AARs condensed: 41 minutes in 3 paragraphs ?

[johnma]

... on 8 January 1945, the bridge and the town were finally taken, after an extremely effective artillery preparation. The US infantry attack, with strong reinforcements, took the town with little losses.

A German column, Kampfgruppe von Kelly, had been sent earlier (1 company SS PzG, 1 company Volksgrenadiere; armored elements, including 1 Panther). This force was unsuccessful in its attempts to relieve or retake the town. The speedy conclusion of the US assault on the town wrong-footed its timing; it was also subject to effective mortar fire while still moving through the woods to the east of the town. Kampfgruppe Kelly enjoyed some successes, due notably some lucky gunnery by the crew of a Stug III. It inflicted severe losses on US holding forces, whose armor, infantry and anti-armor elements were put out of action. However, the intervention of a lone US fighter-bomber inflicted such severe damage on the advancing German forces that, in spite of skilful manoeuvering and a three pronged attack on the town, they made little headway. Their infantry suffered from long range small arms fire, as the US Major withdrew his forces deeper in the city; the remaining German armor elements were destroyed once they entered the town.

The US forces lost all their armor, and a substantial number of prisoners (almost exclusively from the holding forces left to delay the Germans as they moved out of the woods). They nonetheless had managed to capture the town speedily, and hold it against the German counter-attack. No more fighting took place that day...

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Well, it's not Keegan or Ambrose; it's deliberately dry, and misleading, as all narrative has to be, in a way. Also not specific enough. Anyone else fancy a go at playing the historian ? You have the primary sources...

[Guest John Pender]

Reminds me of a SL aftermath report on the scenario cards, well done.

[Guest Big Time Software]

Very nicely condensed! Let me guess, you work for Reader's Digest's War Publications Department

Steve

[johnma]

I'm glad you liked it. I teach and write on (ancient) history, which is why the experiment of writing it up was interesting.

One could imagine a different style, e.g. Landser-Roman

"...on 6 Jan 1945, 2 days after Maier's birthday, the luck of the hard-presed Falschirmjaeger ran out. The long-dreaded artillery preparation" etc

Or Keegan's sometimes quirky thoughtfulness

But looking at what I wrote, I'm not sure it's quite accurate-- how ould you summarize the long period of fighting at the wall line ?

[sage]

(Facist Propaganda)

Bulletin from the front: Forces of the Fatherland re-take outskirts of French town! Slight casualties were taken by the advancing Young Men of our Wehmacht, while the American casualties were surely Extreme as our Wehrmacht smashed through line after line of American Defenses. Tragically, after advancing far past American defensive lines, a Panther was destroyed by an American sneak-attack. The brave Commander, refusing to surender, died with the name of his sweetheart, Brunhilde, on his lips.

Or... (Ernie Pyle)

Showing great dermination and ingenuity in the face of overwhelming odds, Company F hung on to a small French village. American casualties were minimal and evacuted quickly, while our flyboys inflicted some uncomfortable losses on German armor. Said Pfc. George Gaines, of Podunk, LA, "Gosh, I never knowed that y'all could actually blow something up with these bazookers." After the fierce battle, the tenacious inhabitants presented our boys with wine in thanks.

(poorly translated Japanese monster flick version)

See forces of good political friends destroy all! Watch revenge of Adolfjira, very strong monster stomp, on good political friends! Effectual attack from the sky slays motorized vehicles! Will goodness triumph at the last part?

Sage

[Pixman]

johnma, January 8? Interesting choice. It's Elvis' birthday ----- and mine

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Fact is the enemy of truth. - Don Quixote

[Lee]

Sage: Hehe. I especially like the part about Brunhilde

and the jap monster flick.

[Guest Ssnake]

Finally it's proven:

Elvis IS alive, and he likes Combat Mission !

[Moon]

Actually I think the description of the AAR battle in a historic book would be more something like this:

"Januar 8th, relatively quiet day used for refitting through the sector, with the exception of a few local counterattacks"

Fact is that this is a company sized action we played, and not many of these make it into the usual historical accounts.

[johnma]

Well, Nebelwerfer must make nice birthday fireworks.

So, three sentences rather than three paragraphs

The [belgian rather than French ?] town was finally taken (lost) on 8 Jan 1945. A German counter-attack pressed on and retook the bridge, but faltered on the outskirts of the town.

Or you could imagine the whole story as told by one of the Volksgrenadiere in the northern move: hard slog, then pointless order to advance in the face of small arms fire and a tank fire, officers shot to pieces, hugging ground.

[BFCElvis]

Not only is Jan. 8th my birthday but it also that rabid warmonger David Bowies birthday.