1st Chronicles Of V Panzer Army DAR

[Von Earlmann]

The adjustments hyave already been made :-)

[Cole]

The past three turns I have had reinforcements from the north in the form of Kampfgruppe Telkamp. This was welcome because for the last five or so turns I noticed a long time lag during the replay and figured the Americans had some help coming.

Steve spotted me as last turn there was a mortar strike and I noticed movement of one unit. Couldn't figure out who the spotter was.

I was cautious in bringing on my forces, consisting of many Panthers and lots of Panzergrenadiiers but this past turn I have taken a chance that a surprise does not wait for me in the woods and rushed forward without setting aside op fire. Hopefully I can dominate the ridge line to the NW of Born before having to engage those 80 Shemans.

Did a quick search on the web for Kampfgruppe Telkamp and what I found is not so comforting. Statements such as "almost 80 Shermans and tank destroyers" and "...fighter-bombers swooped down in waves and massacred his column"

Link is HERE

Relevant section from the link copied below and screen shot below that:

The advance to St Vith

Four days into Operation Autumn Mist, it was becoming clear that I SS Panzer Corps was stalled. Peiper's kampfgruppe was stuck at La Gleize, and the Hitlerjugend was getting nowhere on the Elsenborn ridge. The rapid advance of Peiper created one opportunity for Dietrich. The US 7th Armored Division and parts of three other divisions were still holding out in the town of St Vith, and Bittrich's mission was to push his two panzer divisions to the north and south of the St Vith salient, trapping the American force, before continuing westwards to the Meuse. It looked good on a map, but Das Reich and Hohenstaufen's kampfgruppen had to contend with a road network that was hopelessly overloaded.

The Hohenstaufen led the northern pincer, pushing through Recht to attempt to seize Vielsalm. SS-Sturmbannführer Eberhard Telkamp led the Hohenstaufen's panzer regiment into action on 21 December, and it soon ran into a strong 7th Armored Division Combat Command, with almost 80 Shermans and tank destroyers.

The battle came to a climax on Christmas Eve, when Telkamp ordered an all-out effort to break through to Vielsalm. Just as his panzer regiment was forming up to attack, USAAF P-47 fighter-bombers swooped down in waves and massacred his column. Now the Hohenstaufen's northern pincer was well and truly blocked.

[Cole]

Below is a screen shot of Schoenburg after searching on Google Earth. Using the Geographic Web feature I could also find this picture of nice houses in the town (it seems like I have already liberated this area).


Well, guess what? You'll never see it. It has been destroyed. Steve didn't have to pick this lovely town to defend but he did. Now it's all gone and in flames. I encourage all of your to send nasty e-mails to Steve and tell him to withdraw and save whats left of the town. Here's a screen shot of the current state of the battle and the town.

[The Rattler]

Thanks for the excellent reports im so enjoing these great job :-)

[Cole]

Thanks Rattler.

The enemy holds the ford closest to Burg Rueland in some strength. There is even a tank platoon on this side of the river and three others providing fire support from the west bank of the Our River. Scouts continue forward to the next ford up.

In Schoenburg the Americans have moved to reinforcements to the west side, especially setting up AA guns to cover the slopes leading down to the two fords just west of the town. 105mm howitzers used direct fire to clear any German spotters. I decided not to advance back into the kill zone this turn and consolidate. I have had better luck in the battle for fords in the town itself. My two infantry platoons that had established a bridgehead were disrupted and destroyed but I was able to clear all the eastern portion of town of any American unit that can spot this turn. Any American unit returning to this part of town will receive some op fire and will be in LOS for my artillery next turn.

Artillery fire scored some kills from loaded transport arriving with Kampfgruppe Telkamp. I'm afraid there might be a hidden spotter, though some of the artillery strikes seem like they were indirect.

[Cole]

Today I came by a book I had bought a few months ago and had forgotten about. I wish I remembered it earlier as this post would of been better at the beginning of my DAR.

The Longest Winter by Alex Kershaw is a nice book about the 394th Regiment's (99th Division) Intelligence and Reconnaissance Platoon wartime experience. The platoon was fresh on the front lines and stationed in Lanzerath (the very top of the map this scenario is played on). They put up a heck of a fight holding up the German advance and then the book goes on to describe their captivity in Germany. A good read of an interesting story and some insight of what life was like in the freezing front lines before the battle. There are also some personal perspectives from the German side.
Some interesting tidbits from the book:
The Belgium part of the Ardennes in this area was originally part of Germany but awarded to Belgium at the Treaty Of Versailles.

There are some nice hand drawn maps in the book by (then PFC) Carlos Fernandez showing the AO and the platoon's positions during the battle.

Some 57mm AT gunners would remove the protective plate from the gun to make it easier to move around in the snowy and muddy conditions. Some platoons would have engineers weld the plate to jeeps in the hopes of providing some protection. The book describes how the platoon bribed a Supply Officer with captured German souvenirs to procure a jeep thus armored equipped with a much needed .50 caliber machine gun.

The platoon's positions were to the west of the small village. A couple of days prior to the battle two of the platoon stood watch in the village's church steeple and noticed that a German patrol approach and enter the church itself. The Germans eventually left without detecting the Americans but that offers an interesting glimpse into life on the front lines. The Germans probably didn't want to look too hard.

One night a soldier on guard hear unusual noises and opened fire with his machine gun. Next morning they found a dead German scout dog that was trained to sniff out enemy positions.

Interesting stuff.

I'll be done with this book in time to read our own Don Fox's book Patton's Vanguard. Don has created a few Bulge scenarios himself and you can be assured they are well researched as he goes all out in paying attention to detail. His book grew out of his research on how many Jumbo Shermans as opposed to the model with a lower velocity gun a certain company had in it's inventory.

I've read a little already and it seems that the good reviews his book gets on Amazon.com (just click on the book title above) are right on target.

On a side note I would also try to get on Barnes and Nobel's e-mail list. I used to be a B&N member as I buy quite a few books but let my membership expire before my transfer overseas. Every two weeks or so I get an e-mail with at least 10% discount offers off or any item that I am able to use even though my membership is expired.

[Von Earlmann]

I recommend Don's book and his scenarios are second to none

[Cole]

Fortunately not much to report this turn. In Schoenburg the Americans declined to move back into the east side of town. I didn't advance on the ridge line overlooking the west fords keeping out of LOS so this turn the American artillery was ineffective. In this sector the only action was a small fire fight with a rear guard MG platoon that was forced to retreat after a 1 SP loss. I have ordered a lot of indirect fire to where I last saw American howitzers, AA guns, and infantry positions.
A vanguard of Engineers and panzers have crossed the eastern most ford in town establishing a small bridgehead. I almost hope the Americans counterattack as this bridgehead is covered by many units on the ridge to the rear.

Kampfgruppe Telkamp reports the capture of an enemy patrol hiding in the woods with jeeps. Fortunately the patrol was not able to call down accurate artillery fire this turn prior to their location being revealed.

I have not continued my advance on the fords just north of Burg Rueland. There are at least two or three strong American infantry platoons in the woods and at least one tank platoon on the east bank of the river. I need more infantry support and will wait until it arrives. In the meantime my panzers waiting on the east bank slope of the river were able to destroy a careless platoon of self-propelled howitzers.

[Cole]

I advanced too early on Burg Rueland's ford. Smoke was laid and I moved PZ-IV's forward. One platoon was forced to retreat towards the ford by two infantry platoons. They ended up next to at least 2 platoons of engineers that promptly destroyed them with op fire after I moved a Panther up for support.



In the Kampfgruppe Telkamp area I decided to move a company of PZ-IV's towards a ridge line in the hopes of a quick grab of a 500 vp hex. OP fire was set and three platoons of panzers were in the woods. They were engaged by a battery of 105 mm howitzers that destroyed a tank and disrupted the rest of the platoon. The other two platoons engaged the battery but in doing so exposed their rear to a platoon of Greyhound scouts on a hill behind them. Three more panzers were destroyed before the Greyhounds were dispatch by infantry and the remainder of the battery gunned down by the infantry's half tracks. I hope to find a couple more batteries of howitzers judging by the artillery I have been receiving in the last few turns.

The main body of the Kampfgruppe have almost gained the ridge line. American trucks were sent to block our advance but were quickly dispatched. To make the sacrifice worthwhile I expect some enemy tanks to be very close on the other side of the hill. One panther was able to look out over the valley to the east but quickly pulled back before being able to spot any enemy movement.



I'm taking a risk in Schoenburg by moving double timing infantry down the west slope into the wood line right next to the fords. If there are many forces remaining there besides a couple of spotters their OP fire is off. I expect heavy casualties but if German spotters remain after the American move then my artillery should do some good work.

I'm more cautious on the east side of the town, expanding by bridgehead.

[Cole]

Kampfgruppe Telkamp advance continues, so far unhindered. One column has broken off to the west in order to grab the 500 VP hex at Trois Points. The two panzer platoons discovered the small bridge crossing the Warche River was too small and now have to turn around. I believe the remaining howitzer batteries in this area were able to load up and escape. I spotted a truck fleeing west but could not tell if it was loaded or not.

The main body of the Kampfgruppe has seized the ridge to the west of Born and are about to continue the advance on St. Vith. A small recon group probes to the NE and guards the rear.



The 116th Panzer Division continues it's run of bad luck. Sherman tanks from the west bank of the Our River destroyed many panzers and my remaining panzers were not able to harm the lone Sherman platoon that remained in LOS. Losses are heavy here. Even with overwhelming fire my infantry in the woods could only make one of the two American platoons retreat and now will have to suffer the full brunt of directed artillery.



In Schoenburg at least two companies worth of infantry that rushed down the hill to occupy the wooded ford hexes were wiped out by a strong combination of artillery, AA guns, and infantry fire. No spotters remained to direct my artillery at the opening of my turn but most of my fire did still land in the designated hexes. I did not see retreating units but think I scored a few disruptions as I was able to find out later.

The screen shot below shows the beginning of my turn. Last turn I took a risk and moved my PZ-IVs into the wood hex behind where they are positioned on the screen shot figuring that if Steve went to engage them with his tank destroyers they would either have to remain in LOS at the bottom of a hill or spend vital movement points climbing back up the hill. I would also be able to keep the hex that is covered by smoke in LOS for my artillery. That hex contained an AA gun and two of those nasty Quad .50 cal trucks. The AA guns engaged my panzers along with three platoons of tank destroyers but besides a destroyed panzer and another platoon retreating after another panzer suffered a hit the remainder of my tanks held their ground. My turn opened with a heavy artillery barrage. The smoke laid by the American engineers helped keep the damage down but every unit was disrupted, especially those engineers.

After the barrage lifted the Battalion Commander moved his PZ-IV platoons forward immediately drawing OP fire from at least two tank destroyer platoons (located just N of the smoke filled hex with AA). The German tanks survived the 250 meter dash down the hill side and then destroyed 7 American tanks. The Battalion Commander then radioed in the fact that a good portion of the American tanks were too busy engaging his command to do anything about an attack from Schoenburg itself.



My engineers began the assault by rushing through the woods and came upon the smoke filled AA gun position from the rear easily capturing the gun crews that were only coming out from cover after the artillery strike. The American engineers that survived the artillery barrage did not surrender but run up the hill for cover.

Next a Panther platoon climbed the hill above Schoenburg and cleared out an infantry unit hidden in orchards overlooking the road.

In the city my infantry vanguard only consisted of a MG and the ENG platoon that had already captured the AA guns. With the first hex of the road cleared by the Panthers the MG served as a scout and began to advance along the road. They were engaged by another infantry platoon hidden in the orchards on the hill top and went for cover. I had to clear the disrupted engineers in order to discover the remaining American tanks and try to destroy them before they could strike back next turn. Two STG panzers moved up and were able to send rout the panicked engineers up the hill.


The lead tank commander was brave and taking the initiative decided to enter the village hex by a narrow side road. He located at least five platoons of American tanks which were quickly engaged by panzers on the opposite bank. Once these tanks were destroyed another tank platoon from Schoenburg discovered four half track platoons, two of which had AA guns. Two platoons were engaged and destroyed but two were able to retreat up the hill after suffering disruption and losses.



Two panther platoons spotted a howitzer battery but were ordered to retreat as the Americans sill held the hill top and American infantry were spotted on the river bottom.

Next turn I will give an overall review of the battle. The big question is where are the American reinforcements. Are they ready to smash into my forces in Schoenburg or did Steve have to rush some back to engage Kampfgruppe Telkamp?