CMBN - Flowers of the Forest AAR

[Stonecutter]

Defending Vital Ground (H+30 to H+40)



Grotz’s panzershrek team takes aim at a Churchill threatening DP1. Beside him, a Mk IV is somehow unable to detect the 5 Churchills that are less than 200m away. Grotz makes another disparaging remark to his loader about panzer crews and their "iron" brains!



Grotz cheers as the warhead strikes home, destroying the British behemoth.



As Grotz cheers his victory, Siebel curses while a second AP round from his main gun bounces off the Churchill’s thick hull plating. Several rounds later, his gunner finally locates a weak spot and kills the enemy tank.



DP1C is shored up while the FOO registers his artillery fire mission. He informs Battalion HQ that DP1C must hold for at least another 10 minutes – information that doesn’t make Henrichsen’s 4th platoon or the scouts defending the position any too happy considering the overwhelming British forces they are facing.



A brief respite allows DP1C’s defenders to catch their breath as British armour cleans out the now abandoned DP1A. The rest is short lived however as the infantry hunkers down and panzers close their hatches when heavy artillery rains down on the position only a couple minutes after it is fully occupied. While the defenders aren’t caught in the open, the incessant shelling continues to inflict casualties and keeps them suppressed. Perhaps the only consolation is the knowledge that the British infantry dare not advance for fear of “friendly fire” – precious time is being bought with their blood that may allow their own artillery to seek retribution.