Guderian's View - Merry Christmas! - Guderian v Feldgeneral Hoth (No peeking Chema!)

Guderian · (This post was last modified: 12-23-2007, 04:46 AM by Guderian.)

Turn 7:

My volksgrenadier platoons in Champs are shelled heavily and take losses, but they surprisingly do not break. The Americans in front of me are broken, but I am unable to corral them into a pocket. As a result, all I am able to do this turn is push the Americans back another hex and capture a 50VP. My advance reveals more American units, but I do not believe they are new. They are units that were in contact with KG Maucke.

The plan for the 77th Grenadier Regiment is to push past Champs as quickly as possible and then attack Hemrolle. Once Hemrolle falls, the 77th will then race to the exit hexes. Assuming losses are even, that will give me a draw. To achieve a minor or major victory, I will have to exit units or achieve a favorable loss ratio. Chateau de Rolle and Savi will not be attacked. I do not feel it is worth the cost.

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KG Maucke does not accomplish much this turn either. 1. panzergrenadier company on the left is not in good shape, but it will try to attack the Americans to the right of Champs. 2. panzergrenadier company will resume the advance to Hemrolle. 3. panzergrenadier company will hold the right. The medium panzer companies will support 1. and 2. panzergrenadier companies. Unseen in the picture, II. panzergrenadier battalion is arriving on the map as well as an assault gun company. The plan for KG Maucke is to attack Hemrolle as well and race off the map. I have a minor loss by the end of the turn.

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Guderian · (This post was last modified: 12-23-2007, 04:49 AM by Guderian.)

Turn 8:

I. Battalion, 77th Grenadier Regiment advances a few more hexes and encounters the American's next line of defense. KG Maucke advances and encounters the same thing.

Judging by the number of 60mm mortars, I think it's safe to say that the Americans have at least two battalions defending. I spotted three 81mm mortars, which I suspect belong to the HQ companies of parachute battalions, so I am wary that there may be a third battalion somewhere.

I captured a heavy machine gun platoon and a section of American paratroopers this turn. My panzers also destroyed another American TD platoon. That means the Americans have at least one TD company which is down to 1/3rd strength.

The third TD platoon retreated out of LOS. Next turn, I anticipate it will either flank me along Marche highway or try for a shot against my panzers which are in LOS of the Americans. I left a third panzer platoon out of LOS with opfire set to long against armor to guard against the second possibility.

Good job to Chema for throwing up a second line. I was hoping he would leave his men in their original positions on the flanks, but that was wishful thinking. I feel that time and distance are against me. I am going to try and blow through Chema's second line as fast as possible by being more aggressive with my armor. If Chema has another TD company out there or ATG's, I will be in for a nasty surprise. I definitely heard sounds of armor moving during the replays.

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Guderian · (This post was last modified: 12-23-2007, 02:47 PM by Guderian.)

Turn 9:

The 77th Grenadier Regiment and KG Maucke are close to meeting at Hemrolle. Chema's casualties are starting to add up, but he is still strong enough to be a nuisance to me. Still, the time is right to push harder and find out what he has left.

If I remember correctly, I have destroyed close to eight parachute platoons. That leaves ten left, if he has two battalions. I know the thereabouts of seven of them, which leaves three, or another company, unaccounted for. That makes sense since I've only seen five 60mm mortar platoons.

Chema has artillery at Hemrolle. I would love to overrun them. My bet is that the unaccounted for company is at Hemrolle, probably with an AT gun since I overran one in Champs and I'm betting each battalion has at least one ATG platoon.

Maybe I really didn't see three 81mm mortars. I don't sense that Chema has nine more parachute platoons running about. If he did, the map would be a lot more cluttered than it already is. I also don't hear that much movement during the replays. The unaccounted for platoons could be holding their positions, but I think Chema is more aggressive than that. He would march them to the fight.

Another TD platoon popped up next to the one that was destroyed last turn. It advanced and killed another one of my medium panzer platoons. I was able to kill the TD platoon with my remaining panzers.

I hope the TD platoons are operating in pairs. Otherwise that means Chema has two more TD platoons out there since I've only destroyed four of them (this assumes three TD platoons per company).

I hope I am close to breaking Chema's back. Hemrolle is probably his last line of defense. Once Hemrolle is taken, I will race for the exit hexes depending on what the losses are at that point. I also need to start thinking of garrisoning what I've captured. The weakest companies will be delegated to guard duty.

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