At about 0930 on 4 August, Col. Paul Disney’s 67th Armored Regiment passed through St. Sever Calvados onto a major road leading to Vire. Running parallel to the road was the forest of St. Sever with groves of fruit trees along the fringes. After helping their infantry escorts into position, veteran panzermen Joachim Schlomka and Fritz Langanke drove their two Panthers into an apple orchard and waited. The tired panzer crews peered through their vision slits as the American column advanced through the morning fog. Langanke’s first shot missed the lead Sherman, but he dispatched the next two with only one round apiece. The equally tired landsers were soon in a running battle with the GIs of the 41st Armored Infantry
An exciting combined arms fight with lots of tactical options for both sides. The Panthers and the PSKs punished the US armor, but my infantry couldn't hold either building, and that huge VP boost put the GIs over the top for the win. This one is a blast to play, but keep your bocage QR card handy!
2015-08-05
(A) leo zhu
vs
Erwin Lau
German (SS) win
It's the first time to learn how to use HT.While I made a lot wrong about HT and its passengers. Bocago is aslo difficult for newbie.
2014-04-23
(A) X von Marwitz
vs
Daniel Takai
American win
Looking at the scenario card, this one has appeal. A lot of toys for the US and fancy Panthers complete with Armor leaders for each for the Germans. Viewing the playing area, interesting again. A rather open area on bd 44, restricting bocage terrain providing good cover on 54. The open ground in on bd 44 seems to invite the US for a mad rush, swamping the Germans in the process. But you have to get past the setup area of those freaking Panthers that will wreak havoc on such a ploy. For that reason I chose bd 54 to move through as it seemed a lot safer. Well, it was BUT even with Culin Devices to create breaches for the ht's, the going was very slow and the German could always fall back in time. To make things worse, the Panthers could just dominate those roads by just sitting there way back and out of range of any meaningful thread. Basically, I let myself get bogged on board 54 for the first five turns with only slow progress and unable to cause any serious losses for the German. I was confident that I would be able to wrest the bd 54 victory building from the German and would be able to eventually force open the easternmost road. However, I would not be able to exit enough stuff along it. So in turn 6 I eventually did what I should have done before: Put away with the Angst and charge the bd 44 Victory Building and trying to run past with some ht's at the same time. Moving aggressively, I did lose 2 tanks but I caught one of his Panthers on the left foot and was able to take him out with a rear shot in the AFPh. At the same time, I was able to break one of the 2 658s firmly lodged in the 44S8 building and eliminating it for Failure to Rout. With one 666+BAZ+8-1 in 44R7, a ht with 666+HMG in 44T7 and a CE Sherman in 44T6, suddenly it seemed that I might be able to overcome the 658+LMG in 44S7. In German T6, his remaining Panther killed the Sherman but missed the ht (who meanwhile made a successful motion attempt). That ht + 666 was luckily able to break the remaining 658 in the building which I could mop up in US turn 7 securing the 2nd building for 60 of the 100 required VP. Two hts and a Sherman were in a rather precarious position at the start of the US T7 MPh but were all in motion. I needed to exit one of these three to manage the required VP. The Sherman got blasted by a Panzerschreck. One ht managed to survive two shots by a MG first ADJACENT, then one hex distant. As another German unit was not able to find a Panzerfaust, the ht was able to escape for the win. If it had not, there would have been a chance for the other ht to exit, though it would have required an ESB attempt for 1,5MPs. Luckily, I did not have to rely on that any more. What I did wrong was to wait too long to charge. I am still not sure if bd 54 should be avoided for the slow going but on the other hand, you can be stopped cold in the open if those HIP Panthers happen to be in the right spot and get rate. I think both Victory Buildings need to be taken (and held!) because otherwise it is very difficult to exit enough stuff.
