Higher Ground - After Action Report

Page 2 of 4

Back in the centre the lone survivor of the MG42 platoon ambush has retreat moved out of the crop field into the road. As can be seen the light tanks are getting a pounding from the PAT and integral infantry AT in the apple orchard... repeatedly being suppressed or multiple suppressed. Furthermore a Panzer III ausf N has come down off the high ground, and has also engaged the light tanks from a position on the road by the farm (centre rear of picture).

The U.S. response was swift and Marshal Foch would be proud! They sent another platoon from the centre across the crop field into the face of the MG42's, believing they couldn't possibly kill all of them? They didn't! A single surviving stand managed to retreat move back onto the road to join the other stand there from the first platoon! Dduhh! The one small achievement was bringing up the FO for the (60mm) Mortars, into a position in the butchered platoon's old position - although he did get pinned in the process... This picture shows the situation at this time, the Panzer III has advanced further around the road, and the suppressed M8 HMC has rallied, but the M3 Stuart on the left is getting pounded from the orchard....

Then the Panzer III got a lucky hit and demolished the M3 Stuart, it brewed up instantly to the joy of the German infantry in the apple orchard!

Once the American's regained the initiative they blasted the corner of the orchard with Mortar fire, taking out the bulk of the infantry platoon there... This then allowed the survivors of the MG42 holocaust in the field to rally and slip around the right of the field to the edge of the orchard... Aha! Now they were out of arc of the dreaded MG42's and the other German rifle platoon in the area (to the right rear) missed as they entered the apple orchard... Now those Krauts were for it - do we need to bring up more support? Nah, it's a crew served weapon, 1 squad can do the job! Oopps - maybe we should have...! Scratch one U.S. rifle squad... Damn!
  
Loss of initiative, and one of the MG42 stand's has pivoted to cover the blind spot! Blast It! and other appropriate exclamations emanate from the U.S. command.

Okay, Foch's rule is always good, the Americans charge another platoon across the adjacent field, straight at the MG42s! Yep, great idea! Oh dear, maybe not! On the right 2 platoons in the crop field are getting absolutely hammered by just a single MG42 Stand! Blast! They must be out of ammo by now? We'll bring up another platoon, and the remains of one that lost 2 stands on the right, they can follow the two platoons up the centre. Yeah that'll work think the Germans! But the American's hoped that it might then skim round the right of the crop field and finally get into the apple orchard...

Err not quite... It gets stuck as it crosses the road, hit by fire from the pesky Panzer III N!

Well it's pretty much been a disaster so far - best part of 2 U.S. Rifle Companies decimated! This photo shows the situation from the extreme US left flank, looking towards the Americans from behind the German positions.

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