Bulge 16.01s alt

[Plain Ian]

Turn 42 German/Allied



Germans followed up US withdrawal, but with infantry only? The armour in Boevange has been held back in the safety of the village? Michael possibly wants to conserve his armour. He will know that 4th US Armoured has 3 M4 tank Bns around about 40 each and has a pretty good TD bn. However in Clear terrain, and having first fire against my M4’s with his Panthers, surely this would have been a good move?

Anyway lets look at the German infantry moves. He assaulted the 11th Tank Bn which was already Disrupted, using KG (A) and pushed back the battalion. Again it was at heavy cost. (29 men/1 tank - attacker/defender) And there were Disruptions to several German units. The AI defensive was actually quite decent and the US inflicted a further 16 losses in ground/artillery fire.

Unfortunately this assault uncovered the cannon company of 8th Regiment which had limbered up last turn and they were lost to artillery and direct fire from KG (A).

There were some exchanges of fire but most of turn was artillery concentrated on following US units

54th Arm Inf Bn -58 men lost(Disrupted)
2-8th Bn -65 men
2-12th Bn -25 men (Disrupted)
KG (F) and KG (B) actually took disruptions to return/artillery fire.

US counter moves.



I moved up A/60th and pulled out 54th and 2-8th without any defensive fire being triggered.

I then opted to hold my ground and fire where possible. I also concentrated my artillery against the 21th VGD unit in KG (A) but since this is a B Morale unit I doubt if it Disrupted. I lost 2 tanks (1 M5 and 1 M4) to defensive fire.......

The 8th Tank Bn (40 M4 Morale B with 0 Fatigue) devastated the Pioneer unit adjacent to it. The 37th Tank Bn sat it out. (Low Morale)

I pulled back 609th TD Bn (only 5 M18 tanks) and moved up the 704th TD Bn (Morale A and 34 M18 tanks) from 4th Armoured. If he sorties his armour from Boevange then they might add some support. The M18 is a pretty miserable TD with a defensive strength of 4. Leaving it in Clear is not a great idea especially if the AI defense doesn’t fire first against his Panthers. But I need to have something in this hex to allow 19th Tank Bn/2-12thBn/803rd TD Co. to retreat into if he assaults, or if he moves his armour forward and I need to fall back.

I think that he will continue his attacks using artillery to make me pull back but will possibly stop when he has cleared the woods. He seems to be looking for a good defensive line?

KG (A) looked so ripe for an assault but I have nothing there to attack it with.