| There will be Blood Tonight! | ||||||||||||||
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The Australians take advantage of a strong leader draw (a 10-0-2 and 10-2-1) for the (immobile) 2/23rd Battalion to eschew occupation of all but one of the entrenchments to set up a three-hex firing line aimed at German occupied entrenchment hex 1718. The mobile attacking companies (four) set up as per instructions. German reinforcements arrive on turn one. The first four turns center on repeated heavy DF by the "firing line" vs. the German entrenchment at 1718 and approach of three/four of the mobile companies. One company moves SW ultimately to make an approach/assault of S3(hex 2214). The Australians appear primed for battle double-demoralizing an entrenched HMG. Repeated morale failures allow Australian units to avoid OF whilst German units recover. German reinforcing units manage to assist and block the advance temporarily. German OBA and (single) mortar are unable to crack the firing line units. Middle turns see German successes with OBA and DF bestowing DIS/DEM, but on the other hand, German counter-attack assaults (three) by the reinforcing units all go against the 104th MIR (i.e. despite assaults undertaken with German side on a higher attack col). The panzer III platoon is taken down on two separate assault turns (the accompanying INF having been DEM and fled). On the other hand, however, an Australian counter-assault likewise goes backwards. Still, by turn 11-12, the battle looks very good for the Australians. The Germans wake up around 2200, by rolling three sequential first-fire 6's: ultimately, the defending units (including an ENG) account for 8 steps of Australian infantry. Entrenchment 1718 extracts a very high toll against Australia's finest. German OF and OBA slows, but does not stop the flanking attack and a company of Australian infantry assault a single German INF platoon and the 37mm gun that had self-moved to reinforce. End of Scenario tally: Australians capture one entrenchment hex, S3(2214). Despite the odds, Germans hold 1718 (with a dozen Knight's Crosses awarded!) Germany 14 step losses (four of which are the PzIIIG counting double) Australia 23 step losses. |
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| 1 Comment |
PS Modified language as the original wording appeared to say that eight AUS steps had been KIA on three assault defense rolls of '6'. Whilst those three rolls did account for five steps, the cited total of eight steps were lost over the entire course of combat for that entrenchment hex.