1516 hrs, Turn 16. I needed to finally push forward and had to make a few risky moves, so I was opening this turn with shaking hands. It didn't go great, it hurt, 1 Troop lost five men and 2 Troop lost one. But I made progress and the other side is taking blows, too.
The south end of Vilage de Farine is where it went badly. The infantry teams tucked in the rearmost houses took out one scout, then an armored car moved in but for some reason did not have LOS, although it was supposed to have it. Then another scout team moved into the next building to reinforce, but like the first one, they went into the building, were spotted first and hit first without ever getting a chance to shoot. I reassessed enemy force here as 5 men (2 x MG42, Panzerschreck, Kar 98K/PF30 and scoped Kar 98K). Some fire from a tank and and armored car into the top floor caused some suppression on the bottom floor, but not enough. The armored car has LOS on the bottom floor (alarmingly there is a panzerschreck in the building, at 90 meters from the armored car), but I made a mistake and targeted top floor instead.
In the image below, I suspect that the streets between the buildings, as well as the low stone wall, could be mined.
The north end of the objective is where it went so-so. Counting on the four enemies in the corner being occupied with the other scouts, I rushed across the open. But they were not occupied enough and the Panzerschreck guy took one down with a pistol. The remaining two made it across. Finally, the 2IC team reached their building, only to meet head on with a German infantry team entering a nearby building at the same time. The British scored an important early win by shooting the German gunner, but the remaining three rifles managed to turn the tables, hitting two of my men. I am annoyed that the guy who has the most firepower in the team (Sten) is cowering in the corner while the rifles are up firing, trying desperately to do all the work.
Further to the north, in the fields, a scout team with view on the Marder is hit by direct mortar fire. I knew my opponent knew they were there, but I wanted to keep the Marder in view, and I didn't expect mortars when Bulletpoint has an infantry team nearby (well within the usual spread of mortar fire). Another shell is already on the way, the two surviving scouts have 9 seconds to get out.
I reassessed the enemy force holding the line. So far I've seen four MG42s and two Panzerschrecks. So I believe I am up against two motorized Panzergrenadier squads, split into teams (5-4-2 and 5-6), which use the terrain to move around and stay out of sight. I also think there is a tank hunter team on the loose (I saw tracers of two MP40s before a panzerfaust was fired). And although I see few casualties, based on the makeup of the forces I do see I estimate that Bulletpoint could have lost 7 men. I can also assume that a third squad and the platoon HQ are held in reserve.
The Marder at Harfleur is bracketed by six mortar shells but the best I can hope for is light damage. No sign of casualties, although two shells fall close enough to potentially penetrate the "armor" with fragments. Some German infantry is seen running away in panic. The timing is good - the last shell falls at the end of the turn. I am almost 100% certain my opponent will pull the Marder out to avoid further damage.
The mortar on hill 312 goes hiding. Soon a mortar shell falls right in the middle of their foxhole patch, but the result is unknown. Further back, west of the river, some infantry movement ("?" only) is registered on the Bulletpoint Ridge, near the Crossing.
