Green Hell (Revisited) - After Action Report - Page 2

Green Hell (Revisited) -  German Defenders!

Eventually the British Mortar FO got into position and after a couple of unsuccessful attempts by the Daimler to suppress the German Infantry with MG fire the Mortar Section had a go with HE (which was also a failure). The Mortar Section was therefore then used to smoke the German MMG Bunker and adjacent Rifle Section. This allowed No.1 Platoon and the Daimler Armoured Car to attempt to concentrate their fire on the forward (FDL) German Section. However more Germans were revealed in response, from a neighbouring orchard, a Rifle Section and a Sniper who engaged the British when they attempted to advance or otherwise reposition when the forward German Section had been suppressed or gone 'No Fire'.

German Defenders Get Smoked! But more are revealed in the Orchard!

The British therefore continued to smoke the German MMG Bunker while they attempted to deal with the forward German section and the new threat from the orchard. With only 3 Platoons at hand the British CC was reluctant to throw a second one in so early in the battle and resisted the urge to bring more troops in. So far both side's shooting had been pretty lousy and the Brits were chewing through their Mortar ammo with little tangible result.

Close-Up of the Smoke recipients.

After some more inconclusive fire the British CC relented and brought No.2 Platoon up to reinforce the attack and with the smoke keeping half the German troops out of action they successfully pushed up into the orchard and overwhelmed the Rifle Section and Sniper located there. However this did mean two-thirds of the British force was now committed on the extreme right flank!

Clearing the Orchard, No.2 Platoon move forward.

With the threat of being out flanked caused by the loss of the orchard the German CC promptly withdrew his forward Rifle Section, bringing it back to the line held by the MMG Section and the other surviving Rifle Section of the 2nd platoon. The British followed up by pushing the Daimler Armoured Car hot on their heels, before the smoke lifted at which time the Daimler was pinned (temporarily halted) by enemy MG fire (we had a house rule that allowed the German MMG's to fire at the Daimlers with 2D - a Pin would end the Daimler's current action at that point and make it slightly harder for them to do another action).

A Daimler Armoured Car and a Mortar FO move up to deal with the thickening German defence.

By now the British CC was in a bit of a quandary, the Mortar Section in action was almost out of ammo (and the second Mortar FO wasn't up yet), the Daimler was having little effect, he then lost a Rifle Section to German fire and the new German line on the extreme right was looking pretty daunting. Attempts by No.2 platoon to push beyond the orchard had encountered fire from a second German Platoon to the left-centre of their position. At this stage loses were 1 Section (Squad) apiece - a ratio the British couldn't afford to maintain if they were to win the battle...

No.3 Platoon begin to move up through the centre of the wood.

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