV goes up in smoke. German infantry keep hitting position 1, and take out most of ATG crew ... but position held.

Allied infantry at position 4 move forward with Sherman in hedge. Two Pz IV's spotted on road at position 5, moving for best return fire positions. M-10 brought forward to position 6 and with Vickers bullets ... hit enemy in building and hedges.
Some tough infantry fights with tank support.

One Pz IV knocked out and a 17 pdr ATG.

[crewman]

52. Ranville June 8, 15:00 turn 6: Airborne BG at Ranville is now completely out of fuel and low on ammo. Two light tanks deployed in hedges at position 1 and 2, knowing they will not be able to move. Battle starts with fire exchanged from ATG half track at position 2. Light tank at position 1 destroys it and crew are shot as they run through field where Allied infantry are in hedges at position 5. German infantry from area 4 move towards position 5, but are held back with help from light tank at position 3.

Allies run infantry across to house and hedges at area 2 and a fierce infantry battle erupts. 10.5 cm on tracks moves into hedge to support German infantry but is knocked out as position 1 light tank gets line of sight ... and abandoning crew are shot moving away towards position 5.

Two position 1 Bren sections loop around aircraft at position 6, but are pinned in crops by MG and small arms fire from two teams embedded in hedgerow. More German infantry arrives from across the field and both sides take losses with tough up close fighting

German ATG half track and 10.5 cm SPG destroyed

[crewman]

June 9, 07:00 Strat moves:
of interest,
Allies re-establish supply connection from Benouville across Pegasus bridge. AB Battle Groups now have fuel and ammo, as well, 27 Armoured Brigade moves across bringing some muscle to the fight against 21 Div.

A full Panther BG takes over frontline duties at Thaon, and has the ability to field five Panthers.

Germans swap BG's at Bayeux via the Tilly VL. In doing so, they gain Allied ground around the top left corner of map. This creates an isolated infantry deployment zone in one building at the Lingevres VL, and the next group of buildings to right are neutral deploy ... that Allies need to move into, in order to defend.

Also, Germans attack at Merville

[crewman]

53. Bayeux June 9, 07:00 turn 7: Germans swap BG's via Tilly resulting in Allied ground being squeezed out at top left corner of map. German objective is obviously to cut supply to Lingevres.

This sets up perhaps the most extreme combat seen thus far in the campaign.
Allies deploy five infantry teams in single house at position 1. Area 4 buildings are neutral as well as the road and area 3 road side buildings.

Germans immediately send waves of infantry from position 2 across road to position 1. Fire from building to building, grenades exploding on the road as soldiers move into position 1 buildings for hand to hand combat. Allies get soldiers into position 4 to defend assault from position 3 buildings, but are being overwhelmed. Allies target area 3 with Artillery barrage doing considerable damage to German units within.
As these battles continue, a German flame half track is seen at crossroads near position 6 and is flaming into buildings. A Sherman around the corner gets line of sight for a side shot, but half track quickly escapes to position 6 before Sherman fires. Two Allied infantry teams run to building beside half track and it is destroyed with grenades.
A German tank is knocked out at position 5 from M-10 at position 9.
A short lull in battle as both players realize their infantry are mostly destroyed.
Germans send JPzIV up road and park it directly beside position 1 building, but can't acquire the VL due to Allied infantry inside. Tanks shoots up building but can't destroy all the infantry inside.
Allies bring up Sherman to position 7, but goes up in smoke from PzSchreck. Another Sherman moves with infantry to position 8 and destroys infantry there. PzSchreck knocks out Sherman there too, as Vickers moves to capture next VL along road. A rifle team runs onto Tilly VL but surrenders with presence of JPzIV at crossroads. M-10 has green line of sight to side shot it, but displays no target information for several attempts ... as time runs out.

Steiner reports only one Cmd team, one PzSchreck, and 3 tanks remain at end of battle ... while Allies have one M-10, half Co Cmd team, half Bren team, partial Ptln Cmd team, Vickers, and four teams with only one soldier.

[stiener]

edit  

[crewman]

Forgot to mention in the June 9, 07:00 Strat moves info ... that Steiner had two BG's on the Carpiquet map when III./26/12 SS BG was due to arrive there. It couldn't land that turn and didn't land the next turn when the map was clear of other BG's. We assume this BG is gone.
Not sure if Steiner noticed  any units from III./26/12 SS being put in other BG's ... like would happen if a BG disbanded or if it's just gone?

[crewman]

54. Bieville June 9, 07:00 turn 7: Allied 17 pdr ATG in hedge at position 1 fires at Pz IV at position 2. Both get hits. ATG crew is taking punishment though and Allies send group of infantry to buildings beside Pz IV. Initial move found houses clear, but ran into wall of German infantry in buildings near position 2 VL. More German infantry moved in from across road and second Pz IV fired into houses. Some Allied infantry surrendered, while others pulled back to regroup.

During this time Sherman from position 3 moved into hedge and took fire from ATG at position 4 hedge. Sherman fired back and Vickers from buildings across the field hit ATG hard. ATG knocked out by Sherman, which moved into field and knocked out Pz IV at position 2. Amazingly 17 pdr ATG had two crew remaining after taking half a dozen shots, or more.

Sherman stays a center cabbage field and hits infantry in houses and helped by bullets sent from Vickers. Another Sherman crosses field at hits infantry team in hedge below position 4, but can't clear them ... then continues move to orchard VL. Pz IV approaches from left side and Sherman knocked out. Also, Sherman at cabbage field destroyed moving to position 4, and Vickers down to one man after attempting cross field move.

Rifle team probes area 5, but pulls back under fire. M-10 and another Vickers move to capture position 6 and send some heat down the road.

Germans down a Pz IV and ATG ... Allies two tanks and ATG

[crewman]

Campaign is still ongoing, but real life stuff requires more of my attention ... so that's it for this AAR. Thanks for tuning in

[crewman]

Embedded journalist on staff for producing battle reports, on trial basis.

note: descriptions of direction will now use North, South, West, East ... instead of top, bottom, left, and right.

[crewman]

55. Benouville June 9, 07:00 turn 7: Allied armour and supplies move across Pegasus bridge to strengthen the Airborne. Commandos help hold the supply route open at Benouville, while making preparations for movement into the Airborne sector.

Commando infantry in position 1 building come under heavy fire from Pz IV in field and MG at position 2 building, and move to outer walls of two story house away from fire. German artillery shakes the ground at area 3, causing some casualties and losses. As barrage ends, German infantry attack into position 1 from area 4 hedges with Pz IV's seen behind hedge at position 5. Allies send artillery barrage to area 4 and 5 ... slowing the infantry advance and doing damage.
A couple of Shermans force Pz IV to move back into cover behind hedge, but German infantry keep assaulting while Allies send more soldiers to position 1.

Sherman moves up road to put fire into buildings south of position 6, while opposing infantry send fire across from buildings in that area. Commando MG captures position 6 VL and fires at ATG spotted in hedge at position 7. M-10 moves down and onto road at position 8 and knocks out ATG. M-10 proceeds west into buildings area and destroys half track ATG at position 2.

Both sides continue fighting for position 1 with infantry supported by tanks. Tanks maneuver in and out of opposing line of sight, but neither side gets knock out. Allied infantry are eventually overrun and German infantry attempts capture of bridge VL, but time runs out.

Allies capture important vertical road and hedges in the Pegasus VL area ... both sides take big infantry losses during desperate battle for Allied supply route.