Last nights game was another battle in our on-going 'Carentan' campaign. This featured 400 point US Airborne and Fallschirmjager forces with the added restriction of not being allowed any choices from the armour section of the lists. In keeping with many of the early battles of the first day or two in Normandy, this would be an infantry only affair. We used the generic 'Hold the Bridge' scenario for this one.
Midday, 6th June 1944... A platoon of US paratroopers hold a small bridge vital for the continued advance. As more US troops make their way to the area, a reinforced platoon of Fallschirmjager head to the area intent on taking back control of the important bridge.
Things didnt get off to a good start for the US... After a hideous first two turns they found themselves sitting on 19 points of their army rating after taking a buch of high value chits for little real loss. Things went from bad to worse as the Germans piled onto the table very quickly, while the US reinforcements literally arrived one at a time!
Through good use of covering mortar fire, backed by German
MG teams covering the Jagers advance, the Germans whittled away the initial defenders and stalled the US reinforcements from getting into action. After a pasting that lasted 8 turns, the US broke their battle rating and were forced to give up the bridge and retreat from a German force that was virtually untouched. Most of this came down to Cyrils horrific luck (all troops in hard cover but never rolling higher than a '3' for saves and drawing no chits under 4 for all but one!) combined with a good, well organised attack from Garry as the Germans made all the more easier by his fast arrival of reinforcements along with a series of '1's rolled by Cyril for his reinforcements. Despite this he did take some losses, but the ending totals of morale chits really tell the true story... The Germans finished on 9 while the US broke on a total of 32!
Tabletop;
The forward defence nest based in an old barn;
Fallschirmjager using the fields and bocage make a covered advance;
US reinforcements arrive;
Fallschirmjager rush from the main farm towards their next objective;
A brave dash over open ground sees the Fallschirmjager try to take the ruined barn;
US Airborne .30 cal teams set-up to cover the bridge from the ruined manor house;
