Bulge 16.01s alt

[Plain Ian]

Turn 42 - SPA area



The map shows the position at end of my turn. Michael already had the Peiper KG adjacent to my 2-119th and advanced his 5th FJD KG as well which lost 8 men in the advance. The 2-119th received moderate losses from ground fire but I was expecting worse? Possibly he is suffereing Low Ammo/Fuel?

KG Hansen also moved up in contact with my 105th Engineers losing 8 men when it moved adjacent.

My losses were quite low as there wasn't much artillery?

In my turn I fell back except opposite the 3FJD group. I inflicted 45 casualties on this group, roughly half against the Pioneers and the rest against the FJD Battalion.

[Plain Ian]

Turn 42 - Elsenborn



Michael used mostly artillery, mainly against the 2-38th and 3-395th.

D company 38th Cavalry was also heavily shelled losing several armoured cars.

D company 743rd Tnk Bn came under heavy fire from StuG's of 3rd PGD and 12th SS PD. (the only 12SS unit left in the area?) It was badly battered and lost 5 tanks.

Edit: I've added orange unit numbering to show units which are just about 'red' fatigued. (180+)

During my turn I withdrew all units which had been attacked and reinforced the Sourbrodt area. 703TD and 745th Tanks moved up. The 2-18th (fresh 0 Fatigue and B Morale) attacked his Pioneers.

2nd Combat Engineers unfortunately were Disrupted attempting an attack on 12th VGD.

1-16th also did well but this is the best unit in this area.

Probe at Hofen is slightly worrying but I've already decided to give up Monschau if he comes after it.

[Plain Ian]

Turn 43 German Results

Total Losses and Points after the German turn below - same format as PZC to make it easier to read.



Losses for the turn below.



His email suggested that the turn was fairly quiet but it was quite bloody in the south as he kept up his infantry assault.

[Plain Ian]

Turn 43 German – South





The German continued their assault with a night attack. Attack launched by 352nd VGD this time.

Germans barraged US Gp B (55th Armd Inf 10th Tank Bn) concentrating on the infantry as usual. They managed to Disrupt the 55th. They then launched an assault using KG C (2 Bn’s of 352nd) supported by Pioneers from KG B. Result was 73 men/37 men 1 tank) Despite the losses the 10th tank Bn (Disrupted in assault) and 55th Armd Inf were forced back onto the B/60th Arm Inf which was digging in behind them. Allied artillery did inflict about 7 losses on the attacker before the assault.

After the assault the Germans then switched attention to US Gp C sitting in CLEAR terrain, with very heavy Werfer and artillery fire. This was followed up with ground fire from adjacent enemy units. KG C/D/E.

A/60th Armd Inf Co which had moved forward to allow the 54th Armd Inf and 2-8th to withdraw last turn, was heavily hit and Broken. The 2-8th was also targeted but the 54th strangely enough was left alone possibly because it started Turn 43 Disrupted? (it recovered)
KG A/B were not involved?

My thoughts on the turn. Not much I could have done. I realised A/60 was vulnerable (company sized unit) but there were very few units that could reach the hex to allow my units to withdraw.

His KG C group is in CLEAR terrain (Trench -20) and his KG E group is also in CLEAR terrain (Improved). US Gp C is in CLEAR terrain and it would be suicide to stand, but both units will disrupt due to night disruption.

So looks like I pull back Gp C and try to juggle things to keep Gp B up to strength. This is not going to be easy since most of the units are C or D and will suffer night disruption. Using the 704th TD Bn (Morale A) looks to be a good move.

Edit: I'll re post the map in two halves when I get a chance. That way there shouldn't be too much reduction in size. Its pretty unreadable as it is.

[Plain Ian]

Turn 43 German – Bastogne



Bastogne area was quiet again. Artillery ruined the 2-501st sleep (10 men killed) then to add insult the 3 FBB units made 3 attacks without reply and killed a further 33 men! Just to finish things off when the replay finished I was very amazed to see the 2-501st go Low Ammo!!! It didn't fire back for gods sake so how could it go Low Ammo!!!

Its a B unit within command range of its Regt HQ, which is within command range of its Divisional HQ, and thats within range of VII Corps HQ? What more can you do???
Well after that attack I might just advance the 3-501st to see if he has a unit behind his 3 advanced units on the rail line. If he doesn’t they will be cut off.

With 501st back in the north after its trip down to XII Corps, I was going to start moving 318th Rgt/80th Division (VIII Corps) further south. Will check command ranges and see if I can start to push it east or north east.
Patrols from Flamierge show a mixed picket force of tanks and infantry, probably from FBB. (A)
Patrols from the 106th (B) show that the Panthers from 2nd Panzer are still there.

[Plain Ian]

Turn 43 German – La Gleize/SPA



I spoke too soon about Michael giving up on La Gleize. Night brings fresh attacks at La Gleize and he follows my withdrawing forces at SPA.

At La Gleize a large force appears (A) which appears to be infantry heavy. The 3-33rd loses 2 tanks in one quick exchange and the 2-120th lose 21 men. Both are still Green Fatigue. Enemy suffers no losses. Enemy force (A) is in Clear but crossed a Stream which probably reduced his MP quite a bit.

The 3/33rd has only 24 tanks and is Low Ammo. I can’t see it making a stand, which means the rest of the line north of La Gleize will have to fall back as well....

At SPA his large armoured force © moves up but does not fire? Similarly another infantry force (D) moves. He losses 14 men to defensive fire. Both © and (D) entered Woods but I thought infantry still had enough MP’s to fire?

Edit: The 2-119th at SPA lost 22 men and Disrupted due to enemy fire and some artillery. I missed this the first time.

[Plain Ian]

Turn 43 German – Elsenborn



More attacks at Elsenborn.

KG A
3rd FJD Bn/3rd PGD unit took on the 2-18th. 2-18th lost 7 men and the enemy lost 17.

KG B
He slid his Assault gun group to the left, possibly due to my move with the 2-18th last turn?

KG C
He withdrew the two battalions from the 12th VGD? Before they left they spotted for some artillery fire on 2-9th/291st Engineers.

KG D
No action but it spotted for probably all the Werfers in the damn area. The 1-16th lost 53 men and gained 29 in fatigue.

KG E
The 277th VGD held its position and was reinforced by a large column of armour of ....the 12th SS. They were supported by the usual ‘ants’ of towed anti tank guns. They rolled up as usual and unlimbered. There was defensive fire but it reported 2 vehicles destroyed with two shots? I assume that they targeted the motorised light flak unit. (it is Disrupted) Anyway a few minutes later and 3 of my M4’s are smoking and the unit panics/Disrupts!
Interestingly the 12th SS infantry unit is also Disrupted? Night disruption?

KG F
A Battalion of the 326th rolled over the bridge at Monschau and spotted for a few rounds of artillery. No men/vehicles lost, just fatigue gained. He then rolled back?

His email to me said he was surprised at lack of opposition at Monschau. Well the units which should have been used to defend Monschau are all lying dead in front of Elsenborn, or hiding in the Hoess Venn!

Guten nacht.....

[ComradeP]

Keep in mind that the Low Ammo check is performed on the next player turn, so not during the next enemy phase.

If your unit fires in your turn and doesn't fire in the next enemy phase, it will have to roll for Low Ammo. The check isn't made for a single phase, but for the entire "turn" (your phase+the enemy phase after that).

As to being in command: the chance of making the roll increases as distance to the unit's HQ decreases when in command range. Being in command range isn't enough as being at the limit of the command rate gives a 50% chance of making the roll.

[Plain Ian]

Keep in mind that the Low Ammo check is performed on the next player turn, so not during the next enemy phase.

If your unit fires in your turn and doesn't fire in the next enemy phase, it will have to roll for Low Ammo. The check isn't made for a single phase, but for the entire "turn" (your phase+the enemy phase after that).

As to being in command: the chance of making the roll increases as distance to the unit's HQ decreases when in command range. Being in command range isn't enough as being at the limit of the command rate gives a 50% chance of making the roll.

Funnily enough when I try to manage or reduce fatigue that's how I monitor it. I try to not move/fire and if adjacent hope that I'm not targeted.....which is not very likely. For some reason I thought Ammo/Fuel Low was different?



The confusion probably comes from the fact that the game talks about Turns with each Game Turn made up of 2 Player Turns, although like you I think of them as 'phases'.

The game rules talk about things in terms of 'turns', but as I've found out these are not Game Turns or Player Turns????? My understanding is that it means the two preceding Player Turns.

Maybe I've complicated things?

By the way I take it that the game does not make any checks on Turn 1 for both players?

[Plain Ian]

Turn 43 final Losses/Points

Points


Turn Losses


Phase Losses


Starting to claw back the losses in men. I lost 3 tanks in my turn to enemy artillery plus I think I saw a tank loss to breakdown. (An M36 damn) I killed 3 Werfers.....I hope.
Edit: my mistake I lost one M36 to opportunity fire and one to breakdowns which are not recorded....I'm not sure where I got the 3 tanks from? The spreadsheet is correct.

Will post maps of main combat areas and hopefully an overview map soon.