CO - BftB: Hell on Wheels Counterattack AAR - Americans

[Chad Harrison]

January 6th - 08:00
CCA 2nd Armored Division HQ
Soy, Belgium

I will be honest, I have not slept that well in a long time. No firing. No shelling. No call to return to HQ as quickly as possible. The only sound that was heard last night in Soy was the continuous racket caused by the many supply convoys passing through town on their way to the front. But, like any soldier who has spent time on the frontline, I can sleep through the sound of vehicles all night long - and last night, I did.

When I did arrive at HQ early this morning, I felt refreshed. Partly because of my good nights rest, but mostly because of what I soon found out: our push to open the roads leading to Samree was nearing its end. The reports from our frontline units were that a few isolated German units made aggressive patrols against our lines, but that's it. Nothing serious at all. The only real news worth repeating from last night is that the 3/335th pulled out of Dochamps to rest for the night - there were just too many German troops in town for the tired troops (they marched about 6 km through the snow, while being snowed on, yesterday) to clear at night. They are now well rested and ready for a new push this morning. Task Force D will be pushing against Dochamps also, from the Southwest. The recon troops have not seen much action in this battle, so they are eager to enter the fray. I am not sure what the General has planned for the other Task Forces, other than to hold open the roads to Samree and repulse any German units that show up.

The rumor is that we will be moving out today. Which gives me mixed feelings. Are the Germans really defeated? Are there more troops from the 2nd SS Panzer, or another unit, moving into our zone? I have not heard how the 3rd Armored Division or the 84th Infantry Division (Brit) have been doing. Are some of their units going to stray into our area tonight? This afternoon? I have seen my share of frontline combat, so that is not what worries me. What worries me is the thought of having most of CCA loaded onto trucks when the fresh Germans arrive. That, that's what worries me.

[Chad Harrison]

January 6th - 14:00
CCA 2nd Armored Division HQ
Soy, Belgium

I only have a few moments to write, so I will need to be brief. Just a few moments ago, the order were have been waiting for was finally given: CCA HQ is moving out. All reports from our forward elements are indicating that the Germans are shattered. From what the General and our staff can tell, the fight is over for the 2nd SS Panzer Division - or at least the elements that we have been facing. Not willing to sit around and wait for something to happen, Collier has ordered that CCA HQ, base force and artillery move out to Laidprangeleaux immediately - TF D has already secured our bivouac.

Our route is to pass right through yesterdays battlefield - including the road up Hill 400. We have explicit orders to not stop, to not souvenir hunt and to remain on the alert for the entire trip - there are still some SS troops in the area and they would love nothing more at this point than to take down some of us HQ troops with them. Staying awake wont be difficult - riding in the back of a deuce and a half, while being snowed on, in below freezing temperatures doesn't exactly put one to sleep.

Its time to move out. Its time to leave Soy - and I don't think we will ever be returning.

[Chad Harrison]

January 7th - 07:00
CCA 2nd Armored Division HQ
Laidprangeleux, Belgium

It was just made official: the German troops in our sector have surrendered. To be honest, there were not very many left of them to surrender. After questioning prisoners from the past few days, our staff is now indicating that we were facing KG Kreutz, of the 2nd SS Panzer Division. Well, they *were* of that division. KG Kreutz is now a totally beaten force. It has ceased to exist due to our efforts.

And I can tell you how they were defeated: on the slopes of Hill 400. As we traveled from Soy to Laidprangeleux this afternoon, we drove along the base of Hill 400. Even after all my experiences, that is a scene that I will not forget. Our artillery destroyed the German SS troops right there. The entire battle came down to that morning when our tanks and artillery found our enemy in the open, without cover and exhausted after a determined night assault. Any chance they had of stopping us died alongside them on that hill. Without any additional forces to come to their aid, for all intents and purposes, the battle ended two days ago, right there, on those slopes.

Our battle for Hill 400, and this area, is now over. Orders are coming down now to prepare to get back on the road and continue to move towards Samree. Task Force A will be in the vanguard, followed by Task Force B. We will follow with the recon troops of Task Force D. It is unknown whether the road to Samree is defended. If it is, well, we know what to do about that.

[Chad Harrison]

Well, thanks for reading another AAR. Yeah, I know, its cheezy to write like that, but it makes playing it much more fun and I take the game more seriously for some reason. For example, the Germans actually offered to surrended at the end of the second day - honestly, they took a terrible beating at Hill 400. Instead of just stopping there, I wanted to keep playing incase the Germans got toys at the end *and* because thats what you would really do. So I kept going - if nothing else, it game me some more practice with the game.

This is the only time I have played this scenario, and this is only my second scenario I have played so far with BftB, so I would be curious to hear what others experience was with this scenario. And now I can go read that AAR from the German side.

Thanks again for reading!

Chad

[drizzt73]

Congrats on the win! and a great AAR. Look forward to the next one- maybe as the Germans?

[OlegHasky]

Yah, trying to defend here as Germans would be a more proper shape to model for Your hands.
The scenario seem to be very straight from the Allied perspective, and the only thing that made it "living" was Your noble prose.

I would like to see You handling those StuG´s...

As..

The hold up: a few StuG's on the opposite bank of the river - the same StuG's that have been plaguing the 335th since our endeavors began. However, at the height of the StuG's directing fire against our troops trying to move forward, our M10's finally were able to move forward to engage the StuG's. What followed was an immediate duel between the tank destroyers and the assault guns. Our boys found their mark first and soon there were two burning StuG's on the far bank. The other two fell back into the woods

I just love those M10´s [8|]. The Armerican stretch of use for those units trough out the entire WEurope theater was adequate to their capabilities. The use was not only limited to AT role. And Im curious how their are modeled in BFTB (but ill wait, as I am realy hard mentaly involed now with COTA (especialy ivanmoe´s brilliant desert scenarios) [;)] and in no rush)

..So those German StuG´s have here their 1st league opponent. And I would like to see some class "cat-and mouse" play in Your edition [:)]. Pouping up with StuG´s, with the aim on Amr Inf, than rolling back beyond the reach of those M10´s. I wonder how much is such scenario possible here, and how much You could be equal to the result on Amr Infantry.

This day went from our troops being toe to toe with the Germans, to a sweeping advance by our troops. If I was doubtful of the optimistic reports from our front line troops, the captured SS troops passing my window would tell me everything I need to know. I mean, SS troops surrendering? These guys are stuff of legends as far as stubbornness goes. And here are dozens of them moving past my window under guard. They are tired. Their clothes are torn, wet and dirty. But its their face that tells everything: the 2nd SS Panzer Division is a dying unit.

And that was just briliant [&o][:'(][8D]

[PunkReaper]

Excellent AAR .... slowly chipping away at my resolve not to get this game.... thanks, hope you do more.[&o]

[henri51]

ORIGINAL: Chad Harrison

This is the only time I have played this scenario, and this is only my second scenario I have played so far with BftB, so I would be curious to hear what others experience was with this scenario. And now I can go read that AAR from the German side.

Congratulations on your brilliant victory!

I have written an AAR playing this scenario as the Allies using maneuver warfare. I had a bit of a problem using the exit objective (as you may have seen in the bugs thread), but that is OK now. The game was played before your AAR exposed the German dispositions, so I was essentially playing blind as you were.

I will post the AAR here when I have finished putting the images in order.

Henri

[Chad Harrison]

Thanks for the comments everyone. It was a busy weekend and work day after my last post, so I have not had a chance to reply.

drizzt - I am currently rotating between playing as the Germans and Americans. This was my third AAR - my last one was as the Germans. If I can rumage up enough free time, my next one will be as the Germans.

Oleg - Ah yes, the American TD Battalions. You mean the bunker busters? You mean the infantry support tanks? Just about anything but AT tanks. But atleast they got to shine in this case. Those StuG's had plauged 3rd Bn for sometime.

Punk Reaper - Oh come on, make the plunge [:D]

Henri - I had not seen that there were problems with the exit routine - they surrendered before I got to exit. Yes, a little more maneuver would have been nice, but I have a weakness for going straight into the fray.

Thanks again for reading and the comments everyone.

Chad