Fire the Bren !: "29, Let's Go": Turn 4, Flanking attack at St Germain-du-Pert

"29, Let's Go!": Turn 4, Flanking attack at St Germain-du-Pert

The US column cannot advance with the threat of mobile anti-tank guns on their flank. The Americans must clear the village of St Germain‐du‐Pert before progressing. They have worked their way around behind the village to launch a flank attack.

Map

A dirt road leads into the village. The village is dominated by a church and churchyard. Across the road from the church is a cottage with a walled garden. There are hedgerows with planted fields to the south. The western side of the map is mainly an open field.

Support Choices

The German player has a fresh platoon of infantry with two Marders in support for this scenario.

US: Sherman (6), Sherman (6), 60mm mortar (3), sniper (3), additional BAR for all squads (1).

Combat

GIs have moved stealthily behind the hedgerows, flanking around the rear of the village. The American plan was to attack with tanks along the road into St Germain-du-Pert (drawing the Germans’ attention), while infantry infiltrated around the flank.

The US 1st Squad took cover behind a stone wall, trying to locate the Germans. They had pushed up -right into the village - without encountering any enemy troops.

Suddenly a high velocity shell whistled over their heads, and several GIs were hit and killed by machine gun fire from a nearby Marder that was lying in wait.

The German troops defending St Germain-du-Pert were led by a tough veteran feldwebel. He personally led an assault on the surprised US 1st Squad. He threw a grenade around the cottage, which killed a GI, and then led an assault into the remaining GIs. The disoriented GIs were all brutally killed with bayonets, rifle butts and entrenching tools. The Germans didn’t lose a single man.

Being ambushed was a shocking start for the Americans but they soon struck back. A Sherman tank coming along the road had a badly obscured view of the Marder. The Sherman gunner decided to take the shot. It was a direct hit, and even struck a weak spot in the Marder’s armour. The Marder burst into flames. The Sherman coaxial MG then wiped out a German LMG team that was covering the road.

Feldwebel (SL) and German 1st Squad prepare for assault on unsuspecting GIs

Sherman next to abandoned German field wagon

First Marder burning

The feldwebel moved with German 1st Squad to capture a nearby American jump-off point. A second Sherman rumbled along the road.

The feldwebel and his men were fired upon by a sniper, a Sherman and US 2nd Squad. The feldwebel decided he and his men were too exposed: he threw a smoke grenade, and he and his men crept back behind the cottage.

Febelwebel orders his men to lay low and retreat behind the cottage

Two Shermans approaching the village

The second Marder appeared on the road, shielded from American tanks by the Church. It fired HE rounds and machine-gun fire at the US 2nd Squad, which was lining a hedgerow across from the cottage. The Marder would remain in the same spot, continuing to fire on those same GIs.

German 2nd Squad had deployed in the church, firing from the windows, mostly at US 2nd Squad. US 2nd Squad returned fire. The continuous combined fire of US 2nd Squad and two Shermans left most of German 2nd Squad dead. Its two remaining survivors fled the church and linked up with the feldwebel - who had moved with the remains of German 1st Squad into the churchyard.

German 2nd Squad occupying the church

Remaining two riflemen from 2nd Squad join with 1st Squad

US 3rd Squad now appeared, advancing carefully into the village - the bodies of US 1st Squad evident in front of the stone wall to their right.

The only German troops left appeared to be the feldwebel and a few riflemen giving sporadic rifle fire from the churchyard.

The Shermans continued to move cautiously down the road. A Panzerschreck team fired at the lead Sherman from the churchyard. The 'schreck missed. The Sherman fired back with its MG. The main gunner followed the tracers and obliterated the 'schreck team with a direct HE hit.

'Schreck team is obliterated

German 3rd Squad appeared beside the burning Marder, intent on ambushing US 3rd Squad. [Cam played a COCA Interrupt]. The US squad leader spotted the Germans; “Down, down, down!” he bellowed, and a second later machine gun fire whizzed over his men as they all hit the dirt. The GIs then returned fire, which was murderously accurate at close range.

Some of German 3rd Squad was also visible to a Sherman, which cut more of them down with MG fire.

The flanking GIs brought up a bazooka and began firing at the remaining Marder.

The German feldwebel had inspired most of his men to fight and die in position rather than retreat. But when he was hit and killed by US rifle fire, the few remaining Germans fled the village. The crew of the surviving Marder bailed out and abandoned their vehicle. The sole survivor of German 3rd Squad put his hands up, shouting “Kameraden! Kameraden!”