This was the first game I played in 2009. I started at 12:15 AM January 1, set up and played for 2 hours and got to the end of turn 3, taking notes as I did so. Overall this session took about six hours, of which I think about two hours were due to note-taking and photography. This session is in less detail than the previous, but I have detailed the experience and replacement process carefully. Map references are in row,column format, and numbers in parentheses after HQs and Staff indicate how many adjusted actions they received. The notation (X + Y) means they received X and used Y saved actions.
The previous mission in the log is the Mission 1: Trevieres Offensive
The company started out in poor shape; although the HQ and staff were fine, becoming line and veteran after the last offensive, the platoons were very beat up. 1st Platoon had a new HQ, and a green 2-step squad as well as a line and veteran. I assigned it a veteran bazooka and LMG, making it the main attacking force. 2nd Platoon, also with a green HQ, had only two squads and a fire team, and was assigned a bazooka. 3rd Platoon had no HQ, and consisted of only two 2-step line squads and a fire team. I put it under the XO's command (although since he was not a platoon HQ he had to order units individually, at considerable command expense). I attached the Mortar FO to 1st platoon, and the Artillery FO to the 2nd Platoon.
See the beginning of turn 4 for the map set up. Underneath the hills at 4,3 is a gully.
The CO HQ (3) activated the PLT HQs and saved an action. The 1 PLT HQ (5) sent a squad forward and saved actions, and the 2 PLT HQ (4) sent a fire team forward and saved actions. The 1st SGT and XO both saved an action. In general initiative, the squad, a veteran, found cover. The fire team did not.
At 1,2 we found a HMG nest -- a squad in foxholes on the hill at 2,1 and a HMG in foxholes at 2,2. Both started firing at 1,1. The other potential contact did not materialize. The US squad was exposed, but fortunate to have cover, and was just pinned. In return the German squad was missed.
The CO HQ (6) was inspired to strong action and activated everyone, saving 2 actions. The 1st PLT did not want t advance into heavy fire and did nothing, leaving 2nd PT HQ (2+2) to move the squad forward into the card that was not under fire, and then have the on-map 60mm mortar unit fire at the HMG nest, and attempt, but failed, to have the artillery FO call in fire on the other position. The SGT (6) got in the jeep with the HMG, and saved commands. The XO (2) did nothing except save commands. In general initiative (2) the pinned US squad successfully rallied from pinned AND fired a rifle grenade at the German squad.
The German units both concentrate fire on the US squad, but miss it. Incoming mortar hits the HMG nest, making it a fire team, and the grenade hits the German squad, turning it into a casualty, a paralyzed team and a fire squad (with automatic weapons). An excellent turn for the U.S. forces!
The battalion sends the BTN XO/S-3 to the CO HQ to check up on the situation, and he activates everyone. The HQ does nothing, but the 1PLT HQ (3) infiltrates the platoon forward, although the 1/1 squad and the bazooka are not successful. Once there, the 3/1 platoon which was already there is ordered to advance again along the hill and attack the German fire team there. The 2PLT HQ (2) sends a squad directly forwards and one forward and right into the woods. The SGT moves forward, orders a cease fire (so the 3/1 platoon will not take friendly fire) and then dives for cover.
The XO (4) adds the fire team into the 3/3 squad, bringing it up to strength and advances it into the woods. In general initiative (2) two units ail to find cover. For the Germans, one fire team rallies from pinned. Despite having four potential contacts, none materialize due to being heavily engaged. In the resulting in-card combats, the German fire team at 2,1 is missed, but pins the US 3/1 squad. The paralyzed unit in that card becomes a casualty. In the other combat, the US unit is pinned, and the German fire team hit and becomes a litter team.
Another good turn!
h3>Turn 4
The BTN XO activates everyone again, and the CO HQ again takes no actions. The 2nd PLT (0+2) moves the platoon forward into the newly occupied woods, laying phone line as it goes. The 1st PLT HQ does the same, and the XO (4) moves three units forward. In general initiative, the pinned unit fails to rally, and the 3/2 PLT moves forward into the village.
Despite the contact level having dropped just to "contact", nothing is found in the village. In combat in the hill, the Germans are missed and the US squad is hit, becoming a fire team, a litter and a casualty.
The BTN XO goes back; but leaves us an ammo resupply for the HMG in the orchard. The CO HQ (4) steps up and activates everyone. The 1PLT HQ (3) sends a bazooka unit to the rear with the captured litter team, and the squad is ordered to fire at the adjacent hill, since the pinned unit there is already taking automatic fire from the German fire team, so no worse for them. The 2/1 PLT is also moved forward. 2PLT HQ (2) moved the mortar into the village, and the SGT (5) got out of the jeep and ran forward. The XO (4) sent the 3/3 PLT into the cemetary and the artillery FO forward left into the woods. In General initiative the Litter unit on the hill withdrew with a casualty to the designated collection location at 2,2. The Artillery FO called a mission in on the hill, and under cover of that smoke, the US fire team withdrew.
The German HQ event was a rally attempt, but no units were eligible. Both potential combats turned up empty -- where are all the Germans? The German fire team on the hill has no LOS due to smoke from incoming artillery and cannot fire. The artillery hits it, but it simply converts to an assault team -- no doubt stirred to action!
The CO HQ (2+2) activates everyone. The 1PLT HQ (3+1) fails to rally the litter team, moves the 1/2 PLT forward, the litter team back, and calls in a second artillery strike on the hill. The 2PLT HQ (3+1) sends a fire team back to regroup and moves the platoon into the village, failing to find any cover there. Te XO (4) moves itself and 1/3 squad into the woods. Both look for cover, but only the platoon finds it. The 1st SGT (4) sends the bazooka team with prisoners to the staging area, rallies the litter team to a fire team, but fails to reconstitute the two fire teams in his card to a squad and finished by moving to cover. In general initiative (2), the mortar team finds cover in a strong building.
The German assault team has a plethora of targets and infiltrates successfully into the marsh with the exposed US 1/2 squad. Yet again, there are no additional contacts in the marsh (on 5 draws) and the combat there sees the US squad hit (paralyzed, litter and fire teams), and the German unit is also paralyzed.
All activated by CO HQ again (4+2) which also fires a red signal parachute, ordering designated units to advance (all except litter, paralyzed, CO HQ, mortar and spotter units must advance preferentially to objectives and attack points, in that order). It also embarks in the jeep (vacated by the SGT recently). All the designated units advance, laying phone lines where appropriate. The platoon HQs, seeing their units all exposed, orders cover to be found, with very poor results. The SGT (4) sends the FO to the hill, reconstitutes the 1/2 PLT from two fire sqauds and takes it and heads into the foxholes. The XO finds cover and sends a squad into it to share it with him. In general initiative more cover is sought after the huge push.
The German HQ orders mortars displaced, but there are none and th paralyzed unit fails to find cover. The Jeep drives through the orchard to the hilltop, dropping off the CO HQ and HMG. The US paralyzed team moves back, and German casualties and paralyzed teams are captured.
With four potential contacts, only one materializes. A sniper appears beyond the line of advance, firing at long range. It hits the squad in the orchard at 4,2 but only converts a single step to a fire team. he map now appears as to the right.
Not many actions are received, so the 1PLT HQ (0+1) simply sends a PLT foward into 4,1 and the 2PLT HQ (2) sends the 3/2 squad to the hill to the left to investigate the potential contact. The 1st SGT (3+1) moves self and a squad into 3,1, rallies the liter team to a fire team and then reconstitutes the 3/1 PLT. The XO (2+2) sends the 1/3 PLT into the sniper's attack zone, failing to infiltrate. It then moves into the village and orders the FO and 50mm left. In general initiative three attempts to spot the sniper fail.
Nothing is found on the hill. In the orchard a hidden LMG nest in foxholes (unspotted) opens up on the US unit in the same card, pinning it. The sniper hits the unit that filed to infiltrate and it becomes a fire team and casualty.
Our HQ orders us to advance, which will not be hard as it is indeed part of the plan. The SGT and PLT HQs are activated by the CO HQ (2+2) which also fails to rally a paralyzed unit. The 1PLT HQ (3) gets an LMG to spot the German LMG and orders fire into the card. The 2PLT HQ (4) orders a squad left, spots the sniper with a fire team and calls for indirect fire from the on-map mortar into the sniper's area. The smoke this causes will neutralize his threat. The SGT (4+2) three units forward and right and fails to rally or reconstitute anything. The XO moves to the artillery FO's location and moves it forward.
In general initiative (3), the artillery FO calls in fire on the now spotted German LMG, and the pinned 1/1 squad there retreats out. The Germans take no action, having no LOS due to smoke, and again contact is not made, this time in the secondary objective. The fire missions hit and paralyze both the LMG and the sniper.
After CO HQ (3+1) activates everyone, the 1 PLT HQ uses purple smoke to call for all combat units to advance, left if possible. Five units move to the primary and fie into the secondary objectives. Several others who can see the smoke shuffle forward safely. Lots of units attempt to find cover, the SGT (0+4) finding a strong building and church steeple and gets all his team except a single platoon into them.
The German paralyzed unit rallies to a fire team an engages the units in the primary objective. Unbelievably, with seven draws, no more contact is made in the main objective. The German fire unit is pinned and pins the exposed unit, but that is all. The turn ends with the US easily occupying the main objectives and possessing secure lines back to the staging area.
The mission was very successful. Experience was 39, achieved as follows:
Overall, I felt I have the game system understood at this point. I paced the attack much better, but was clearly much aided by a lack of opposition. Fire missions are clearly very powerful, and they provide a tremendous boost. At this stage the company looks in very good shape for future action.
The previous mission in the log is the Mission 1: Trevieres Offensive