WWPD Operation Overlord BatRep "Rangers Breakout"

The Americans have landed in force.  Somewhere...Somehow... SOMETHING went wrong.  We knew they were coming, but this?  Here?  All reports showed they would be invading farther North near the Pas-de-Calais.  Regimental Headquarters says this is a diversion, like Dieppe, and the real attack will still hit farther North.

This doesn't feel like any large scale raid!  At Dieppe they didn't drop paratroops like we fought near St-Marie- Elgise.  And now reports show armor and infantry landing en masse on the beaches.

Raid or not...we have been ordered to move to a little village crossroads in Le-Molay-Littoy and secure the crossroads and several key buildings and crossings through the maze like bocage.

******************** PRE GAME ***********************

This was a 1780 point Blind Domination mission between a German Fusilier Kompanie and a Ranger Company, both from the new DDay compilations. 

Germans (SonBae:):  9 Platoons
- HQ with Panzerschrek and Sniper
- 3 Fusilier Platoons
- Festungs MG Plt
- Festungs Mortar Plt
- 2 StuG Platoons
- Festungs AA (37mm en portee)
- Scout Platoon

Ranger Company (Link2Edition): 10 Platoons
- HQ (SMG)
- 3 Ranger Companies
- Partisan Plt (Fearless Conscript)  AKA "The Sparta-sans")
- Sherman Plt (5 tanks)
- M10 TD Platoon
- 81mm Mortar Plt
- Cav Recce Patrol
- Halftrack TD Platoon
- 105mm Arty Battery

The Battlefield:





Americans are the Attackers and choose to attack on the Northern long edge

******************************************************
Turn 1

Our scouts came into town just north of the crossroads, just west of the center of our sector and the reported hearing vehicles coming from east along the road.

 

German scouts head for the 3 point building south of the road while first securing the 2 point bocage crossing.  German FOs enter with the scouts and one just to the east of town.  Americans Cav patrol come barreling down the road to get the 3 pointers...the 105mm Arty FO is with the them.

 

Turn 2:

 

Our scouts have reported an American recce patrol along the road.  It also appears that some disorganized rabble is moving into the Bocage...French Partisans now doubt. and some American infantry in the center as well... Good thing our armored support is right behind them moving into the village right in the middle of our sector

 

 

 

Turn 3:

 

The American FO dismounts and moves into the steeple of the ruined church and the American Cav patrol heads to our scouts!  Americans begin to appear everywhere on the Northern edge...to include Shermans and what appears to be a security section for a tank destroyer unit....joy.

 

End of the Top of Turn 3

End of the top of turn 3 view from the west

 



Now it is time to act quickly....The AA guns move along buildings and one is able to swing around and bring its gun to bear on the recon patrol, killing a jeep with a .50 cal MG!  The StuGs open fire on the poor FO in the steeple...6 shots ring out and after the dust clears we see a pair of binoculars fall to the ground.  With the MG jeep down from the Cav patrol our scouts assault the Cav patrol and kill a mortar jeep and send the Grey hound running as fast as it's namesake.  And we secure the 3 point building!

Turn 4:

American M10s appear in the rubble on the North of town and kill 4 StuGs and send a 5th running...COWARD!!!  Halftracks and Partisans move deeper into the bocage with halftracks taking shots at the 3 point building to no effect.

End of the top of turn 4

Two AA guns move into the street to engage the M10s and the 3rd moves along side the 3 pt point to take on the halftracks.  Their shooting is outstanding, killing an M10 and 2 halftracks!  The remaining StuG kills another M10.  Mortars drop on the Partisans killing a few teams and the infantry move forward..2 platoons to the church and one to the support the scouts.

Turn 5

American return fire kills the AA guns and their platoon leader runs away.  We will deal with him later.  Partisans move closer as does a Ranger Company...both are contesting our control of the 3 point objectives!  The American Tanks move into the open..M10s and the remaining StuG trade shots to no avail. Mortar fire lands on the Partisans again, killing a teams.



End of Turn 5

Turn 6

All chaos breaks out...The Partisans assault the scouts and send them running, taking the 3 point objective in the process...as does the Ranger Company assaulting through a smokescreen into the Church...at least we still contest there.



End of the top of turn 6

The Fusilier Platoon attacks the Partisans and kicks them out of the building and out of range to contest control.  An assault back into the church fails, but we still contest.  The StuG kills another M10, but their platoon leader is made of sterner stuff than the 2 cowards I had who fled.  Mortar fire kills a third halftrack and a partisan....again the American platoon stays even when below half.  Time is running short



End of the bottom of turn 6

Turn 7

Americans move to secure and hold what they have and the Partisans try to assault again, only to be pushed back and to eventually run away entirely. The 3 point building is secure!  A panzerschrek takes aim at a Sherman and hits, only to have the crew bail out.  The remaining Fusilier Platoon attempts to assault the rangers in the church, after some success they are forced to retreat.

But that is enough!!!!!!  The Americans begin to disengage and pull back as our reinforcements can be heard in the distance.

Result...game called due to time with 5 Domination Points for the Germans and only 4 for the Americans with 3 points still contested.  resulting in a 5-2 Axis victory!  ( Germans lost 2 platoons, but since they had 9 platoons at start the first platoon lost doesn't count....so glad I didn't attach the HMGs out).

Great game with Michael as always!