After the remnants of 12 Para counter attacked into the hedgrows outside Le Bas de Ranville in the last game, the Germans pushed back into the outskirts of the town - although a little more cautiously this time, after the initial probe was defeated by a flamethrower and a good slice of luck in game 3.
von Luck is still happy with the progress so far, giving the Germans +1 to support points. The men are still reeling somwhat from the casualties so far, so no bonus to morale. Sam has also brought together some battered sections from his first platoon to make a full strength Platoon for this game.
The Germans have 20 points of support, and again without me knowing this consisted of -
Werfer Barrage
81mm mortar
Sniper
Medic
Senior Leader
Car
2 Halftracks
and possibly an MG42 (although we didn't see it in this game)
I had 7 support points, and went for a flamethrower and a Vickers MMG. The final Bren team turned up out of the blue, so I had not far off my previous list for this map -
2 x SL
1 Sten section + JL
2 2x Bren section
PIAT
2" mortar
Vickers
Flamethrower.
This time the Germans took a different approach, dispensing with the Schlepper and bringing two squads of Grenadiers on in halftracks. The Werfer Barrage again hampered the deployment of the British Paras, but just as the Germans got close enough to start threatening Jump off Points, the Barrage was lifted by a turn end.
(apologies for the picture, my phone has had an incident and isn't playing nicely at the moment)
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| The Corridor of Death. Again! |
The German Mortar barrage then started, although the lack of targets (in part due to the Werfer barrage but also some strategic deployment on my part) meant that once the ranging shot came in, the barrage was delayed for a phase - then another phase, and another and another.
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| Para section on the prowl |
All the while the Germans got closer. The Brits prowled amongst the courtyards, but no Germans came over the walls. We couldn't locate them either, so there was no lobbing Grenades over the wall indiscriminately.
The Halftracks edged closer to the town, down the corridor of death, and disgorged two sections of Grenadiers. At the same time, the mortar barrage came down, but not where it was originally planned but closer to the German positions, pinning one squad of Brits and one of Germans. The Para sniper took out the mortar observer to ensure the Barrage wasn't moved back onto the British positions, and a Vickers MMG opened up on the Germans in the sunken lane.
Unfortunately, the MMG shots missed and the Germans took advantage of a double phase to jump over the wall into the courtyard (scene of ferocious fighting in the last battle) and engage a squad of british and a PIAT team in hand to hand combat. The british were wiped out, and the Germans consolidated into a strong position to continue the battle, and although the flamethrower team popped up and tried to cause some shock, they weren't as successful as the previous time and the few soldiers of 12 Para A platoon pulled back to the Chateaux for a last stand.
Meanwhile, on the flank the platoon of 13 Para have been guarding the Church at Ranville, and are soon to meet the Germans head to head in a crucial battle in this enjoyable campaign.
As a little note, 'A' platoon of 12 Para have held out for 6 consecutive maps, and the final order of battle for the platoon is -
37 men in total -
12 men killed in total, and 2 men POW. Several injuries over the whole campaign so far, and 5 support team members killed or injured. They've put up a fierce resistance to a very powerful fighting force, and if the chaps from 13 Para can hold out we'll save the bridges. If not, it will go down to the wire on the last map!
See how 13 Para got on here
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