Played – 26th October 2018
Normandy Invasion
D-Day +2
D-Day +2
Scenario:Take and Hold
US Army: 175th Infantry Regiment, Dog Company, 1st Platoon (2x 10-man Regular Squads), 743rd Tank Batallion (M4 and M10)
Players: Captain Richard Lewis, (D Company Command)
Wehrmacht: 38th Heer Infantry Division, 21st Panzer, SS Squad.
Players: Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant) Ernst Kitrich (21st Panzer)
Background
The village of Le Dormer, just a couple of kilometres from Omaha beach has been heavily contested, and its resistance point has finally fell thanks to the efforts of the 175th and 743rd Tank Battalion.
However, determined to keep the Allies boxed in on the beaches, the 38th backed by elements of the 21st Panzer have launched a counter-attack. If they can take back the village and destroy the Allied tanks in the area, they will be in a much greater defensive position. Long live the Fuhrer!
Axis Objectives
Primary Objective: Retaking the Command Bunker at the far side of Le Dormer will be enough to show the Allies who holds the village.
Secondary Objective: Kill as many Allied Tanks as possible
The village of Le Dormer, just a couple of kilometres from Omaha beach has been heavily contested, and its resistance point has finally fell thanks to the efforts of the 175th and 743rd Tank Battalion.
However, determined to keep the Allies boxed in on the beaches, the 38th backed by elements of the 21st Panzer have launched a counter-attack. If they can take back the village and destroy the Allied tanks in the area, they will be in a much greater defensive position. Long live the Fuhrer!
Axis Objectives
Primary Objective: Retaking the Command Bunker at the far side of Le Dormer will be enough to show the Allies who holds the village.
Secondary Objective: Kill as many Allied Tanks as possible
Allied Objective
Prevent the Axis from securing the Bunker for 7 turns.
Special Rules
1) The Germans have 7 turns to take the Command Bunker and dig in, otherwise at the end a Squadron of P-47 Thunderbolts will strafe the area.
2) German side can only field 1x tank at the opening. All the rest of the armour must come as reserves.
Prevent the Axis from securing the Bunker for 7 turns.
Special Rules
1) The Germans have 7 turns to take the Command Bunker and dig in, otherwise at the end a Squadron of P-47 Thunderbolts will strafe the area.
2) German side can only field 1x tank at the opening. All the rest of the armour must come as reserves.
Memorable Moments
- The SS creeping through the woods and wiping out the .30 cal MMG team on turn 1
- The Panzer IV THAT WOULD NOT DIE (5 direct hits and counting)
- The Panzer IV failing multiple order tests as a result of heavy pinning. It completely blocked the road stopping to Tiger and Stug from advancing.
- The Waffen-SS creeping up behind the M10 Wolverine that was causing the German Armour such a headache. They then fired fired both Panzerfausts at its rear armour and missed with both (with a roll of a 1 and a 2 to hit).
Result
Overwhelming Allied Victory.
Despite the odds heavily stacked against them, Dog Company prove a successful defence of Le Dormer. Trapping the tanks in the South East quadrant meant the 21st Panzer never got to bring their heavy guns to bear and the German assault quickly lost its impetus.
I really wanted to Germans to win this one. I stacked everything against the Allies - even the scenery defences were flipped to represent old German fortifications facing Omaha being reused by the Allies.
The Panzer IV bottle necking the road was their undoing, coupled with some really bad dice rolls (every single Panzerfaust missed). The dug-in Allied Infantry could whittle away the advancing German infantry, and the M10 and anti-tank gun kept the German heavy armour from breaking out and running amok.
Strength Deployed / Casualties
US
Strength Deployed: 1x Captain & Man, 2x 10 man Squads, 1x MMG Team, 1x Med Mortar Team, 1x Bazooka Team, 1x Tank Gun, 1x Sherman, 1xM10 (1066 pts)
Casualties: 1 Infantry soldier, 1 x MMG
German
Strength Deployed: 1x Lieutenant, 1x 10 man Infantry, 1x 10 man SS, 1x MG42 Team, 1x Panver IV, 1x Stug, 1x Tiger I, 1x Puma (1449pts)
Casualties: 6x Infantry Soldiers, 1x SS Solider, 1x MG42 squad member, 1x Panzer IV (immobilised so presumed lost during the retreat)
Pictures
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| Le Dormer, looking north towards Omaha |
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| Le Dormer, looking south |
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| The M10 (top) and anti-tank (extreme right) keep the pressure on the Panzer IV, stopping it dead. |
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| Waffen-SS creep up behind the M10 Tank Destroyer and fire off all their Panzerfausts. They all miss. |
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| The Stug tries to break out off-road but the crew becoe stunned from a direct hit from the M10 (hard cover, rolled a 6) |
