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Axis AAR: The Road to Eindhoven (CMPzC)


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Miquel is neck deep in work and reluctantly must pass on PBEM/AAR. I told him that he has a rain check when he gets free.

Edit: I just PM'd Carl to ask him...

You wanna double team Mark? You can ad lib and be Hauptmann Dr von Bletchler or do you want me to rewrite the script?

 

Yes. Early war: white chutes. Late war: olive drab.

Edited by kohlenklau
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I'll do double duty if Carl can't take it.  Btw, I forgot I had your (early?) version of the full Valkenswaard map.  Great job!  I knew it was generally flat country, great for shooting his infantry from a distance.  But man, it is going to be interesting hiding from his armor!  

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I played a few mock battles and KO'd 3 Shermans. 

You'll have 4 PF's for sure and then whatever you randomly get. It is weird how it moves around. Usually 2 or 3 PF somewhere in the company.

And I pulled the FlaK unit out as its own unit like it is in PzC. It now has its own CO. 4 guns at 10 men each = 40 men total in the unit.

And it comes with a PF for some reason! The Flak Platoon HQ has one.

So, maybe a total of 8 PF's. 

..and trusty Feldwebel Guyver has his 4 demo charges.

<...reminds me that we need Molitov Cocktails for winter '41 on the Ost Front...>

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Sounds like it will be a fun challenge, Phil. I assume you had to let the Shermans get in close, or did you send the PF-armed men out to tank hunt? That master map doesn't look like it has a lot of cover. But I need to check what it looks like and LOS range with the time set at 0600. 

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Waiting on Bil's final head count numbers and we can get the main battle file finalized.

It looks like he lost his platoon HQ with 1:00 to go and a half-squad is panic hugging the ground, slowly inching towards the exit zone. 1 AS away... :D

They have the MG42! We'll see if they make it....

Then I crunch the numbers and determine your final headcount for StrafKompanie Burke.

It will also change the number of trenches and barbed wire probably. 4 TRP's stays the same.

 

You have a wide range of options for the battle.

I gave you one massive SUZ. Realistically, it hugs the Dommel.

 

I am very excited to see what you decide to do.

Edited by kohlenklau
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  • 2 weeks later...

Kohl,

  That sounds ominous.  The FLAK unit has panzerfausts?  Kinda "last ditch" eh?

 

  Who gets to operate the faust when the gun crew is running for their lives and about to be overrun by armored beasts?  Some crazy guy...named Heinrich?   :o

 

  Then again, how better to get that Knight's Cross than with a Tank Destruction Badge on the shoulder...hmmm....

 

 

Heinrich505

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  • 1 month later...

Campaign is in progress. No AAR in this thread if the action of a battle is described in a separate thread. But overall we dropped the AAR mandatory requirement. 

The current battle is 10 minutes into a 40 minute timeframe.

 

EDIT: Go see the allied side's thread, it has photos of the battle.

Edited by kohlenklau
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Excellent...thanks for the info, kohlenklau. I do now remember the lifting of the AAR requirement...sorry for neglecting this.

I can certainly understand the desire to lift this requirement -- but it sure is alot of fun to watch you guys slug it out on the digital battlefield!

 

Will definitely check out the Allied thread.

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In the outskirts of Valkenswaard the men from Fallschirm-Schule Valkenswaard and Luftwaffe Fliegerhorst Gruppe Weiss ready them selves as the rumbling of tanks is heard from the south west. The mood is swaying as combat draws near. Rumors of the immediate transfer for renown commander Hardenberger to the eastern front to halt the red hordes is disheartening, but comfort is taken in the promises of heavy panzerjägers soon to reinforce kampfgruppe Kerner. 

 

If the enemy can be delayed here, our superior tank hunters will surly turn the tide of battle to our favor once more.

 

17903025945_0d86f61ed3_o.jpg

 

Pressed against the walls, peaking out of windows, the approaching enemy is spotted moving closer.

 

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Entrances have been minded and booby traps set, machineguns and mortars are trained on the approaches.   

 

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Violent explosions are heard to the south west and east as enemy tanks start to trade rounds with the entrenched PAKs from 900 meters. It was a clear mistake to think the guns would be able to deal with the large number of enemy tanks. Even in trenches and with the aid of TRPs the upper hand is soon gained by the Shermans. I thought the high grain would keep the guns concealed longer...

 

Three guns are taken out in quick succession by mortars and tank fire. They guns manage to KO two enemy tanks, they score penetrations on three more Shermans but they are not KO:ed. The last gun is now hiding, and the tanks seem to focus their attention on Valkenswaard itself.

 

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After the grueling exchange between tanks and guns the enemy start to slowly approach the buildings of Valkenswaard. Several ambushes are in store for them. They slow approach also gives time to have mortar fire directed on their advance.

 

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Nerves of Krupp staal. The Green Devil fires the faust in just the right moment, it explodes right under the Bren Carrier. Atleast one occupant is killed in the explosion, others are under heavy MG fire as soon as they exit the destroyed APC.

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The enemy respond quickly to the small arms fire from Valkenswaard. Smoke, HE and MG fire is returned in volume. A few men is killed as they redeploy to new positions. We will take on the enemy infantry one row of buildings into the town, where there tanks cant help them. 

 

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A heavy smoke screen is deployed by the enemy. I use it to my advantage and redeploy a few forward units. Note the heavy barbed wire that cover most approaches into Valkenswaard.

 

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flammenwerfers are deployed and ready to greet the enemy as they breach the first row of buildings. 

 

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The Fliegerhorst lose a HMG to long range tank fire when its finally spotted. Most of the Fliegerhorst are held in reserve and for flank security. 

 

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The slow enemy advance is trapped under a rain of deadly mortar fire! The closest explosion in the above screen actually KO:s the Bren Carrier just next to it. During the next turns we see a few enemy infantry go down to the mortars and the rest are pinned in place. The slow ROF mission will keep them in place for a while.

 

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Overview after 14 minutes. I must remain on map for another 16 minutes. If possible I will try to stay put and contest the hex to force the enemy to spend another PzC turn to take it - bringing our reinforcements closer to the main parts of Valkenswaard. 

 

The thin red arrow is a light infantry probe/recon. The thick arrows indicate the enemy main effort.

Edited by Fizou
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Excellent report, Herr Fizou.  Great job!  You should have no real problem holding the town for 16 more minutes.  He will have a big job to pry you out out of those buildings in that time.  I didn't notice before...you have 3 flamethrowers!  No pun intended, but I think he'll be toast soon!

 

Keep up the good work and hold them, hold them, hold them!

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15 minutes in.. a barrage starts to fall on the outskirts of Valkenswaard. It looks like a pretty wide area target but not too big shells (4.2 inch mortars or 25 pounders?). It also seems like its not too many guns/tubes or a pretty slow/medium mission.

 

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Enemy tanks on overwatch.. 

 

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Shells/bombs fall close to the enemy approach. They wont be able to move any closer without risking casualties form friendly fire. In the background the lone green devil is making a run for it after having expended his only Pz faust. 

 

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Close yet so far away. MG fire from a Sherman brings the lone para down after his heroic action against the Bren Carrier. 

 

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A few paras try to take out a Sherman TC before they re position. No luck this time.

 

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Overview, 25 minutes to go. 

 

Red circle is roughly enemy barrage area. Fat arrow main thrust. Thin arrow light probe towards ATGs. 

Edited by Fizou
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Thanks for the kind words guys!

 

-----------------

 

The 17th minute.. with 23 minutes to go.

 

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The light probe towards the PAK 40 trenches are closing in. A few hundred meters out and its time to let them have some MG fire. From the contacts and hard spots it only looks like a few half squads. We should be able to halt such a small force with the (limited) resources on hand. 

 

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Artillery keeps falling on the town. I try to keep all men hiding except for the ones at the immediate front. The relative light caliber shells havent caused much problems yet except for limiting our ability to re position. No real need for that as of yet though.

 

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As artillery pounds the city the enemy is bringing up more infantry to prepare the assault on the built up area. The Fallschirmjäger hold their fire for the right opportunity. 

 

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The infantry is joined by armor. It looks like the Tommies will try an attack on our right flank. We will greet them with automatic weapons and panzer fausts! 

 

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Overview. Enemy tanks re position for what looks like a right flank attack. Infantry are moving in that direction as well. A light probe is headed straight into the lions den. We have an ample supply of close quarter weapons to fend them off once they move into Valkenswaards outer buildings.

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20 minutes to go..

 

18207551341_2ac54928c5_o.jpg

 

A para tries to take down enemies assaulting Valkenswaard. 

 

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Seconds later that same tank in the above screen shot takes aim and puts a 75 mm shell right through the window. Three men torn to pieces. 

 

All men are now ordered to take up positions on the ground floors to avoid the quick retaliation from Shermans on overwatch.

 

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Enemy infantry closing in on Valkenswaard. I will withdraw my forward elements, only leaving those who have key hole positions, safe from enemy tanks. 

 

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The enemy artillery barrage on the city is starting to intensify. A few casualties are inflicted. 

 

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A HMG opens up on the recon probe conducted towards our ATG positions. 

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