DAR vs Berto -- The Crossroads (West Bank, 5 June 1967)

[Crossroads]

Time to batten down those tank hatches again! This time I am battling it out vs Berto during the Six Days War at the West Bank. I am playing IDF, with orders to secure bridges over Jordan in tact.

Again, I will record my moves at The Grogheads', while Berto will do his here. No peeking allowed [8D]

[*] IDF Turn #1 completed!

[Crossroads]

IDF Turn #2 completed!

[*] IDF Turn #2 at Grogheads

Not much happening as of yet, traffic control is busy to have all units move towards their designated routes of advance, that's about it.

Things should heat up quickly though!

I have a feeling our battle will not last the 45 turns the scenario is designed for, as I have a very direct plan to head on into the eye of the storm

[Crossroads]

IDF Turn #3 completed!

[*] IDF Turn #3 at Grogheads

First shots yet to be fired! But for how long?

[Crossroads]

IDF Turn #4

[*] IDF Turn #4 at Grogheads

First contact at Kafr Dan (left flank diversion). Mostly about maneuvering, still. And for a few more turns too. Need to be careful the keep the formations together, to not receive a Command & Control penalty with units straying too far from their organic HQs.



[/quote]

[Crossroads]

IDF Turn #5

[*] IDF Turn #5 at Grogheads

First shots fired at Kafr Dan as I find out it is garrisoned by a full Coy. Maneuvering is the main action still, but with a couple of nasty surprises in a form of vast strong minefields layed out in the areas where I thought I could sneak in towards south.

[Crossroads]

IDF Turn #6

[*] IDF Turn #6 at Grogheads

My Cunning Plan for a major flanking maneuver leaves me with pencils stuck on my nostrils, as I found out there's no navigating around the strong minefields in the area. First tank battle leaves three Isreali M51s burning with five Jordanian Pattons knocked out. The Jordanian turn 6 awaits though, plenty of targets for them to get even.



More details behind the link. Comments and questions welcome! [:)]

[Crossroads]

IDF Turn #7

[*] IDF Turn #7 at Grogheads

And so the action begins... My little task force creating the diversion at Kafr Dan is facing at least some 1:2 odds, so I sent some mobile assets their way.



Closing on at Jenin, while some good news to my 45th Arm'd Bde too behind the link. Comments and questions welcome! [:)]

[Crossroads]

IDF Turn #8

Rather disastrous for you, turn 7. Fortune favors Jordan for a change; said the email from Berto. Cr@p! I knew I was taking too big of a risk moving my tanks forward without Action Points remaining for return fire, case they'd be encountered with the feared Jordanian Pattons...

Or was it so?

[*] IDF Turn #8 at Grogheads

Closing in on Jenin! I need to get into those trench systems, staying in the open is murder...

[Crossroads]

IDF Turn #9

And the gloves are off!

[*] IDF Turn #9 at Grogheads

45th Bde commits to action. And as I suspected, while the hills look deserted, the build-up has been observed by hostile eyes.



More details at the Grogheads [:)]

[Crossroads]

IDF Turn #10


[*] IDF Turn #10 at Grogheads

45th Bde begins to break out from the minefields and the Jordanian first line of defence. But how many more Jordanian lines await?



More details at the Grogheads [:)]

[Crossroads]

IDF Turn #11


[*] IDF Turn #11 at Grogheads

And the uphill battle continues!



More details at the Grogheads [:)]

[Crossroads]

IDF Turn #12

Having traveled from the mid week, I now return to the mayhem of the battle for Jenin:

[*] IDF Turn #12 at Grogheads

[Crossroads]

IDF Turn #13

Back to the West Bank it is!

[*] IDF Turn #13 at Grogheads

No quarter given nor taken; 45th Armored is finally able to maneuver towards something that looks like an attempt to break out from the map edge. Climbing the hill while encountering Jordanians at every step has taken longer than what I anticipated for, for sure!

[Crossroads]

IDF Turn #14

[*] Link to my During Action Report at Grogheads

IDF Turn #14 saw elements of my 9th Inf Bde continuing the bitter street to street battles at Jenin. This turn the vital Pillbox next to the two VP locations finally fell to my hands, albeit with a cost again. The other VP hex being a clear hex, I will next concentrate on taking the Bunker VP hex. Once (hopefully!) there, I am finally in quite good positions at Jenin.

[Crossroads]

ORIGINAL: Crossroads


IDF Turn #14

[*] Link to my During Action Report at Grogheads

IDF Turn #14 saw elements of my 9th Inf Bde continuing the bitter street to street battles at Jenin. This turn the vital Pillbox next to the two VP locations finally fell to my hands, albeit with a cost again. The other VP hex being a clear hex, I will next concentrate on taking the Bunker VP hex. Once (hopefully!) there, I am finally in quite good positions at Jenin.

Hmm.. It seems I've forgotten to update my progress here for the turn #15. Sorry about that! With Israeli turn #16 sent over to Berto now, the Jenin is seen slowly secured by friendlies. Been quite a brutal fight for the first objective alone!




Here's the LINK to the detailed report for turn #16 at Grogheads.

[Crossroads]

IDF Turn #17


Tough one, this!

A very much an uphill battle to Israelis, terrain included. Here's a little snippet of the constant pain my brave troops are encountering. Recall the Jordanians left a Patton troop on my LOS. Time to get rid of them, next! During the Jordanian turn, they fired at my tanks, knocking out a Sherman M51 in the process. The muzzle fires indicate they are visible in the night from a distance too.

So first, let us move a supporting M51 troop to cover the area in case they retreat one hex as I fire at them. Would not want them to disappear into night! I don't like the shadow effect for visible hexes, so instead I have opted to highlight the visible hexes with a highlight color instead:




Next I fire at them, no effect with the first round, but beneath them, they've got another Patton troop covering the first one. It properly Op Fires on my tanks, causing one of my platoons to retreat.



I fire again at them, and manage to knock out one tank. Yes! The remaining tank retreats one hex.



And of course there had to be one more Patton troop in the area, it now Op Fires on the hex I fired from (Visibility is 2, but you can fire at enemy gun flashes).



Bang, another M51 knocked out

[*] Link to my During Action Report at Grogheads

[:)]

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[Crossroads]

IDF Turn #18

Sorry about the delay in my turn, been hit by a couple of curve balls by the Real Life. Not much happening here, it is Night still, so just moving around a bit. Not bothering even to post a screenshot here [:)]


[*] Link to my During Action Report at Grogheads

[Crossroads]

IDF Turn #19

Night skirmishes left and right! The uphill battle continues



[*] Link to my During Action Report at Grogheads

[Crossroads]

IDF Turn #20

Another bunker falls to friendlies at Jenin. Finally! Two more to go, just don't know if I have the men and the time to capture them before the Jordanian reinforcements are in.



[*] Link to my During Action Report at Grogheads

[Crossroads]

IDF Turn #21

With two bunker positions left to neutralize, the assault in the night continues



Ineffective!

But the other bunker fell to friendlies at Jenin.





One more to go... Calling in the artillery!



More details available at Grogdeads:

[*] Link to my During Action Report at Grogheads