Panzer Grenadier Battles on March 28th:
Spearhead Division #15 - Dillenberg
Big Toys, Lots of Men, and a Small Battlefield equals a Grand Title Bout!
Author GeneSteeler
Method Solo
Victor Britain
Play Date 2010-07-06
Language English
Scenario BeNo002

Note: Score will be denoted by (x-y), where x=German casualties, y=British casualties.

Solitaire Note: Pre-plotted artillery. To make this somewhat “random” I chose 6 hexes (St Mauvieu town hexes) and then randomly rolled which would get hit each turn. If a hex with no units was chosen, then the British could activate a different unit for their impulse.

THE BATTLE

0745 - 0800

As St. Mauvieu comes under heavy bombardment the Royal Scots advance under fire. The 8th Royal Scots on the west with the 6th Royal Scots Fusiliers to their east. They are supported by elements of the 9th Royal Tank Regiment.

A Churchill VII is eliminated by some 88’s of the German 4th Flak Battalion.

0815

German 88’s continue to fire and reduce some more Churchill VII platoons! But, now spotted, one is eliminated by artillery and the second is demoralised by Scottish mortars. The Royal Scots continue to take heavy casualties. (22-2)

Strategy Note: This was a big blunder of the British set-up. I should have led with the armour and kept the infantry safe. But too much Eastern Front led me to believe that the Scottish Wave could just overrun the German line. But these Germans have a morale of 9/8 and are not easily routed. Direct Fire was very ineffective against them while they inflicted major damage amongst the Scots. I was hesitant to charge the Churchills, but with the sodden ground, in hindsight, it was the right choice. (Actually, it was my girlfriend’s choice to charge the tanks!) They were, in some ways, targets needed in order to spot the concealed (limiting terrain) 88’s which could then be taken out. Then the Crocodiles (Flamethrower Tanks) and AVREs (armed with 290 mm Spigot mortar) should have led the charge. Well, they didn’t and the Scots paid dearly for my mistake.

0830

Under fire, the second German 88 battery crews rout.

In the west, the German HMG nest is hit by AVRE and reduced when assaulted by the Crocodiles.

The Scots continue to be hit hard. The 8th has already taken 15 casualties and the 6th, 10 casualties!!!

With the 88’s gone, a British Marauder strikes inflicting the 5th German step loss.

0845 - 0900

The Scots continue to be hit by direct fire. Their direct fire is ineffectual against the high morale dug-in Germans. Only the British artillery and armour is strong enough to cause further casualties to the Grenadiers.

0915 – 0930

German SPW251 is hit by British armour.

British command sincerely wonders if this battle is already lost. With the 8th and 6th Royal Scots have a combined total of 30 step losses already, they wonder if the reinforcements due to arrive will be enough.

Playnote: I seriously thought it was over for the British. At this time, I thought to myself, I’d like to give this scenario another go. But I continued on.

0945 - 1015

In an act of depression, the British Lt. Col fails to recover from his demoralisation and deserts! This Lt. Col. felt how I felt. I think he figured the battle was lost too!

But, the Churchills, with the aid of the AVRE and Crocodiles break through the German centre line!!!

The British armour is going to be a serious problem for the Germans, perhaps there is a bit of hope?

With their line breached and the towns relatively undefended, the German forces begin to fall back from their dug-in line to defend St. Mauvieu. German AT Guns can’t penetrate the heavy armour of the AVREs.

British armour widens the whole in the German line which subsequently falls back en masse. The rural assault is over. It is now time for the urban assault.

With a further glint of hope, the first infantry platoons of the 6th Kings Own Scottish Borderers arrive!

1030

More platoons of reserves arrive for the British, but the German defence is buffeted by their own reinforcements, the PzIVHs of the 9th Panzer Company, 12th SS Panzer Regiment.

German 120mm is hit in transport, trying to fall back to la Gaule.

1045

The Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineers eliminates the 75mm AT Gun with its’ spigot mortar.

1100 - 1115

British win initiative and the Crocodile assaults the HMG nest in the west. A whole German platoon is eliminated, but the Crocodile is out of fuel.

PzIVH reserves cut down the British Infantry. British anti-tank guns advance.

German AA gun in the east is eliminated by mortar fire.

PzIVHs and Churchills exchange ineffectual fire.

In St. Mauvieu a GREN is eliminated by the AVRE.

Germans are running low on men! 10 GREN steps, 2 AA Guns, 2 SPW 251, 2 Mortars, few engineers and 3 X PzIVH remain

1130

More British reinforcements arrive in the north.

A reduced Churchill is eliminated by PzIVH. An Achilles moves into range.

British enter la Gaule as the 6th Kings Own Scottish Borderers circle around the south.

AVRE strikes again clearing a sector of St. Mauvieu.

1145

British win the initiative and the Achilles fires, but misses! Retaliatory shells from the panzers eliminate both Achilles platoons. Some British Anti-Tank Guns set up in their place in the light woods.

Grenadiers are routed from North St. Mauvieu.

1200

More reinforcements arrive.

Germans have the upper initiative and eliminate 2x Bren Carriers and a reduced Churchill platoon.

British Churchills intercept 2x SPW251 before they can relieve la Gaule.

British forces control some of la Gaule and north St. Mauvieu. They have 3 of the 8 objectives under control.

A stroke of luck when an anti-tank gun reduces a PzIVH platoon!

1215

Armour battle continues as South St. Mauvieu is in trouble. A fourth town hex is under British control.

1230

Churchills hit PzIVH as the panzers take out a Crocodile platoon. The AVRE clears the GREN from South St. Mauvieu.

German forces remaining: 4 PzIVH steps, 3 GREN platoons, 2 AA Batteries and 1 mortar.

90 minutes to go! (6 turns)

1245

PzIVH eliminate the advancing Achilles. One PzIVH platoon enters West St. Mauvieu. Both reduced PzIVH are eliminated by shells from the Churchills to the east.

AA is cleared out of South St. Mauvieu by the AVRE.

3 GREN and PzIVH in West St. Mauvieu. 1 Mortar remains in la Gaule

1300

Grenadiers are reduced by the AVRE.

British armour advances on West St. Mauvieu.

1315

Churchills fire first and the PzIVH is reduced! Return fire reduces a Churchill platoon.

1330

British armour manoeuvres to flank the Panzers while the AVRE helps to eliminate the mortar crews and liberate la Gaule.

1345

The last of the British reinforcements arrive.

Flanking fire eliminates the last of the Panzers, but the Grenadiers continue to hold out!

1400

The reduced Grenadiers are eliminated but two Grenadier platoons remain in Western St. Mauvieu. The second AVRE arrives.

The Battle is over.

BRITISH MINOR VICTORY!!!

Aftermath

I believe in another turn or two it would have been a British Major Victory as the last two Grenadier platoons would have fallen to the British Armour.

As commented above, I think the British could have advanced more smartly. As it was, almost the whole 8th Royal Scots and 6th Royal Scots Fusiliers were eliminated. Casualties were extreme.

This battle was one of my favourite PG battles to date. The variety of forces for both sides made for an extremely tense battle. I was convinced that the British would lose, but all of a sudden they had a breakthrough in the German line and all those dug-in German Grenadiers meant nothing! They had to protect the towns!

I believe the victory conditions are fairly balanced. If the British didn’t capture their towns it would have been a German Major Victory. (There isn’t much difference between German Major and German Minor Victory). This made for a great see-saw of a battle. The Reinforcements tipped the scales with both sides getting what they needed. The Germans received some well needed armour and the British got some more men (as I foolishly sent many a Scot to the grave).

Scenario Rating: 5/5 – AVRE, Crocodiles, Mines, 88s, Airstrike, Big Artillery, Armour Battles, Lots of units on a small map, Reinforcements. This scenario has it all!

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