Allied AAR - CMPzC Campaign: The Road to Eindhoven - Dommelen Battle (hex 1, 6)

[A Canadian Cat]

I hope so 5 platoon has taken casualties now and is in a bit of disarray. I hope to get them sorted out and fight their way to that AT gun. More write up to come later.

[Bil Hardenberger]

Good stuff Ian!

[Kuderian]

First Chappy then Jeremy ;(

 

At least you are safe at the back there Ian!

 

Serious tension there! I thought your other Sherman was a gonna but the smoke must have done the job

[A Canadian Cat]

LOL, I'm not the first officer to lead from behind. Actually there were a number of trees between the fun and that second tank I think that had a larger effect.

[A Canadian Cat]

Minute 12-11:
The other tank from Sgt. Jeremy’s troop makes good their retreat. The AT gun certainly tries to hit them but there are just too many trees between them. Meanwhile on the other side of town now that the artillery barrage has stopped the tanks in support of 6 platoon open fire on the town while members of 6 platoon spend the minute scanning the buildings for the enemy.

 

Figure 143 Escaped

 

 

Figure 144 Send in the tanks

Minute 11: Orders
4 troop’s damaged tank has its crew back and the damage is not extensive but the main gun is no longer operable. They get orders to withdraw and head for the repair depot. 6 platoon with their supporting tanks form up a full on assault of the right hand side of the town. Meanwhile 5 platoon gets reorganized and brings support to bear on the know locations of resistance.
 

 

Figure 145 Withdraw the damaged tank
 

 

Figure 146 Assault plan
 

 

Figure 147 Fire support plan
 

 

Figure 148 Reorganized

Minute 11-10:
The assault on the right hand end of town goes off smoothly – it really looks like the enemy have withdrawn. Orders are to continue assaulting the town at both ends simultaneously.

 

Figure 149 Covering the assault

Minute 10: Orders
I want to get eyes on the area behind the town as quickly as possible – but no quicker – to see if I can catch any more withdrawing enemy units before they leave the battle field. On the left hand side that means dealing with the resistance in the church and that AT gun behind it. On the right I need to get a foot hold in the front houses and see what kind of resistance is left in surrounding houses. If I can secure a group of buildings on the right hand end of town I can get tanks into key hole positions where they can see the enemy’s withdrawal route without being under the gun of that AT gun located behind the church.
 

 

Figure 150 Move up on the church
 

 

Figure 151 Gain the first houses
 

[A Canadian Cat]

Minute 10-09:
On the left hand end of town my men continue to take fire from the church and towards the end of the turn one team moving up under the cover of a building ends up exposed to another enemy fire team between some buildings. On the right hand side of town entry is made into the first houses and no resistance is encountered.

 

Figure 152 Firing

 

 

Figure 153 Kicking doors

Minute 09: Orders
More orders continuing the assault on the town. On the left end of town that newly found team (same ones that we later learn killed Sgt. Jerremy) needs to be dealt with. They get some direct HE fire and closely followed by two fire teams assaulting them. On the other side of town more door kicking protective fire on nearby buildings and the rest of 6 platoon move forward.
 

 

Figure 154 Dealing with the new threat

 

 

Figure 155 Moving forward

[Heinrich505]

IanL,

  Man, that was tough.  Jeremy was just heading to the nearest point of safety and chose wrong.  His driver was no doubt probably still stunned from the impact of the shells on the tank and had no time to think, let alone react.

 

  Following with great interest. 

 

 

Heinrich505

[A Canadian Cat]

Yeah it is too bad - just go the other way around the building and he would have been with friendlies.

[kohlenklau]

What is the exciting conclusion of this battle?

[A Canadian Cat]

Not quite there yet. I am a few turns behind in my write up but it looks like the right side of the town is abandoned and the church side resistance is greatly reduced.  That at gun behind the church is toast.  Stand by it will be over soon.

[A Canadian Cat]

Minute 09-08:
The Germans attempt to flee. They don’t get away.
 

 

Figure 156 Caught

On the other end of town the tanks support the clearing of more buildings. No resistance is found in the town.

 

Figure 157 Tanks move up to support assault

Minute 08: Orders
The orders are basically the same at both ends of town – clear additional buildings. On the right side of town 6 Platoon is clearing buildings on the other side of the street so the tanks can enter the town and everyone get eyes on the area behind the town. Near the church they are trying to organize to defeat the remaining resistance.
 

 

Figure 158 Clearing
 

 

Figure 159 Move up on the church

Minute 08-07:
The last of the enemy team that took out Sgt. Jeremy is dealt with.

 

Figure 160 Around the corner

Disaster strikes. One of my tanks parks just in the right spot to be seen by that AT gun behind the church and is taken out. This one is totally my fault because I knew it was there and did not do the scouting to notice that the location could be seen from there.

 

Figure 161 Scratch another Sherman

Minute 07: Orders
Get the tanks into the cleared edge of town. That will keep them away from this AT gun and allow them to fire on any retreating enemy they can. At the other end of town continue to move into a position to take the church.

 

Figure 162 Move the tanks up into cover

 

 

Figure 163 Closing in on the church


Minute 07-06:
Finally tanks get a chance to fire on the retreating enemy. Sadly they seem to have mostly made it to the woods. Over near the church they are filtering away but I am still taking fire from the church so not everyone has left.
 

 

Figure 164 Firing on retreating enemy
 

 

Figure 165 Got away

[A Canadian Cat]

Minute 06: Orders
Fire on known locations of retreating enemy and clear more houses at both ends of town.

 

Figure 166 More retreating
 

 

Figure 167 Advance


Minute 06-05:
The AT gun behind the church is confirmed abandoned the crew has managed to escape. Wait what? There is an exit zone for the enemy right there behind the church. Oh that is disappointing. No wonder they are hanging around this end of town longer cause they can slip away without crossing a distance of open ground.

 

Figure 168 Confirmed AT gun dealt with

 

 

Figure 169 Retreating

Minute 05: Orders
More clearing buildings on the right side of town plus firing on the enemy in the woods. Also the church assault will begin and the tank and more of 5 platoon are heading to positions to get eyes on that exit zone. I want to stop as many enemy from leaving as possible.

 

Figure 170 Work down the row
 

 

Figure 171 Assault the church



Minute 05-04:
That worked. Several more enemy casualties plus three surrendering but a few did get away.

 

Figure 172 Enemy surrendering

In the church the Bren Gunner fired up the stair and eliminated the MG42 gunner that had been keeping 5 Platoon back for all these turns.

 

Figure 173 Got the MG42 gunner


Minute 04: Orders
One section will make a dash to the woods covered by the tanks. I want to get eyes on the location where the last AT gun was located to find out if it is, still there or not. At the same time the church tower is getting cleared.

 

Figure 174 Head for the woods
 

 

Figure 175 Clear the church
 

[A Canadian Cat]

So, I am all caught up now.  There are 4 minutes left.  There are still a few houses in the town to check and the Church is not clear.  I do not think many enemy troops are left in the town.  I have a section heading to check on the final known AT gun's location.  If I can get that intel on the AT gun I also have a section positioned near the village.  They can do a lot of building checking if they have tank support but time is running out on actually taking the village.

[General Jack Ripper]

Looks like you've cut off the enemy escape route.

[A Canadian Cat]

Finally, but I fear most of them have already left.

 

A case of closed the barn door after the horses have left

Edited September 15, 2015 by IanL

[kohlenklau]

Excellent AAR!

Those naval troops didn't seem to have any panzerfausts....

[A Canadian Cat]

No, they do.  I have seen them on some of the casualties.  The only place I got close enough to even think about using one was by the church but the volume of fire I kept pouring in there was pretty large.

[ChappyCanuck]

Nice AAR Ian. I have been watching the movies and following along.  That's a great screenshot of the soldier in the church shooting the MG42 gunner!

[A Canadian Cat]

Yeah I like that one.  Except for the cement shoes :).  It took a lot of fiddling to get that shot just right.  I could not get muzzle flash though - there did not seem to be any.

[nathangun]

Excellent AAR Ian, a slice of bad luck with that tank but that's the fortunes of war old chap.

Lets hope our attack has thrown a spanner in Jerry's defense. 

 

[Baneman]

Nice AAR Ian. I have been watching the movies and following along.  That's a great screenshot of the soldier in the church shooting the MG42 gunner!

Yep, Real Men use a Webley, sod the Bren

[Heinrich505]

IanL,

  Wow, really great AAR!  It was very well done.  We were right in the thick of things all the way. 

 

Heinrich505

[A Canadian Cat]

Glad you enjoyed it @Heinrich505 I kind of felt like a skimped a bit on this one but I did try to make my screen shots count.

[kohlenklau]

The battle is complete and the allies have taken the hex. I will do the analysis and report back in each team's thread...

[ChappyCanuck]

Congrats Ian!