December 16 PM

 

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"The SS are on the move..."

German 16 PM  

Click to zoom in!Faced with some difficult decisions and no significant weaknesses, my Germans attack at relatively low odds, for me, and attempt to wear down the US Army while maneuvering into positions that will force the US back.  While my optimal turn is one where there are no attacks at less than 4-1(-1) odds, this game has not yet reached that stage. 

There were potentially some big battles such as that at 1010; if I forced the US armor back, that would allow Peiper to surround the 5-3-4 lurking in the woods to the north of Elsenborn.  In the south, I had several different ways of putting the ENG element of the 29th out of its misery.  With perfect results, I would kill 5 US units and surround 3 others.

But that was not to be.

I made a mistake by forgetting that Angriffs require an armored unit; I wanted this against 28/112 in order to cut off the neighboring 4-3-4.  While this might have impacted how I did my turn, the results were relatively poor enough anyway to make this lesson cheap.

Nothing too exciting about my advances.  28/109 was cut off in the south but my subsequent attack failed to eliminate it.  My general principle is to try to take full advantage of this extra 'movement' so as to threaten the defenses the US will throw up on the following turn.  Randy's stout defense in the South will do much to impede the progress of 7th Army; I consider the territorial gains of 5th and 6th Panzer armies to be unremarkable at this stage of the game.  6th Army deploys in such a way as to ensure that Peiper and 150 Brigade can go into reserve on 17AM.

My opponent's preparation for 17AM may be quite simple if he sticks to the reliable 'triangle' defense; any trickery will probably be cause for some serious thinking.  Of course, I'm seriously thinking about the fact that through the first day I've only eliminated one US unit...

-- Tom

LQ Rating:  3.62

Allied 16 PM  

US16PMMove.jpg (252172 bytes)German combat results were definitely not fully realized this turn due to the vagaries of the die roll. The first two of which really had me concerned. The attack on 4/12 promptly cut off the retreat route of 28/109 defending in Vianden (50/50 chance), but the stubborn town's defenders survived with a Firefight. The 1D4 advance against 106/422 threatened to surround a valuable artillery unit, which prompted me to throw in all available artillery for the defense of 2/23 in front of St. Vith. I was disappointed to see greater than a D1 advance on Monschau given the overall strength of the attack. On the other hand, all of U.S. 2nd Inf Div remains unscathed and neither of my 7-4-4s have been reduced.

17AM is one of the high water marks for the German Army. The Allied player should expect to lose three or four units on this turn. The valiant remnants of 28/109 will continue to hold up 7th Army by blocking the NE approaches to Ettlebruck. I'm hopefully going to create a minor dilemma for the Germans by attempting to discourage a flanking attack on 9/CCR which is covering the main eastern road net into Bastogne. Will Tom go for the low odds attack vs the bloody 110th or use his 26/78 to gain a flanking attack vs 9/CCR? Those few sacrificial units used to minimize the Peiper breakout move will be reduced units, one placed in St. Vith and the other placed to block the approaches to Malmedy. I will place 99/395 in a position to block a flanking attack on the road to Eupen. If Tom wants to surround this unit, it will take Peiper to do so due to the air interdiction in Elsenborn. Unlike the much shorter tournament scenario game, I'm ready to gamble that Tom is unwilling to risk an attack with KG Peiper that results in a Firefight and subsequent loss to his most powerful unit. I will hold back one air unit for combat defense in case he thinks otherwise.


 

-- Randy

LQ Rating:  3.0 (106/423 survives another surrender roll.)

Public Comments:

German Combat

Red = Outcome (LQ Rating)   Blue = German unit  Green = Allied Unit

1.  1427: Adj + 766A (25) vs 4 @5-1(-1) = 1 = 0 = 1D3 (1.5)

    2/3 to 1329, 26/39 to 1429, 4/12 reduced.

2.  0915: Adj + 388A (42) vs 4 @7-1(-2) = 3 = 1 = 1D4 (1.5)

    3/5 to 1214; Lehr/130, Lehr 901 to 1115; Lehr 902 to 1015;

    18/294 to 1114; 277/990 to 1013; 106/422 eliminated.

3.  0817: Adj (7) vs 3 @1-1(-1) = 5 = 4 = ENG (6)

4.  1216: Adj -18/293 (17) vs 22 incl. 402,174A @1-1 = 5 = SU (5)

5.  1010: Adj (15) vs 7 @1-1(-1) = 5 = 4 = ENG (5)

6.  1012: Adj (31) vs 5 @6-1(-1) = 5 = 4 = D4 (5)

    1SS/2, 12/27 to 1113; 1SS/1 to 1011, 99/394 to 1413

7.  1005: 12 SS Surprise = 1 = NO (4.5)

8.  1005: Adj + 405A (31) vs 10 + 5 @2-1(-1) = 2 = 1 = D2 (1)

    12SS/12, 326/753r to 1005; 12SS/26, 326/751 to 1006; 99/395 to 1204.

9.  1031: Adj (21) vs 7 @2-1(-1) = 3 = 2 = D1 (4)

    352/916, 276/986, 276/988 to 1031; 9/CCA to 1132.

10.  1129: All adj + 406,408A (40) vs 10 @3-1(-1) = 6 = 5 = FF (6)

   560/1130 reduced

11.  1522: All adj vs 28/112 @3-1(-1) = 2 = 1 = D3 (1.5)

   2/2 to 1722, 116/60 to 1620, 62/183 to 1622, 26/77 to 1621; 28/112 to 1520.

12.  1320: All adj + 401A (31) vs 4 @6-1(-1) = 2 = 1 = 1D3 (2.5)

   116/156, 62/164 to 1320; 106/424 reduced, retreats to 1417.