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SeppDietrich -> May 23, 1941 AAR (3/20/2002 7:31:58 AM)
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Okay, so I'm gonna dispense with that whole talking like it is the real thing nonsense and get right to the point.
My Kampfgruppe is made up of a Company of medium tanks, a platoon of support tanks, and two companies of Mechanized panzergrenadiers. The second mission was of the type I hated at first, but over time have grown quite fond of, the counter offensive. you know: --> <-----.
Anyway, The british force was more infantry than previous, and this is a good thing because my armor was still licking it's wounds from the previous battle. I was started approximately one turn from a set of two hills overlooking a cauldron in the middle of the battlefield. I said to myself "Well, we should get SOMETHING on those hills", so as I was still in deployment mode, I put all my MG34s inside the halftracks, with the recon infantry in halftracks as well to assist with spotting. Again, these were the ONLY units I placed in halftracks. The remainder of the infantry was going to be on foot, as there were smaller hillocks behind those two large hills, and I suspected that the infantry in the halftracks were going to either be annhilated or thrown off.
Never EVER EVER again will I underestimate the power of the MG34 in it's lone squad level incarnation.
I placed them in such a way that they created "firezones", a concept I must admit I am only beginning to understand, but they overlapped, and turned the caulderon into a valley of DEATH. Anywhere from 3-6 tommies fell with each volley. Their armor proved to be no significant problem, as I had upgraded some of the Pz IIIG's to H type models (actually, it was only two, but that is beside the point, as will be shown when I give the comparative casualty figures).
Those infantry in the rear had to catch up, because they never even got close to being attacked. Within two turns, I was the agressor. Within 5 turns, his armor was annhilated, and his infantry was in the throes of being surrounded.
Then the most heart pounding incredible thing happened in my entire career playing this incredible F$%^ing game.
One of my PzIV's went where I didn't want him to go, and became surrounded by an untold number of British soldiers. I estimate it (since I had limited intel on) at around 150-200. I had no more units pending, but the PzIV had all of it's fire rounds, so he laid into all the troops surrounding him, as he was immobilized by a well placed satchel charge.
It was time for a final stand. Their turn came. I swear, it was like Blackhawk Down, the German troops in that tank swiveling the turret, firing the coaxial gun, making mincemeat of the first platoon that charged them. But then a lucky riflegrenade shot, and they are suppressed, otherwise the events to come wouldn't have been as harrowing.
Squad after squad tries to assault the tank. Squad after squad is repulsed. But that percentage success is increasing...5...7...9...10%. It looks like the end. Then, after five minutes of watching them pound away at this poor tank, their turn ends. I hope against hope that the men are still in that tank, for if they are still in that tank there is a better than slim chance of saving them.
Nope, definitely not in the tank anymore. They are just chillin outside the tank, smoking some fine German cigarettes and congratulating themselves on a job well done, repulsing an entire company of British soldiers.
VERDAMMT I exclaim. My encirclement must go on hold...I leave no man behind. Dead, or alive, they are all coming home. Every panzer in the area moves to assist. The infantry starts a breakneck run for the area, bypassing enemy mortars, massacreing crewmen, encircleing and slaughtering british squads that were seperated. THIS is what blitzkrieg is supposed to be I suppose, but I never got it to work until now. Unfortunately, we cannot get to them. The closest tank is two hexes away, and immobilized...again from a foolish move.
The next turn the immobilized tank takes some of the pressure off, and they pound away at it. Then they start firing on the crew. For the first five minutes, all is good, no one is hit. Then, MAN DOWN...down to 4...another hit, and we're down to 3. I check the message scrawl, and they are still alive, not dispersed.
After the most vile three minutes of my gaming life...it is my turn. When the smoke clears, 150-200 british soldiers lie dead in the sand, and my tank crews are safe (the other immobilized crew also egressed, but when things were handily wrapped up, they got back in, turned on the engine, and drove off to get some revenge). Unbelievable. I have never seen anything like that in my entire life. Decisive Victory, Crushing Defeat.
BATTLE 1 CASUALTIES
German Soldat/Crewmen: 186 KIA
German AFV: 6 Destroyed
British Soldiers/Crewmen: 751 KIA
British AFV: 37 Destroyed
BATTLE 2 CASUALTIES
German Soldat/Crewmen: 83 KIA
German AFV: 2 Destroyed
British Solders/Crewmen: 1491 KIA (1491! Not one unit escaped)
British AFV: 32 Destroyed
Next battle, Delay...on the most beautiful ground ever, with a visibility of 3.
my line looks something like this:
Pz -------> Mg34 --> AT88/recon->Inf Squads
They won't have any clue what hit them. BEAUTIFUL.
When they are broken (and break they shall) my Panzers will spring forward like the cavalry of the middle ages to hack them to pieces.
Thank you, those that read,
Sepp
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