Dust Up Near Carenten - Part I

Well, as promised, here are the images of my latest defeat in the Flames of War universe.  Not as bad as promising the Bastogne Church only to have the paint job look slightly pedestrian mind you, but still annoying

In any event, my opponent was home from grad school where he had learned new ways to obliterate Fearless Trained members of the 17 SS. Panzergrenadier Division.  We played on a 6' x 8' table and did the Dust Up mission as the German counterattack at Carenten against the 101st Airborne Division jumped off just slightly earlier than the planned American attack.  We also limited the reinforcement areas to those that were somewhat historical.  And, the American Sherman platoon from the 2nd Armoured had to be the last reinforcements taken for the Americans.  It was pretty close in real life and I did have my chances as the German commander.  Still, close only counts in horseshoes, hand grenades and bombing Hamburg, so it still counts as a loss. 

     At least I got to use all of my pea-dot camouflage forces.  I put on the field an SS Panzergrenadier  company HQ with two Panzerschrek teams, 3 SS Panzergrenadier zugs with panzerfausts, an SS HMG zug with four HMGs, an SS mortar zug with four 81 mm mortars, an SS Assault Gun zug with four StuG IVs, an Heer nebelwerfer section with three 15 cm launchers and an ostruppen platoon for a total of ~1700 points.  Surely enough to bull my way to Carenten, even without Von der Heydte. 

Another hedgerow laced field to cross!

The German entry point is the lower right hand corner.  Carenten beckons to the upper left hand corner.

The town has been well shelled by the Allies. 

The American entry zone.  The Germans must not pass!

 

There area a LOT of paratroopers here.  Even if Major Winters isn't painted yet!

 

The German objective.  We tried to use a bunch of units that haven't seen the harsh combat of the basement table. 

 

A PG zug prepares to advance.

StuG IVs are well camouflaged to prevent attacks from the dreaded jabos!

Up the road to Carenten.  The US objective lays in the middle of the shell pocketed town.

A US paratrooper platoon has about a zillion FV stands. 

Glider borne 57 mm antitank guns guard the German objective. 

 

A US 105 mm glider battery prepares to bombard the incoming German attack.

US LMGs can put out a LOT of lead. 

The German attack commences. 

One of the two SS PG zugs moves along the table edge to flank the Americans.

American paratroopers aggressively probe the German flank.

 

Perhaps too aggressively as the StuGs kill off a stand with MG fire.

FV StuGs are the lead element in the German attack. 

US aggressiveness is not foolishness as the paratroopers take cover.

US artillery fire peppers the advancing Germans, delaying the thrust up the road. 

 

Carenten!  So close . . .

 

. . . and yet so far!  Massed German infantry is an inviting artillery target.

StuGs shoot at the Americans in the hedgerows with little effect. 

German rocket launchers do little to assist the attack. 

Paratroopers counterattack the German panzergrenadiers.

US reinforcements arrive! 

The LMGs calmly await the expected German assault.



Moving at the double has some risks, but the Germans are not in the American Line of Sight.  Yet . . .

 

More German reinforcements arrive but they are at the far end of the board away from the action.  I should have spent the points to get the trucks!  Here the SS HMG zug moves up. 

The StuGs advance and pound the equally FV paratroopers to little effect. 

The Germans use the hedgerow as cover and fire at the Americans at the other side of the field.

The Germans have 2-3 zugs that can finally attack. 

More carnage in the center.  Where is the 2nd Armoured?

Here they are!  Shermans begin to trade shells with the StuGs. 

 

Let's hope that schurzen works as advertised!

Perhaps Herr Krupp needs to work on that design.  The first StuG IV dies despite the foliage. 

More German reinforcements arrive.  They are far away from the action. 

The ostruppen are less than excited to fight in France for Germany against the Americans.  Perhaps that is why they are Reluctant Conscripts. 

An American paratrooper platoon tries to flank the stalled SS PG zug. 

Germans and Americans fling shells and dice at each other. 

The SS PG zug is well protected but that is not going to get them to the objective.

Will the American center hold?  Those who have read other accounts on this blog have little doubt.  Look for Part II soon!