AXIS AAR--CMPzC Campaign: The Road to Eindhoven--Dommelen Counterattack

[mjkerner]

1130 - 1135 Hours

 

Here is the overall Sit Rep at about 1132 hours:

 

I need to engage his armor and defeat it before I can move on Deelshurk. I am creeping the Jagds on the west side of the Dommel to the southwest in order to uncover the Shermans behind the house, while I sent Kraemer toward the 3 Shermans on the north side of the woods south of Dommelen ("Southwoods" form here on out) to engage them (he is after all, leading a charmed life so far) and to stop them from firing on those poor bastards still trudging toward Dommelen.  It's a risk, but I have to take them to break this rather long stalemate.  As it turned out, after exchanging four rounds to the one or two fired by this group of 3 Shermans, they popped smoke, so the tactic worked to a degree. Kraemer's shots whizzed over several Sherman commanders' heads...he can't hit very well, but at least it showed he will fire when he can see the target.  (Closer inspection of the earlier engagement when the shot ratio was 1 - 5 against him, shows that the Sherman had popped smoke early in that turn ...maybe Chappy ordered it, as opposed to the Tac AI?...but likely already had Kraemer zeroed in, so it could fire longer while Kraemer quickly lost LOS.)

By the end of these 5 minutes, I had once again altered my plans.  I'm going after the Shermans near the destroyed bridge (there are 2--one from the Southwoods group moved into there after they popped smoke), then after those left in the Southwoods area.  I'm also finally dropping ordnance on Deelshurk.  The FJ company in Valkenswaard will sit tight, and I will let the 10th Kp platoon there take it.  Once the Shermans in the east are dealt with, I'll go hunting the Firefly and remaining Sherman. 

Thinking ahead for operational purposes, I plan on only leaving only token forces in both Dommel and Deelshurk (and maybe not any in the latter, depending on circumstances) to make him have to re-assault one or both before they can attack Valkenswaard.  I'll lay a barrage on their assault forces and bug out back into Valkenswaard for the hoped-for big urban street-fighting finale. 

 

Minute 25/1135 hours saw a lot of action, that's next.

 

Edited November 18, 2015 by mjkerner

[kohlenklau]

Send them back to the English Channel!

The Flak Vehicle with the damaged gun should be exited off. Per my die roll it will be repaired and back in action in 2 turns. So now is 3B. She will be ready in 4B.

Try and buddy aid all that you can and maybe some of those young jagers will be able to at least hold a weapon in a window or doorway later on.

[mjkerner]

Around 1135 Hours:

 

Enemy armor ID'd as follows (the picture is from 7 or more minutes earlier) :

A while after Kraemer forces the Shermans on the north side of the Southwoods to pop smoke (which may have actually happened before 1130 hrs...I lost track and haven't gone back to check) , one of them moved west to the Destroyed Bridge area ("The Flats"), where it engaged Kraemer, who once again takes a licking and keeps on ticking. Here are roughly the positions of those involved in the next series of actions:

 

The gutsy Sherman opens up (while Winiiholt fires ineffectually at the rather harmless A/C)...

 

...and hits Kraemer 3 times

 

Kraemer fires twice but both times his shots sail high, his gunner obviously needing better glasses, but Dahm (Regular, +1) from across the river comes to his aid... 

 

Scratch another Sherman!

 

Meanwhile, Winiiholt (Regular, -2), Dahm, and Detmers (Veteran, +0) take on the "harmless" A/C, and miss, but the Peashooter fires back. (Detmers is out of frame, further back from where the "camera" is on the first picture below.)  These Brits sure have steel balls!

 

And they are accurate!

Although I didn't realize it for two whole turns, the little bastige Armoured Car's 40mm hit Detmers' muzzle brake and put his gun out of action! Oh, well, I'm sure a quick replacement of the brake can be accomplished before the next battle (hint, hint), but for now, it's reduced to a mobile pillbox. I'll have to leave him on the field just to fake Chappy out!

 

 

Edited November 18, 2015 by mjkerner

[mjkerner]

1135 Hours continued:

 

Elsewhere on the field of battle, the Dommelen attack continues, with occasional mortar fire and tank fire from the Shermans at the north end of the Southwoods:

 

And lo and behold, the Firefly and its escort come out in the open:

 

 

 

Edited November 18, 2015 by mjkerner

[mjkerner]

1136 Hours:

That pesky little A/C is going to pay for knocking Detmers out of action (although at the time I did not realize it). Dahm takes the lead...

And kills it dead!

 

Here's roughly the situation at the end of Minute 24/1136 hrs:

 

Stay tuned for videos of these last several actions....

 

Edited November 18, 2015 by mjkerner

[mjkerner]

Send them back to the English Channel!

The Flak Vehicle with the damaged gun should be exited off. Per my die roll it will be repaired and back in action in 2 turns. So now is 3B. She will be ready in 4B.

Try and buddy aid all that you can and maybe some of those young jagers will be able to at least hold a weapon in a window or doorway later on.

Thanks Phil, didn't know if you had a system for that.  The flakwagon is back in Valkenswaard, safe and sound. You can let me know what happens to Detmers...

 

I have been buddy-aiding every downed pixeltruppen over by Dommelen since the barrages started inflicting casualties there.

[mjkerner]

Videos

The flakwagon hit:

 

Dahm nails the Sherman:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJiSstInkQA

 

Special bonus for a certain Jagdpanther fan:

 

Just thought I'd point out that up to now, Kraemer's Jagd has deflected twelve 75mm hits, but Detmers takes a puny 40mm shot and is out of action!

 

 

 

Edited November 18, 2015 by mjkerner

[Baneman]

Too bad you can't swap crews since Kraemer clearly cannot hit a barn door.

Btw, is it Detmers or Dahm ?

[mjkerner]

Well, Kraemer did take out that first Firefly, and he does have guts!

Detmers is the one that lost his gun to the A/C, Dahm is the one that killed it.

[kohlenklau]

Exit Detmers back to the dealership right away so that repair is still under warranty!

 

[mjkerner]

A family medical emergency has kept me from updating this AAR, and I won't be able to get to it for a day or two.  We are actually down to the last 14 or 15 minutes, weith lots of action...most of it very favorable.  Here's the vid of the Daimler vs Jagds.  And yes, I spelled commission wrong, lol!  

In the opening shot, Detmers is on the left, Winiiholt moves up in the middle, and Dahm is on the right.

I wonder if Joe Vandeleur was in that A/C?

Edited November 22, 2015 by mjkerner

[kohlenklau]

Exciting stuff! 

I see you doing the buddy aid. Good. That will help you regain back some of your WIA.

 

 

[mjkerner]

Yes, there were something on the order of 18-20 buddy aids going on over by Dommelen in the last 5-10 minutes.

[kohlenklau]

You better get those enemy shooters out of the "grassy knoll"...!

[Heinrich505]

Mjkerner,

  That was a thing of beauty.  Thanks for the special bonus.  Always appreciated.  Can't get enough of the Jagdpanthers.  They are so expensive to purchase for quick battles and you rarely see them in scenarios.  Kudos to Dahm.  That AC was moving at speed and his crew picked it off on the first shot.

  Your videos and screenshots are keeping us right in the thick of it.  Nicely done.

Heinrich505

[Heinrich505]

Kohl,

  Interesting you should mention the "grassy knoll."

  I was standing on it this past Sunday, the 22nd.  We were in Dallas for the hockey game Saturday and the following morning I walked to Dealy Plaza before the crowds started to appear.  Sobering bit of history, that.

Heinrich505

[mjkerner]

Kohl,

  Interesting you should mention the "grassy knoll."

  I was standing on it this past Sunday, the 22nd.  We were in Dallas for the hockey game Saturday and the following morning I walked to Dealy Plaza before the crowds started to appear.  Sobering bit of history, that.

Heinrich505

Heinrich, I always wanted to go there.  I was 10 at the time, and remember that whole weekend very vividly.  Nonstop TV watching, and saw Oswald get shot, etc.  I wanted to go to the 50th anniversary (not sure that is the correct term to apply), but you had to get tickets to get into the Plaza and they sold out way before I checked into it.

 

More action on the way...

[Heinrich505]

Mjkerner,

  You've only got 2 years on me.  I remember it all clear as a bell.  I was watching the TV coverage when Oswald got shot too. 

  It worked out perfect for my visit.  It was Sunday, very early, and very few people were around.  It was quite the solitary experience and much more personal than having crowds milling about.  As I was leaving, I saw a crowd coming down a side street from a bus.  I timed it just right.

  It is well worth doing at some point.  I didn't get to see the museum in the Book Store Depository because it wasn't open early. I didn't need it.  Just walking the area and taking pictures was well worth it.  I hope you get the chance some day.

Heinrich505  

[mjkerner]

Hey all, my apologies but RL has intruded this past week or so, and I am once again way behind in my reporting.  I chatted with Chappy last week Wednesday, and he told me his AAR was about 4 minutes behind the actual action, but that he would be catching up it.  Mine is 10+ turns behind, so those of you that read both reports no doubt know what's happening, at least from his perspective. (Hint: I have destroyed quite a few more Shermans, but continue to bleed infantry, although at a much slower pace.) I have the pictures and the videos ready, but have been unable top find the time to put them together. I will be getting back to it today/tonight, though.  Thanks for your patience.

[Heinrich505]

Mjkerner,

  Not a problem.  Hope the RL stuff got all sorted out.  All the medical stuff seems to happen right around the holidays. 

  Your loyal following will wait on you...patiently????....

Heinrich505

[kohlenklau]

No problem Mark. These long battles can be a tough chore. You've made it really enjoyable for the peanut gallery. And for me.

 

 

 

[mjkerner]

Pardon the delay, folks.  I'm about 15 minutes behind the actual battle, but here's the situationfrom my side of the ball.

 

Minutes 23 - 20, 1137 - 1140

 

After trying to get my Jagds a LOS on the Firefly and 75 Sherman hiding behind the house south of Valkenswaard by moving generally southwest toward Deelshurk, they come out of hiding on their own!

One of my flakwagons in Valkenswaard was in a position to fire on them, hitting the Firefly but causing no apparent damage.  

Although they pop smoke and pull back, they come charging out a turn or two later, moving straight toward Valkenswaard and sparring with the flakwagon.

 

Winiiholt's Jagd had moved up the road toward Deelshurk when the Firefly and the other Sherman emerged from hiding, when almost simultaneously he takes a mortar round right on top of the turret (although he was opened up, he wasn't injured) and a 76mm round to the front hull.  No damage!

 

More to come later today....promise!

 

 

Edited December 4, 2015 by mjkerner

[Heinrich505]

Mjkerner,

  Great action.  The Jagds are standing tall.  Love how Winholt's beast shrugged off the hits.  Pretty cool.

  No hurry on posts.  It is the holiday season.

 

Heinrich505

[General Jack Ripper]

I think that TC might need a clean pair of pants...

[mjkerner]

Minutes 20 -17/1140  - 1143

Meanwhile, Kraemer continued to move forward west of the Dommel, heading toward the Destroyed Bridge. He spots a Sherman in the lower riverbank. 

 

 

Immediately after dispatching that Sherman, he backs up and turns west to engage Shermans both in the Southwoods; there are two each on the north and south edges:

 

Kraemer missed every shot.  But he takes a licking and keeps on ticking!  He has bounced 11 or 12 rounds to this point in the game.

 

While Kraemer is busy shrugging off 75mm rounds, Winiiholt and  flakwagon have crossed to the west bank of the Dommel at the ford. Winnie engages the Shermans on the north edge of Southwoods:

 

 

Continued...