1st Chronicles Of V Panzer Army DAR

[Cole]

During Action Report (DAR) of Von Earlmann's series of linked campaign scenarios for the Battle of the Bulge.

I play the role of General Manteuffel, commander of the 5th Panzer Army assigned to the central sector of the offensive. Steve (Tiger 88) is the Allied commander.

A good description by author Hugh M. Cole of the 5th Army's role in the Bulge can be found on the Army's history site HERE.

The following paragraph from Cole's book depicts the main focus of this scenario:
"the Fifth Panzer Army had been given a small infantry corps of two divisions to flesh out its right shoulder. This was General der Artillerie Walther Lucht's LXVI Corps. In early planning there had been some question as to whether the Americans in the Schnee Eifel should be left to the Fifth or the Sixth. Unhappy about this thorn in his side, Manteuffel won the assignment of the Schnee Eifel heights to his army and personally developed a scheme to mop up resistance in this sector at the earliest possible moment. Despite the general dictum that defended towns would be bypassed, Manteuffel wanted St. Vith as a blocking position and so ordered Lucht to capture it."

The 66th Corps consists of the 18th and 62nd Volksgrenadier Divisions. The 18th is in the northern sector and the 62nd to the south.

Manteuffel's first day objective was St. Vith. In this scenario 7-9 turns equals one day. Conditions are snowy and the terrain is rough so my first day objectives are not as ambitious.

18th Division's first day objectives are below:
293rd VG REG (objectives in red) to guard the north flank by Rollbhan D and Lanzerath. Control of Hill 425 will dominate Manderfeld and the best east to west road in the North Sector.

294th VG REG (yellow) will control the road mentioned above but more importantly a paved East/West highway through Auw to Andler.

295th VG REG (purple) has another good road to control though it does veer to the south before. The regiment will continue to press west and take Schoenburg; a vital town because of the bridges over the Our River.




62nd Volksgrenadier Division
193rd VG REG (pink) will support the assault on Schoenburg by taking the heights to the south of the town.
164th VG REG (red) will take vital bridged across the Our River at Steinebruck and Elcherath.
190th VG REG (yellow) will secure the southern sector by holding the towns of Eigelscheid and Winterspelt.

[Cole]

Frustration is the name of the game so far. Steve is doing a fine job of slowing my advance by skillful use of spotting, artillery, and accurate rifle fire. My troops can only advance slowly in the snow and there are very few roads. American troops wait in the woods patiently and call in accurate artillery barrages.

Around the 3rd turn the 293rd and 294th Regiments were faced with recon units and jeeps sniping away at the advancing infantry and staying out of range of our panzerfausts. At times our infantry is fortunate and are not spotted by advancing jeeps in the snow and fog. A few jeeps, half tracks and one or two recon vehicles have been destroyed for their recklessness but for now the advance from Krewinkle northwards has been halted until armor support can arrive.

The only good news from the 18th Division is that the 294th has finally taken Roth. I have posted a good example below of how the American infantry can spot our advance from afar and call in artillery fire. For two turns we were turned back from the north side of Roth by accurate artillery fire and now I finally see what the extent of the enemy LOS was.



The news just south is terrible. The 295th is in full retreat from Schlausenbach. Artillery and accurate direct fire have taken their toll:



The 62nd Division is making better time and has overran a few enemy positions. There are a few Shermans in the area of the 193rd but we have some panzers nearby that can shoot back.

The loss ratio so far is almost 1:1 with the Americans losing more strength points but with the Americans ahead on points as each SP loss of a Volksgrenadier equals 5vp versus 3vp for American rifleman SPs. I will need to keep the grenadiers in reserve and lead with the limited rifle and bicycle platoons available.

[Von Earlmann]

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!.........thanks Scott

[Tide1]

Nice DAR

[Cole]

Tide and Von Earlmann thanks for your feedback.

Starting this campaign has prompted me to study up on the Bulge and I have picked up A Time For Trumpets by Charles B. MacDonald. So far the book is well written. An interesting fact was that the attack in my sector started around 0500 with the Germans shining searchlights onto the low lying clouds to reflect back down on the American positions. Unfortunately for the Germans the light also helped the Americans spot the advancing troops.

My limited knowledge of the Bulge was that the Americans were overwhelmed by superior German forces at first. I'm hurting the Americans but Steve is also putting a hurting on me. I'm reading up as I'm curious to see if I'm already behind the historical rate of advance.

In the north the recon units have abandoned Losheim. My infantry, now accompanied by some armor now rush forward.

West of Krewinkel German armor slowly advances and American armor stays out of range and hidden only to appear out of the mist to attack infantry foolish enough to move outside the range of friendly guns[/u].

The 294th in Roth is preparing to move out of town and continue west to capture vital crossroads in Auw. Before following the retreating Americans we are waiting for smoke as American artillery is concentrating on the open fields between the forests.

Half of the 295th Regiment (or what is left of it) hold the eastern edge of Schlausenbach. The Americans are probably about 500 yards away on the other side of town.

East of Buchet two American infantry platoons have counterattacked back into the woods. They were quickly surrounded but fighting continues in the woods as our infantry fire has been ineffective. Already we are having problems keeping our units supplied and command and control is problematic once our companies enter the forests.

I have to admit that the German soldier in this period of the war is not as tenacious and tend to break easier than their early war comrades.

The 164th is making good time towards Bleialf, another town with important crossroads. The American in this sector are even leaving abandoned trucks in the road in order to try and stall our advance. Their engineers must be hard at work trying to blow bridges over the Our River.

[Cole]

Early evening December 16. The American resistance was stronger than expected and we are far behind our first day objectives.
Reports from captured prisoners are coming in and are confirming older intelligence reports.

In the Losheim Gap (the north portion of the map from Losheim down to around Schoenberg) it seems we are facing elements of the 14th Cavalry Group. Further south I believe we are facing the 422nd and 423rd Regiments of the 106th Infantry Division headquartered in St. Vith. Prisoner reports confirm earlier intelligence that the 106th is a fresh and untested division that recently replaced the more experienced 2nd Division in this sector (all intelligence reports from the books mentioned in prior posts).

Thanks to those that voted in the poll about screen shots. So far 75% don't mind a lot of screen shots and 25% like them but not too many. I'll ramp up the screen shots until such time as folks vote "enough".

18th VG DIV

293rd VG REG. Continue to advance but now the King Tigers are in position to cover the infantry's advance. Already a Tiger platoon bought swift justice to a jeep patrol trying hit and run tactics. We now move forward to secure the hill north of Manderfeld.


294th VG REG. We have laid smoke and are preparing to assault Auw.


A screen shot of the replay to show the mobile Americans harassing our advance. Most of the vehicles will disappear into the mist before we can engage them:


295th VG REG. Cautiously entered Schlausenbach to find the enemy is no longer contesting the village. We have laid artillery fire in all try lines to support the reinvestment of this village.


62nd VG DIV

193rd VG REG. Strong resistance on the approach to Bleialf. Screen shots shows the remains of close to two platoons of StuG panzers. The American infantry even rushed from the woods to engage and destroy our panzers. The American infantry will be killed or captured soon but it is worrisome to lose armor so early when I do not have any heavy armor in this sector.


164th VG REG. The advance towards Eigelscheid continues. Trucks are still used to slow us down. Major Prigann rallied two platoons last turn and we are sending the rest of our disrupted units to meet him on the road. He has pressing concerns at his HQ but our units are slow to rally and firepower is needed in the woods.


116th PZ. The 116th has broken through enemy lines to the south (off map) and are racing north to cut off the Americans. A road block has developed though as the Americans hold Heckusheid in some force. AT, halftracks and at least one infantry platoon hold the village and it is taking time to move an assault force up in the snow. Smoke has been laid for an assault to begin next turn.


Turn 8 will be the last turn for December 16. I will post on the overall status of the assault and try to compare it to historical events.

[McIvan]

Great work Cole, really enjoying this, especially that last post (yes, I voted for lots of screenies)

[Cole]

18th VolksGrenadier Division dispositions at the end of 16 DEC is show below. Dark blue line is my current front line and the light blue line is what I believe the German front lines were at the end of the first day.

As you can see I am both behind my initial objectives and the historical assault.

Some accounts are hard to follow but what is important to remember is that the German were close to cutting off the 422nd and 423rd Infantry Regiments (they were located around Auw, Roth, and Kobscheid, I think they retired into the forest or southwards).

I am advancing on a broad front (something that the German forces were ordered to specifically to avoid).

I don't have a screen shot for the 62nd VG Division but just like the 18th we are behind both my initial and the historical schedule.

18th VG DIV:

[Cole]

Moves 9 and 10 see the Germans about to break through the American lines.

Steve has put up a good fight and delayed my advance but his infantry will not hold their ground due to heavy German artillery.

Most importantly the 116th PZ has broken through in the south. Historically they turned around and tried to find another path behind American lines due to the tough defense of Heckusheid. Unfortunately for the Americans in this scenario they will press onwards. The availability of the 116th in this scenario offsets the fact that elements of the 3rd Para Div are not available to the Germans around Afst and Losheim extending the battle front for the 293rd VG Reg. I am risking my Panthers a little by pushing forward but I want to induce some panic in the American commander.

Armored cars have arrived in the vicinity of the 295th VG Reg. Soon they will be able to help keep the pressure on the retreating American infantry.

Artillery and infantry reinforcements for the 190th VG Reg have had a long climb up the slope of the Schnee Eifel. Going up the hill most transport and HQ units can only advance one hex a turn. The guns do need to move forward, especially as the fronts lines will now quickly move west until American reinforcements arrive.

[Cole]

Turns 11 and 12 the German advance picks up steam. I'll have to be quick as I notice the red symbols on the 2D map representing American engineers knocking down vital bridges.

On the south edge of the map I have split my Panthers. Below is a screen shot of the Panthers racing for the village of Burg Rueland. So far on the map I don't see any sign of bridges being tampered with. These Panthers had a close call when American air power destroyed a platoon of half tracks nearby.
American AT guns and disrupted infantry had moved to safety in the south and I was glad during this rush that there wasn't any more AT guns behind.

I'm in trouble if the enemy is in the village in force.

Screen shot of the race to Schoenburn. As you can see capturing Radscheid in the next few turns is key. Panthers from the 116th are racing from south of Bleialf to support.


In the north Steve is using some American tanks I cannot identify to slow my advance down. Whatever they are they are strong enough to take out two Tiger tanks from close range. I've marked their location on the screen shot. The tank company south of Lanzerath has a long road north then back south again if they want to rejoin the action, unless they decided to take on my other Tigers just to the south.