BA: Italian Front Germans vs US Paras

Kent popped round for another game, we decided to run the same mission as last week (envelopment) on the same table but with him attacking. We used exactly the same forces as last week.

Flak 36 set up in the field, an infantry squad with 2x LMGs in the building on the left with a mortar set up in the courtyard. I keep my two larger infantry squads in reserve along with the half track, 233 and stuh.

The mortar squad prepares for the American assault.

Turn 1 the Americans advance on mass towards the wooded hill.

There are a hell of a lot of em!

The greyhound screens the open left flank.

Turn 2 or 3 the Americans are in the treeline.

 The advance continues.

 Turn 2. The stuh misses the Sherman and my sniper has been pinned by the US sniper. The two dice are where the bazooka has just advanced and taken a crack at the stuh.

Double 6s, a hit! Luckily he rolled a 1 for penetration but the bazooka team is starting to become public enemy number one.

The 233 advances onto the board only to be shot at by the greyhound, I recce away but even so Ken rolls a 6 to hit and although only superficial damage it causes 2 pins.

Meanwhile on the left flank my infantry that started the game pinned have so far failed to unpin (or o on ambush) and the Americans are almost in sight.

 Oh crap. there sure are a lot of the. I cause a few pins and superficial damage but the American return fire decimates my troops- oh to be able to start in foxholes!

on the right the building in the distance has a squad of Americans in it but they have been hit by a mortar round and have taken considerable losses. The jeep is hidden behind the two trees just to the right of the building.

The stuh has advanced to bolster our left flank, Kent responded by sending the Sherman through the woods.

The panzer grenadiers prepare to assault.

 But the Greyhound is also lurking nearby...

 My squad in the building advances to help out on our now seriously threatened right flnak.

The Americans advance downhill on our left.

 The 233 and Stuh hope to hold the attack.

But the US infantry sweep past them towards their objective.

Advancing towards the woods our last squad is spotted by the Us mortar which ranges in with its first shot and causes 6 hits, resulting in 6 dead mean. the survivor flees!

The Stuh retaliates by obliterating the bulk of a squad- 6 men die but the survivor stands staunch!

then the bazooka charges the 233...

 And knocks it out!

The hanomag just manages to kill the Greyhound with a lucky hit.Then the US mortar again ranges in with its first attempt, this time causing 2 casualties on my panzer grenadier squad.

The the Sherman finishes off the Stuh. We roll for a turn 7 and...

We get one. He has 5 squads that can exit the table on this turn and I've  nothing that can stop him!

Result: 22-6! Yikes a real thrashing. Kent really loaded up his right flank and went for it and in the end it paid off. It was close till turn 5 and then his firepower simply blew away my troops.

I probably should have sent the hanomag and final squad to bolster my felt flank but was hoping to get some softer points with them, and they forced the greyhound to respond but int he greater scheme of things they would have been more useful helping against the main advance.

I think next time we'll try some fortifications (fox holes) to help out the defenders a bit more.