The plan for the first hours of the battle is to probe as forward as far as I can, to snatch any freebies that Doug leaves for me. Everybody is moving with Rest set to None, Fastest & Quickest and Max Aggro, but for the leading Aufklarungs elements, which are set to Bypass and Min Aggro.
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[/center]The mission for 2nd Bn/PzRgt 3 is to capture the high ground in Baraques de Troine
[center]
[/center]from where I can get a very good look on the road to Bastogne. 1st Bn/PzRgt 3 will go for Antonioushaff RJ – I wonder what the “RJ” part stands for – approaching from the southeast. This should pin the forces there
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[/center]while I bypass them. Bohm and Holtmeyer Kampfgruppes will move with haste towards Schimpah
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[/center]and Niederwampach. The idea is to, once reached these positions, to push those american troops on the highway towards north, opening a clear path for the Panzer Lehr Regiment which is appearing along the southern edge of the map
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[/center]early in the evening.
D1 – 06:00 to 08:00
The southern aufklarungs company runs into a US infantry company – G Coy IR 110 – sitting on Lullange
[center]
[/center]the town I had selected as the FUP for PzRegt 3 1st Battalion attack on Antoniushaff... I should have imagined that such a blind spot for Antoniushaff defenders would be defended. Other than that, things are going along nicely for the rest of 2nd PanzerDivision troops
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[/center]the northern aufklarungs company gets to Troine without finding any opposition. I will recon Bourcy, and see if its defense is as
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[/center]weak as it seems to me.
D1 – 08:00 to 10:00
I've lost the race to Baraques de Troine, and 1st Bn MkIV's tanks fall into an ambush
[center]
[/center]actually, rather than an ambush, it's a meeting engagement that goes quite badly for my troops, as those TD's and Sherman 105's appear on the flank as they were closing on the US units in Baraques de Allerborn. I order 1st Bn to withdraw to a close wooded gully, I don't think the Panzer Coys will be able to disengage, but well, I have to try.
D1 – 10:00 to 12:00
Effectively, the Panzer Coys haven't been able to disengage at all. One of them has suffered 66% losses
[center]
[/center]over the course of the last two hours. At least the southern group has got to Schimpach, apparently catching a lot of rear area units on their flank. Bohm is ordered to attack directly from the move in the direction of Longvilly, this should pin Doug's troops here, while Holtmeyer moves slides along their flank into their rear. A PanzerGrenadier Battalion arrives into Troine and I send it immediately
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[/center]south towards Baraques de Troine. I'll try to create a situation that allows the Panzers to disengage and catch those guys sitting on the highway on their flank. Further to the west, I send my recon unit into Bourcy.
D1 – 12:00 to 14:00
One of the 1st Battalion Panzer Coys has been disbanded and merged into the other Coy, but still they haven't been able to disengage. The PanzerGrenadiers however start arriving into the area.
[center]
[/center]Further to the south I'm finding that these “rear area” units indeed have some fight in them, Holtmeyer hasn't been able to do much progress. My probe towards Bourcy has turned into a defensive screen, as I find a mechanized US Task Force already there
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[/center]I need to keep an eye on these guys. Doug might well decide to play the same game I've been playing of “going to places through the obvious gaps”
D1 – 14:00 to 16:00
At about 16:00 the attack on Antoniushaff gets rolling after too many delays
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[/center]I'm really expecting to see these guys to crush the defenses in this town... These troops are excellent and have been held up here for six hours now!