Skill vs Numbers

[richvalle]

End of turn 3/Start of turn 4.


Much of the activity has still been Forward Observer driven. 

   


   

The Hill. In an attempt to drive off the German leader calling in fire onto my Morts I pushed a platoon of Shermans over to the woods and opened fire with the other 2 platoons. It was a calculated risk as he could then AT fire with the Marder II's but he would need 10+ to hit. My Sherman fire and the subsequent HMG fire failed to have any effect on the leader. I followed up with some OBA and it was able to get him to a Dem state and forced him to retreat. 

Sadly, for the US, the Marder's did open fire and rolled a 10.     The remaining half platoon were equally shocked and went Dem. There was not much else done here as FOW was rolled in AS 11. The troops at the top in the woods moved into position to await the assault. 


   
I have that group of units moving across the board in the middle. I knew he would be able to spot them with his 'SS' (they are some sort of police force) on the hill if he moved his leader out and to the edge of the hill. I could have moved my units sideways to avoid it (max LOS is 10) but it would slow me down, be a pain and I have units near the castle so I thought it unlikely that he would do so. 

Well... he did. So now in order to stop art fire on the moving units I had to assault the Castle before I was ready. I managed to move everyone up and OP fire was ineffective. I was able able to capture the SS leader.  With the extra troops he has coming to this area I think this is going to be a bloody fight. 


   
In order to shore up his flank he moved some unmounted troops and APC's down to the Lt Woods. However he moved them to just within range of my HMG's and Inf being able to 'ambush' him if I won Init next AS. Taking a chance I moved both 3 stacks next to him.