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CMPzC Operation "Bloody Christmas" (Ortona '43)


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Looks like the Canadians will take San Leonardo and send the axis packing! 

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Operationally we see something like this:...the 4.2" Heavy Mortars moved to Hex (4,4) and will not be available until Turn 4A.

The axis forces are pulling away from San Leonardo in apparent disarray and as intact units are not even visible.

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But when this battle concludes in about 29 minutes...we are gonna see some of dis stuff....

 

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And maybe some of dis stuff!

 

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Edited by kohlenklau
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After you sober up... :D  tomorrow or monday start assigning forces to where you want them to be for any possible axis counter-attack.

I propose to do that same plan as Dommelen and your battle start positions would be the same or similar as this ends.

I can sprinkle craters as entrenching tool scrapings to those areas you designate.

But as we previously discussed, first we will have a smaller map, shorter duration, single player Casa Berardi battle.

Give everybody a break off the multiplayer mode.

 

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Wonderful!  And who wants to sober up anyway? :)

OK so 29 minutes left? A lot can happen in that amount of time, but I will start thinking about dispositions for sure.

Ian and C Coy will be at the helm for this one...you out there Ian?

I have enjoyed the multiplayer experience though...it forces the participants to coord and plan as a team. We must keep doing this in future

 

 

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I left "Ortona" at work in my desk drawer!

I will get it Monday to use it to design the Casa Berardi battle but subbing in an RCR unit as opposed to the Van Doos.

OK with that Chappy?

The best I will promise to create is a PBEM battle that is semi-fictional based on Casa Berardi actual happenings. +/-  :D

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OK, but then it is not really the historical Casa Berardi.

I was just trying to portray what happened there but that concept can be ditched if you just want to press forward with the operation as you order it to happen. :D

OR I could use Ian but in the role as CO of another unit. 

Maybe I use B Coy?

OR

We could do a Sterlin Castle battle instead

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New Plan: Chappy and I chatted in a PM and we will play this Operation NOT so much as an historical recreation but just as it plays out here in the PBEMs.

Well that makes sense. No point in play with an operational layer if you don't plan to follow it :)

So, you will get a battle but it will not be the Casa Berardi low on ammo, no more bloody tea nor biscuits scenario! :D

I'm ready no matter. My upgrade to Windows 10 has gone pretty well but I did manage to mesa up my documents directories. So u might have small down time due to technical difficulties. 

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I'm ready no matter. My upgrade to Windows 10 has gone pretty well but I did manage to mesa up my documents directories. So u might have small down time due to technical difficulties. 

All fixed.  No serious issue.  I have a smallish SSD for the OS and programs and before upgrading to Win10 I noticed that I was running low on space and that some user files were incorrectly (my fault) stored on the SSD drive.  So after some clean up and the upgrade I moved the rest of the user files off the SSD drive.  That totally confused my turn management program and made me worry that the games would also be confused.  Thankfully it was only my own programming that was lacking and the games were totally happy.  Fifteen minutes of tweaking fixed Whose Turn Is It up too and now all is good.

I quite like Win10 my only problem is I am finding that I can no longer switch tasks while the game is loading. :(  Well the OS lets me switch tasks just fine but the game will never come back after the switch. I used to be able to fire up CMFI load a turn and switch away and fire up CMBS, load a turn and switch away and load up CMBN and do the same.  But now if I try that I end up with all three games not working and no turns to play.  I'm not sure what is up with that but that is small potatoes.

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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. 

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With the help of Larouche's company and a couple of Shermans, Delta company advances on the German outpost.

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Two soldiers from Delta drop to German defenders who are in turn quickly silenced by the lethal aim of Corporal Dolan.

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The Pak40, despite heavy mortar fire, continues to draw blood on the advancing soldiers of Delta company.

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The Pak40 fires a 75mm HE round into Delta company, catching and wounding several soldiers as they try to advance across the open field. 

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Tango one three attempts to protect Delta by firing smoke rounds to hide them from the Pak40.

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Tango one four alpha crests through the woods and catches the reversing 75mm armed Hanomag half track in its sights. 

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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.

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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.

 

 

Edited by Stonecutter
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The grenadiers begin to pull out toward the second line of defence as Combat Team Stonecutter is held up by a panzer from pursuing. 

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Spotting for his troop sergeant, Montgomery distracts the panzer with MG fire, allowing his sergeant to hunt forward and take out the panzer.

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With the panzer knocked out, the half tracks advance. One of them stops to engage with Ma Deuce at some fleeing enemy infantry.

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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.

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The infantry in Combat Team Stonecutter sprint forward to help protect the tanks and take revenge on the fleeing enemy.

Edited by Stonecutter
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