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[Plain Ian]

Turn 51 Allied/German 4pm Dusk Stoumont – Grandmenil




33rd Armoured Engineers come under fire from armour over the river plus receive moderate artillery. The engineers do not have many A/T weapons but do their best. The enemy reinforce the armour with Grenadiers from the 116th. (full Bn?)
 
The 116th armour group (B) continues to follow the withdrawal, but surprises the Americans by changing direct to sw rather than west.
 
Engineers and Volks Greandiers from the 18th VGD (group C) follow up the retreating 48th and 17th Tank Bn. 8 Pioneers are caught in an ambush as they advance. Retribution from the enemy follows and the 48th is heavily shelled and mortared.
 
At Grandmenil the stalemate continues and the Germans bring up Army Pioneers to strengthen things. 8 men are killed as they take up position. Despite this his position looks weak. The 9th SS Recon unit was disrupted from last turns artillery fire and the 560th VGD is still shaken. (Disrupted)
 
 

US command wakes up and decides that the 33rd Armoured Engineers need armour support. The 740th Tank Bn (Army support unit) moves off but comes under fire from German infantry over the river. (A) They stop to deal with this. Enemy threat looks to be minimal as its clear that this is a company sized unit.

US units continue to withdraw from the 116th but the BRITS are here!!  The 3rd Royal Tank Regiment moves into position and reveals that the 116th have put a weak flank guard at the river crossing. (group B) The rest of 23rd Armoured Bde is not far behind with the 8th Rifles and 2nd FFY. Excuse me if I cheer on the FFY as this is my local unit as I live in Dundee which is right in the middle of this area!!
There is no reaction from the Germans over the river........
 
At Grandmenil there is only one option. Assault! 84th Divisional artillery greet the new visitors (XLVII PzK Pioneers) to a small barrage. (-7) The 1-335th provides devastating fire and (-25) and this Breaks the unit. With all units in the hex Disrupted or Broken, the 3-335th launches an assault. Casualties for 3-335th are not light and I guess in game terms the enemy makes a reasonable withdrawal leaving behind 3 dead and a few guns. The 560 A/T unit is Broken however and this KG is more or less finished.        

Time for the 335th to advance? Which way?

[Plain Ian]

Turn 51 Allied/German 4pm Dusk La Roche -  Magerotte



Not much action in this area. The probe at La Roche has pulled back and on the approaches to Bastogne (Flamierge – Bastogne road) he appears content to dig in and recover strength.

 
At Bertogne-Compogne the 2nd SS/2nd Panzer continues its “ Wald Marsch” following up the paratroopers of the 82nd and the survivors of the 106th.

The 2-505th and 3-504th receive the brunt of direct fire attacks and artillery, although a 26th VGD Bn is hit hard by return fire.

In the south at Sainlez the 2nd SS Recon unit which was hit hard by my artillery has pulled out. Replay showed that it was disrupted.

Apart from that it was all quiet.......zzzzzz



The 504/505th pulls back again along with the 106th unit. The 3-504th holds its corner position and is reinforced with the 2-505th. The 1400 stacking level is easily met as both units have a total of 1,128 effectives. (72% and 78%)

Before pulling back, Div/Corps artillery is called down and the 2nd Panzer loses 3 Pz IV’s and 5 men. The panzers were in clear terrain. The Pz IV unit now drops from XX to X so must have 9 tanks left.

26th VGD is unlucky and loses 26 men to artillery.

The 3-504th, which didn’t move then opens fire on the hapless 26th VGD and another 24 fall. However return fire takes out 7 of my paratroopers. Its not a great day to be a Volksgrenadier in the German Army as everything is falling on these units. 

In the south the 501st clears the road to allow the 26th Division a clear run. The 2-501st bumps into the FBB units but only losses 1 man.

My original plans to send them to Sainlez changed because because it was far easier to keep them moving along the road towards Magerotte. The 818th TD Bn gun the engines of their M10’s and roar into line alongside the paratroopers. They even have enough MP’s left to fire if they chose.....but they don’t. The rest of the Division follows up and the tailback stretches all the way back to Longlier. The Division is lined up like an arrow pointing at Bastogne..........

28th Division meanwhile rests at Recogne. Its going to take quite a few days more for it to be any use. Its fellow convalescent (9th Armoured CCB/CCR) winds south so I can get its HQ in range of CCA which is slowly manking its way north.

80th Div makes a few minor adjustments before night falls next turn.

[Plain Ian]

Turn 52 German 6pm Night 

Turn back from Michael. No mention of last turns losses, or of giving up. His results this turn were pretty good although he has gained no further ground and actually pulled back in certain places. He has NOT pulled back at Spa which is a surprise. He has also made a surprise foray in the south with some Panzer Lehr armour.

The only thing that he mentions is that the MUD has definitely hampered his attacks. I'll check the historical weather but I think the battle actually did have a few prolonged periods of soft/mud weather.

Anyway the VP screen looks  as below -



US lost - 447 men
           - 8 vehicles 

Germans lost - 51 men
                      3 guns
                      1 vehicle

He gained 53 VP's. So on paper it was a good turn for him. I've not watched the replay just ran the turn on and looked at VP and Command Reports. Will watch replay and start posting maps. Not much to see in most cases just artillery so should be quick. 

[Plain Ian]

Turn 52 German 6 pm Hoes Venn



Well the 3-38th was well and trully hammered. It lost 155 men and gained 80 fatigue. (now 182 fatigue) Enemy fire was by stacks and averaged about 15 men per blast. Artillery and mortars also took a heavy toll. Being this close to the original front line means that a lot of Army artillery will be available to him plus Corps artillery.

The 326th VGD Pioneer unit followed up the 1-394th although it disrupted on night movement. He spotted the 3/38 Cav and took out 2 armoured cars. 

He has rested everything else but will probably resume things in the morning. 

The 3-38th will have to fall back and leave the 39th HQ Rgt to its fate next turn. 

I have a lot of V Corps artillery so I will see if I can make a dent in his 12th SS infantry. I probably won't make many ground moves.

[Plain Ian]

Turn 52 German Spa 




Artillery fell on 2-36th which is sitting out in Clear terrain watching the enemy PAK group protecting the flank at Spa. The 2-36th then received some direct fire attacks losing quite heavily. The 75mm A/T guns are quite effective anti personnel weapons....especially when there are 50+ stacked with a VGD Bn. The 2-36th clings to green fatigue with a fat level of 99. Time to pull back? The only slight consolation was that he lost 3 guns and 11 men to return fire and artillery.

The power of the enemy group at Spa was revealed. 3 blasts from the stack, one of which takes out 41 men. The 1-120th is in Town/IMPROVED giving -60% whilst the 1-117th/1-36th group are in Village -30%. Again the 1-120th is green fatigue but just. (88)

The two FJD Bn’s which moved in last turn are pulled back. (A) Both were disrupted by last turns US artillery and obviously vulnerable to assault. Although it would be a costly one for any attacker I suspect?

And that was it. No other firing or moves???? I’m still a bit mystified sometimes by Michael when he gives up chances to fire? I understand that sometimes its better not to fire in order to conserve strength and reduce the possibility of return fire from superior stacks but thats not the situation I see in some parts of his line? Surely it might have been worth while firing groups D and E?

He did not fall back?
 
My moves? Not sure if I want to fight a night battle. I may refrain from firing as well in the north as well and just use artillery and patrolling. I think his position is untenable. It looks like a mini bulge to me. Ideally if he continues to hold then I can somehow try to concentrate for a push on Franchorchamps. So not pushing too hard from the west as well suits me.
 
You’ve got to admire Michael for holding his ground.

[Plain Ian]

Turn 52 German Werbomont



33rd Armoured Engineers receives some nebelwerfer fire and artillery then 3 fire attacks from stack over the river. It loses exactly 5 men in each attack. (possibly the infantry unit is company sized? Or he held some units back?)

All other 116th units were pulled back. 

The spotted artillery unit near Cheneux is probably the Nebelwerfers.
 

So I guess the initiative or onus is on me. Do I start a night battle? Rest? Manoeuvre? I guess rest is silly as I’m relatively fresh with some units, and if I rest he gets rest.

3rd RTR (will have to get British graphics fixed) is a B unit. Everything else (8th Rifles; 814th TD; 638th TD; 740th Tank; 40th tank) is C and reasonably fresh. Manoeuvre? Mmmh.

Equipment is not an issue as most tank units are 30+. An embarrassment of riches........almost 180 tanks facing what....50-60 at most???? No infantry though apart from 8th Rifle Bn. 

[Plain Ian]

Turn 52 German Bertogne



Michael may have given up at Werbomont but at Bertogne he still advances? It looks like he wants as much terrain as possible in order to give him more time to fall back. The road bridge at (A) probably is useful as it prevents me moving forces south easily?
 
My patrols show that the 26th VGD are holding their position but I don't detect any digging? The A/T unit in T mode has just arrived.
 
The 2-505th and 3-504th pay the price for holding and are heavily fired at by the adjacent panzer stack. (B) The 26th VGD Bn must be tough as it didn’t disrupt after my last artillery attack and in fact Michael has kept it in the hex? It would have been better for him to withdraw it and leave his tanks in the Clear hex?

A fresh stack [C] has arrived and occupied the woods hex adjacent to 101st units. (Funnily enough I’ve just bought a book about the 3-506th, but its about the unit during Operation Market Garden) Either he wants this hex for defensive purposes or its a probe?

The FBB continue to dig in on the Flamierge road.
 
My moves? I think 82nd takes one last step back but 101st stands. I’ve plenty of artillery to support them.

[Plain Ian]

Turn 52 German - Magerotte - Martelange



Pretty quiet area so high level map.

The FBB units by Magerotte hold fire (?) and he is content to use artillery on the 1-501st. 

Patrols detect FJD unit in Warnach which I’d already knew was there. Patrols also show that the 88mm guns are still there as well.

84th Division is C class so moving at night is problematic................but a few moves plotted.

[Plain Ian]

Turn 52 German - south



2-22nd patrols see a small garrison in Pratz.

The 25th Cav is surprised when the Pioneer/SPG group [C] is reinforced with Pz Lehr armour. (Pz IV’s) Then out of the darkness a large Battle Group (D) of Pz Lehr armour supported by a 5th FJD Bn appears. Its a short battle and 5 armoured cars are quickly lost, although some of them are lost to the artillery barrage which supports the German advance. The 25th Cav look rearward towards the protection of the woods, but a Pz Lehr recon unit appears (I chased away this unit several turns ago) on their flanks which limits their retreat path now.
 
Patrols from south of the river still show that the Pz Lehr armour by Boevange are still there.

A surprise move but I now know where all of Pz Lehr armour. I guess the infantry is sitting in Boevange. I think Michael’s move is a probe to see what I have here. I’d be slightly worried if he kept going but I can’t see him doing this. Tracked units are pretty good in MUD but don’t get far in Clear non road terrain. So I’m not going to react....because I can’t really.
 
No idea what I’ll do but I’ll think about this when I do my turn in a few hours time.

[Plain Ian]

Turn 52 Allied results



Turn 52 results above plus previous two turns. I've gained 70 VP's from last turn.



Well I didn't quite do as well this turn in killing men but I did reasonably well in guns and vehicles.

I still have to post my turn maps but I'll have to announce the bad news that Michael has decided to surrender as he feels the game the game is now a foregone conclusion and he cannot stop a US victory. I've accepted this as I don't want him to play on if the game is not fun. I also agree that that it feels to me that the US player should be able to steam roller a German player from this point on. I'm not the most aggressive player but in the last few turns I've been able to inflict steady losses and the US reinforcements schedule is only just beginning to kick in.
I'm happy to move on and start a different game with him. 

However the good news is that Indragnir says he will look at the file and play on if he thinks the German player can play on to a Draw. 

Will post my moves shortly.