Lieste
Posts: 1608
Joined: 11/1/2008
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No, that means I am in St Vith by Dawn of Day 2 ~ usually getting there with just under 2 Bn from CCB prior to the entry of the German reinforcing Bn, which is promptly shattered while still north of the town. I'd say that is about 95% reliable although a delay at Steinbruck or Lommersweiler can tie up the introduction of the reinforcements and delay the exploitation in exceptional circumstances.
Note that CCB is not committed to the fight for Lommersweiler unless Steinbruck is threatened (almost unheard of), and the reduction of and securing of the two southern objectives (and usually Beitfeld) is left to CCA. CCB gets the mission to secure St Vith, and to screen to the East and West, CCR positions in the South West and drives North into the rear flank of Peiper while he is busy deploying to attack NE.
My initial attack differs somewhat from the tutorial (from my memory) - I send 318 Inf to attack across the river on the low ground parallel to the road, screened from the bridge site and Lommersweiler in the early stages by darkness, then the shoulder of the ridge. 35th Armour attacks down the road, while 51st AI deploys on the ridge they start near and performs an Attack By Fire mission in support of the advance - they should prevent any organised reinforcement of the bridge site, neutralise the Infantry Coy on the reverse of the hill directly in front of their position, and support the advance of the 35th.
The artillery concentrates fires on enemy heavy weapons - mortars, infantry guns, anti-tank guns and FlaK, while the mortars suppress the closest enemy unit to the tip of the attack.
The reason that I organise the attack this way, is that the lighter armour in 51st Infantry is too vulnerable to fire from all three enemy anti-armour groups - FlaK, StuG, PaK, all of which can fire on it between the ridge and the crossing. Deploying at longer range and attacking with the heavier 35th Armour (which is also further to the East and less vulnerable to the FlaK and StuG units at Lommersweiler) gives better overall survivability for the same commitment of ENY firepower, have a more effective presence from 51st Infantry also secures the Western approach to the crossing, denying the enemy the ability to reinforce the critical point - the crossing itself is in dead ground to the forces at Lommersweiler, and to reinforce the enemy must march a long way to the north or risk moving in the open in front of a strong force equipped with many heavy weapons, and supported by 2 Bn of artillery. Steinbruck usually falls to the first assault, by around 9-10am, and attacks by 35th Armour and 51st Infantry towards Lommersweiler during the afternoon usually lead to at least contesting this objective by early afternoon - though actually securing it may take until evening. CCB on arrival gets tasked with bypassing ENY presence and securing St Vith (and later Beitfeld if still unsecured by CCA). Sufficient elements are detached to sweep &/or secure all cross roads in the flank/rear of the advances to permit uninterrupted delivery of supplies - otherwise ENY remnants or support troops will tend to infiltrate onto supply routes. Also routes occupied by Friendly forces cannot be used for delivery of ENY supply.
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Halting!!!!!!!! ARGH!!!!!!! - 
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