Company: 1st
Battalion: 2nd
Regiment: 109th
Division: 35th
Commander: Capt. Serrano
Date: 22 Apr 2001
Primary Mission: Recon (mission #3)
Mission Date: 10 May, 1940
FRIENDLY VP: 19
ENEMY VP: 17
Turns Played: 20
Result: FRIENDLY VICTORY!
Beginning FRIENDLY OB:
Full strength German Infantry Company- with 2x 8-1, 6+1
Beginning Temp. Assigned Assets:
6x Sdkfz 7 transports
2x SPW 251/10 recon vehicles
No Armor leaders

Mission Summary:

The level 4 penalty conditions imposed by the temporary assigned units meant a reduction of the friendly RE from 3/4 to 3/2. Only once a friendly RE DR was successful but it had to be ignored as per the penalty conditions. Enemy RE was initially 4/5, increased to 5/6 as per the penalty, an automatic enemy RE happened on turn 1. The enemy had a 3 AC.

The mission started with the company in high spirits, the transports provided by HQ and the two SPW contributing to this. Our first objective was bridge 40c6 on the west bank of the river. Fortunately a two-lane stone bridge on 40q2-3 allowed us to cross the river. Enemy aircraft spotted our crossing and later some light enemy air support arrived with no consequence for the Coy. Our first objective was defended by a single HS that was promptly dispatched without taking any losses.  Our company continued its advance into more woods territory (board 39).  Our first concern was building 39b7 where we encountered three squads and a leader that were also promptly reduced. The morale of the company couldn't be higher with very light resistance and the help of the motorized units to cross the woods. Then misfortune stroke. A boobytrap reduced one of our squads and a bit later an unexpected artillery strike destroyed one of our SPW.   We got news of a cycle rider crossing the board but the difficulty of the terrain made impossible to intercept it. Amidst increased enemy resistance in the form of increased enemy RE we arrived to our third objective, bridge 39p9. This bridge was better defended, four squads, a leader and a SW well concealed in the forest meant that it was going to be a bit harder this time to clear the camp. Several of our troops broke under the fire but the poor leadership of the Dutch troops meant that it was only a matter of time before their resistance was utterly broken.  After rallying our troops we continued our advance west into hill terrain (board 36). The difficulty of moving in this hilly terrain, despite the provided transport, was taking its toll in the morale of our troops. Nobody was singing by this time and everybody was exhausted.

Our objective was hill 801 where several concealed squads without a proper leader were waiting for us. It was a well laid trap. As soon as we started our attack two waves of squads appeared from nowhere. We were suddenly confronting two dozen determined squads in conceal territory.  Two of our transports were destroyed, together with a full squad that found itself surrounded by this surprise attack. We were able to gain a foothold on the summit but we were going nowhere. It was a long and bloody fight but the lack of proper leaders on the part of the enemy meant their troops were not being rallied. After some more time I decided to send west a small recon group.  Hilly terrain (board 18) hid some enemy troops on a couple of buildings on 18bb7-dd7. I decided to regroup our troops, leave behind a small force to counter the remaining active squads in the hill 801, and press forward with the rest of our forces to our next objective. By that time our remaining AFV was recalled and moments later infiltrators appeared between us and our objective. We lost a LtMTR team and a half squad on the surprise attack. Our forces found themselves dispersed and exhausted although not in grave danger, before the battle was over.

Our men had been fighting for twenty turns against an admittedly poorly lead enemy, but one that made good use of the wooded terrain to inflict some serious losses on our troops.   By the end of the day our units were able to cross four boards, eliminate completely all resistance in the first three of them, and hold four victory locations, included the heavily defended hill 801.  After calculating the VPs we managed to achieve a narrow Friendly Victory.  Due to the length of the mission (20 turns), the state of the company, and the loss of the attached support I decided not to pursuit the second mission.

Ending FRIENDLY OB:
2x 4-6-8 (BH)
8x 4-6-7 (2 lost)
2x 2-4-7
5x 1-2-7 (1 lost)
9-1 (BH)
8-1
6+1
4x LMG
HMG
MMG
2x LtMtr (1 lost)
3x ATR.
Request for Replacements: No
Ending Temp. Assigned Assets:
4x Sdkfz 7 transports (2 lost)
0x SPW 251/10 recon vehicles (1 lost, 1 recalled)
Ladder Points Earned/Lost: +15
Secondary Mission will NOT be Played
Medals and Awards Previously Earned: None
Status for next Primary Mission: Ready
Current Ladder Point Total: 115
 
    Capt. Serrano
 

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Secondary Mission: Bridgehead
Mission Date: Friday, 10 May 1940
FRIENDLY VP: 8
ENEMY VP: 17
Turns Played: 13
Result: (technical) ENEMY victory
Beginning FRIENDLY OB: Same as Primary
Mission Summary (include FRIENDLY/ENEMY RE's, High/Low points, war stories,
etc.):
((Too long; attached at end))

Post Mission Information:
Ending FRIENDLY OB: After replacements:
1x4-6-8, 11x4-6-7, 5x1-2-7, 1xHMG, 1xMMG, 4xLMG, 3X50mMTR, 2xATR, 2x8-1,
1x8-0
Request for Replacements: None
    Vehicles (permanently attached ONLY):
    Infantry (only if Friendly US# < 70%):
    Other:
----------
Medals and Awards Earned/Eligible (This Mission):
Medals and Awards Previously Earned:
Player's Status for next PRIMARY Mission (e.g., Ready, R&R Request, Resign,
Transfer to Reserve, etc.): Ready!
Player's Current Ladder Point Total: 115 (I make this game a ladder point
wash: -5 for lost scenario and +5 for surviving leaders)
Total for both missions 115
 

Plan: Damn that artillery - where'd the Dutch find enough shells to collapse both ends of MY bridge!?! Well, battalion and higher didn't anticipate a bridge seizure and provided boats, so we can keep the Division moving ahead on schedule. The river narrows to the north. We'll cross there in anticipation of some pontoons closing the gap later. If we seize the landing, the woods and gully just to the west and the small house across the tributary to the north we should have a fine position to defend against any counterattack. I'll leave a SWT with the HMG back in the woods on the eastern shore to cover the landing point - pick him up later when there's time.

Turn 1: 1st half: Decided to leave Sgt. Behr on the eastern shore to give covering fire with a full platoon and some SWTs. SWT6 opened up with his mortar and confirmed no Dutch in part of the facing tree line. Tried to do the same with SWT5's Mtr and SWT6's HMG against that house near the landing but no luck. Boats away! Some dulsatory fire from a squad entrenched in the treeline SW of the landing; we'll shift all our resources against him next.  Squads B and C are ashore at the bridgehead point with a MMG and a
disassembled Mtr. Drift went against virtually everybody else, but they'll all be ashore in a few minutes.
Turn 1: 2nd half: Damn the snipers! Behr's platoon pushed the Dutch squad out of the entrenchments leaving really only one questionable location to clear before a picture perfect assault. SWT5's mortar did an exemplary job of ensuring that last location was clear (TH=3, IFT=3 which equates to two sniper activations!) but then the snipers opened up! (1 and 1 - squads H & I were vulnerable to the first random selection and tied!!!!, squad D caught the second - all three squads were in boats and therefore reduced.)  Three half-squads lost, first blood for 3rd Company. The Dutch will pay for this cowardice!

Turn 2: 1st half: Sgt. Weising signaled B & C to advance up the road away from the landing, instead they thought he was waving them down. Now Weising is ashore with Squad A and a LMG and they're surrounded by beached troops - too damn many troops clustered together. Sgt Kalmer is ashore too with Squad F and (now) half-squad D. They landed at the base of the house North of the bridgehead. Absolutely no resistance up here. Dutch must be concentrating near the destroyed bridge. If that one squad doesn't reappear, we'll have sufficient time to establish a good position. Two squads from Behr's platoon are in the rafts; hopefully he'll close up shop and come across momentarily.
Turn 2: 2nd half: That Dutch squad is back. Ran through the woods and into a house that can see most of the landing area, though at quite a distance.  Weising didn't see the squad move and Behr's men were ineffectual. I think I'll let the men still in boats drift down to Kalmer so I can guarantee that the gully is occupied before the Dutch come to find us.

Turn 3: 1st half: Weising is still frozen on the bridgehead! At least Squads B and C had the presence of mind to move out. Unfortunately, B got surprised by that one Dutch squad - didn't think he had LOS through the forested road.  Although only a few of the Dutch fired (cowered), B is now huddling (broken) with C in the woods at 7Z1 - the key to the defense of the bridgehead.  Luckily Kalmer has made it to the gully on my right flank and Squad E and (now) half-squads I and H are ashore where Kalmer landed. The rest of the troops are now working their way into the tributary north of the bridgehead point, they'll be able to row right up to the woods. Behr's men are now in the water, except for two of the mtr SW teams, they'll stay to provide support. But look! A PZIIf (RE26, subsequent 5)!!! With a pontoon raft!!  That'll add some umpf to the defense of the bridgehead. The engineers are having a tough time with the raft so the PZIIf is preparing to lay down some fire on the Dutch squad. Can't be long now until the counterattack - we're currently too strung out, but we'll be ready.
Turn 3: 2nd half: Here they come. Kalmer can see movement through the great orchards a 1/4 mile west. Too far to tell what's coming, but we'll know soon enough. Meanwhile, the PZIIf has scored! ELRd the Dutch squad out of the house, leaving the bridgehead currently clear of fire. Time to surge and get everyone in position. Though I expect the thrust from the West to be difficult to contain, my greatest fear is a flank attack from the north.  Almost no LOS in that direction. Any sizeable force would be on top of my positions unharmed and threatening the right flank of the bridgehead itself.  Once the PZIIf is across, I'll station it so it can engage both west and north.

Turn 4: 1st half: Ok, we're virtually across. Everyone stayed in command.  Weising moved up to establish a left flank position south of the 5Y10 crossroads. Kalmer is well place, crested along the gully (5aa9 to 5dd8) with MMG and mtr support. Behr is across with J, K, & L and moving up to fully form the left flank. Support troops and reserves are paddling up the tributary and half squads H and I are staying (only ones out of cmd) in the house across the tributary. After some squabbling near the east bank ferry landing, the engineers got the pontoon ferry in the water and the PZIIf is now on board. Only the mtr SWTs 4 & 6 remain on the east bank and they will come across with the pontoon ferry when it's done with the PZIIf. We're ready for the Dutch. Bring it on.
Turn 4: 2nd half: [Unbelieveable, un-freakin-believable. RE16 (subsequent 5) - Convoy! 5 wagons with S?s escorted by 3 of only 7 VCL1936(b) amphibious tankettes in the Netherlands! (I love this game). Could cost me the game on VPs if the convoy just exits the area, could win the game on VPs if I can engage and destroy those tankettes.] Forward scouts report something about tanks and wagons. I can't see anything. Probably just overexcited. Kalmer sees more movement in the western orchards but still nothing definite, but definitely not tanks. Dutch half squad made a move towards the bridgehead, but SWT6's mtr made them think again. Otherwise, too quiet I think. The Dutch must be planning something. Maybe they never got out of garrison. Once we get that PZIIf across and the rest of the SWTs with the ATRs come ashore, I'll feel fairly comfortable about securing this piece of ground. May have to expand the defense of the bridgehead though, just to be sure of no surprises when the rest of the division rolls through here.

Turn 5: 1st half: Have to take my scouts seriously. If there is a convoy out there, I've got to investigate. Weising and squad A moved out to recon.  Squads K and L sprinted up from the landing to join. Behr is in place on the left flank and forming troops around the HMG and a mtr. Kalmer waiting in a continuous crest position along the gully. All troops except the two mtr SWTs are across and the PZIIf has beached on the western bank. The PZIIf will go forward on the recon as will one SWT with an ATR. Success of recon will depend on what this first wave in the orchard consists of.
Turn 5: 2nd half: Looks like a rabble. First a single squad emerged from a copse and stopped (pinned), next a disorganized group of guys (conscript) came wandering out of the orchard. I laid down some rather ineffectual fire, but if they keep coming like this, I'll soon move out and mop them up.  Meanwhile Weising and the PZIIf are ready to move out and find this fabled convoy.

Turn 6: 1st half: Ok, a little disarray, but Weising can see the whole convoy! Behr has taken control of the abandoned Dutch foxhole on the left flank, but most of his platoon is out of cmd. Squad C realized couldn't find a way to fire the MMG out of a gully so moved forward to try to hook up with Weising. If we're hit hard right now, we might pay but the changes will pay off in the long run.
Turn 6: 2nd half: Dutch troops trickle in (very few activations of the S? waves), but Weising watched as the convoy wagons disgorged it's troops (3 squads, 3 1/2 squads) and began turning for home (I'll loose those VP points, hopefully make them up by destroying the tankettes). The Tanks have spotted Weising and are closing. He'll pull back and draw them into the ATR/PZIIf trap!

Turn 7: 1st half: Trap set. ATR forward, 80 meters from PZIIf. The Dutch tanks should appear around the house and BAAAAAM. Behr not keeping the left flank together, no pressure though, guess he's just slow in arranging himself. More ATRs coming forward.
Turn 7: 2nd half: So much for the trap! The Dutch tanks moved out and CLANG off bounced the ATR round. Then I waited for the PZIIf to chime in. and I waited and waited (MA Malfunction!). Infantry did a little better; pushed back a Dutch squad but two more have appear directly to my front. Still just a trickle though. SWT2 to Weising's right can see the lead Dutch 1/2 squad from the convoy - they'll engage soon. Time is moving on. Need to really come to grips with and damage the Dutch. Don't want their morale to rally before the Division comes through. Bridgehead looks secure in any case.

Turn 8: SWT2 ATR BAAM!! Put a shell through the hull of one of the tanks! A second tank began to withdraw when we heard his CMG MA grid to a halt. But now there's infantry all across my front. We're slightly outnumbered but hold good defensive lines and have better troops, are better lead and have better support weapons. Still no problem holding the bridgehead. However, the troops from the convoy shifted towards my left flank and overran (CC KIA) SWT3 just before they were to dispatch the third tank. When the Dutch reappear on my left, they'll be facing Behr and the HMG - I'm sure they'll crumble. Just before being overrun SWT3 sent news that some troops moving up into the orchards are carrying an ATR. Finally, the Dutch are lead by somebody. Blundering out into the open to the right of center looks like a high level officer (9-2) but he's got his troops right in front of mine. We would have elimanted him a few minutes ago, but some inexperienced troops distracted us by moving laterally across our front - Weising's platoon finished them off. I think I'll pull the PZIIf back a bit to cover the right flank better with his BMG. Bridgehead still secure (but probably losing on points).

Turns 9 through 13: Dutch troops pouring across my center and over to my left flank. When I can level fire at them, they fall apart but there are so many! See-saw battle on the far left as one squad and then another 1/2 squad go down in CC but take an equal number of Dutch with them. The PZIIf is trying to hammer back the tankettes with his remaining BMG (the 20L went disabled) but to no good effect. Troops pushing in closer, crossing the clearings to my front, being pushed back and surging again. SWT2 with his magic ATR goes down to CC - Squad A blasts the Dutch that killed SWT2.  Then the remaining Dutch tankette with functioning weaponry bursts forward, swings right past the PZIIf and the remaining SWT with an ATR, and bolts for the bridgehead unscathed! Occupying the bridgehead point it draws a bead on the engineer squad still in the raft but sprinting up from behind comes squad B. Then the tankette's only weapon (CMG) malfunctions! The engineers surge up from the raft and join with squad B in the assault - no effect. The tankette wheels around and repeats it's dash through my lines, avoiding or deflecting all incoming fire! All this time Weising and squad A are holding the line. Everything the Dutch have focuses in on them. Weising shys momentarily but rallies again in a better location from which to direct the most forward troops. Squad K assaults forward to pickup SWT2's ATR lost in close combat just as the final tankette appears around the woods - BAAAM - penetrated at pointblank range! Although numerous, the Dutch are almost exclusively green now. Their 9-2 leader wounded and hobbling around with some pathetic troops on my right flank and their other 2 leaders are broken and retreating in the center. The bridgehead will hold and the Dutch troops have been mauled, but I don't think I've damaged the Dutch fortifications (though I hold the only one I found) or guns/tanks enough to call this a victory.

 Post mission assessment: not sure I'd have done anything differently (perhaps I wouldn't have left my malfunctioned LtMtr on the east bank, duh). Could possibly have sought out more Dutch entrenchments to the South of the landing point in order to drive up my VPs, but that could have put me in jeopardy considering the Dutch generated 26 squads (or squad equivalents), 4 leaders (including a 9-2), one piece of ART (useless in the event, but not
destroyed/captured by me), and 3 tankettes.  I feel strongly that I could not have moved Kalmer off the right flank without risking everything in the event of a flank attack RE.  One thing I might have done was hold off exposing Weising to the convoy - thus delaying the offload and the wagons turning for safety.  However, that would have been the omniscient player's approach - not the battlefield commander.
 

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GSASL After Action Report Form
GSASL After Action report
Company: 3rd
Battalion: 1st
Regiment: 34th
Division: 35th
Commander: Hauptmann Blandford
Date: Sunday, 13 May 2001
Primary Mission: Pursuit
Mission Date: Friday, 17 May 1940
FRIENDLY VP: 10
ENEMY VP: 84
Turns Played: 11
Result: ENEMY Victory
Beginning FRIENDLY OB:
2x4-6-8, 10x4-6-7, 5x1-2-7, 1xHMG, 1xMMG, 4xLMG, 2X50mMTR, 2xATR, 2x8-1, 1x8-0
Beginning Temp. Assigned Assets: None
Mission Summary (include FRIENDLY/ENEMY RE's, High/Low points, war stories, etc.):

Plan: Vast number potential positions to my front (in excess of 120 ?s)!Relying on intel that indicates a general wihdrawal, we'll push in 3 columns heaviest under Kalmer on the left, Behr in the center, Weising on the right. Kalmer and Behr are to hit both flanks of the first crossroads (17R4), then clear the center and left (including the 6Y4) crossroads, before shifting to the Northwest. Weising will move on a Northeast-to-Southwest axis, joinging Kalmer and Behr in the assault on the chateau (6O3). With the company back together, we'll swarm the final likely strongpoint (at 6J8).

Action was too heavy to report blow-by-blow, but things went badly from the start. Not only were the British squads at the crossroads (17R4) fanatic as expected, they had fortified both floors of the two-story house overlooking the crossroads to the North. By delaying our push, we lured the squad and leader in the upper floors to depart, but couldn't do the same for the crew of the 25mm Hotschiss on the bottom floor. Repeated assaults by Behr and part of Kalmer's platoon brought no results (for 5 turns!!!). Finally, a sniper broke the crew and Behr swarmed in and overran the entire crossroads position. But just as the troops were ready to surge again, an A9 tank (basically and armored machinegun nest) burst out of the woods at the center (the result of ENEMY RE34 on turn 3. The tank poured bullets into the fortified position, now held by SWT2 with an ATR. No effect. SWT2 and one of Kalmer's squads leveled their ATRs on the tank and....click....click - both malfunctioned!!!!! Meanwhile the British squads (almost all elite) performed a perfect fighting withdrawl on my right flank, delaying Weising with their MMG and hero for a good 7 turns! On the left flank, things seemed to go better, but casualties (real KIA's rapidly shrank Kalmer's platoon to little more than a squad and a SWT. The British had 4 REs to my 1 (in the 11th turn I got 4x4-4-7s - I appreciate the thought, but it came a little late ;-) The British snipers were everywhere (SAN 6, Friendly SAN 3).
But the real story was the number of ENEMY troops, leadership, and equipment:
12x4-5-8, 27x4-5-7, 3x4-4-7, 5x9-2, 2x9-1, 3x8-1, 3x8-0, 1x7-0, 2xHMG, 2xMMG, 3xLMG, 4xLtMtr, and an A9 MT.

I was sheparding close to a battalion and a half with only a little over half the positions exposed. Had there been more time, it might have been nearly a division to my front. Had they counterattacked at any time, my company would have been wiped out - though no one hesitated in that fear. The heavy casualties are proof enough of that. As it was, we were bled constantly by elite troops moving in a good order fighting withdrawl plus a handful of fanatics defending the crossroads.  I neither claim glorious exploits nor blame numerous enemy troops, to mitigate my slow advance. I regret the loss of 55 courageous men for so little gain. My men fought bravely, I carry the responsibility for the lack of victory alone.

Post Mission Information:
Pre-refit:
2x4-6-8, 4x4-6-7, 2x2-4-7, 4x1-2-7, 1xHMG, 1xMMG, 4xLMG, 2X50mMTR, 2xATR (both malfunctioned), 2x8-1, 1x8-0, 1x7-0
Ending FRIENDLY OB:
6x4-6-8, 3x4-6-7, 5x1-2-7, 1xHMG, 1xMMG, 4xLMG, 2x50mMtr, 3xATR, 2x8-1, 1x8-0 ((two battle hardenings and two elite replacement squads).
Request for Replacements: None
Vehicles (permanently attached ONLY):
Infantry (only if Friendly US# < 70%):
Other:
Ending Temp. Assigned Assets: None
Ladder Points Earned/Lost: 0
Will a Secondary Mission be Played?: No
Medals and Awards Earned/Eligible (This Mission):
Medals and Awards Previously Earned:
Player's Status for next PRIMARY Mission (e.g., Ready, R&R Request, Resign, Transfer to Reserve, etc.): (Bloodied but unbowed - 72%) ready for action, sir!
Player's Current Ladder Point Total: 115

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