Defending Meximieux AAR US side.

[xavutrecht]

Here is a short, very short [:(], AAR about Defending Meximieux from the US side (asked by Angiel).

Scenario config:
US side, human
GE side, AI
FOW, on
Command and control, on

Turn 1.
US set-up is not ideal but it is what it is. Because of this I will try to make the maximum of casualties with the motar team on the hill, and try to move the M10 out of sight of the GE armor. Bazooka teams will set-up an AT ambush by moving the "south" team towards to small woods near the hill.

[xavutrecht]

Units in the south will try to spot and stop the enemy infantry.
Second M10 will move south and try to intercept the Panthers. [&:]

[xavutrecht]

M10 survived incoming fire from the Panther. Gosh!
Mortar crew didn't get a chance and simply vanished...
Those damned command and control rules (C&C), US units will loose a lot of opportunities because of poor C&C! Let's call it poor leadership / second line infantry / German effect of surprise...

[xavutrecht]

Turn 2.
German units are moving towards the village.
The M10 got hit by infantry fire, crew ducked to cover! There must be a lot of very interesting things at the bottom of this turret because this crew will spend a lot of time there...
AT ambush is in place, let's wait for the German armor (and let's hope they will survive any encounter with the infantry).
AI is moving quite freely but there is not much I can do about it.

[xavutrecht]

German infantry is moving in force east of my units.
The US infantry located in the woods west of the map moved back to cover, nothing they can do about the Panther, there is no point playing live target for this mean fighting machine. [;)]
And some units OoC of course.

[xavutrecht]

Turn 3.
AT ambush worked, sort of. South AT team shot twice at the Panther, hit twice but nothing more. Revenge was fierce, both AT teams were destroyed.
Leader and infantry squads withdraw in a building east of their initial position, wise move, again no point playing live targets.
Mortar crew is firing like mad at the German Spz 251 and PzIII/IV but nothing happened (dummy shells???).

[xavutrecht]

Reinforcements are coming in. Yes!
The 2 Stuarts will try, bold move I know, to eliminate one Panther.
M10 should dispatch the other Panther easily, in my dreams. I have also one infantry squad with a satchel charge sneaking behind it, back-up plan (yes, I know the squad is OoC!!!).

[xavutrecht]

Turn 4.
Enemy units are moving forward. Between the OoC infantry squads and the M10 crew busy with finding a very small nut in the turret I have a lot of firepower to stop the AI...

[xavutrecht]

The 2 Stuart managed to survive and to destroy the Panther. Good one.
The squad managed to move adjacent to the second Panther and to place the satchel charge. Brave boys, this big bag should seal the enemy crew fate.
German infantry is mmoving slowly northward, I am trying to stop this advance but no luck.

[xavutrecht]

Turn 5.
Situation is nominal.
The mortar crew took a beating and is Broken+, no chance they will survive long.
The leader + squad got Broken+ and withdraw even more.
Leader + squad + MMG is shooting at the stars, they can't hit a thing.
I forgot to wake-up the M10 crew... [:@]
Perfect!

[xavutrecht]

Panther was destroyed by the satchel charge. I feel good!
German broken units were found cowering in the woods, let's try to deny them any movement.

[xavutrecht]

Turn 6.
I have everything under control.
German force is within the village, US force is almost gone (only one stack left). Everything is under control.
One US squad managed to recapture the north VP but is Broken+ now (VP hex was captured by the Panther).
US forces are still claiming all 3 VP hexes, everything is under control!

[xavutrecht]

Both Stuarts got destroyed by the Sdk251/75 (not on the picture), lucky shots maybe (more of it latter).[:(]
US and German infantry are locked in a firefight with casualties on both sides. That's a stand still (bloody one).

[xavutrecht]

Turn 7.
M10 is moving, a big round of applause please. They moved undetected behind, and adjacent, a German SP unit. Stopped the engine. Fired. And missed. I am cursed.[:D]
The German infantry is rushing forward, towards the mortar VP hex (crew didn't survive as expected). They are 1 hex short of it. Yes!
US MMG managed to hit something other than dust and broke the enemy charge right in the VP hex (sigh!).

[xavutrecht]

Still locked in.
At least, the enemy advance is stopped.

[xavutrecht]

Victory! In fact it's a draw. Anyway, victory!
US forces still have control of 2 VP hexes.
US infantry took a beating, that was expected.
German force took some casualties, 3 AFVs destroyed, that's good.
US casualties were worse as expected, I did 2 mistakes and got some Broken+ units eliminated, stupid of me.
The C&C rules annoyed me a lot, but added some realism to this scenario. It's a good thing but a frustrating one (very frustrating).
Odds were not in my favor. I am usually not very lucky with dices but this time was worse.
Anyway, US side won, that's all that matter.
This scenario is a very good one, on both sides.
The main thing a player has to remember is "don't panic". If any doubts, the answer to any tactical question is 42. [:D]

[Paullus]

Great work Xavier [:)]. I really like your AARs. They capture the spirit of the Game

[Peter Fisla]

Thank you xavutrecht!!! Great job

[Angiel]

Thanks xavutrecht you were really friendly.[;)]
Now I read carefully your AAR.

[Angiel]

Oops .... why major American victory?
Side A (American) 10 pt. Side B (German) 10 pt. = Draw, or am I wrong?