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[Plain Ian]

German Turn 45 - south



The threat from last turn has disappeared? I thought I was about to lose the whole of the 704th TD Bn but that didn't happen. He is maybe resting up for the last night turn?

[A] a BN of the 212th VGD followed up the Lt Tank Bns and artillery knocked out 2 M5's of D/70 TNK. They have 2 left.

[B] He brought up another Bn of 5th FJD which lost 9 men moving up. Artillery and ground fire was concentrated on the 704th, as expected, but he also chose the 2-12th as well. If he had not split his fire then I probably would have lost double the number of tanks I did.

Patrols from the 51st show that Boevange is still well garrisoned [D]. I think he has moved some of his armour back from the Clear hex [C]? So they didn't get any rest?
There is a FJD unit guarding the bridge and a Pioneer unit supporting the Flak unit. [E/F]

A Panther company has been deployed to protect his main force? It was used to call down artillery fire on the 51st.

[Plain Ian]

Turn 45 German - Magerotte



He's finally pulled back the last unit of the FBB. 3-501st received moderate artillery barrages before the pull back but still manged to inflict some losses on his forces.
I was surprised to see yet another Battalion of the 5th FJD appear. I think this took 8 losses when it moved up? (hard to tell with stacks) This Division must be spread thinner than some of the cheap ham I buy! Magerotte to Boevange?

At Longchamps he brought up a unit of the 2nd Panzer and brought some artillery down on my Para Bn up here.

Last but least. My patrols from 318th detected an enemy unit near the vital crossroads by Sainlez.......looking closer I realise that it is....SS???

Which brings me to my last screen shot before I do my turn.......

[Plain Ian]

Turn 45 German - mystery unit at Sainlez?



So what is he up to? Is it 2nd SS or 9th SS recon? Does it matter. Have they come down from the north? Has he subordinated them to a 5th Pz Armee Korps HQ?

The big question is what he is going to do with them?

Are they there to protect Bastogne? He has commented on my 'crack' Para divisions here.

Advance on Neufchteau? He has hinted at a final push in his emails.

Go south and finally cut off XII corps which was a Day 1 goal of his.

Answers on a postcard......I'll post a map of the bigger picture later on...

[Plain Ian]

Turn 45 Allied – south



[A] 17th Tank Bn (Dis) falls back sw to Woods hex and allows the Lt Tank Co’s to withdraw from there. There is still a chance that the 212th VGD Fus Bn can assault and throw the tank unit out of there but I will take that chance.
70th Tank Bn (5 tanks) moves to Brouch.

[B] 704th TD Bn moved to Brouch and hopefully to safety. this leaves the two M4 Tank Bns (30+ M4’s each) and the 2-12th to hold the hex. The 2-12th is at 97 Fatigue and I guess he will hit it with all the artillery/werfers he has. So I expect 50-60 men losses next turn.
The 2 small Companys and the heavily fatigued 55th Engineers have been sent to rear.

[C] 51st Arm Inf pulled back and moved south of stream.

[D] Artillery knocked out a Flak gun (vehicle) and the 25th Cavalry took out 5 more.

Artillery casualties shown on map. I’ve spread it around in order to stop him recovering fatigue due to resting.

Threats or worries are shown as red arrows on the map.

[Plain Ian]

Turn 45 Allied – Magerotte – Martelange



Well depite the possibility of an offensive in this area I have not made many moves because of possible Night Disruption. The 80th Division is a C rated unit so its not wise to move off road.

[A] I’ve started to bring up the Divisional TD Bn from the south.

[B] A battalion from 319th plus Engineers are digging in at Martelange. (unit hidden by name) The Divisional Tank Bn is well dug out in front covering the town. Unfortunately its a D rated unit (will Dis on first fire) and is in Clear terrain.

[C] 318th Rgt hasn’t moved.

[D] 317th Rgt is ready to move once I see what is happening.

The 2-501st/3-501st has disengaged. Artillery results against FBB are shown on map.

[Plain Ian]

Turn 45 Allied – Grandmenil – La Gleize



[A] A new place name on the battle map. Grandmenil. I’ve moved up 335th to support D/40 TNK (CCA 7th Armd) and it lost men when it bumped into enemy at Grandmenil in T mode. The Divisional Tank Battalion and engineers are also on there way here. The problem using them will be trying to ensure thw divisional HQ reaches them.

[B] Artillery and D/40 TNK made no impression on 75mm guns but no losses from return fire.

[C] 17th Tank Bn held its position but didn’t bother firing. (its Dis anyway) 40th Tank Bn fell back and left 48th to cover against the A/T guns. (48th is Fat 95 so will probably jump a fatigue level next turn) 48th fired 3 times and took out 3 guns (75mm) but lost 7 men.

[D]/[E] I fell back again.

I rested everything I could.

[Plain Ian]

Turn 45 Allied – Spa



[A] 31st Tank (CCB 7th Armd) fires at adjacent enemy plus I use some artillery. Return fire causes no damage.

(B) The105th engages in a firefight but loses out. (14 men lost for 4 killed) I then used artillery against KG Hansen and did however kill 15. (an amazing 11 lost in one barrage!) KG Hansen was showing XXX but now XX.

[C] 155mm used against his armour here (Pz IV's) and 2 tanks destroyed plus 2 Fatigue hits scor. A Bn from the 3rd FJD also hit.
Note I've just realised that this hex is Swamp.......this means his armour is stuck here until it freezes again.

[D] 326th Independent Armed Inf Bn falls back on Spa.

[E] 1-119th falls back to north. My artillery barrage on the A/T stacks knocks out 2 guns.

I can’t see me stopping him taking Spa. I only have 6 23rd TD Bn in reserve and that has M10’s. The 1-36th is a B rated unit so willput up a fight. I can also use the 3-517th and 1-517th to threaten his los I suppose.

[Plain Ian]

Turn 45 Allied - North



There isn't much to see. I've abandoned Monschau and left the defense to the poor 525th AAA Bn. Its a case of sauve qui peut.

[A] The 745th took on the 3rd PGD assault guns and scored an amazing 6 tanks. Hopefully this will Disrupt this unit so that both assault gun units are disrupted. Artillery also fell on supporting infantry units.
Since this is a Swamp hex then his armour is stuck here.

Unfortunately this applies to me as well! Last turn I was wishing for Mud, and now I have it. But I now find I have left a lot of HQ units and 2 artillery Bn’s in swamp/marsh hexes........so now they are stuck as well until it freezes over. If he advances through the Hoes Venn woods then I will have problems.

Be careful what you wish for........

[Plain Ian]

Ok I'm back home with my normal PC so have updated my Excel spreadsheets with results.

Turn Results as per PzC view


Turn Losses (Graphed)


Phase Losses


I've put in Turn 45 results and also Turn 46 as I've just got back Mike's turn 46.

I've not watched the replay just skipped to results. Slightly shocked at losses as the map hasn't changed much? I think I've screwed up at Elsenborn and left a motorised infantry unit in swamp which couldn't retreat when assaulted? Classic mistake No 2.

Will verify this when I sit and watch the replay.

Monschau has fallen which explains the jump in VP's. (500 VP)

Other thing I noticed in my quick 5 minute look at the final positions was that Mike has twigged that Disrupted tank Bn's are easy meat to push out of hexes. Two units dislodged. Even if the hex is Wooded and the tank units have 30+ tanks then a lowly VGD Bn can push it out without probably incurring many casualties or disrupting.

Thanks Volcanoman for those great hard attack factors you gave these VGD units. Its a pity PzC factors can't be split between attacking and defending, as I accept that these units were probably pretty well armed with hand held a/t weapons etc.....but for offensive use?

Anyway I will stop havering and watch the replay.....

[Ricky B]

FYI, taking a hex by assault is a factor of just 2 things - nothing else such as strength/ratings matter outside of the impact on the 2 things - the defender MUST end the assault disrupted and the attacker MUST have at least one unit that isn't disrupted during the assault. So the attacking infantry could suffer 50 losses and the defender none, but if the defender starts or becomes disrupted during the assault, it will "lose" the assault. On the other hand, if the defender does not disrupt, he won't lose the hex, even if only 1 man survives, versus 100 tanks assaulting the hex.

Rick