Jess' Beyond the Beachhead PBEM scenario

rbrunsman · Post by **rbrunsman** » Tue Feb 18, 2003 11:17 am

Sir, an immobilized StuG crew bailed and we mowed them down with MG fire. No, Sir, I didn't see any white flags, honest. We took out another StuG in the East in addition to that crew. The boys are doing a fine job there sir.

The area around Pt du Hoc, however is so thick with Bocage that the unit that sticks its nose through the thickets tends to get it blown off! It is difficult to gain ground or even press an advantage with this stuff. I'll be happy to get out of this region of France and into more open farmlands.

Our southern flank is holding up, but we have spotted concentrations of German armor gathering there Sir. I hope the Germans don't feel brave enough yet to make a push in that area. It could get ugly.

Col. RB Out!

CPT Shoe · Post by **CPT Shoe** » Wed Feb 19, 2003 7:49 am

I have told those soldiers over and over and over again.... You are not a Tank!!!

You put a trooper in steel armor with a big gun mounted on it and he wants to be a tank, but when the real tanks start rolling, all I have is dead troopers. The StuG's are outclassed, but that is all there is holding them back. Maybe the American will waist time hunting down my wanna-be tankers, instead of pressing his advantage, and my real Panzers will arrive!!! We will see who is the wanna-be tankers then!!!!:mad:

rbrunsman · Post by **rbrunsman** » Wed Feb 19, 2003 10:29 am

I have to take a mea culpa on the loss of this Greyhound. That Pz Samuo(sp?) was just too tempting and my Greyhound was the only one not otherwise engaged, soooo... I said go for it and the Greyhound got popped before he could even take a shot.

I guess I'll get the reprimand from HQ for that brilliant piece of work. Repeat after me: "Scouts are not tanks."

Other than that, the place is still crawling with Poineers and Fusiliers so my tanks are afraid to get out from under the protection of their infantry support. It's going to be a long way to Isigny at foot speed, but I'd rather do that than suffer the ambushes those antitank mine carrying troops can set up in all this bocage.

CPT Shoe · Post by **CPT Shoe** » Thu Feb 20, 2003 10:31 am

Continue to pound known enemy locations with what little mortars we can bring to bear. Sure wish they could load the Nebelwerfers a little faster!

Still loosing StuGs in desperate measures to slow the leaks of armor from the containment areas. I need to focus my efforts on re-grouping and defending Isigny, or my valiant troops will be racing the Americans to that key town, a slow withdrawal while maintaining contact will be the discipline I demand.

rbrunsman · Post by **rbrunsman** » Thu Feb 20, 2003 11:22 am

I would say you are keeping your contact very close. Still, every time I poke my nose through a hedge row, I get it blown off!

This is not a lucky day for the Greyhounds. A rifle grenade actually took one out at 100 yds.

I am driving Germans in front of me but it is very slow going. I even ran into a couple Polish squads with rifles and PzFaust 100s. Nothing to worry about unless you stumble upon one accidentally.

I have 2 StuG IIIs I need to deal with in the East, but they are very difficult to get at when they are wedged between hedgerows. This will take some creative thinking. Hmmmm....

As I finish my turn, 150mm arty and another round of nebelwerfers arrives. I think they are reloading fast enough! Just wait until I catch up with those damnable weapons!:mad:

CPT Shoe · Post by **CPT Shoe** » Thu Feb 20, 2003 5:52 pm

Das Sonderabzeichen für das Niederkämpfen von
Panzer-kampfwagen durch Einzelkämpfer

I only hope that I might be able to give out many more of these awards for having single handedly destroyed an enemy tank using a hand held weapon.

One brave StuG, having a main gun malfunctioned, disrupts an armored ambush attempt by firing it's machineguns in the face of direct fire tanks (and luckily somehow still survives...although I fear not for long).

The Mighty Flamwagon anchors the containment wall just south of Pointe du Hoc. Imagine the damage that I could be inflicting had not the Allied air taken out it's companion JPZ-IV! That's one less Armored vehicle the troops at Isigny need worry about.

rbrunsman · Post by **rbrunsman** » Fri Feb 21, 2003 10:49 am

Thanks to that StuH in the south there are 2 more tanks the Germans don't need to worry about. Every time that thing took an Op Fire shot, it killed something.

Since it has a 105mm gun, I had to take it out so I sacrifice some tanks so I could finally get a shot on it and a kill.

The Germans are slowly being cleared out of my corner of the map (the NW) but it is still slow going.

I got a StuH, a Pz Somua, a StuG III, a rifle bunker, a Polish squad, an ammo depot (small), a couple German squads of various types and I got some fire laid down on that 81mm mortar section in the NE that I lost a Greyhound to.

Unfortunately, I lost an M4, a light tank, and a Greyhound (to another **** rifle grenade!:mad: ) The Greyhounds are really having tough luck in this match.

CPT Shoe · Post by **CPT Shoe** » Fri Feb 21, 2003 5:48 pm

Things can change so rapidly!

There is American Armor busting out all over the place. Pulling back to fight a defense at Isigny is nothing more than a pipe dream now. I will be fighting with small pockets of resistance all moving generally toward Isigny, but the spead of the American advance is to great, I can't keep up.

My mortars have no means of transportation, so when they are discovered, they die in place due to overwhelming tank fire. Getting the best use that I can from the Nebelwerfers, before they too meet that unwelcome fate.

Telling my troops still in contact to dig in and delay the American Advance as long as possible, maybe we can disable or destroy a few more tanks with hand helds before we are uneffective. If the American leaves a long trail of disabled vehicles between Pointe du Hoc and Isigny, maybe he will not have enoough combat power to take the town.

Too many Maybe's and if's are involved here, but I still hope my fine German troopers can turn the tide.

rbrunsman · Post by **rbrunsman** » Sat Feb 22, 2003 7:05 am

**** 76mm AT Gun!! I lost one tank to it, which no one can be blamed for, but when I lost that second tank to it, that was just plain stupid, stupid, stupid!!

I cleared out a couple 81mm mortars and their protective Fusiliers (I hope). I located another arty park but couldn't see anything except their ammo depot. They'll be taken out next turn unless there are some Fusiliers that can sneak up on me.

In the south, I'm driving the German squads in front of me, but this bottleneck is really attracting alot of German heavy arty.

CPT Shoe · Post by **CPT Shoe** » Sat Feb 22, 2003 9:44 pm

Don't know what the American has for available infantry forces, but so far I have not seen many to speak of. A few recon elements running around, but in the East I think his Armor has outrun the infantry.
Getting the first tank in the AT Gun ambush was nice, but getting that blade tank was a special bonus. If I can keep his infantry stripped free from his armor (Hang in there Arty) I will be sure he leaves many smoking hulks on the road to Isigny. Unfortunately his Armor seems to be on an Arty search and destroy mission, and I can neither move my asets, nor bring forces to better protect them.

Our long fight has just begun!

rbrunsman · Post by **rbrunsman** » Mon Feb 24, 2003 11:04 am

Two interesting things to report:

I found a 150mm arty park and destroyed it. However, I lost a tank to the ammo depot supplying those 2 guns. Oh, the humiliation.

Those rifle grenades must have been souped-up in H2H, because there is no way a rifle grenade it going through 51mm of armor in v7.1.

The other interesting thing is that I found 2 StuG IIIs hiding in a bocage surrounded field. They looked to be hunkered down to let my advance pass and then to wreak havoc in my backfield. One of them was eliminated and the other better move out quickly to survive, or hope to go down, taking as many men with it as it can.

I wonder how many other little secret surprises Shoe is trying to set up for me.

CPT Shoe · Post by **CPT Shoe** » Wed Feb 26, 2003 6:15 am

I will miss those 150MM guns. It was some good arty while it lasted.

At least I was able to bring down two tanks that turn. Two less tanks for the troops at Isigny to worry about.

Sure do wish I had some transportation assets with my forces. It would have been nice to move those mortars and 150MM guns farther to the south, so that I could have continued to pound the Americans as they attempt to advance.

Loosing those two StuG's (I hoped they were getting left behind and forgotten about) was a telling blow. I could have had all kinds of fun wreaking havoc on Rbrunsman's rear areas.

Guess I will just have to have my fun taking out armored vehicles with grunts!

rbrunsman · Post by **rbrunsman** » Wed Feb 26, 2003 6:27 am

That second StuG Shoe lost went out with a whimper. It was charging up to do some serious damage to a defenseless squad and just plain forgot to look for that bazooka I set up with a side shot. One Shot, One Kill. Nice work fellas. It's about time Shoe took some Op Fire losses.

As for my turn, I located another couple mortar squads, now dead. Some strange sounding weapon opened up on one of my scouting jeeps and scared the crap out of me. It didn't hit, I don't know where it came from and I don't know what it is. (Could be a "Pupchien" AT Gun.

)

That 76mm AT Gun in the east is slowing my advance down and NOW there's another one. It's nice that they are so close together though because they should both just fit under the umbrella of arty I'm about to rain on that village. I hope the natives are in their basements!

In the bottleneck to the West and just South of Pt du Hoc, we are finally making some headway! I took out 2 Fusilliers and ran off 3 Grenadier squads. There's a Pz Somua there that I didn't spot and that Flampanzer that I haven't seen for many turns. He could be anywhere by now.

I think the risks I've taken to run down the German mortars and arty are paying off. The barrages are just a trickle now, but I still haven't found those Nebelwerfers. Soon, Shoe, very soon!

CPT Shoe · Post by **CPT Shoe** » Wed Feb 26, 2003 7:43 am

If I only had some tanks!

Not much could be done that turn. What little forces I do have are not manueverable, so I must just sit and wait for the American to stumble into me. It is unfortunate that almost all my Indirect fire assets have been hunted down and put to death. They were doing quite well. I hope they inflicted numerous casualties on the American in the bottleneck south of Point du Hoc.

Now I must get serious, and see what devious ambushes I might leave for the clumsy American to find:mad:

rbrunsman · Post by **rbrunsman** » Wed Feb 26, 2003 9:40 am

Still slowly moving forward in the East. I made one AT Gun bail and caused 2 MGs to reveal themselves and I flamed one of them. There is still an AT Gun and a StuG hiding in that small village. There must be some infantry squads there too, but I haven't seen them or run into them yet.

On the Southern advance, I took out a scout and 2 squads. There is one left (that I am aware of).

In my drive through the heart of the bocage, I was lucky to have an infantry squad stumble upon a Pzfaust 30 instead of an AFV. Those AT surprises have slowed me down enough that the infantry is catching up to my armor.

What surprises are in store for me... Not tanks yet, I hope.

CPT Shoe · Post by **CPT Shoe** » Wed Feb 26, 2003 5:53 pm

The American stands ready to take his first set of objectives along the road to Isigny. Although we were able to take out two tanks with our AT gun ambush at the outset, the american has brought his artillery to bear, supressed my gunners, and is now maneuvering in for the kill. The American can now freely advance across all fronts, and pushes steadily south in both the east and the west.

He is cautious, and moves steadily with infantry in front. Don't think we will be lucky enough to have him stumble into more AT ambushes. It is still a long way for him to move to Isigny, and the longer he takes, the more ready we will be.

rbrunsman · Post by **rbrunsman** » Thu Feb 27, 2003 10:17 am

Yeah, move in for the kill all right! Shoe forgot to mention the 88 sitting off to the east in the woods. I spotted it before it could do any serious damage and there's also a 40mm (didn't know the Germans had those) out there somewhere too that I have to worry about. They are both off in some swamp land so I can't do much about them but smoke 'em and hope they can't see me any more. There is also the matter of a StuG III tucked snuggly inside that village too. I suspected it was there but it cost me a jeep to find it.

That village should be wrapped up next turn.

The bad news for me was in my push down the center of the map (sort of a south, southeast drive down the center of this huge map). There was a lonely Sdkfz 250/8 with one of those short barrelled 75mm guns mounted on it. That lucky thing killed two of my Wolverines even though I had it spotted at the beginning of the turn with infantry and did all the fire and maneuver stuff you're supposed to do.

I also spotted that mysterious thing that was shooting at me. It was just a 75mm Recoiless Rifle. I smoked it with a Sherman so it should be no problem for me.

I also nailed an immobilized Pz Samua leading away from my push along the coast. That area seems to have been given up by the Germans at this point and my men are flooding through there.

As the turn finished, a huge volley of nebelwerfers landed in the east. At least I know I shouldn't have to worry about them for a few turns. I just wish I could find those **** things!

CPT Shoe · Post by **CPT Shoe** » Fri Feb 28, 2003 5:58 am

Got off another good volley of Nebelwerfers! Thought for sure that I would have lost that asset by now(I know he still searches for them), since the American was bent on an anti-indirect fire rampage, putting to death some good 81mm mortars and my 150mm guns.

My HT 250/8 can only claim one of the Wolverines, as the 7.5cm AT Gun got the other one (watched the replay of that twice:D

Now at least I feel like I am making a dent. Traded those two Wolverines for the first V-hexes. Now we get to see the American in action (supress, fire, maneuver, and repeat) as he battles south to the village of Isigny, which I have been ordered to hold at all cost

Just what he arrives with on the outskirts of Isigny is in the hands of a fine buch of German troopers who have been waiting to to take some revenge for their friends in the beach defense forces. May many an American armored vehicle never reach their intended destinations!!

Buckle down boys, and lets show them what we are made of!

rbrunsman · Post by **rbrunsman** » Sat Mar 01, 2003 12:39 am

Well, I am merrily clearing up what's left of the Germans on all fronts and then I pull a boneheaded move and just have to locate that unit that has spotted my 105mm CS tank. So, what do I do? I load a crew on the outside of the tank to protect it from close assaults and move forward in front of my infantry cover. Yes, stupid I know, but my curiosity got the better of me and for some reason I had it in my head that it was just a crew from a destroyed StuG that was sitting there. Anyway, I roll on up and then small arms fire breaks out on just after I pass a tree hex. The first volley kills the crew, but I am not alarmed because they did what they were supposed to do, prevent close assaults. Then the squad MG opens up on my tank and does nothing which is fine. Then, I should have known better, that **** supercharged rifle grenade the Germans seem to have supplemented their squads with hits my tank and immobilizes it.

Did I convey my feelings on the subject well enough?:mad:

For all those that play me. Here's a tip: I am very curious. It is the main cause of the losses I sustain on my own turns.

M4Jess · Post by **M4Jess** » Sat Mar 01, 2003 1:24 am

For all those that play me. Here's a tip: I am very curious. It is the main cause of the losses I sustain on my own turns.

mmmmm yes!:p sissy