L
Lawrence
Guest
This will be a DAR of the CM:BN scenario "The Crossroads at Monthardrou". Us vs AI, Iron difficulty.
It is a combined arms American attack against a moderately prepared German defense. They are known to hold the crossroads objective but further enemy dispositions beyond that are unknown.
Friendly forces are (as far as I can gather from the briefing) 2 companies infantry( E and F) and 1 company tanks (D(-)).
No artillery support beyond organic mortars are available.
Terrain is generally large open fields broken by bocage. It offers good lines of fire for concealed enemy MG and AT assets. There are not many covered avenues of approach. The village crossroads objective offers good cover to enemy infantry.
A tentative attack plan sees both infantry platoons moving to contact along the flanks of the main road, supported by tank fire support.
Plan to be revised at contact.
The Main Road to the objective. Note the small farm complex to my immediate front... A jump off point.
Initial Deployment
Infantry:On map, we have 2 platoons infantry, 1 platoon tanks. (1st and 3rd infantry platoons from E company, and 2nd tank platoon D company.
On our left flank, 1st Plt E has a great covered avenue of approach through trees to a farm that must be my first objective. One squad from 1st Plt E will move to contact through this line.
On our right flank, we have open fields with bocage. One squad from 3rd Plt E will fast move to the first bocage line, then overwatch.
The 1st squads in each platoon will be split into three teams. This will spread them out, making them more survivable once contact is achieved.
Armor:
The initial force deployment is unique in that I have some much armoured firepower. 5 Sherman tanks with 50+ rounds 75mm HE means 250+ rounds total. Not to mention the 50 and 30 cal MG's. This means that while I'm lacking in off-map artillery support, I have enough HE to cause a lot of damage. I'll try to use my tanks like mortars: Keeping them as far back from the enemy as possible, moving them forward one at a time to destroy revealed enemy positions.
I can't stress enough how important it will be to keep my tanks alive. There are the asset most able to kill the enemy once spotted. Anti tank guns and PanzerShreks are expected. And a dead Sherman with 30 rounds of HE left is lost firepower. Caution will therefore be the general principle for the tanks.
What do I anticipate? Well, initially, I expected objective FARM to be occupied, with supporting AT and MG assets covering the lines of approach to that objective. I must deploy my forces to overcome that.
1:10:00 - 1:08:00
1st Squad, 1st Plt E fast moves to cover to point along the covered avenue of approach.
1st Squad, 2nd Plt E fast moves to the bocage line on my right flank.
They experience no contact until the fading seconds of minute three. Corporal Voight of 2nd Plt spots an enemy AT 75mm PAK gun the distance. It's in the open, behind a low stone wall behind the crossroads. This is a great find. As soon as E company's Weapons Plt arrives, I will send a mortar team to dispatch the gun. In the meantime, I'll try to stay out of its line of sight.
1:08:00 - 1:07:00
1st Squad 2nd Plt E shift slightly to the far right flank now that their bar gunner has reached the bocage line. Two teams will swing around the woods to the far right and use that covered line of approach to continue to move to contact.
Also, to my surprise, I discover the spotted AT gun nearly has LOS to one or several of my tanks, which have thus far not move from their deployment area. I target an area just in front of the gun, hoping to get lucky. That was a bit disconcerting. I did not expect an AT gun to have a clear LOS nearly all the way to my deployment zone(!)... Must proceed cautiously.
