"CoC Bloody Bucket campaign Turn 7 Holzthum Village" Topic

We return to our Bloody Bucket campaign for Chain of Command where once again the Germans return to Holzthum Village to see if they can evict the Americans. So far they are finding dislodging the Americans from any of the maps a very difficult proposition, but their recent successes clearing Maps 1 and 2 has buoyed their spirits. Are they about to unpick the defence of skyline drive? The full AAR is here: Campaign Turn 7 Holzthum Village

This fight certainly misfired from the German perspective, it would be interesting to know what the ‘poorly conceived' plan was. I think you can take the credit though, as your JOP ‘lure' certainly tempted them out into the open.
With such small squads, that are penalised with 50% heavier casualties than normal, committing them without due care and attention is a recipe for disaster. Can you opponent ‘buy' more squads for support? Losing them will still hurt their morale but won't see the losses carried through to the next fight.
Lacking any SPWs or equivalents I wonder he doesn't advance his infantry behind armour for cover or is that impractical (I've never tried it). Likewise can better use be made of smoke; can the armour dispense smoke?
I must look up how easy it is to destroy buildings with armour and support weapons and/or set them alight to deny them as cover and what happens to any JOP inside… I'm thinking of the sequence from Kelly's heroes where the Tiger just starts trashing all buildings.

IIRC, you can knowk down a building (making it unstable) if you roll at least three 6 on an HE attack roll. Since the Panther has but 5 HE dice, possible, but not very likely…
I fully agree with the Tactical Painter's game assessment, the Germans still had options : the one he underlined, or starting from the firebase around the Panther and the IG 18… But it looks like it was "un jour sans" (a day without) for Dave, when your wargaming juices run dry. A bit frustrating, but we're mere humans, and I'm sure he'll be back to it soon. If I may, even at 20 support, a Panther (10 points!) seems too expensive. A Panzer IV and a pregame barrage (i know he's kind of unlucky with these at the momemnt) seems to be a better option. Perhaps a Panzershreck if he can have these?
Anyways, thanks again for the AAR and the care you take writing these. At any rate, you make me making use of the current lockdown to paint tons of terrain for when I can play afgain and start CocC!

Excellent looking miniatures and terrain, TacticalPainter01!

Sweet wargaming battle layout!

Nice work. I really like your troop trays.