Bulge 16.01s alt

[Plain Ian]

Turn 59 German VP's



Turn/Phase Losses



I haven't watched the replay just read Cesars email and looked after I rolled the game on. Cesar and I usually exchange pretty frank emails with each other which helps I think sometimes soften the blow.....

So a huge jump in losses. I lost a complete Battalion at Sainlez (3-318th) plus another Battalion there (1-328) lost 100 and was Broken. Plus he also assaulted a few units I believe.

Just to cheer me up the 'mist' has lifted as visibility has gone up from 1 to 2 hexes. My front line is lit up like a Christmas tree now and my tanks were perfect for some 2 hex tanks/88mm fire. The change of visibility slightly stunned me? I had assumed that this was fixed at start of the day like ground ground conditions. Nope its per turn and looking at the wetaher pdt I can see that there has been a chance that it could be 2 hexes for most of the game. I've just got used to MUD/SNOW being accompanied by 1 hex visibility.......

Well at least I can see him better now so I can work out the best way of defending against him now I suppose.

1 more turn of daylight then dusk do visibility back to 1. I might invest in a copy of John Tillers Bulge so I can see the high terrain a bit better.

[Plain Ian]

Dec 22nd 2pm (Snow vis 2 hexes) - the north


His main armour group moved up against my infantry in the clear terrain. Casualties were light considering what he had plus the artillery fire seemed a bit reduced. 

He spread his artillery fire against other units and made no attempt at counterbattery.

I'm a bit puzzled why he pulled back the 277th units leaving the 326th unit on its own. One was disrupted but the other two were not? The 326th must be pretty frsh and he wants to get the 277th units ready for night resting?

The 62nd VGD Fusileer unit successfully assaulted my Light Tank company. It has recovered disruption. 

His set up now looks pretty defensive. With visibility now 2 hexes I cannot see any units supporting the left flank of his armour group?

[Plain Ian]

Dec 22nd 2pm (Snow vis 2 hexes) - Spa


Relatively quiet. 

He shifted his armour slightly in the south. (B and C) I also detected some reinforcements moving along the Francorchamps road behind his two Pioneer groups. Stack A was reinforced by KG Sandig and the 3rd FJD Pioneer unit there recovered disruption.

Thankfully most of 3rd FJD is still disrupted.

With visibility now 2 hexes I'm glad that I had 2-32nd/3-32nd Tnk Bn's down below Spa. Otherwise they would have been target practise for his King Tiger II's in Spa. 

His email hints that things will happen tomorrow and I guess this is one of the areas where it will happen. 

So pull back now or hold? Cast your votes please. 

[Plain Ian]

The North - overview


Situation at the start of my turn.

Last post of the night. Will try and post the rest tomorrow night.

[Plain Ian]

Dec 22nd 2pm (Snow vis 2 hexes) - Werbomont


8th Rifles came in for the usual bashing from artillery and werfers. Their running partner 31st Tanks lost an M4 to fire from the 18th VGD? It looks like the Pioneers are digging in and he reinforced the hex with a unit from the 116th.

The 23rd Hussars lost a tank from the disrupted 18th VGD/116th Pz group and then a further 2 from long range fire from his tanks. 

The 18th VGD was unsuccessful against the the 23rd Hussars but he has reinforced this hex with yet another unit of the 560th VGD.
In fact he has paired up 18th and 560th VGD Bns in quite a few hexes. I guess this is handy for artillery defensive fire. 
The 18th VGD is also digging in? Now this is something I never do. If I dig I don't bother firing? I am just a victim of one of the PzC folklores that digging in but not firing increases the chances of digging in successfully or does it really not make any difference?

His 75mm group took a tank off of the 17th Tanks. I guess if I want to keep this hex I'll have to expect to lose 1-2 tanks a turn here. 

He also reinforced the area around Bra with another Pioneer unit and some more Lt Flak.

I also noticed that he moved another Lt Flak to cover what must have been a gap in his lines and prevent me getting this wood hex. He really thinks about terrain and territory.

Overall the picture looks quite forebidding. However I do see 4 disrupted VGD units in his lines so there is hope. It also looks like he is settling into a defensive position.

[Plain Ian]

Dec 22nd 2pm (Snow vis 2 hexes) - Manhay - Samree


Not that much action here. No artillery at all?

His disrupted 560th VGD Bn managed to kill 3 armoured cars. He pulled back the HQ. If the unit had recovered from disruption then he would have assaulted he said. With no artillery he would have to rely on disrupting my 23 Daimler's during the assault though.

9th SS followed up my cut off units. His PzIV's used T mode and followed the road however they then came out of T mode and fired. 

His SS unit at Samree killed the usual 3 men again, but at least the 3-333rd has finally recovered from disruption.

All my units are now back in supply but the Recce/2HCR is Low Fuel. However I am not out of the woods yet. I'm not sure I will kill the SS unit NE of Odeigne. I have to hope that the 638th will knock off at least 3 and disrupt him to allow me to assault with the infantry. The disruption part is a bit optomistic. I may also move the 3-334th out of the way to allow the 814th to get a few shots in. 
I'll also have to try and take out his Flak as backup using the disrupted D/771TNK at Odeigne to spot for my one artillery battalion available to fire.

[ComradeP]

I never do. If I dig I don't bother firing? I am just a victim of one of the PzC folklores that digging in but not firing increases the chances of digging in successfully or does it really not make any difference?

The manual only specifies that the unit can't start Digging-In on a turn where it has fired and/or moved. Units that are Digging-in fire at half strength, and also defend at half strength when assaulted. As a Digging-in unit can also use opportunity fire during a turn, there might not be penalties associated with digging-in and firing.

As to stacking units of different divisions in a hex: he can then spot targets for the artillery of both divisions.

I'm not actually sure if artillery opportunity fire requires the artillery unit that is firing in support to have the unit(s) it is supporting as a valid spotter, the manual doesn't specify that.

[Plain Ian]

I never do. If I dig I don't bother firing? I am just a victim of one of the PzC folklores that digging in but not firing increases the chances of digging in successfully or does it really not make any difference?

The manual only specifies that the unit can't start Digging-In on a turn where it has fired and/or moved. Units that are Digging-in fire at half strength, and also defend at half strength when assaulted. As a Digging-in unit can also use opportunity fire during a turn, there might not be penalties associated with digging-in and firing.

As to stacking units of different divisions in a hex: it will result in a combined arms penalty when assaulting or when assaulted, but he can then spot targets for the artillery of both divisions.

I'm not actually sure if artillery opportunity fire requires the artillery unit that is firing in support to have the unit(s) it is supporting as a valid spotter, the manual doesn't specify that.

As usual Comrade P you post some interesting and thoughtful things.

Combined arms penalty for the defender? I'd never thought of that? The attacker yes, but it applies to the defender as well? Hmmm.

Also a good point about opportunity fire. I would doubt if spotting applies as well now that you point it out. I just PZC assumed. 

The one thing about mixing though is that it gives him flexibility for offensive artillery fire I guess.

[Plain Ian]

Dec 22nd 2pm (Snow vis 2 hexes) - La Roche


His Pioneer unit has moved off. Most likely onto one of the road hexes but of course he might have plans of running something along the main northern road next turn so might keep this clear?
I'm not sure what I'm doing here. I guess after Grandmenil his 9th SS armour will be heading this way. I'm not keen about digging in with my back to a river but hey ho.....

[Plain Ian]

Dec 22nd 2pm (Snow vis 2 hexes) - Bastonge


His armour continues to take a steady toll of good paratroopers. 2-505th will have to move away. All 4 units failed to dig in here. Bummer.

Further south I get the feeling I might have been conned into staying in the Bunker? His StuG took out 21 men in 3 shots. (7 per shot) Mmmh? Would he have got that if the target was in a TRENCH?