Fighting Around Tilly...our coop MP battle

[Los]

I'm happy to report that our BC now has the full game. We will send him occasional updates via btt that he can poke around on.

Los

[John Kettler]

Los,

Over on CMFI, someone posted an account of a raucous party at a brothel, a Christmans Eve party by a VC winner and his mates. Good story, and while there I noted a link to this, which I thought you might find worth your time. It's a short transcript of radio traffic from a British Tank Company in battle in the Western Desert. I'd imagine the basic idea would be usable in your doings and could add some chrome to this or your future projects. This is a keyword, not a link. I tested it, and it came back Page 1, top of page.

Listening to the battle from a tank

Regards,

John Kettler

[Los]

0730

We are now one hour into our attack. The going is steady but requires deliberate advancing and heavy fighting. Long range tank fore from the south edge of the map still reaches out and touches us when vehicles are not careful. The battalion XO riding in a bren carrier was killed by such a long range shot. We brought more artillery down on suspected positions and there were no more shots for a while but then when D Coy entered the map one of their attached tanks was immediately hit as they started moving.

A run down on things in the past 15 minutes...

A Coy: Essentially A Coy remains in it's blocking positions facing south and covering the battalions left flank. Our tanks, MGs, and AT guns continue to spar with enemy pillboxes and other positions several hundred meters south Our biggest bane has been these short flurries of mortar fore that have first hit first platoon and now third platoon. Anyone who could has vacated the artillery. When the firing ended they reoccupy their positions and then it starts again. We have been area firing suspected OP positions to no effect. Still A coy remains on task.

B Coy reducing a pillbox

B Coy has pressed ahead and engaged the enemy positions on its right flank. Tanks have been brought forward and through combined arms tactics, the enemy pillbox has been reduced. T Here is also fire coming for a small farm complex near the pillbox. This is the target of C Coy's advance but B Coy is engaged this area as well as they have received from fire form the buildings. B Coy has also been the recipient of a short mortar barrage which caused some casualties.

Dodging some mortar fire, C Coy has deployed on B Coy's right flank and is attacking the farm area vic GRID 52/06 . This is a small rise which they have not crested yet so they are not in direct contact with the enemy, but a Stug has popped up on their right and without anything spectacular to engage it with they have request tank support from battalion. if they don't take out this stug it will engaged them in the flank as they advance east.

D Coy has finally struggled up to the LD and the battalion commander has ordered it to be committed to seize objective OAK. Its moving forward and will take the sunken road to B Coy in order to get in position. As mentioned earlier one of its attached tanks was hit by long range AT fire the minute they stepped off in the open (well behind the fighting). Not good for the men's morale!

It will probably take 20-30 minutes for D Coy to get in position. By then the Farm should be taken and both C and D Coys can move on both objectives.

Los

[Bil Hardenberger]

This AAR is pleasure to read Los, as I've said before. I know your background, but what is the background of your fellow players? Are they retired military as well?

Cheers, Bil

[Los]

The B company commander and I served in the same infantry company 30 years ago, (he was an AT section leader while I was a scout section leader) but then he upped and went aviation and became a helicopter pilot. (He retired after 20 plus years of military flying, army and Coast Guard) Our BC's day job is a full Captain in the Coast Guard. Both are also life long wargamers. The replacement commander of A company is an 11 year old smart a$$.

Los

[Los]

0745

Well the battalion is well and truly stuck in now. The biggest development has been the appearance of an enemy counterattack coming from south of Fontenoy making for the battalion's left flank. Fortunately A Company is in position to oppose it. However this explains the endless artillery fire on its head as well as the knocked out tanks to its rear a few minutes ago.

A Company

Though most of our AT guns (3 out of 4) had been knocked out by the barrage, an additional AT gun was brought up from the reserve under fire and the tanks in position rode out the storm. The enemy attack appears to be comprised of tanks and SPWs Our AT fire has knocked out at least two SPWs and created a blockage on the bridge they are trying to run across. The acting A company commander request artillery support from battalion. Our scouts had established an OP, at great risk, forward of the line in a house GRID 483098, but they did not have a working radio. Double timing forward under fire and covered by smoke rounds form one of our tanks, the bn FO made it to this position climbed to the second floor and began directing fire on the enemy attack. Unfortunately we only got about of minute of fire from the RHA when they reported out of rounds. The battalions 3" mortars are now being used to support the attack on the FOs target. The Heavy mortar platoon is being held in reserve to support D Coys attack on OBJ ELM.

The Enemy counterattack hits a snag.

B Company: After heavy fighting B Coy has taken the Farm house at grid 52/06. In a text book assault using tanks, infantry and pioneers, the last resistance at the farmhouse was overcome. Some friendly casualties were sustained, but they are now consolidating on the objective. Sgt Corker of the pioneers distinguished himself when his team blew a hole in the back wall of the last enemy stronghold, went in and cleared out the remaining German squad.

C Company

C Coy has had to keep its head down while crossing this field on its way to the farm. Crossing as mall rise they stumbled upon an enemy stug. Fortunately one of our tanks was brought up and killed the stug but was then destroyed in the company's presence by that long range AT fire coming from the south. (Now officially classified a "Galling".) Exhausted from all the low crawling the company remained hunkered down for ten minutes. Just as the Farm fell and things began to look up C Coy took fire from its right flank and began to return it. Just then one of our tanks rushing along what it thought was a covered route along C Coy right flank to avoid that galling AT fire narrowly dodged to Panzerfaust rounds. It then stumbled upon a German position at point blank range, which it reduced but at the cost of become immobilized. Another valuable assets lost!

D Company

D Coy has slogged up from its reserve position to get to its attack jump off site against OBJ ELM. It is taking the sunken road forward and so far has avoided any casualties. The D Company and B Company commanders are discussing the way ahead. Two bn scout teams are moving forward to scout out a proposed attack route which moves for 528088 NNE to 535105.

Here are the current strength returns from the line platoons:

A Coy CO WIA

1plt 7 PL KIA

2plt 23

3plt 18

B Coy

4plt 18

5plt 18

6plt 14

C Coy

7plt 23

8plt 21

9plt 28 PL KIA

D Coy

10plt 28

11plt 30

12plt 30

A FGH

6 Shermans running

Los

[Los]

0800

The grind continues. the battalion has reached its jump off point for the final phase which is the push onto Objectives Elm and Oak. A company had stopped the German push into the battalions left flank at least for now. B Company mopped up at the farm and C Company was engaged against Germans on the battalions right flank. D company was moving along the sunken road into position to attack Obj Elm. t Before they moved into the jump off they halted under cover and concealment form enemy observation while the commanders decided next steps. The battalion commander called a quick O group at the intersection 52/08 of the Company commanders. This would be a good vantage point to see the ground leading up to ELM.

To pull this off we moved our HQ squads to this location then set a time for a teamspeak chat. Everyone was to have the game loaded and be at the position at ground level. (Our BC now has CMBN!)This was how I summarized our chat to the lads the next day in email:

At a forward position, the B and D Company Majors are peering across the hedgerow at the ground ahead in preparation for the final push onto the battalions objective. The sound of a speeding bren carrier looms up behind them. Annoyed that someone would bring a vehicle to such an exposed position and call attention on the O-group, they stifle a barb, when they see Col Coggshall hobbling over, leaning heavily on his walking stick, a bloody bandage wrapped around his shin.

"Sir you should get down!" Maj Makowsky shouts towards one of the medic," Cpl Hracor, have a look at the Colonel."

"Gah...its nothing," the Colonel retorts. "There is no time that that. Now lets have a look...."

(DIGRESSION: Somewhere along the way our BC's unit suffered a wounded man, either from a stray arty round or shrapnel from the tank that had been hit nearby. Nowhere is safe! Since only the week before I had been hit in the shin from a slap shot at hockey practice (I am the coach) which damn near broke it, I assessed this wound to the BC, which in game terms means, he can only get around on the battlefield by bren carrier.)

Anyway...

The three officers survey the ground ahead, 50 yards behind them, the lead elements of D Company are crouching in the sunken road, remaining out of sight. 50 meters ahead a lone squad from B Company are deployed along a final hedge that marks the limit of advance, beyond that perhaps 300m on at the most is the final objective. Battalion scouts are moving up, they will probe forward to determine the composition of enemy positions along the route of advance...an unenviable task.

The three men discuss the particulars. Upon D Company, out of reserve and fresh, falls the most dangerous task. Attack Obj ELM. B Company, most worn down will move on Objective OAK find and seize the crossing there. This can most likely be accomplished with a platoon. C Company which has had the slowest going will mop up the bn right flank but also take its strongest platoon and form the bn reserve (one tank and pioneers attached) A Company will continue to screen the bn's left flank. Detach two tanks to D Company. Bn mortars to support the attack where needed, Brigade 4.2" Mortars in support of D Coy's attack.

Attack to commence at 0800.

Several small snags appeared during the movement: Of the two tanks detached from A company, despite careful route selection and smoke, only one accomplished the dangerous journey, the second shot out by an enemy Tank Destroyer or AT gun across the map

Dead mans corner:

We also had to get out FO over from where it had been supporting A Company's defense. Of course it's Bren carrier was shot too, so the lads had to hoof it on foot. This adds a small delay in bringing the 4.2" mortars to bear on ELM, though D Company's CO is directing fire on the objective from the bn 3" mortars. A single Sherman is up with the lead platoon of D Company which will advance along the road, it's already taking some small arms from the objectives.

One of the squads to from the reserve from C Company was hit with fire from the pesky enemy on our right flank. At his point we feel every casualty! There appears to beat least the remnants of two enemy squads there. The tank on that flank is being pulled to support the attack so the C Company commander will sue one of his platoons to keep those Germans contained and out of our hair as we focus on the main objective. We don't want to waste too much on those guys. Major Barclay will leave a second of his platoons, (the weakest) at the farm to support B Company in case it gets in trouble and needs abase of fire to fall back upon. His third platoon will form the bn reserve for the final push on ELM, its his strongest platoon with a pioneer team and one tank. Only the BC can release the reserve.

B Company is formed in a line oriented west towards OAK. THE commander figures he can get to the river and find that crossing in the form of an armed reconnaissance by one platoon with another supporting by fire. He will have to use his own platoon mortars for smoke,. all remaining indirect fire assets will support Delta.

D Company at the Jump off point:

Finally D Coy is in position, we don't want to wait too long as it makes a juicy artillery target (though, fortunately for us, the German indirect fire seems to have died down). They will advance two platoons up one back, one platoon along the road and one on its right along a field. This puts a few hedges between much of the German main line of resistance. Already bn mortars are fining on the objective though they are not quite on target. Two scout teams have already advanced 100 yards towards the objective, one along the field (hugging the hedges, one along the road. Best to make contact with the smallest element. Even though there has been fire traded with the objective from points along the jump off points, so far the scouts have picked their way along without being hit. We will try and put our FO in a good observation position to lay on a decent 4.2" barrage on the OBJ then attack the last 100 yards. We don't know how strong the forces are there and we have just under an hour to finish this last phase up.

Advancing along the road:

Los