Nothing new to report. There, that was easy!
You continue to push to your objective. German resistance is fierce and flexible. You lose more infantry, 2 MG units and 2 tanks, inflicting only negligibe damage in return. Rats!
Fortunately, as you are running out of steam, the Germans withdraw more, and you fulfill your goal. You are in contact with 3/49 and 6 GRDI above, and they declare the objective secured. So the operation was successful.
This is what I have for your next Op Sheet:
4 BCC + 3/205
Unimplemented: Hasty defense w/i 3 of 35.32 (defending with 43/205 there)
and line 5 hexes or so to the east of that if possible.
At 17:00, withdraw with 4 BCC in line, moving to arrive at 18:00
w/i 2 of 35.20, where you will defend.
Failure: Withdraw to Huttes.
3/45
Unimplemented: Move at 18:00 to the valley north of Stonne to participate
with the rest of the 45th in the attack on Stonne. You will receive
deployment orders from the commander of 45 BCC on site.
Neither of these Op Sheets is implemented yet. What do you wish to do? Start rolling? Where do you want to deploy now?
Next turn you should be able to get a more accurate status report if you remain out of contact with the Krauts.
Nothing much to report. The German arty slackens a bit, so you are able to pull your pinned units back from the woods edge. Counting your troops, you have 9 tanks, and have lost 1 inf. platoon and 2 MG units. Casualties otherwise are light, though a number of platoons have a step on them from arty.
You are in the area of 30.20. Just let me know when you want to head out of the woods into attack.
You push forward and lose some more infantry, but finally you secure the area ordered. Your stacks are 38.32, 37.32, 36.31 and 36.32. Your infantry is almost gone. 3 platoons remain, each with either 3 or 4 steps on it. The Germans fought an excellent withdrawl action. You are no longer in contact with the Germans (though you don't think they are far away.)
What now? This is what I have for your Op Sheets:
6 GRDI (+ 3/49)
Implemented: Attack with 3/49 through area north of xx.30 through Raminoise
to area w/i 3 of 35.32.
Unimplemented: Hasty Defense of north/south roads from La Raillere to
Raminoise (emphasis on Raminoise). You are the screen.
Failure: retreat to Worm.
The operation is successful, so you need to fail your implemented one and start rolling for your unimplemented one. Is that what you chose to do?
Your tanks were having coordination problems with 2/67, since hex-by-hex is really too restraining in contact over 2 turns. The co. commander took the initiative and moved the tank ordered to 41.11 (which cannot be entered by vehicles) up with the infantry and allowed the supporting tanks to move wherever they needed to to offer support.
The combined infantry/armored force hit a thin line of German troops, exploiting holes and surrounding and eliminating a number of concentrations. The French line is around 41.13 - 42.13 - 42.15 now. 6 of your tanks are in support, the other 4 are where they were ordered to. The fight here is going well, though heavy German mortar fire caused a number of infantry casualties.
German trucks towing AT guns were spotted heading down the road from Ramoy to 45.19 or thereabouts. You estimated around 15 trucks (i.e. 6 markers).
Well, cooperation with those tankers is tough, but the tanks seem to listen to your troops more than their commander, so they are of more assistance than might have been the case before.
You have 6 tanks in direct support. You advance along the frontage indicated, and run over several weak German units. One platoon was surrounded at 45.13 and eliminated by fire. You penetrated through the German line, surrounding other units and forcing them to retreat. A flanking infantry assault overran a platoon of mortars firing in direct support of the Germans. You took some casualties, but overall a very successful attack.
German resistance has stiffened in 41.14-14.16. Your units are in 41.13-42.13-42.15-43.15-44.15. Your MGs have not caught up yet, but should join your troops shortly. The Germans are firing small arms and MGs and mortars (though not anymore), so they have no tank or cannon support.
You need to get something worked out with Mattaus, because hex- by-hex direction at this scale does not succeed.
Your infantry moves out to get to its assault positions as ordered. The mortars stay back in the woods (20.03) since they are easily in range of Stonne and prefer to be ready to support you.
As your column progresses across the slope of Stonne, you come under heavy air attack. One of your lead platoons of 2nd co. is completely shattered by Stuka attack (lost), while a platoon of 3rd co. is hit hard, and withdrew. Ugh. You curse your own airforce, which seems unable to keep the Germans from harrassing you.
Your lead units are not at 31.06, with the main body around 28.05.
A large force of French tanks passes you to the south, heading east (came in on the 15.01 road).
Your men feel very exposed on the bare hill.
Your HQ accompanies the attacking troops.
Your mortars lay a covering fire (smoke was deemed unpracticle) and your HQ and sole platoon make good their escape. Before the mortars can retreat, though, they are assaulted in overwhelming force and lost. Ugh.
As your HQ is on the move, you have no word from developments at Stonne yet. The sound of silence... :-)
Next turn your HQ should be at 251 or thereabouts. You spot lots of Germans moving south between pt. 235 and p.t 251. You wish them good luck.
they are settled in, the storm breaks. Very strong French infantry and tank forces attack you around the east/west road from the south. A few minutes later, survivors from 7th co. stream back past your HQ, reporting that the company has been overrun. Minutes later a few mortar men come running back to the HQ, saying that their position was overrun by close assaulting French infantry. 6th co. rushes up to hold some semblance of a line.
After more fighting, you have a line w/ 6th co. at 41.14 and 41.15. You HQ unit is in 41.16. All these units are in contact with French infantry and tanks to the east and south. The tanks are very heavy, with a big cannon, making life pretty miserable for your troops, since the protecting French infantry keeps you from being able to attack them in close assault. With the mortars out of action now, it will be even more difficult.
No report
After feverish staff work, it seems like things are getting a bit more organized. 4-II-8 implements their hasty defense, which cannot move back much further, but which at least allows them to SFA! French infantry and armor move up into contact, but you deal with them harshly, knocking out a number of tanks, and then withdraw. Yup, you got initiative about 4 turns in a row now! :-)
6-II-8 reports having reached 40.20, so the path for Lehr is clear now.
Lehr is centered around 41.19.
Overall, French pressure on you has abated substantially.
You feel like your units are sorted out now and that confusion is not reigning as much as it was.
No reports from 90th or from II/67.
Your tanks advance down the road and reach 40.20, 39.21 and 40.21 unopposed. German infantry is spotted at 42.19.
Well, the die is cast! Your 2nd and 3rd cos move out, reaching the woodline unopposed. The MC recon unit speeds along the road as ordered, not suffering any fire, so your AT guns follow up and meet the infantry. These stacks run from about 43.20 to 48.21. Recon troops in 42.21 or thereabouts contact German tanks in 40.20 which appear ready to support your attack. 1st co, MGs and AT guns are in the woods just north of your battle line.