You spend the last 40 minutes waiting around, as you are supposed to wait until 1700 to initiate your attack on Stonne. No sign of German activity in your area.
To the south there are lots of French forces in motion.
Some confusion reigns among your troops, since the intercepts were apparently not forwarded to you co. commanders as you wished (i.e. Lee doens't keep copies of the massive correspondence that goes on...) Following the spirit of your instructions, infantry advanced to the left as instructed and encountered numerous German tanks. Although momentarily suppressed, they recovered and set up a strong base of fire, suppressing the Nazis and allowing your tanks to maneuver for a shot without being seen. Rather than standing their ground, the German tanks withdrew before you could fire upon them.
On your right, some of your tanks detected German infantry and advanced ahead on the oportuning, sending a line of German infantry running to the rear. About a company of German infantry was defeated, with the loss of one French tank in close combat. These German forces were located around hex 32.28.
You continue the attack (with tanks) against the infantry enclave, and with some judicious overrunning, you drive most of the infantry away. They retreat across the open plain to the woods SE of your position. One group of infantry is still holding out, but you have subjected it to strong fire.
Guns in position north of Stonne on the slope take your tanks under fire (visible at the edge of the woods). You don't lose any tanks to their fire, and return fire. Your spotter calls down a bn fire mission, blanketing the area with 75mm shells. The fire from the guns lightened considerably after that.
Your infantry cautiously advanced to the tanks in the woods trying to exterminate the last German infantry.
You advance as ordered to about 100m from the edge of the woods, encountering no resistance. You send an AC into the woods at the northern edge. It runs into a large number of AT guns, and was destroyed. You then sent your infantry to clear out the AT guns. The infantry engaged them, and pushed the AT guns back about 125m without any losses.
Your other tanks cautiously entered the main body of the woods. While you didn't encounter any tanks, there are signs that German tanks were there quite recently. You are about 1 hex into the woods.
Not much to report here. Even though YOU forgot your Op Sheets, your company commanders didn't, so 1st co. moved out at 1420 to prepare for the assault on Stonne with the infantry at 1500. 2nd co stayed to ambush any German infantry moving into La Besace, but the whole column backed up a bit and moved west into the woods, out of your effective range. Almost like they caught wind of you or something. So 2nd co. is still in position at the northern end of La Besace. They were unable to move north as you asked because that would have put them out of their assembly area.
As OC, 1/67 has been calling lots of artillery fire on Stonne (actually on the ridge just north of stonne). As far as you can tell, the offense is still rolling.
You have your men arranged for the attack, which is to commence next turn. You nervously look out for French tanks, and sure enough, 10 tanks drive south-west along the highway there and in front of your line of departure, ready for the assault, which should begin momentarily.
No sign of Jerry anywhere. Stonne was bombarded and hit by airstrikes.
To the north, some French tanks appeared at the woods edge and appeared to be engaging a co. of II/GD (which looks hard pressed). Your AT guns and IGs opened fire in support of II/GD, and traded shots with about 5 French tanks. A very heavy artillery barrage then hit your positions (before your own spotter could call any effective fire) and caused numerous casualties and the loss of some guns. The situation in not completely clear, but it hurt.
Stonne was also barraged directly for little damage, and subjected to a few ineffective air strikes.
A number of French tanks were seen moving south from Candrieres.
The situation north of Stonne does not seem very good. The French arty really hurt.
You HQ retreated back north a little bit. French tanks hit the Stu.Pio. units in line with the remainder of 3rd co, destroying them. Your mortars tried to help support, but they are fairly ineffective against tanks. Tanks are pressing your last platoon hard, so they may break soon.
German tanks to the north are retreating eastwards in great numbers.
No At guns to be seen.
Great news, eh? :-(
7th co got hit hard by more French tanks, and after some fierce fighting, the co. broke and ran across the open area and into 6th co. positions. Casualties were heavy, and one platoon is still in the north wood cut off and surrounded. French infantry were beginning to advance under the cover of tanks.
A heavy artillery barrage landed on I/GD positions north of Stonne.
7th co. is now without orders and will need to either join an opsheet or have a new one (new ones) made up.
No report
The Sturm Pioniere were overrun by French tanks coming from the south, and have been destroyed as a combat unit :-( Oh well, c'est la guerre, n'est pas?
I haven't heard from you for a LONG time so if you don't get back to me by next update, I'll assume you MIA and hand your command over to another player.
The AT guns are waiting in reserve. French infantry approached their positions from the west. The guns fired, and then moved about 100m to the east. They have been ordered by Lange to commit themselves to an action down south.
Your company was getting pretty nervous in it's position, and rightly so, as French infantry came out of the woods from the SW and advanced towards your tanks. You took them under fire, but were then suppressed with heavy small arms and mortar fire. Under this cover, French tanks advanced to take you under fire. Before they could shoot, your company withdrew on their preliminary instructions to move east somewhat.
No opsheet implemented yet. Working on the Hasty Defense and the Reserve Op Sheet.
The retreat was a little difficult, and has only just begun, as the rear area is congested with AT guns and 6-II-8. Control may become difficult with all the mingling of troops.
For the moment the company is safe, but the French are apparently in pursuit.
The Lehr is hazy on your instructions, since I [Lee] don't save messages that you send to other players. Thus I couldn't apply anything to them. If you want to give them more specific instructions than you already have, please do so! They were hard pressed by advancing French infantry on their northern flank and were forced to withdraw a hex or two. Soon they will be at the outer limit of their 5-hex radius.
Sturm Pioniere were hit by French tanks and destroyed. Now the only thing between your the French and your rear area along the main N/S road there is a platoon of I/GD and the mortars.
6-II-8 is heading east to take up positions north of 4-II-8 according to the instructions it is operating on.
Confusing, aint' it? :-)
Your unit withdrew from their positions and headed for the defensive area outlined in the last instructions. They have a Hasty Defense Op Sheet implemented there (from their reserve op sheet).
French tanks were advancing close to you when you withdrew, so it might have been high time to get out of there.
The rear area is congested with AT guns and 4-II-8 tanks which are also withdrawing.
Your column headed for the woods and then continued on their way to point 251. They are not yet at point 251. You encountered no French resistance anywhere. The woods are nice this time of year :-)