Operation Breakout. Defence of Hex EB, German counterattack

I took the 29th US Infantry division up to Ad Hoc Games in Huyton to defend the Allied forward fuel depots against a German counter attack...

My force consisted of a regular 2nd Lt +1. Air Force Observer  +1, 4 x 9 man regular GI' s BAR and SMG, 2 x 7 Vet GI's with 2 BAR and 2 SMG and Tough fighter, Medium howitzer, bazooka, sniper, and MMG jeep

Jonny's Heer germans consisted of 2 x 8 men regulars with LMG, 1 x 8 veterans with 8 assault rifles, 2nd Lt +1. medium howitzer, medium mortar, mmg, Puma, hanomag, sniper, flammenwerfer and Panzerschrek.

I had two fuel depots in haystacks near my deployment as above and quite secure, the other was far closer to the germans line but had a squad in the ruins on the hill giving the Hun something to think about.  I had sniper to the left of shot in a field, with howitzer on a hill just left of shot, 2 x 9 GIs centre and the FAirO and third squad in the hilltop ruin.

Jonny deployed his MMG and mortar central and to my left (hence the sniper position), his howitzer central opposite mine, and his vets and flamethrower in the hanomag in the central top field to rush the fuel haystack. He didnt outflank anything.

Turn 1. US get first dice and smack the Hanomag  and units for 3 pins forcing it down, followed by the BAR on the hill ruin adding a further one to them. No other shooting was effectual turn 1, bar the MMG losing a man to rifle fire. The Air strike was called in on the German medium howitzer

Turn 2. The Rookie pilot that hurt my advance against the Dan's Germans in game 1 came back again and took out my Air observer (again) and put two pins on teh nearby GIS who stayed down until turn 4.

The Hanomag rallied with officer coming on from reserve to help, and the squads stayed and went down. (failed their orders). The US rifle squad took the MMG team down to one man, who passed his morale but stayed pinned for the remainder of the game. The mortar zeroed in on the US howitzer, but failed to kill anyone thanks to the gun shield. All forces brought on their reserves centrally or near objectives bar the US MMG jeep which didnt show up.

Turn 3. The 1st regular Germans assualt the US in the ruins, both sides killing 4 men until the GIs get the upper hand and wipe out the huns. Mortar killed a man in the US howitzer, before being taken out by the US sniper. The Flammenwerfer ran out the hanomag, which then advanced with the Lt behind to claim the objective and disgorge the still heavily pinned Heer Vets with the Puma adding additional firepower to that flank taking out the remnants of the ruined Gi squad in the ruins. US units went down due to the firepower and artillery coming their way. The bazooka team edged up the hill on the right with a vet squad and another vet and regular squad right of centre...The 2nd regular German infantry squad takes centre of field v two GI squads. Still no jeep, but dead Germans on the hill

Turn 4 The two GI squads take down tcentral German regulars in the field, while the regulars by my right objective concentrate fire on the Flammenwerfer who are using the puma for cover... As it worked quite well, the Vets called the bazooka team up to shift the Puma, who recce'd away but still took a long range hit. The Puma was pinned down, and the Vets wiped out the flamethrower team .

The Heer Veterans on the hill assault my Vets there, wiping them out to easily and the Hanomag advanced to shield them from US retaliation...The jeep comes on and takes up position near the right haystack and pours it on...The German sniper team is taken out by his US counterpart, and the panzerschrek runs forward to threaten the US howitzer/or threaten the left objective...

Turns 5 stars like this....

The Puma has two pins, with a regular GI squad near it in the field. A second GI squad has came back to deal with the Schrek team, the GI LT is centre, with a vet squad and regular GI squad and jeep sitting pretty ready to rock and roll. I have a 9:6 dice advantage.

Turn 5 first dice is German. Does he assault my Vets, or my regulars? No, he calls in  a medium artillery strike  and takes out the whole Veteran squad. Damn! Second dice out, US and my reguar flag waving squad advances and point blanks, taking the sqaud of 5 vet Heer to 3, who then assault me and wipe me out leaving two Heer to advance on the jeep, which opens up and doesnt kill either of the 2 men left.

The Puma takes another flank shot from a howitzer, and is stunned... The squad in the field takes out the pesky Heer veterans for me...

I run the bazooka team back to cement my holding of two objectives, in case the Puma is very, very lucky..

Turn 6 The Puma fails morale to advance and contest, game ends...

It was damn close run thing in the end, the Heer veterans from the Russian front took a lot of fire and chewed through two units with little hurt. Definitely Jonnys Iron Cross winners. (although he may think about giving one to my air observer.) Had they not been advancing recklessly in the Hanomag to start, those Veterans could have been in my face two turns earlier...

Third time lucky I hope for my Air Observer, and at least we held the fuel dump.