Panzer Grenadier Battles on November 21st:
Desert Rats #16 - The Panzers Pull Back Desert Rats #19 - The Panzers Return
Desert Rats #17 - The Tomb Of Sidi Rezegh Jungle Fighting #7 - Line Of Departure
Desert Rats #18 - A Pibroch's Skirl South Africa's War #5 - Irish Eyes
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"We'll fight them."
Black Panthers #9
(Attacker) United States vs Germany (Defender)
Formations Involved
Display
Balance:



Overall balance chart for BlkP009
Total
Side 1 2
Draw 0
Side 2 0
Overall Rating, 2 votes
5
4
3
2
1
4
Scenario Rank: --- of 940
Parent Game Black Panthers
Historicity Historical
Date 1944-11-19
Start Time 09:00
Turn Count 24
Visibility Day
Counters 40
Net Morale 0
Net Initiative 0
Maps 2: 22, 24
Layout Dimensions 56 x 43 cm
22 x 17 in
Play Bounty 165
AAR Bounty 171
Total Plays 2
Total AARs 1
Battle Types
Inflict Enemy Casualties
Urban Assault
Conditions
Off-board Artillery
Severe Weather
Smoke
Scenario Requirements & Playability
Black Panthers Base Game
Elsenborn Ridge Maps + Counters
Introduction

On the 18th, medic Ray Roberson diagnosed Sgt. Ruben Rivers with gangrene in a massive leg wound suffered two days earlier. Rivers refused evacuation and morphine, only allowing the medic to clean and dress the wound. He led Lt. Robert Hammon's platoon of tanks to an overwatch position, from which they could cover the rest of Able Company as it and the infantry advanced on the town of Bourgaltrouff. The remainder of the company came under accurate fire from German Panther tanks, and company commander David J. Williams ordered Rivers to withdraw. Rivers showed the same respect for Williams' commands that he had over evacuation for his wound. "I see them," he snapped over the radio. "We'll fight them."

Conclusion

The German Panthers shot up the approaching Black Panthers, and were in turn engaged by Rivers and other tanks of his platoon. That allowed the rest of the company and its accompanying infantry to withdraw, but Rivers was killed along with Hammond and a number of other tank crewmen. Rivers' stand against the Panthers allowed the rest of the company to escape; Ruben Rivers would be awarded the Medal of Honor for this action in 1997.


Display Relevant AFV Rules

AFV Rules Pertaining to this Scenario's Order of Battle
  • Vulnerable to results on the Assault Combat Chart (7.25, 7.63, ACC), and may be attacked by Anti-Tank fire (11.2, DFT). Anti-Tank fire only affects the individual unit fired upon (7.62, 11.0).
  • AFV's are activated by tank leaders (3.2, 3.3, 5.42, 6.8). They may also be activated as part of an initial activating stack, but if activated in this way would need a tank leader in order to carry out combat movement.
  • AFV's do not block Direct Fire (10.1).
  • Full-strength AFV's with "armor efficiency" may make two anti-tank (AT) fire attacks per turn (either in their action segment or during opportunity fire) if they have AT fire values of 0 or more (11.2).
  • Each unit with an AT fire value of 2 or more may fire at targets at a distance of between 100% and 150% of its printed AT range. It does so at half its AT fire value. (11.3)
  • Efficient and non-efficient AFV's may conduct two opportunity fires per turn if using direct fire (7.44, 7.64). Units with both Direct and AT Fire values may use either type of fire in the same turn as their opportunity fire, but not both (7.22, 13.0). Units which can take opportunity fire twice per turn do not have to target the same unit both times (13.0).
  • Demoralized AFV's are not required to flee from units that do not have AT fire values (14.3).
  • Place a Wreck marker when an AFV is eliminated in a bridge or town hex (16.3).
  • AFV's do not benefit from Entrenchments (16.42).
  • AFV's may Dig In (16.2).
  • Closed-top AFV's: Immune to M, M1 and M2 results on Direct and Bombardment Fire Tables. Do not take step losses from Direct or Bombardment Fire. If X or #X result on Fire Table, make M morale check instead (7.25, 7.41, 7.61, BT, DFT).
  • Closed-top AFV's: Provide the +1 modifier on the Assault Table when combined with infantry. (Modifier only applies to Germans in all scenarios; Soviet Guards in scenarios taking place after 1942; Polish, US and Commonwealth in scenarios taking place after 1943.) (ACC)
  • Tank: all are closed-top and provide the +1 Assault bonus, when applicable
  • Prime Movers: Transports which only transport towed units and/or leaders (May not carry personnel units). May or may not be armored (armored models are open-top). All are mechanized. (SB)

Display Order of Battle

Germany Order of Battle
Heer
  • Mechanized
  • Towed
United States Order of Battle
Army
  • Mechanized
  • Motorized
  • Towed

Display Errata (2)

2 Errata Items
Overall balance chart for 20

The reduced direct fire value of the Heer HMG became 5-5 starting with Fall of France.

(plloyd1010 on 2015 Jul 31)
Overall balance chart for 63

The morale and combat modifiers of German Sergeant #1614 should be "0", not "8".

(Shad on 2010 Dec 15)

Display AARs (1)

Brutal fight for the town
Author gambler1650
Method Solo
Victor United States
Play Date 2023-11-27
Language English
Scenario BlkP009

I started the game a couple of months ago and was about 1/3 of the way through. I played the rest of it the last two days. It felt like it came down to the final turn, although the result - a Minor U.S. victory - was probably close to sealed a few turns earlier.

The early game was marked by the duel between the three U.S. tank platoons and the Panther platoon. While the Panthers took down 1 1/2 platoons before it was destroyed, the Germans could have used at least one more step loss on a Black Panthers' tank platoon, as they were instrumental in clearing out woods north of the town. The reduced platoon was destroyed by the German anti tank weapon in the very west of the town. A lucky artillery shot removed the AT weapon later in the game. The U.S were held up by a unit in the center of the map on the road, a fairly strong position to the north in the woods, and a single HMG + leader in the southern woods, and the westernmost position in the town which was stacked with a 10/2/2 leader and resisted all direct fire and bombardments (except the aforementioned lucky hit on the AT weapon).

With about 10 turns to go, the U.S. finally got into the town with the remaining M34/76 platoon, a leader and infantry, and due to the original German plan of slowing them down rather than hunkering down in the town, that stack (minus a demoralized unit here, plus a new infantry platoon there) cleared out three hexes of the town before finally assaulting the strongpoint. That strongpoint managed to demoralize the tankers which pulled back with three turns left and that was probably the reason why the Germans still had a single infantry platoon plus the leader at the end of the game. However, the Americans had less step losses than the Germans (19 - 21) and they held 4 town hexes to gain 2 of the 3 objectives to gain their Minor Victory.

Overall a good scenario. The U.S. could have (and probably should have) focused on either the North or South approach rather than going down the center and clearing everything out before taking on the town. The Germans probably should have used at least one more platoon in the town itself, and perhaps had the Panther platoon in the town itself for Opportunity fire chances. This would have made it even more a grind than it turned out to be at the end. Since the last 10 or so turns (more than a third) of the battle was house to house fighting in the town, I took a star off as it became more of a grind than I tend to like.

3 Comments
2023-11-27 16:29

Well-written AAR!

Now might be an opportune time to try your hand at shared, online play using the Vassal platform as it is WAY more fun to play an unpredictable human opponent.

A number of us are retired & available to show you how, should you be so inclined.

In the meantime, have a happy Holiday Season, and do let me know if you'd like to learn to play on Vassal.

2023-11-27 16:41

Looking at your record and this AAR, it's time to give Vassal a try.

2023-11-27 17:19

I agree with my colleagues and will be happy to play you online when you're ready.

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