Stonecutter

I also am having the mission 2 problem of my computer crashing after the first minute. I've tried it several times with various combinations including having absolutely ZERO artillery called in to start or even timed for arrival but still the same result - crash and burn. Like ChappyCanuck, I am Canadian and would love to play this campaign.

Minna sighed with relief as he watched the 25 pounders drop on the Pak40's. After a few minutes, both guns were destroyed and he radioed this information to the battlegroup so that the advance could resume. For much of this battle he had felt almost useless as the Kittyhawks he had called in had had limited impact on the enemy and had even made the mistake of strafing one of the allied Shermans well away from the fighting. He tried to suppress a rising sense of rage at the lack of artillery support that had been provided for this battle. The mortars had proven useless as they simply lacked the range to extend much beyond the start line and the restriction of 25 pounder ammo and available guns had meant he had been unable to provide any suppressing fire or smoke for the infantry. He knew the infantry had paid a heavy price for the paucity of support in blood as they had continually had to close with fresh enemy. He laughed ruefully as he thought of the "intelligence" briefing that had spoken of the supply shortage the Germans were experiencing. There had been no shortage of German artillery in this battle and his enemy counterparts had used the nebelwerfers and 81mm mortars with ruthless efficiency throughout the long advance to Cider Crossroads, inflicting horrendous casualties on both the RCR and Hasty P's. He would have a lot to add to the divisional artillery briefing tomorrow and none of it would reflect favourably on the planners or staff. There was no doubt that the infantry would have to take a pause and reorganize with whatever troops were left and Minna was dead set that the next time they went forward into battle, the guns would be properly prepared. Major Stonecutter allowed his gunner and assistant driver to liberally spray the woods with MG fire while the tanks of Lieutenant Bertrand and Two Troop lent intimate support to the clearing of the woods. Having crossed nearly two miles of open, muddy terrain under the observation and fire of the Paks and panzers, Major Stonecutter was surprised that he had managed to arrive with half a dozen tanks at OBJ Morning Glory. The superior range, accuracy and lethality of the long barrelled enemy guns over the Sherman's short 75 had been amply demonstrated by the panzer and anti-tank gun crews during this battle. Despite these advantages, Stonecutter felt some grim satisfaction in the knowledge that his squadron had also drawn more than its fair share of blood in knocking out a company's worth of tanks and numerous Paks, not to mention the grenadiers they were mowing down in concert with the RCR. With a half dozen Shermans merely bogged in the mud and a number of the knocked out ones recoverable, he was certain the squadron could be back up to strength within a couple days. In the interim, he would have to make do with what resources he had. The battle was at a critical juncture and it was now time to try and exploit to prevent the enemy withdrawal. Quickly issuing orders to Bertrand to cut off the left flank by driving north of Morning Glory, he raced his own tank and that of his operations sergeant toward the hard pressed C Company which was still under the fire of nebelwerfers. He could see the open fields north of the gully where the Hasty P's were fighting hand to hand against german infantry. If they could join up with C Company, the enemy would be cut off and trapped in a pocket with little choice but to surrender or be slaughtered. While he had no love for the Germans, he hoped they would opt to surrender as fighting would entail more friendly casualties and they had suffered more than enough already. Urging greater speed to his driver as they raced toward C Company, he glimpsed the flash of a the main gun of one of the last panzers engaging some Royals as they sprinted for cover. "Load armour piercing. Gunner be ready to engage once we get to the buildings ahead. Driver, slow crawl and hard left then stop at the next bend in the road." "Loaded" Through the wreckage and smoke, Stonecutter identified the MkIV as his driver brought their tank to a halt and slewed the turret into alignment as he shouted orders. "700, tank at corner of building, on" "On" "Fire" "Firing now, target." "Loaded" "Firing now, target" Stonecutter felt a sickening feeling in his gut as the first round shattered off the panzer's glacis and the second ricocheted without penetrating. He knew instinctively that the enemy crew was likely stunned and injured by internal spalling but the failure of the Sherman's gun to achieve penetration at this range was not only frustrating but extremely dangerous. Allowing his gunner and loader to continue, he continued to watch until the fifth round finally penetrated and knocked out the MarkIV just as it was attempting to reverse. The entire process had taken nearly a minute - an eternity in battle as Stonecutter knew only too well. The new Firefly tanks with their 17 lber guns could not arrive soon enough. While there might be some limitations, the ability to meet the Germans on more even terms with regard to firepower would assuredly more than make up for whatever problems the Firefly might have. "Target stop. Gunner, coax, crew in open, fire when ready." The rattle of the coaxial MG continued for several bursts, dropping the panzer's crew to the ground as they tried to flee. His gunner triumphantly announced their latest victory over the intercom. "Sir, that makes four today! One more and we're aces again in a single day!" There were already seven stripes painted on his tank's main gun so Stonecutter felt some of the same satisfaction as his gunner and crew. They were a close knit group now and he hoped to bring them through the war alive and together. "Good work everyone but keep alert, this isn't over yet. Driver advance to the next corner, co-driver, gunner, fire at anything that comes out of the trees by the top of the gully" As his co-driver and gunner spotted and engaged several Germans fleeing the Hasty P's, Stonecutter received a thumbs up from his Ops Sergeant 200m north of him. While his Sergeant's tank began firing at grenadiers trying to escape the gully, Stonecutter watched Bertrand's troop take out the last panzer at point blank range before engaging other enemy infantry that was attempting to withdrawal from around OBJ Morning Glory. Every enemy soldier that surrendered now or was prevented from retreating would be one less they would have to blast out of a building in the village ahead, or perhaps, in the urban sprawl of the final objective of Ortona itself. C Company under nebelwerfer fire shortly after occupying the area. As a gunner, Lieutenant Minna knows that the enemy must have a target reference point close by as the artillery was brought to bear without any spotting rounds and less than 10 minutes after C Company had arrived. Bertrand and Two Troop push north of OBJ Morning Glory to cut off retreating enemy. The firing of the 37mm from a half track at his Charlie tank allows Bertrand to spot and engage the enemy armour. Even the Sherman's gun proves deadly as the half track explodes after the 75mm steel shot blasts through the engine and into the ammunition. At less than 200 meters range, the MkIV fills his gunner's optical sight and Bertrand gives his gunner a cheer as he manages to knock out the panzer while the Sherman is still moving. With no enemy armour or guns left to impede them, the Shermans of Two Troop close the loop north of OBJ Morning Glory. They mercilessly scythe down any enemy that attempt to flee rather than surrender. Lead elements of 5 platoon, B Company, Hasty P's seize the edge of OBJ Orange Blossom. With the objective taken, B Company finishes clearing the gully by conducting a right flanking as the AC's and immobilized Sherman provide intimate support and suppressing fire from higher ground in front of the enemy infantry. Major Stonecutter races to the aid of C Company which has been hammered by artillery and is under fire from the MkIV north east of their position. Following another unsuccessful attack from a Kittyhawk, Stonecutter engages the panzer after spotting its muzzle flash through the intervening trees. He curses the lowest cost bidder that made his ammunition and tank gun as the first shot shatters and three more are stopped by the MkIV's relatively thin armour. Just as the panzer is reversing out of danger, the fifth shot is able to penetrate as it hits a weakened part of the glacis that has already been damaged by the previous hits. The crew bails out but is quickly killed by several bursts of coaxial MG fire from Stonecutter's gunner. Providing close support, the hull and coaxial MGs of Stonecutter's sherman quickly eliminate the enemy trying to flee the Hasty P's and the fighting in the gully. The loop is closed on the enemy in the gully and woods as another sherman advances with Major Stonecutter and cuts off any avenue of retreat.

Although it is little consolation, the British and American half tracks offer the same level of non-protection :-) I long ago ceased using them as offensive vehicles and they are restricted solely to the role of battlefield taxi. The one saving grace for both the Hanomag and Allied half tracks is that they do offer some protection against artillery. The irony is that the open top bren/universal carriers actually provide good protection versus small arms fire and protect their passengers quite well. Not sure why it is modeled that way but as long as you realize their limitations, they can be useful but there are definitely times when walking is going to be a lot safer!!

"Sir, the Germans are withdrawing, look over there." Captain Minna glanced toward where his radio operator was pointing and immediately picked up the telltale exhaust smoke and vehicle movement. Raising his binoculars to getter a better view, he watched a group of panzergrenadiers board a half track that quickly started heading north along the main road. A couple hundred meters closer, two panzer III's stood watch, carefully protecting the withdrawing infantry. Several minutes later, the closest panzer began reversing north toward a new position. As soon as it was set, its gun still pointed toward Delta Company, the second panzer began its own rearward move, leap frogging the first enemy tank. Minna watched the carefully orchestrated withdrawal with grudging respect and regret. A withdrawal under contact was a difficult tactical manoeuvre and the Germans were executing it flawlessly. The complete absence of allied armour certainly made the task easier. The enemy had pushed Delta Company to the limit and Minna wondered at their sudden decision to pull back just when they were at the point of decisively breaking the Canadian defence. He suspected the recent Kittyhawk sorties and destruction of two panzers by the six pounder ATGs may have contributed to the uncharacteristic caution. In any event, he was only too happy on a personal level to rue the reasons why. The close call with a MkIV and grenadiers coming within 200 meters of him made Minna give a quick prayer of thanks to whoever or whatever was making the enemy withdraw. Pondering the enemy actions for a few moments, Minna tried to think of the situation from the enemy commander's perspective. The Germans invariably counterattacked very aggressively and would only stop with good reason. If a counterattack wasn't intended to succeed, then it must be buying time by trying to throw the RCR Battlegroup off balance. Searching the ground in the distance, Minna's suspicions were confirmed. Further north of OBJ Morning Glory, half tracks loaded with grenadiers and more panzers were making their way into the objective. With the buildings, woods and walls of the estate, it certainly made a strong, defensive position. Examining the ground between his location and OBJ Morning Glory, Minna also noted that a lot of the scrub, trees and even some buildings had been razed to clear the lines of sight. The battlegroup would have to cover over half a mile in open terrain to reach the objective and over terrain that was muddy and very obviously under direct enemy observation and fire. Minna checked his watch and saw that it was still a few minutes before C Company was due to arrive - time enough, he hoped, to adapt the original plan to this new information. "Niner, this is Golf Two Zero, over." "Niner, send over." "Golf Two Zero, SITREP. Enemy attack has ceased, I repeat, enemy attack has ceased. Remaining enemy forces consisting of platoon of Mark IIIs and platoon plus of grenadiers in half tracks are withdrawing north to area grid three-four-one eight-seven-two. Additional enemy forces consisting of platoon Mark IVs, platoon Mark IIIs and platoon of mechanized infantry are entering same area from the north. Ground east and west of main road has been cleared of obstruction approximately 800 metres south. Enemy appears to be occupying a defensive position in current location. Panzers are moving into built up area and adopting firing positions oriented south behind stone walls. Maintaining observation, over." "Golf Two Zero, this is Niner, acknowledged. Maintain observation and report any further enemy actions, out." The rumble of the ground from behind Minna heralded the arrival of C Company and A Squadron reinforcements. Switching to their radio frequency, he listened in while continuing to seek out enemy positions and began to develop a fire plan to support the attack on OBJ Morning Glory. "All stations Tango, this is Tango One, warning order. Higher reports enemy defence consisting of grenadier company and panzer company occupying hasty defence in area grid three-four-one eight-seven-two. Likely mission, advance to contact and destroy. Tango One-Three intimate support India Three, Tango One-Four intimate support India Four. All other Tango calls signs in reserve. Current location is zeroed in by enemy artillery, all stations move to form up points five hundred metres north of current location, Tango One-Four left, Tango One-Three right, remainder as per SOP. Ground is extremely muddy, all Tango calls signs move with care. Orders to follow in figures one-five, Tango One out." Major Stonecutter acknowledged the four thumbs up from his troop leaders and ordered his driver to carefully make his way toward Stirling Castle. The heavy concentration of friendly vehicles and troops in the assembly area would certainly bring the usual swift German reaction and he was determined to get his troops away before the stonking began. While the infantry of Charlie Company sorted themselves out into the bren carriers, his squadron's tanks all began moving away. With any luck, the movement of his squadron would draw the enemy's attention away from the vulnerable infantry. Keeping a close eye on the distant enemy position, Major Stonecutter almost missed the drone of aircraft engines overhead. The engine noise seemed odd for the Kittyhawks he knew were supporting the battlegroup and he glanced skyward. Stunned almost to disbelief, he saw a Messerschmitt 109 with its distinctive crosses swoop down, strafing and dropping a bomb toward the rear of the assembly area. Until now, Stonecutter had only seen one enemy aircraft as the Luftwaffe had restricted their activities to night raids. The overwhelming allied air power generally meant a quick death for any German aircraft bold enough to fly in daylight - or at least that is what the fighter types like to brag! As the 109 performed a high gee turn and headed for home, he almost laughed at the bravado of the allied pilots. Listening to the Battalion net, he heard the FOO, Captain Minna, sending in the enemy aircraft report. Ironically, the 109 had actually done them a favour. Its single attack would draw every allied fighter around for the next few days as the pilots sought to add an air victory to their tally. The presence of more air power would boost his own troops morale and decrease that of the enemy. That Captain Minna would be able to press gang the fighters into doing a few more ground attack missions was merely an added bonus, as was the ability to now immediately silence the air cowboys the next time they started boasting! Grenadiers run to mount up in a half track while a Mk III covers their withdrawal. Minna's close call with a Mk IV only minutes earlier leave him too thankful to question the good fortune of the enemy opting to pull back just when they were about to tear into a nearly defenceless Delta Company. In the distance, Captain Minna observes the arrival of a reinforcing platoon of grenadiers and a Mk IV panzer into OBJ Morning Glory. After determining the ground south of the objective has been cleared, he sends a SITREP to the battlegroup HQ to warn them of the additional preparations. It looks like OBJ Morning Glory will be well defended and a swift hasty attack is unlikely to succeed. Taking advantage of the lull in fighting, a crew of a six pounder decides to deny the Germans the ability to recover their vehicles if they resume the attack. The number 2 loads a 57mm armour piercing shot into the breech. Just over 100 metres away, the first half track is hit. The flash of the metal penetrator ripping into the lower hull causes the gunner to cheer with savage glee. At first, it appears nothing vital was hit and the crew prepares another round. However, the commander orders the second half track to be targeted when he spots smoke beginning to rise out of the turret compartment. The smoke turns to flame and quickly reaches something critical. The rear half of the vehicle is blown apart in a spontaneous explosion of all the remaining 37mm ammunition and fuel. The six pounder crew are knocked over as they are hit by the ensuing blast wave. Major Stonecutter quickly orders A Squadron to disperse and prepare for a hasty attack. The tanks steadily make their way across the thick, muddy field. The Canadians are caught by surprise when a ME 109 attacks the Vancouver assembly area.

Following the hard fought victory at San Leonardo, the newly minted Captain Minna had been assigned to Delta Coy, RCR as they pushed forward in pursuit of the retreating German forces. The mud, mined roads and miserable weather made it nearly impossible to fully exploit the gains of the previous day. With their typical efficiency, the mixed force of panzer grenadiers and fallschirmjagers had blown craters in the road, created obstacles and done everything possible to make life difficult for the Canadians. Notwithstanding these challenges, Delta Coy had advanced to the top of the river valley and now looked out over gently rolling terrain leading to the Cider Crossroads. Scanning the area with his binoculars, Minna made careful note of potential enemy routes of advance and began mentally planning potential fire missions. He watched the rather haphazard arrival of the battalion anti-tank platoon and their six pounders while Delta spread out over several areas and started digging in. The squawk of the radio grabbed his attention as the Delta company commander summoned him to orders at his new location. Minna looked nervously at the house where the Major had established his HQ. Located at the top of the rise near several buildings, he instinctively knew it would be a reference point for his enemy counterparts to shell. As he approached the area, he felt his insides tighten when he spotted the distinctive shell holes of what he strongly suspected were ranging rounds. Less than half an hour later, Minna and his remaining observer team members made their way to a rather non-descript clump of trees several hundred meters north of Delta Coy HQ. The speed of the German counter attack had come as a surprise as it caught several of the ATGs in the process of deploying with predictably fatal results for the gun crews. The two Shermans had been quickly picked off by the superior gun and optics of the Mk IVs from a range of over one mile. A cautious advance of infantry and armour had been supported by German artillery, the latter of which carefully targeted the surviving anti-tank guns. Minna's instincts had been confirmed when a corps level mission of heavy guns had nearly taking out himself and the rest of Delta HQ - he had barely managed to make his escape when the shells started falling. Grabbing a section of Delta company survivors as close protection, he had pushed forward to where he could better observe and aid in the battle. While German armour and machine guns were superior to those possessed by the soldiers in the RCR battle group, Minna was keenly aware that those same soldiers were looking to him to exploit the allied advantage in artillery and air power to make up for these deficiencies. Spotting several panzers and a couple half tracks assembling along the road to Casa Berardi, he plotted the grid on his map while his radio operator tuned the radio to the air frequency. For once, Minna was pleasantly surprised that the radio worked and quickly tapped into the close air support network. "Kitty lead this is Golf Two Zero, target, over" "Golf Two Zero, this is Kitty Seven in the rank, send target over." "Kitty Seven this is Golf Two Zero Target. Golf November Three-Four-Six Eight-Fife-Four. Panzers in woods along road, 700 yards north-east of Stirlin Castle. Destroy, over" "Kitty Seven, roger, rolling in" Minna watched as the Kittyhawk flew by at well over 4000 feet in altitude, a distance from which he would be unlikely able to spot an entire village let alone a group of panzers. Cursing to himself and at the pilot, he figured there was little hope of help this time. Most pilots were unenthusiastic about ground attack missions as they were far more dangerous and less glamorous than air-to-air combat but with the complete absence of the Luftwaffe, they were the only reason for air power in this battle. "Golf Two Zero, this is Kitty Seven, no target observed, heading to stables." Shaking his fist in frustration, Minna continued to watch as several German vehicles closed in on Stirlin Castle, threatening the small group of RCR scouts occupying the area. Despite the complete failure of the last mission, Minna observed that the Germans were moving more tentatively with the knowledge that Allied fighter bombers were nearby and ready to strike. Activating the radio, he toggled the switch. "Kitty lead, this is Golf Two Zero, target over." "Golf Two Zero, this is Kitty Niner in the rank, send target over" Pulling the pin on a smoke grenade, Minna tossed it ahead and let it billow for half a minute before continuing. "Kitty Niner this is Golf Two Zero Target. Golf November Three-Four-Four Eight-Four-Seven. Panzer and half track in open, 700 yards north east of purple smoke, 200 yards west of Stirlin Castle, destroy over." "Kitty Niner, I have the smoke, rolling in - Tally Ho." "Kitty Niner, bombs away, rolling out, explosion seen." Minna watched the dark object fall from the Kittyhawk to land just beside the halftrack with a massive blast that rocked the vehicle. "Kitty Niner, rolling in, going with guns." At tree top level, the Kittyhawk screamed over the battlefield and unleashed a hail of 0.50 slugs into a previously disabled panzer but caught a number of stunned panzer grenadiers that were still recovering from the initial bomb attack. "Kitty Niner, heading to stables." Minna knew that the purple smoke was a clear indication of his presence and that the Germans would soon react. Far more quickly than he would have liked, he heard the sounds of an approaching MkIV and then spotted it along with a number of grenadiers jogging along heading in his direction. Waving to Sergeant Picard, the commander of one of the six pounders dug in several hundred yards south of him and his men, Minna pointed to where the panzer was coming from and observed the thumbs up from Picard through his binoculars. As the panzer crested the rise, one of the new crews just west of Picard opened up and missed high in their haste, having obviously forgotten to adjust their sights to short range. The MkIV responded almost immediately, destroying the gun in a single shot. The sound of the tank engine drew ever closer and Minna and his men began to engage the accompanying grenadiers. Just as the panzer spotted them and was traversing its turret, the bark of a six pounder interrupted the movement and hammered the side of the tank with devastating impact resulting in an almost instantaneous detonation. The flame, shrapnel and blast ripped into the grenadiers and they quickly retreated away from the flaming wreck. The destruction of the half track and willingness of the allied pilots to strafe at low level was forcing the Germans to slow their advance even further. Minna's mind raced as he thought how to exploit this gift of time. Spotting a collection of enemy vehicles in the same area where Kitty Seven had failed miserably, Minna again radioed the waiting fighters and prayed that he could help stave off the German advance until more reinforcements arrived. A 500 pound bomb from the Kittyhawk drops almost on top of the German halftrack. The ensuing blast destroys the half track and stuns nearby grenadiers who are soon cut down by the multiple 0.50 from the Kittyhawks carpeting the area. The tell tale purple smoke draws the attention of a short barrel MkIV and accompanying grenadiers. Minna can see the panzer heading directly at him and hopes that Sergeant Picard is ready to engage before it arrives. The new crew takes cover after its gun is destroyed while Picard makes no mistake and his first shot penetrates the right turret of the MkIV. The steel penetrator immediately causes a cook off of ammunition and fuel inside the panzer, immolating the crew. The shock of the blast wounds some nearby grenadiers and the remainder beat a hasty retreat.

Now that I've got a few turns under my belt, I'll put together a quick update for tomorrow. Just collecting enough screen shots and building a storyline to relate the action.

Coming late to the party as I was so focused on our Bloody Christmas campaign I wasn't even cruising this topic at all! That being the case, the entire AAR served as a great Sunday morning treat Loads of action, compelling narrative and an ample supply of heroes (and the occasional donkey). It's neat to see the tactical plan laid out at the start and compare it to how closely it follows the actual battle. With those Jagmonsters, it was no surprise some desperation measures were required and that the battle plan had to experience some alterations. Looking forward to the next installment and watching the flyboys disgrace themselves again by being late and off target!

Greg just uploaded 005 so the even numbered files will be the ones to watch.

Combat Team Stonecutter stands ready to resume offensive operations! This should be really cool as the current day HQ for the Hasty P's is a quick drive down the road from where I live. Time to read up on the regimental history.

Since we are still a long way from Ortona, there is lots more fighting to do in this campaign! IIRC, there is a suspected German counterattack coming (with Pz IVs and IIIs) and then the capture of Casa Berardi is the next step toward Ortona. This was merely the end of the San Leonardo Slugfest battle.

Thanks for the AAR from your perspective Odin, it is neat to see the battle from the other side. You definitely put together a great defence with limited resources that gave us some very scary moments early on and even in the end your troops were still fighting to buy time for their comrades to escape. Those darn Pak40's were definitely your MVPs. Perfectly located and used to great effect throughout the battle. Well done!

Now you know why the Canadians persevered in spite of the mud, weather and a very tough enemy - they had plenty of motivation to keep them going to victory!

That actually was the command carrier with Chappy in it! The enemy in the woods was bit of a surprise but 40-50 rounds later from the Thompson and problem solved :-)

Colonel Chappy takes matters into his own hands with his trusty Thompson. The view from San Leornardo looking toward Casa Berardi. A couple hundred meters away in the low ground, B Company is going into its assembly area. The whistle of corps artillery passing overhead forewarns Larouche and he and his men dive for cover. The massive round is joined by several others as the Germans call a final defensive fire in an attempt to catch the Canadians moving through the village itself. The massive crater is evident and for once, mud actually helps the infantry as it forces the round to explode deep in the mire, draining most of the energy and shrapnel. Dolan picks off several stubborn German defenders with his bren gun. As the tank approaches, the enemy loses their nerve and surrenders before it engages them.

"Tango one-one, set 400. Tango one-one charlie, next bound 200, edge of vineyard, left side of road" Montgomery issued arcs to his gunner and then carefully peered through his binos at the edge of the vineyard through the smoke of the battle. The only saving grace of the heavy rains was that the incessant dust of the dry season was gone. In its place, the viscous mud grabbed at man and machine, hindering movement and clinging tenaciously. Rooster tails peeled off the tracks of his charlie tank as it drove down the narrow trail, skidding and sliding to a stop just off the road where the vineyard ended. Without waiting for his charlie's response, he immediately got his tank in motion. "Driver, max speed to crossroads 400 meters to our front." "Coax, 300, infantry by edge of road, on!" "On." "Fire" "Firing now, target, firing now, target." "Next target left, fire,....next target left, add 200, fire,...target stop. HE, 600, infantry at corner of woods, on" "HE loaded" "On!" "Fire,...fire,...target stop." Riding in a carrier, Larouche used hand signals to direct the other vehicles in his company, guiding them around San Leonardo to an assembly area a couple hundred meters north east so as to avoid any further delay and to cut off the main road out of the town. Two squads from Quinn's platoon had dismounted from their vehicles and were securing the assembly area. The firing of their bren guns and sharp crack of mortars quickly followed as they began engaging several German squads that were trying to flee the village. To the east, the sounds of Montgomery's tanks could be heard as they leapfrogged forward, the constant rattle of machine gun fire occasionally joined by the boom of the main gun. While the rest of his vehicles made their way up the trail, Larouche identified the copse along the road to Casa Berardi that Colonel Chappy had assigned to B Coy as their next defensive position to stave off the inevitable German counter attack. Looking west, he spotted his CO's command carrier as it neared a small patch of trees north of San Leonardo. A burst of fire from the woods indicated it was still occupied but the carrier continued forward and Larouche could see Chappy himself firing his Thompson from the carrier, pouring a couple magazines of the heavy 0.45 slugs into the trees until the remaining enemy threw their hands up in surrender. While he was admiring the Colonel's gunnery, an ominous whistle triggered his reactions. "Take cover B Company, incoming!!" Despite the protection of his carrier and being prone inside of it, Larouche was tossed about by the massive shock and concussion as the round exploded just on the outskirts of San Leonardo. Daring to raise his head, he could easily see a massive, still smoking crater, nearly 200 meters away. For once, the cursed mud had actually helped him and his men, allowing the round to dig deep before exploding so that the shrapnel was directed upwards rather than outwards. Not wanting to tempt fate any further, he soon had his men moving up to their position. Cautiously approaching the area, he was about to issue orders to halt and dismount when bren gun fire erupted from the lead carrier. He watched as Dolan, calm as ever, used several quick burst from his bren gun to pick off several grenadiers that were trying to defend the position. With tanks rolling by on either side, the enemy quickly surrendered and Larouche sent Quinn's platoon to secure the POWs and the position while he led the remaining carriers to join in the hunt for the last of the German defenders of San Leonardo. Montgomery and the rest of Combat Team Stonecutter pursue the enemy relentlessly. Those that do not surrender immediately are not given a second chance. After watching several of their comrades get cut down by machine gun and tank fire, these grenadiers have had enough and wisely surrender rather than suffering the same fate. Major Stonecutter and his squadron HQ tanks finally reach the top of the crest and establish a cut off position to prevent any more enemy from escaping. Casa Berardi is evident in the distance but for the Germans seen here, the race is lost as they cannot hope to outrun the Shermans and any movement across the open ground results in death as they are easily detected and engaged by A Squadron tanks. Several scout carriers race to the second road to Casa Berardi as A Squadron and Combat Team Stonecutter close the loop from both ends. In the foreground, the tanks shoot and move in short bounds while In the distance the first of two half tracks from the combat team have neatly cut off the direct route to Casa Berardi. Some exhausted grenadiers foolishly try to flee and are scythed down by 0.30 coaxial MG fire from Montgomery's gunner. Half track from Combat Team Stonecutter, having raced around the roads to the east of San Leonardo, cut off the last hope of retreat for any remaining enemy. A gunner mans the 0.50 and prepares to engage any visible enemy.

Combat Team Stonecutter breaches the second line of German defence. In the distance, Opels speed north to safety along the roads. Montgomery orders a pursuit by his troops's tanks but not before his gunner shreds a withdrawing gun crew. For tankers, the gun crews are like snipers and are seldom offered any quarter. The half tracks of Tango one-one Delta arrive just in time to cut off two squads of grenadiers fleeing from the vineyards. One squad surrenders while the other requires some convincing via Ma Deuce before throwing down their weapons. Montgomery's gunner catches the MG42 crew with a 75mm HE round as they try to pull back through the thick vineyard. While neither Montgomery nor his gunner observed the shot, the proximity of the burst was sufficient to send macabre evidence of a hit flying for dozens of yards. To the north, the Germans are visibly retreating en masse. With the edge of the vineyards tantalizingly close, the tanks of Combat Team Stonecutter speed up as they race against time to prevent the enemy from escaping to Casa Berardi.

As the 25 pounder artillery dropped around the Pak40, Major Stonecutter hammered his fist on his tank's turret top in grim satisfaction. The combination of bad luck and outright mistakes that had delayed his squadron's arrival and advance had resulted in the RCR infantry having to pay a heavy price. While only two shermans had been lost to enemy action, another six were mired in the mud and unable to move. That over a dozen of the small and agile carriers were similarly stuck offered little comfort - tankers should know better! "All stations Tango, this is Tango one. Keep to the roads unless absolutely necessary, the ground is like quicksand. The next call sign that gets stuck is going to spend the next R&R doing track maintenance!!" "Tango one-one, acknowledged, out..... No, damn it, Tango one-one Charlie stop, do not go there, you stupid donkey!.." Montgomery cursed again and then realized too late that his transmit switch was still on. He watched helplessly as his newly arrived Charlie commander, Sheppard, drove straight into a mud pit and ground to a stop. Halting his own tank, he yelled orders as Sheppard popped his hatch and then watched in satisfaction as his instructions were followed and the tank crawled out of the trap and onto firmer ground. "Tango one-one delta, take your call signs and shift east 500m to cut off the route along the road." "Tango, one-one Delta, acknowledged, out." Montgomery signaled to the leader of the following half tracks of one-one Delta, who quickly skirted the mud pit and roared off to the east. A minute later, the throaty cough of Ma Deuce echoed from the east and Montgomery knew his instincts had been correct. Across the rise to his front, he could spot retreating grenadiers here and there among the vineyards, making their way north to Casa Berardi and safety. The trail ahead of him wove through the vineyards and offered the perfect conditions for ambush. He had a healthy respect for the skill of his enemy and, in particular, for the lethality of their panzerfausts and panzershreks. Self-preservation warred with the potential payoff of a properly exploited pursuit for a moment and then he pressed the radio toggle. "All stations Tango one-one except Delta, column of route, on me now!" "Driver advance, medium speed along the road, keep us on the trail no matter what. Loader, load HE. Operator, continuous spec fire along the path. Gunner, be prepared to engage with coax and then HE." "HE loaded, coax loaded and ready! Hull loaded and ready, firing now." Montgomery's tank lurched forward and picked up speed as they coasted downhill, spraying 0.30 bullets wildly into the foliage ahead. With his head out of the turret, Montgomery rapidly scanned left and right in the vineyards, ignoring the enemy trucks disappearing over the far crest. If he could get his troop to the top of the ridge line a mile away, he knew they would cut off many of the retreating grenadiers, thus saving the RCR and his own squadron the task of having to dig them out of Casa Berardi. Muzzle flashes to his eleven o'clock forced him to duck and he closed the hatch just in time as MG42 fire sparked off the turret while the voice of his gunner rang out. "Contact, infantry in scrub, firing now. Target, firing now." "Gunner, swtich to main gun, fire when ready." "Firing now, target." The sherman rocked back with the recoil of the gun and the distinctive clank of the breech slamming shut heralded the next round. "HE, loaded" Between the dust and the smoke, Montgomery was uncertain if they had destroyed the grenadiers and a potential tank hunting team that always seemed to be co-located with the MG42s. Looking rearward through his episcopes, he spotted his other two tanks making their way along the path. The timing would be critical and they could not spare even a minute. He needed to buy back some wasted time but could not so he did the only thing he could and pressed his driver to pick up speed as the edge of the vineyard drew closer. Recce elements from the PLDG are the first to probe the southern edge of San Leonardo. The strange silence is unnerving - has the enemy abandoned a strong defensive position or is it an ambush? The report of empty buildings from PLDG send Larouche and the remnants of B Coy racing north in "borrowed" lorries and carriers to pursue the enemy before they can re-group. Skirting to the west of San Leonardo, bren carriers and elements of support company try to prevent the Germans from escaping north. The mud and slope slow their pursuit, allowing the Opel to race away. A bren gunner from Recce Platoon cuts down some grenadiers with a burst of fire. Exhausted and caught in the open, the grenadiers opt to surrender and join dozens of their comrades making their way to the Canadian rear lines as POWs. Watching some of the POWs pass by him and his company, Larouche feels nothing but envy. For the Germans, the war is over. For Larouche and his men, victory means little more than another opportunity to roll the dice again with life and death as table stakes. The risk versus reward of an aggressive pursuit is about to become apparent to a carrier borne MMG crew by a concealed MG42 that is one of the lay back groups the Germans have left behind to buy time for the bulk of their forces to escape. At less than 100m range, the 7.92mm bullets easily penetrate the thin side armour of the carrier, killing two of the crew. The other carriers slow and eventually take out the MG42 but at the price of several precious minutes. While its main gun is disabled, Tango one three applies "first aid" with coax to another German lay back patrol, cutting them down before they even get a chance to surrender. The entire action takes mere seconds before Tango one three accelerates again along the main road to cut off other retreating enemy soldiers.

The grenadiers begin to pull out toward the second line of defence as Combat Team Stonecutter is held up by a panzer from pursuing. Spotting for his troop sergeant, Montgomery distracts the panzer with MG fire, allowing his sergeant to hunt forward and take out the panzer. With the panzer knocked out, the half tracks advance. One of them stops to engage with Ma Deuce at some fleeing enemy infantry. Another 0.50 opens up on an Opel and easily tears through the engine block, spilling fuel and sparking another fire as the passengers bail out and flee on foot. The infantry in Combat Team Stonecutter sprint forward to help protect the tanks and take revenge on the fleeing enemy.

As Delta Company passed through, Larouche spread the remaining two platoons of Bravo to the left to provide a fire base for support. Having recovered extra brens and mortars from the wounded, he felt the platoons were well equipped for the task. "Quinn, center of arc house in woods, you take left, I'll take the house and to its right." Watching Quinn assign arcs to his squads, Larouche continued. "Mortars, light fire on the house and in the woods to the right. Brens, suppressing fire on house and woods. Riflemen, aimed shots only and be prepared for rapid fire when Delta gets close." The pop and burst of 2 inch mortar fire quickly began to fall on the house and surrounding copse while the brens chattered away in short bursts. As a few of the Delta soldiers dashed forward, the staccato sound of an MP40 and an MG42's buzz saw interrupted them with ruthless efficiency. Two sharp cracks from Larouche's right front seemed to immediately silence the German firing and Larouche crawled forward to see Dolan inching back into a shell hole with a still smoking sniper rifle. With Delta Company now less than a hundred meters from the objective, Larouche watched carefully and waited for the critical moment. "Bravo, ready for rapid fire. Wait, wait, now, give it all you've got!!,.....Cease fire, cease fire." Grenades from the assaulting Delta company burst in the woods and surrounding area just as Larouche checked his company's fire to prevent friendly fire. At the same time, the rumbling of Shermans from behind drew Larouche's attention and he waved the pair headed his way toward Delta's objective while several other tanks took off at high speed toward the left flank to help a very hard pressed Alpha Company. The two closest Shermans drove into the woods just left of the house, firing MGs and main guns the entire time as they hosed down the fleeing grenadiers. Abruptly, a couple of sharp cracks and the splash of spall rang out as steel shot penetrated the right tank, knocking it out. Bogged in the woods, the other Sherman reverted to firing only its MGs, realizing it could not hope to engage the distant Pak40 at such extreme range. "All stations Tango, this is Tango one, the enemy is withdrawing, began to advance and push them hard. Tango one-one advance on the right to the second road, Tango one-four on the left to the crest. Tango one will advance in the center. Priority targets are Opels, heavy weapons and panzers. All stations tango acknowledge, out." "Tango one-one, roger out." "Tango one-four, roger out" As the last German defenders either fled or were cut down, Larouche pushed his platoons forward to give first aid to their wounded comrades from Delta. Standing up, he surveyed the battlefield with his binoculars. On the left, bren scout carriers and several A Squadron tanks quickly swept forward with a constant stream of fire at the withdrawing enemy. The survivors of Alpha company rose and began to push forward as well as the tanks and brens silenced any enemy that revealed themselves. To the right, the tanks and half tracks sped forward while the dismounted infantry did their best to keep up and provide cover as they entered the woods that formed the second line of defence. Everywhere he scanned, Larouche could see the Germans withdrawing toward Casa Berardi. Listening to the battalion radio net for several more minutes, he was struck with a sudden insight born of self preservation: any Germans that escaped would have to be rooted out of Casa Berardi house by house, room by room. Signalling to his platoons, he commandeered several nearby carriers and lorries, mounted up his company and prepared for what he knew he must demand of his men despite their exhaustion and sacrifice already that day. With the help of Larouche's company and a couple of Shermans, Delta company advances on the German outpost. Two soldiers from Delta drop to German defenders who are in turn quickly silenced by the lethal aim of Corporal Dolan. The Pak40, despite heavy mortar fire, continues to draw blood on the advancing soldiers of Delta company. The Pak40 fires a 75mm HE round into Delta company, catching and wounding several soldiers as they try to advance across the open field. Tango one three attempts to protect Delta by firing smoke rounds to hide them from the Pak40. Tango one four alpha crests through the woods and catches the reversing 75mm armed Hanomag half track in its sights. The dice don't roll 7's forever and the Hanomag, which had proven such a bane to other Shermans earlier in the battle, is instantly set aflame. A pair of scouts in bren carriers pick off fleeing grenadiers before another bound forward. In the distance, the German withdrawl is evident across the battlefield.

A company advances on the defended farmhouse through the vineyards. As always, the Germans react quickly and the leading elements of A Company come under heavy mortar fire. An errant shot lands right on top of the new 2 platoon commander, instantly killing him and his radio operator. D Company comes under effective fire as they near their objective and several soldiers are wounded. Rushing to aid D Company, Lieutenant Larouche leads the remainder of B Company rush forward to provide a fire base for D Company (on the right) who are pinned down by the enemy in the woods and farm house. Tango one-two and his partner provide intimate support, being careful to keep their fire over and away from the accompanying infantry so as not to have any friendly fire accidents. Gunners from the half tracks open up on the retreating grenadiers with Ma Deuce. The light woods provide no protection from the heavy 0.50 slugs and several grenadiers go down. A squad from B Company dashes forward with fire and movement to purse the fleeing enemy. A crack veteran Pak40 crew scores a first round hit at 2000m against a rapidly moving Sherman. After three hits, the ammunition catches fire and the Sherman begins to brew up. Luckily, the crew manage to bail and get to cover behind the stone wall before the cook off occurs.

With the arrival of over a half dozen tanks from A Squadron, Larouche allowed himself a moment of relief. Three of the Shermans sped west along the road toward A Company while two others drove straight ahead toward the houses and woods that represented D Coy's immediate objective. Reacting quickly, he spotted the markings on the closest Sherman and issued an immediate warning on the battalion net that he knew the tankers were monitoring. "Tango one-two, this is India two, enemy Paks directly to your front covering opening by bren carrier on road, acknowledge over!" Larouche watching the tanks skid steer off to the left and pull into some shallow depressions in the ground. "India two, this is Tango one-two, thanks for the warning!" As D Coy shook out into line and prepared to advance, Larouche grabbed a couple of stragglers from the knocked out armoured cars and ordered them down to the carriers behind the woods. After identifying the mortar position to them, he watched as they climbed into the carriers and sped off with the additional ammunition to feed the hungry 81mm tubes. Almost simultaneously, he heard the sound of heavy German mortar fire landing in the vicinity of the vineyards where he suspected the lead elements of A Company were located. Having endured the lethal accuracy of German artillery far too frequently, he cringed and said a quick prayer for his A Company comrades. He watched as the battalion mortars responded with a much lighter rate of fire, sending rounds arcing overhead and into distant targets outside of his line of sight. Keeping low, he continually watched the woods and buildings near the knocked out bren carrier. No sooner had D Company started to advance then they came under small arms fire from enemy infantry. Despite all that B Company had already endured, Larouche knew that he could not simply stay put and do nothing. Issuing orders, he soon had Quinn and 5 platoon dashing forward on his left alternating with his own platoon's advance. Halting the two platoons in a line roughly 200m short of the woods and parallel to Tango one-two's Shermans, he assigned arcs and took aim himself. Soon, the steady crackle of rifle fire interspersed by the occasional burst from a bren gun or a 2 inch mortar shot began to have an effect as the fire on D Coy lessened. The Shermans soon opened up and Larouche saw a grenadier trying to make a dash get spun around as twin lines of MG fire crossed his path, nearly cutting him in half. Engines revving, the two Shermans lurched forward and closed to within a 100m of the objective, pouring main gun and MG fire into the now visible foxholes and house. D Coy remained pinned down for the most part but Larouche could feel the tide turning as the enemy was being outflanked and had no where left to run. Lieutenant Montgomery scanned the woods directly to his front while a squad from B Coy pepper-potted forward. Issuing orders for his ad hoc group, he split the arcs and watched carefully as 75mm high explosive rounds and machine gun fire raked the woods from left to right. The easily identifiable sound of a Ma Deuce opening up from one of the half tracks drew his attention to his right. Following the tracers, he spotted the fleeing grenadiers and watched as the heavy half inch slugs tore through the trees and into them. The gunners of all the half tracks joined the chorus and the ground where the enemy had been was soon filled with dust and splinters of wood. The combination of fire was too much and several squads of grenadiers retreated from the crest and dashed toward their second line of defence where the Montgomery knew the three MkIVs had retreated to. Keeping below the crest and ensuring the other vehicles did the same, he had his gunner fire several bursts and a few main gun rounds into the far woods. He and there, the occasional burst of 0.50 joined the tank fire as the gunners picked off the retreating grenadiers. Having pushed the enemy off the crest, Montgomery wanted to pursue them but knew being too aggressive would prove fatal. While the Germans were retreating, they were showing no signs of fleeing and he knew that breaching the second line of defence would be much more difficult. With only a platoon of infantry and his three tanks, he called mortar fire in on the woods where the grenadiers had retreated to and waited to see if his own infantry could spot the enemy armour, thus giving him some options. The large flash on the far crest immediately grabbed Larouche's attention and several seconds later he heard the tell tale crack of an armour piercing round striking the turret of the one of the Shermans racing toward A Company. The shot brought an immediate reaction as the remaining two tanks violently veered into the low ground. The stricken Sherman was rocked again by another shot and the crew bailed in the nick of time as a third shot ignited its ammo, setting off a cascade of fireworks and explosions. Ahead of him, Larouche watched the troop leader raise his binoculars and caught snippets of the conversation as he held the radio headset against one ear. "All stations, this is Tango one-two, contact. Pak40 on far crest, right edge of woods in fox holes. Area grid six-one-four, eight-niner-zero. Second contact, Pak38 on right side of crossroads, area grid six-one-two, eight-eight-three." "Golf three-four, this is Tango one-two, fire mission over." "Golf three-four, fire mission, over." "Tango one-two, fire mission. Grid six-one-four, eight-niner-zero, radius twenty-five, neutralize for ten, over." "Golf three-four, fire mission. Grid six-one-four, eight-niner-zero, radius twenty-five, neutralize for ten. Target not observed, send corrections, over." "Tango one-two, send corrections, out." Listening to the surge in radio traffic, Larouche could hear the urgent demands for mortar fire from across the battlegroup and was glad he had sent the ammo carriers away when he did. The extra rounds would mean not having to skimp on the fire missions and hopefully that would produce the desired results. If the enemy ATGs could be eliminated, it would give the Shermans freedom of movement and allow them to make full use of their protection and firepower to help suppress or destroy enemy concentrations. Having just been on the receiving end of the shock action of panzers, Larouche hoped Montgomery and his fellow tankers would be able to return the favour to the Germans. The key would be to prevent a retreat of German forces into San Leonardo. The fighting would be brutal enough inside the town without it being bolstered by additional forces. Every German that died or surrendered now was one less he and B Company would have to root out of a cellar, attic or sewer once the street fighting began.

Both the Pak38 and Pak40 were strongly suspected and are about where predicted based on the loss of the bren carrier and AC on the central road running directly north from the bridge site. The tankers have taken notice and are taking appropriate evasive action (i.e. moving to where they can't be seen!).

Best option is likely to move the AC's over to the left flank as they really are outgunned by the panzers. Although it will take a few minutes, this will give A Coy time to win the fire fight against the strong points and then the AC's can conduct a pursuit. There are 2 x bren carriers but they belong to C and D Coy while the other remaining carriers are committed to the ATG's.

Golf three-four observes the fall of shot and watches yet another narrow miss. The many craters of other artillery shells around the 88 give testament to how much importance is placed on taking it out. A direct hit finally spells the end of the 88. A jubilant Golf three-four transmits the news over the Battalion combat net, giving a much needed morale boost to all who hear it. Fox and his ATG crew engage a MkIV at long range. The new barrel and skill of his team combined result in three, successive hits. The first two strikes can be seen above the gun mantlet and mid right by the cross decal. The third shot proves the charm as it hits something vital and initiates a fire while the crew bails out.

A trio of Shermans worked their way up the slope along a narrow trail toward the crest of the hill. Having just arrived in Italy a few weeks ago, Lieutenant Montgomery was still green but was learning quickly from his veteran Sergeants, Hasper and Derby. Resisting the urge to rush to the aid of his friend, Larouche, he pressed the transmit switch and sent out a terse order to his troop. "All stations Tango one-one, this is Tango one-one, crest drill, out." Watching in satisfaction as Hasper split right and Derby left, he signaled and all three tanks slowly advanced, the crew commanders and loaders scanning carefully forward. The tankers were well aware of the lethal range and accuracy of the dreaded 88 and knowing one had been reported covering the area gave them extra reason to be cautious. Well before the turret was exposed to enemy fire from across the river, the tanks halted and all three crew commanders scanned with their binoculars. Apparently satisfied, the tanks reversed off the slope and lined up on the road where several half tracks awaited. A couple of minutes later and the revving of engines signaled all ready as the lead half track accelerated up the road and over the crest, followed in quick succession by the other half tracks and finally the tanks. "Hammer it, give it all its got!" Montgomery shouted to his driver over the intercom, trying to make his voice heard over the protesting roar of the engine and rattling of tracks. Clods of mud spewed like water fountains off the rear of the tracked vehicles as they sped down the road. Racing recklessly down the slope at breakneck speed toward the relative safety of the river valley, the half tracks soared over the hastily erected bridge although the last one skidded sideways off the far end as its right track slipped off the edge, causing it to nearly flip over before coming to a stop and stalling out. The lead Sherman narrowly avoided colliding with the last half track, which now partially blocked the exit route off the bridge, but its driver expertly maneuvered around the half track and avoided the nearby bog. Montgomery was last in his small task force to make his way over the bridge and surveyed the carnage around him as he stopped on the roadway. Burning vehicles were everywhere and he quickly spotted the two very recently knocked out MkIV's, their crews being escorted rearward by a couple of soldiers. The smell of charred flesh assailed his nostrils, nearly causing him to vomit but he forced the queasiness down as he watched some of B Coy's soldiers carefully lay out their dead comrades behind the woods. A familiar figure jogged toward him from the woods and climbed aboard his Sherman, Alma. Covered in blood, mud stains and clad in a torn uniform, Montgomery barely recognized his friend, Larouche. The harrowing stare seemed to create a chasm between them but Larouche reached out and they embraced as brothers in arms. Quickly, Larouche recalled all that had happened in the critical past few minutes. With a few parting words of solace to his friend, Montgomery recovered from his shock and began to realize just how foolish his views of glory and combat had been. His thoughts were disturbed by radio static and a transmission. "All stations, this is Golf Three-Four, the 88 is destroyed, I repeat, the 88 is destroyed" The news prompted a surge of relief in Montgomery. Thinking about what Larouche had related to him on the enemy with the recent news of the 88's demise, he checked his map and envisioned what to do next. "All stations Tango one-one, this is Tango one-one, orders. Two enemy panzers and section infantry along wood line in area grid six-two-zero, eight-seven-seven. Tango one-one will advance and destroy. Right flanking. All stations will move from current location to assault line 500 metres south of enemy using low ground. In assault line, Tango one-one-bravo left, Tango one-one-charlie right, Tango one-one centre. India call signs to follow as per SOP. Advance on order, dismount on order of India three-four. All stations acknowledge, over" "Tango one-one bravo, roger, out." "Tango one-one charlie, roger, out." "India three-four, roger, out." Sergeant Fox led his detachment of six pounders across the Moro and formed up behind the nearby woods. Listening to the battalion net for the next few minutes, he tried to gather a picture of the battle and determine where he and his men were most needed. Seeing the tank troop cross shortly after him and head to the east, he waved to his other three carriers and they drove west, being extremely careful to stick to the low ground while avoiding the mires close to the Moro River. Despite his best efforts, his last carrier hauling the second six-pounder managed to bog itself and he cursed both the crew commander and the driver for their mistake. Looking back, he saw Corporal Dawson stop his carrier and dismount to lend assistance. With a quick thumbs up, Dawson pointed toward where Fox was headed and then turned to help extract the stricken vehicle. As Fox neared A Coy's start off point, he searched for cover but found none across the barren slope. Halting the carrier near the top of the slope, he issued orders to his crew and they quickly began deploying the six pounder while the driver reversed the gun tractor out of harm's way and back into the low ground. The second six pounder, now free of the mud, came into view and he waved it forward toward the low, stone wall a couple hundred metres away. Pondering over his map and the reports he had heard on the radio, Fox used his binos to methodically search for the enemy panzers. Following a smoke plume, he calculated the range and had the gunner align on where the suspected panzer might appear. His patience was soon rewarded as the sleek form of a MarkIV hunted forward through the edge of the trees.. "Armour piercing, one nine-hundred, tank on edge of woods." "Spotted" "Armour piercing, loaded." "Fire" The muzzle spewed flame as the six pounder recoiled and sent its steel shot across the valley at the distant enemy tank. A brilliant flash indicated that it had struck home. " Target, repeat." Fox ordered. The crew laboured to reload and the gun barked again, sending another 57mm round into the flank of the MarkIV. " Target, repeat." Fox ordered for the third time and again, his crew responded with efficiency and yet again, the flash of the penetrator hitting armour provided ample evidence of a successful strike. Through his binos, Fox watched as the panzer's crew bailed out and smoke began to pour out of the engine compartment where his rounds had penetrated the fuel tanks and likely initiated a fire. " Target, stop." To the far east, Fox could make out the vehicles in task force Tango one-one as they moved into position. Several hundred metres north of Tango one-one, he spied movement and ordered the gun to traverse. "Contact, panzer reversing on slope." The sudden report from his gunner grabbed Fox's attention. "Armour piercing, loaded." Using a mental estimate, Fox could just make out the distant contact. "Range, two three hundred, aim left, fire when ready." The gunner traversed slowly while Fox waited,.... Lieutenant Montgomery surveys the grim evidence of B Coy's valiant defence of the bridging site. The price paid by B Coy is apparent as they lay out their dead comrades behind the woods. Task Force Tango one-one begins their move to the assault line making use of the low ground by the Moro River. The distinctive sound of a MkIV firing draws Montgomery's attention and he spots an armoured car from PLDG to his left, well up the slope. Montgomery watches in frustration as the armoured car, unaware of the peril, sits still until a second and finally third round is fired - the last one striking home and tearing through both the front and rear of the vehicle as evidenced by the fiery tracer. The impact of the 75mm AP round sets off the ammunition and fuel in the armoured car, instantly incinerating the entire crew. The tanks, armoured cars and infantry of Task Force Tango one-one form up at the assault line.