"SCENARIO WW2: They Shall Not Pass" Topic

Apologies, difficulty with a link. May try again later. Bill, please feel free to delete this one.

This is meant as a bit of fun. How do you stop the Panzer attack? Pardon my poor graphics.

[URL=http://s1327.photobucket.com/user/myclairdelune/media/ardennes_zps7c4f4e53.jpg.html]

The German Army has launched a massive surprise attack in the snowy Ardennes region and is in danger of rolling up your sector and pressing on far beyond, to who knows what is their objective.

Your platoon (red circle) has been tasked to deny the Germans (black circle) access across the steep-banked river so that your buddies have time to prepare a more substantial defence a few miles away. The area consists of one road leading between two hills that themselves are divided by the river… and plenty of trees. Be aware that their is a track leading from the only road across fields to a ford that could allow the Germans to turn your flank.

U.S. Army, platoon: Stop any German tanks from moving across the steep-sided stream by the road bridge (yellow circle) that runs beyond two high-points. All movement is on foot. You have 15 minutes to decide whether you prefer fight or flight and, if the former, to make your defence.

Your platoon consists of 26x M-1 Garland rifles and carbines and are supported by 2x M-1919A4 machines and a pair of Thompson machine guns. You have 2x 2.36-inch M-1A1 bazookas, and enough anti-tank mines to make a small minefield. You do not have time to destroy the bridge.

German Army forces: 7x Panzers – no further information, unsupported by infantry.

Bon chance.

The bend on the road on the far side of the stream is an obvious spot for a drill book standard AT ambush against unsupported armour.

PDF link

(section 42 'Offensive Action against Tanks')

Hide the guys on the left hand side of the road in the trees, AT mines in front of the bridge to stop one end of the column, bazooka guys stop the other end of the column. Column is then stuck on the road, unable to manoeuvre and unable to see the infantry up close, so they either surrender or get destroyed one by one as the bazooka teams work their way down.

If OTOH, the woods are passable to armour, mine the bridge approaches covered with fire from the far bank and get the hell out of dodge if/when the Germans either call up some engineers or figure out how get around the flank.

If your rules let unsupported armour spot infantry hidden in thick woods easily, then a different tactical approach might be required:)

Put the mines on the near side of the bridge so when the first tank hits one the column will be partially on the bridge itself. Post your bazooka teams on the far side, as above, to take out the tail of the column. you have thus taken out three tanks, the first, the last and the one on the bridge (two if it is a really long bridge) which is immobilized until the tail of the column backs up or turns around..

If you have enough time, dig a bunch of holes up where the path leads from the road and then fill them in again. It will look like a minefield and might give them a few minutes pause.

If the rules allow you to be spotted in the woods, try the fake minefield trick in a couple of spots, mixing a couple of mines in just to keep the panzers honest and then get out of Dodge.

I'd post the bazooka teams at junction of the road and track and the AT mines just before the bridge. If the panzers take the the track you can at least take out the first one or two and the rest might change their mind and take the bridge route. They then run into the AT mines. Even if they push through down the track you will have hurt them and slowed them down.
If they take the bridge route then the bazookas take out the rear of the column after the front has been stopped by the mines.
The rifle platoon's function is to shoot up exposed panzer crews after the bazookas have opened up and take over the weapons if the crews become casualties.
And as said above, the Americans should have a very good chance of getting away with this. Infantry in woods with AT weapons against unsupported armour should be good news for the infantry assuming they are reasonably determined and trained troops.

What John said. If you don't have time to bury the mines, just lay a daisy-chain of them across the road at a spot where they can be covered by at least one MG and one bazooka. Shoot anyone who tries to move the mines. One chain by the bridge and one by the ford if you have enough mines.

Not too much of a problem if there is no German infantry. Mines used to deny access to the bridge, then infiltrate behind the armour and take them with bazooka and direct assault.

How far can one get in 15 minutes on this map, does that leave any time for set-up, or are you and the tanks there pretty much at the same time?

thanks brucka,

The US platoon will have 15 minutes in the vicinity of the bridge before the Panzers appear at the black circle approach area.

For the purpose of this scenario, lets say they could all make it to the northern hill, if required, but would have no time left to dig in.

FM