BigDork

Considering that there were several more smoke round behind that first one I'm lucky anyone survived. Thankfully they were just around that wall and it made all the difference. I find that little furry critter far cuter than the Marder I just took care of.

TURN 38 Here is an overhead look at the battle at the end of turn 38. The road junction is almost firmly under my control I have one building left to search but I don't believe I will find any Germans. From what I can tell Tiresias has pulled out. With the village cleared I will be able to bring my Priest (red circle) around, allowing it to have a clear line of sight on much of the remaining German held ground near the windmills. Once my Priest is in position and ready to provide some serious HE support I will order my platoon (orange circle) to come over to the other side of the hill and start circling around towards the windmills. If any Germans do reveal themselves and start firing they should quickly be neutralized by the Priest. My other platoon (yellow circle) is going to sit tight until after the other platoon has done a sweep and moved in towards the windmills. I have also ordered two off-board 81mm mortars to barrage the top of the hill in preparation for my final assault. On the left of this picture is a HQ unit I have scouting around to the back side of the windmills. Their job is to slowly move forward and if they come on fire I will have them hug the ground and call in some mortars on the Germans firing on them. The momentum is in my favor and we're nearing the end of this battle. Unless Tiresias has some big surprise waiting for me near the windmills I think this battle should be wrapped up in the next 10 minutes or so.

TURN 17 Penry surprises me this turn by suddenly pulling back approximately a platoon of infantry away from the hedgerow they'd been firing from for several minutes and sending them towards the farm house. My first thought was there was an incoming artillery strike but why would he pull back from his own position if that was the case? I'm thinking Penry has decided that it's just time to set up a new line of defense. He might have erred here though. I am still somewhat stalled and while I've been working on moving my men forward on the right flank it's been slow going as I haven't seen a real chance to push forward. With his men suddenly all pulling back it's given me a chance to move up and hopefully find a break in his line. I have ordered one of my platoons to rush forward on the extreme right and if they can make it safely to the next line of hedges I think I can get in behind Penry. On my left flank a couple more spotting rounds impact. I had just recently moved my men back up to the bocage here but they weren't going to stay, even if there wasn't the threat of an incoming barrage. I have ordered all but the last surviving member of the destroyed platoon to shift to my center to counter Penry's movements down the side road. The one sentry I'm leaving behind is armed with a LMG and should be able to at least give me a slight heads up if Penry probes forward on my left. However I think that the battle has mostly shifted away from this side of the battlefield.

Him having so many tanks at least gives me some slight hope because it means he really can't have much infantry. The big problem I see is that this is Sicily and I don't have 'fausts and 'schrecks to deal with all that armor. I have zero clue how I'm going to pull this off but I'm sure gonna try. I find a PBEM game more enjoyable when I'm doing an accompanying AAR. Also I figure there are a ton of people out there who like me really enjoy the things and I'm glad I can provide for everyone interested. I just hope they don't mind watching me lose horribly this game.

TURN 3 - 4 The third minute of battle sees Echo ordering three of his Shermans to open fire on several buildings bordering the woods my infantry has moved into. I'm sure he is hoping that I have positioned men in there to ambush his advancing forces. Lucky for me that isn't the case and all Echo is doing is wasting HE and also removing potential cover for his men. It takes just a little more than a minute for some poor Italian family's house to be reduced to rubble. Echo also has one of his Shermans fire on the middle farm where I had placed one of my MG42s. My machine gun had not opened fire due to a very short covered arc so my guess is he was just taking shots and hoping to get lucky. In this case he did and with one shell he managed to take out all but one man in the team. I blame their deaths on my poor decision making. When I saw on the first turn that they machine gun had direct LOS on the tank I should have ordered them to pull out. I'll not make that mistake again if I can help it. My mortar strike I had called in on the American forward observer was still 4 minutes out when I discovered that one of my 81mm mortar units had direct line of sight on the FO's position. Losing his FO should set Echo back a bit, at least I hope so. Especially if he has some artillery that is dependent on a forward observer to be called in. I figure I have one turn to take out the FO team before I'll need to order my mortar team to vacate their position and move somewhere else. As soon as Echo figures out where those mortars are coming from I'm sure he'll reposition a Sherman to deal with my men.

TURN 1 Things get off to a bad start when almost instantly my units in the fourth farm spot several Shermans positioned in the back of the battlefield. They are not moving and look to be placed in an overwatch position. Unfortunately due to their position one of my MG42s is basically useless since as soon as it would start firing they would be destroyed by a barrage of HE shells. 3 American tanks against my lone German one and 2 anti-tank guns doesn't seem like good odds to me but at least I'll hopefully get the drop on his armor. It's the only advantage I have. As the minute progresses things continue to go bad for me. Due to some miscalculations and general stupidity on my part I had ordered one of my scout units to run along the ridge line near the woods fully exposed to the Americans. Not only did this tip off Echo that I was moving men into the woods but my infantry provided juicy targets for his Shermans. From the American tanker's point of view. The turn ends before the Americans can start firing on my Germans but in the next minute several shells fly high and one impacts but falls short and by then my men had ran to safety. A small bit of luck. I'm going to need a lot more of it to succeed here. Not wanting my Pak40 on the left flank to reveal itself prematurely by firing on American infantry I order it to only fire on armor if it comes into their sights. I figure I have two, maybe three shots before Echo starts trying to eliminate my gun. On the plus side he'll be hard pressed to get a spotter into a good position to call in accurate fire on my gun. But I'm still thinking I have only a few chances to do some real damage. TURN 2 Generally I am pretty optimistic about my battles, even when things seem to be going poorly for me. Not so with this battle. I'm pretty sure I'm screwed. It would appear that I am facing at least 7 American tanks. I have no clue how I am going to take out 7 tanks with one PzIV and two ATGs. I'm going to need my tank commander to do his best Michael Wittmann impression if I hope to survive this encounter. I am pleased to note that Echo is moving his infantry forward right where I expected them to come. At least I am somewhat prepared for that bit. I have called in a mortar strike on his FO that I have spotted. I really hope he keeps that unit there for about another 5 minutes.

Echo put out the call for an opponent and I answered. We're fighting a medium sized attack/defend where I am playing the role of the defending Germans. I've been tasked to defend three farm complexes from the advancing Americans. SETUP Here is an overhead view of the battlefield. The red arrows are where I expect his main advances to come from. The yellow are a less likely avenues of approach, especially the one on my right flank. As you will see later on, that is uphill and his men would not have a lot of cover as they approach. My forces consist of... 4x Infantry platoons 1x Heavy Weapon platoon (2x MG42, 2x 81mm mortar) with 2x MG42 and 2x 81mm mortar attached 2x Pak40 ATG with 1x LMG 1x Panzer IVH Casa Mazzarro is the closest farm to the Americans and also the middle farm. I expect Echo to move his men forward along the road using the other buildings for cover and hit Cassa Mazzaro with at least a platoon and support weapons and armor. My plan for the center is to put up some resistance at first and make him bleed a bit before pulling my men out. I don't think this farm is well suited for a solid defense. Instead I want to create a bit of a bulge in the American advance and then hit them from both of my flanks. To defend this farm I have a single platoon of infantry. Casa Guardice is on my left flank and I expect this to be the other farm where a lot of heavy fighting will occur. I expect the Americans to come through the woods and a possibility of armor to swing around from behind it as well. That is why I have placed my Panzer IV here. Also defending this farm is a platoon of infantry supported by a MG42. The Pak40 in the lower right corner is hidden from the woods on the other side of a hill and is providing cover fro Casa Mazzaro. My ATG should have some great flank shots on any armor that Echo may bring into the center. In the top center I have a squad of infantry along with my battalion XO who will be moving into the woods to act as scouts and a forward element to engage the approaching Americans. I have a TRP there and when I know the Americans are close I will be calling in some mortars. Masseria Albasina is the rear most farm and on my right flank. There isn't a very good approach that provides a lot of protection so I don't expect Echo's main advance to threaten this farm at first. I have a platoon of infantry along with a couple MG42s to provide defense of this flank. The Pak40 is able in a position to fire on the center farm as well as the right flank if Echo does move this way. The mortar unit on the right is on the very top of a hill and while somewhat exposed will also be able to provide some excellent direct LOS fire on advancing Americans. There is a fourth farm, located between Casa Mazzarro and Casa Guardice where I have positioned a couple MG42s, the LMG, and an 81mm mortar (just off picture to the right). These units are given covered arcs and for now are just observing and waiting for a good chance to shoot up the Americans. In the top left of this picture are my units that are going to advance into the woods to engage the Americans. I have a tank hunter team hidden behind the bridge and just to the left of them I have an infantry squad that will move towards Casa Mazzarro as my defenders there pull back in order to flank the Americans. There is also a TRP in the gully so that if Echo tries to move men up that way I can quickly and accurately take them out.

TURN 37 The next minute is a quiet one. My men don't make any contact with the Germans. On the hill I am slowly moving forward but also giving my men a rest while I finish up the fight down in the village. Things go a bit wrong at the crossroads when an incoming smoke round lands too close to one of my units, causing a casualty. At the end of the minute the smokescreen is formed and my men are given orders to push in to the last couple buildings. I'm hoping that I'm doing all this prep for nothing and that the Germans have bugged out but I'm certain that won't be the case.

TURN 16 Things continue to not really be going my way. Just as I'm getting ready to push forward on my right flank I spot Penry moving approximately a platoon of men across the crossroads towards the positions I just vacated due to the Stuart. This poses several issues for me... - The biggest is that I'm about to have a platoon of Americans potentially in my rear. I have ordered 1st platoon to take up position on the other side of the hedgerow from the road. What I missed initially and is potentially going to bite me in the ass is a gap in the bocage that would allow the Americans an easy path to get to my mortars. It's going to be another minute until I can do anything about it but I'm going to have to re-position my left flank to protect and also get the Panzer in a location where it can take out the Americans without being in too much danger of a bazooka round. - My FO is trapped on the road. I had left them on the side of the road keeping their heads down due to a couple mortar strikes they were calling in. Well the Americans are running right at them and if I order them to make a run for it they will get all shot up. So for now all I can do is wait and hope that they aren't spotted. I did re-adjust one of the missions in a lot closer to where I hope to bog the Americans down. - I was about to start pushing forward on the right flank. I feel like things are going well on this side and I need to start moving forward so I don't get bogged down. My men have been sitting too long and it's only a matter of time before Penry starts dropping something explosive on their heads. Now I need to give up that momentum though and look at the bigger threat of the incoming American platoon. I'm not in full blown panic mode yet. If I can stop this without too many casualties I think I can do some real damage to Penry. I just need to pay better attention to things and slow down.

Tiresias is back!!! TURN 36 My 81mm mortar team continues to lob round after round at the Marder. Even after the German AFV is hidden in a cloud of dust and smoke they relentlessly fire on hoping for the killing blow... and then it comes. Suddenly a different sort of explosion is heard along with the mechanical death rattle of the Marder. After a couple more mortars for good measure my crew stops firing. As the smoke and dust clear the surviving two German crew men are spotted around their now useless vehicle. Unfortunately I have few infantry near them and they are able to run off out of sight and escape. With the Marder gone my Priest is now relatively free to roam the map. I have to be careful for the odd rifle grenade but other than that I should be safe. Oh, and mortars but I'm not too concerned there. The bigger enemy to me now than even the German infantry is the lack of ammo. I'm about to start pushing the final confrontations in this battle and I'm doing it with dangerously low levels of ammo for my men. With the Marder taken out I'm read to take the crossroads. I would have loved to order my men to put some suppressing fire on the objective buildings and storm it but I don't have the ammunition for it. Instead I order a smoke screen and will storm them. It's going to cost me some men but I feel like it's that or I wait for the Priest to level the buildings. That's perhaps the better idea honestly but I want to save my Priest and it's HE for the windmills if possible.

The PzIV didn't get there in time. It was just too far away to get on the road and engage the Stuart before it could shoot up my guys. In the next minute my Panzer will be on the main road and that should seriously limit the Stuarts movement.

TURN 15 Knowing that the Stuart was coming I had ordered 1st platoon off the road. By the time Penry's tank turned the corner only 2nd squad was left out in the open. Good for the rest of 1st platoon, bad for 2nd squad. Spotting easy targets the Stuart opened up with it's MG and 37mm gun. My men were running as fast as they could but it wasn't fast enough. In a rush to get off the road they bunched up and in a single shot 2nd squad was finished. There are two surviving members who are broken, shocked, and useless to me. On my right flank, my most forward infantry team got tired of trading gunfire with some Yanks a few feet away and ended things with a couple potato mashers. In general things are going really well on my right flank at the moment. We are trading fire back and forth from our respective hedgerows but I really feel I have the advantage in fire power. I've taken one or two casualties, I know Penry has taken around 10 at least. I've still got a long way to go in this battle but that's a start. The first spotting round for a mortar strike I had called in a few minutes back on an American MMG arrives with surprising accuracy. Judging by where I last saw some Americans and where the shell landed I have a hunch there was at least one casualty. Hopefully one of many.

TURN 14 Near the end of the last minute another random explosion occurs on my left flank. This time it is behind one of my squads hidden behind a hedgerow. There is no possible way this is a long range bazooka shot so it has to be a spotting round for an incoming mortar barrage. While it looks to be a lower yield HE I'm not taking any chances and order my men to pull back temporarily. Things really start to heat up on the right flank. I had been slowly moving a scout team forward along the bocage looking for an American infantry team I had spotted a couple minutes before. What I found instead was at least an entire platoon! Suddenly 2nd platoon back in a semi-overwatch position started opening up on the Yanks across the field. At the same time my scout team started firing on American infantry taking cover in the open. After a few bursts of an MP40 two were dead and I'm sure the rest were wondering where they could run off to. Here's an overhead view of the battlefield after 14 minutes. The Stuart has pulled forward and I believe is about to try and engage 1st platoon who is vulnerable on the road. As much as I would love to engage the Americans who are also vulnerable on the road the platoon has no easy way of dealing with even the light American tank. To give Penry something to think about though I had my FO call in two 81mm mortar barrages where the Americans are hunkered down against the hedgerow. Also, since there is possibly an imminent American barrage on my left flank and I had pulled my Panzer IVH back anyway, I order it to swing around to the center. I'm going to hunt it forward towards the road and hope that I catch the Stuart in its side as it tries to engage 1st platoon who is no longer there. I have a ton of contacts on my right flank which leads me to believe that I discovered the bulk of Penry's forces. Since I spotted several units out in the open I have a hunch I caught him as he was trying to reposition is men somehow. Possibly moving forward in a couter-attack or something along those lines. I need to keep pressure up on his men here. If I can disrupt or break his forces that I've spotted then this battle really open up for me.

I'll tell ya... I would have loved to have some demo charges. Damn bocages are a pain to move through when you are constrained to the whatever little gaps you can find. I love seeing another AAR and think it's great you ended up on the same map I'm currently on. I look forward to following your battle. Thanks for taking the time to put this up!

TURN 13 As soon as my Panzer comes to a halt a small explosion goes off just behind my tank. I didn't hear the sound of a bazooka being fired and if it was from a 'zook it was a pretty long range shot. There is the possibility it could also have been a spotting round from an incoming American barrage. For the time being my men and my tank are sitting tight but I'm ready to order everyone to safety if necessary. As 2nd squad, 1st platoon, A Co. engage the Americans at the crossroads they begin to spot more and more opposing infantry. It looks like I'm facing at least 2 squads and possibly an entire platoon. 2nd squad takes a single casualty while trading fire with the Americans and is pinned down but is getting off some bursts of gunfire when it can. I've ordered the rest of 1st platoon to start moving onto the road and will start to push forward. With the two MG42s and the entire platoon I should be able to overwhelm the Americans. 1st platoon, B Co. on my left flank should also be able to provide some fire from their position across the field. 2nd squad is having a bit of bad luck. Not only did the run into what is probably an entire American platoon as they scouted forward but they are also taking friendly fire! A spotting round from one of my mortar teams lands one hedgerow too close and explodes right above 2nd squad. Thankfully there are no casualties but the squad leader does take some superficial injuries. I make it a point to call off this barrage because not only are the rounds falling short but on my right flank my men are moving closer to where the rounds are supposed to be landing. This is a problem with having to wait 6 minutes for the strike to occur and me being too impatient to wait for it.

TURN 10-12 My left flank is in a stalemate which is actually okay by me. I wanted to have Penry at least question if I am committing an attack there. So my initial push there (even if it cost me a squad) and the continued trading of gunfire between the two sides should help convince him. To further convince him I've ordered my Panzer IV over to provide some assistance. In order to get to the left flank my tank had to cross the road which had the Stuart providing overwatch last time I saw it. I figured rushing across the road as only a slight risk. I don't know for sure but I suspect that the 37mm gun of the Stuart would be able to pierce the side armor of my Panzer IV. However my tank would only be exposed for 2 or 3 seconds, barely any time for the American tankers to react. In the end there was no problems crossing the road and my tank was free to continue on to support 1st platoon on the left. With the tank present to provide some heavy support I've called off the 81mm mortar barrage that was still 4 minutes out. I have a feeling Penry will be temporarily pulling his guys out or at least sending them to ground while the HE is flying. On my right flank I'm actually having some success at spotting Americans before they shoot my men up. In the center my scout team spots an American infantry team observing a field next to the crossroads. A few bursts of gunfire takes one American out and has the other spotted infantryman hitting the ground. These Yanks have no easy means of escape and should be neutralized in another minute or two. I'm slowly pushing forward on the right but I am cautious to reveal too soon that is where I'm actually focusing my forces. For now I've got most of the hidden from observation behind hedgerows. I managed to spot a MMG near the farm house and have called in a mortar strike on their position. It is 5 minutes out so I'm hoping that they will still be there when the 81mm HE starts dropping. There's still a long way to go in this battle and I have to fight my natural inclination to rush forward. I need to be patient and let things play out. Otherwise I'll end up with another squad wiped out in a matter of moments for little gain.

I sure do love making AARs but I love reading them even more. Thanks Wanderer! edit: And I see you're a GWJer. Neat! While I don't really venture to the forums I never miss the Conference Call.

If anyone is interested, Penry is posting his side of the AAR here - BigDork vs Penry - Allied Resistance

TURN 9 Contact is finally made and our first encounter ends very poorly for me. I lose all but the LMG gunner from 3rd squad on my left flank. They were moving up, hiding along the hedgerow but unfortunately the Americans were in front of them and they had zero cover. It was a massacre. Terrible and unforgivable on my part. I should never have sent the full squad up like that. Here you can see the Americans and just how easily I set them up to annihilate 3rd squad. The rest of the platoon is back behind the next line of bocage and they do start to return fire but there is little that can be done now to save my fallen infantrymen. Now it's time for revenge. Here is a view of where my men are at the end of 9 minutes of battle. On the left flank you can see where the Americans are. 2nd squad is moving further left to join 1st squad and the LMG team in firing on the Americans. I have ordered my HQ unit to call in some 81mm mortars on the hedgerow where Penry has his men but it is 6 minutes out. On my right flank, the big yellow dot is an American infantry team I spotted and have begun to fire on. Thankfully I spotted them before they had a chance to fire on me. Even more luckily, they have a bazooka so taking out this team will mean one less anti-tank asset at Penry's disposal. My plan is to use 2nd platoon as overwatch on the bocage in front of them while 3rd platoon hooks around right to apply some pressure. The purple arrow in the center is a scout team I'm moving forward to take a look across the big field towards the farm house. I'm hoping to spot some sort of activity though I'm doubtful I will. I'm debating moving the FO over and calling in the 120mm mortars on the house. I would say it is a safe bet that Penry has some guys in and around the objective. I think I'm going to hold off for now though since I'd rather time the big barrage to an attack. Right now I'm still just trying to feel out where the Americans are so I can start calling in the mortars.

TURN 4-8 8 turns down and I've still only seen the Stuart at the beginning of the battle. I'm slowly moving forward but things are painfully quiet. I think I'd rather prefer some shooting to this tension.

Unfortunately no. He's busy right now so it'll be one-sided. Hopefully at the end of the battle he can pop in and say a bit about it though.

Partially it was the absence I felt with Tiresias gallivanting around Scandinavia. I've been wanting to start up a game with Penry for a while now and had enough free time to balance a second game. I always enjoy doing AARs of my game so everyone gets to enjoy or ignore my story. Due to some feedback I'm gonna start lightening up my screenshots a bit. The dawn light is a bit on the dark side.

TURN 1 - 3

SETUP The Americans continue to expand from their bridgehead at Normandy and must be stopped. A group of Yanks has taken refuge in and around a farmhouse surrounded by bogace. It's my task to counterattack the Americans and push them back towards the sea. I have the following forces at my disposal: - 1st Battalion Panzergrenadier -A Company Panzergrenadier -- XO -- 1x panzerschreck team* -- 1x forward observer w/ 120mm mortar battery* -- 3x rifle platoon -- 1x heavy weapons platoon --- 2x MG42 team w/ ammo bearer --- 2x 81mm mortar team w/ ammo bearer & truck --- 2x 81mm mortar team* --- 2x MG42 team - B Company Panzergrenadier -- 1x rifle platoon -- 1x LMG42 team* - 1x Panzer IV * Indicates attached unit On my left flank I have set up my mortars in the back of the map out of sight of the enemy. 1st platoon of B company along with the attached LMG will support my far left with 1st platoon of A company along with two MG42s will take the left center. The Panzer IV is going to sit tight until I can locate the Americans and find a safe place to set the tank up. These bocages are a horribly dangerous place for armored vehicles. 2nd and 3rd platoon of A company along with the rest of the support units are on my right flank. This is going to be a nasty fight. It is going to be very difficult to drive the Americans from behind the hedgerows. My plan is to move forward slowly and as I am engaged I will call in mortars to blast apart Penry's forces. I'm going to use the 81s unless I'm sure I found his main defenses. When that happens I'll call in the big stuff. My main push is going to be up the right which I'm sure Penry will be expecting. It's the better of the approaches. To hopefully relieve some pressure I will feign left at first and make him think that's where I'm committing.

TURN 34 & 35 The 34th minute of battle is a quiet one. The last of the fleeing Germans from the ambush on my scout team manages to get away behind the safety of a stone wall. On the hill I send a squad forward slowly, hoping to make contact with wherever Tiresias has decided to make his final stand. The only other activity is the Marder moving south to the village and possibly putting some of my advancing infantry in danger. I was correct in surmising that the Marder would prove dangerous. As I tried to hurry my infantry away from the Marder it manages to take out the CO for 3rd platoon. I had hoped that the Marder was out of HE and that is why Tiresias was hiding it in the back of the village. Apparently I was incorrect in that assumption. 3rd platoon suffered a pretty big setback with the loss of their lieutenant. Suddenly that entire platoon became that much more fragile and at a time I cannot afford them to not be in top fighting shape. I am putting the pieces in place for them to assault the crossroads and seize it from the Germans. A huge positive of Tiresias moving the Marder where he did was it came in LOS of one of my 81mm mortars. Right after the AFV took out the 3rd platoon CO it came under sustained mortar fire. While there wasn't a direct hit several landed very close and I am pretty sure I heard at least on German scream out in pain. It is quite possible I will be able to finally get rid of the Marder in the next turn. I certainly hope so since I have ordered my Priest to move forward in order to provide fire support for my infantry taking the road junction. Tiresias is off traveling for work and pleasure for a bit over a week. We'll pick things up when he gets back.