British Strength and Weaknessness:
After setting up, at first glance, the placements remind me of a Krasni Bor in reverse. The British 3rd Brigade is surrounded on all 3 sides. All their infantry chits carry Morales of 2 & 3. In this scenario, they have no armor support, at least initially. However, they possess 26 6-pounder AT guns and 4 17-pounder AT guns. The AT guns are evenly pre-positioned along the entire perimeter facing the German KG. The 4 17-pounder AT cover the northern flank of the salient. The mortars are in the center of each BDA to provide the necessary fire support. The advantages to the British are that they are in dug-in defensive positions waiting for the Germans to advance. As the nighttime visibility is limited to 2 hexes, after the British execute their Overwatch, the Germans would not be able to conduct any Overwatch Return Fire, beyond visibility range, unless expending Illumination rounds.
Specific game rules further restrict the German panzer movement to road hexes. The British already have AT guns guarding most of the road routes. As to artillery support, the British were alloted substantially greater ammo, and they would be able to execute rapid Fast Fire missions.
German Strength and Weaknessess
The German chits have varied Morale ratings Though they have Stugs and Panzer IV, their movement are severly restricted to the road hexes, which are unfortunately also well covered by AT defenses. Compounding the German predicament is they have the unpleasant task of attacking. FWIW, the British would not be able to initiate Overwatch fire until within the 2 hex range. Likewise, for the Germans, once they do receive Overwatch fire, the advancing units cannot execute any Overwatch Return fire as none of the companion units would be in a non-moved Fire mode close enough during the 1st turn.
The initial Preparatory Artilley Bombardment might suppress a few British defenders and prevent Overwatch fire. The KG also has the advantage of Infiltration movement. The German TO&E also provides for 3 88mm flak guns and substantial quantity of 75mm AT/IGs & 155mm IGs.
The 104th Regiment has a lower Morale rating, though itÕs somehow negated by the weaker Attack strength, ditto for the 71th and 725th Regiments.
Infiltration along the gullies would be nice but there is only one long gully at the end of the map that runs into a British BDA and is mined.
Preparatory Artillery Bombardment
In regular game play, the Axis has to pre-plot the target hexes prior to the British set-up. Nonetheless, irrespective of the fact Lee had already dictated the British placement, for purposes of this problem, I would still naturally target stacks with the most steps preferably where I will direct my advance against. As only 6 batteries are alloted in the scenario, from the 450 Artillery Btn & 3 Artillery Regt, I would select 27.21/29.20 & 31.18/32.18 in the D of W and KLSI BDA respectively. As those hexes are closest to the MLR, they should deserve immediate suppression for the advancing platoons.
Infiltration
Notwithstanding the benefits of Infiltration rules, the movement cannot pass adjacent to any enemy units. As such, no infiltration action would be undertaken along the narrow area north the D of W and KSLI. I would have 3 platoons to infiltrate along the long gully to the west even though the end had been mined. The remaining 6 platoons would move the max. 3x normal MP from 14.08 to 29.16 & 31.12 or thereabouts. They could attempt to threaten & cause some disruption in the rear. If they manage to survive, they could later provide some Crossfire modifier. If able to be positioned correctly, they could function as spotters to rear targets not otherwise visible.
Set-up
Per setup instructions, the 145 Regiment has to setup west of 27.xx, accordingly, I would position I battalion along the west MLE to the left of D of W, even around 14.07. A few platoons could even commence by turn be being in the gully. The II battalion would be positioned to the northwest and north of the D of W along the MLR, around the Hospital hexes. The regimental 75mm AT & IG should be placed with unhindered LOS. The MG would be dipsersed among the platoons, as they longer firing range is negated by nightime.
The 104 Regiment has to be setup to the right of 27.xx. Being the shortest distance from the MLR to the defenders, the I battalion would be positioned to the northeast of D of W and KSLI. The II battalion would be spread along the eastern MLR to the right of KSLI mainly and SF. The MG would be intermingled with the platoons. Their 75mm AT, being direct fire weapons, need to placed at some good firing locations. For both regiments, their mortars would placed in the rear to provide supporting fire. The 2 150mm IG are self propelled and with their high firepower should be placed somewhere where they could provide the max coverage. They could be relocated to provide supporting fire when & where the circumstances dictate.
As to the 165 Engineering Battalion, my perference is to disperse them among the units to provide for the +1 column modifier in Assault Combat. Finally, as to the 71 Regiment, the game rules also mandate their setup to the right of 27.xx, as the eastern MLR line is long distance from the British BDA, I would position them to the northeast of KSLI as sort of a backup reserve breakthrough force for any potential exploitation.
The 725 Regiment, like the 71th, has only 2 companies of platoons. I would position them at the 48.08, and with the IVs, they would try to move the long way to attack into the rear of the SF BDA.
Last, but not least, is the Panzer IV and Stugs. The Stugs could only be placed to the west of 27.xx per scenario rules. The 2 roads leading into the D of W BDA are dead-ended. I would still assign 2 or 3 Stugs around there for fire support with the attacking infantry. The other Stugs I would place at 14.07 for the long route toward the southern end of the D of W BDA.
In accordance to setup instructions, the Panzer IV have to be placed to the right of 27.xx, so I would be divided into 3 groups, the northern group of 4 tanks would be placed in the road hexes 28.21 & 30.21, the main group of 4 tanks would start in road hex 40.21 and the remaining group of 4 IVwould be positioned at road hex 48.08. Hopefully, most of the facing AT guns would be suppressed in due time and cleared out by the infantry. I do not want to utilize the main primary road as that area is too well covered by coverging AT fire, Crossfire and others, from both the D of W and KSLI BDA.
Insofar as the 88mm flak guns are concerned, as the British Shermans would not appear until dawn, I would place those guns so as to provide support for the attack, viz, along the northern MLR with the necessary LOS.
Operation Sheets
As this is a nigthtime assault, the Brits cannot conduct Overwatch until at 2 hex range. Moreover, as the Germans would move firsts, the defenders cannot fire either Illumination or Artillery as Overwatch fire, though they could call on their regular mortar fire. I hope I have the right rule interpretation here.
I Battalion of 145 Regiment would advance eastward from the starting MLR, around 14.07. They would advance dispersed the best they could. As this is a nighttime advance to the southern back end of the D of W BDA, hopefully they would not be spotted till later without illumination. The Stugs would advance along side. Even if during the British turn when they would fire Illumination rounds, the Germans would be dispersed enough from the artillery, though I believe the British would expend their artillery on the northern permiter.
The II Battalion would advance forward from the northern MLR. They would be supported by 75mm IG, 88mm flak guns and mortars.
The I Battalion of 104 Regiment would simultaneously move forward southwest from their MLR. The AT guns along the road hexes should be occupied & assaulted. Then the 4 Panzer IVarmor would advance forward once the AT guns are suppressed or destroyed. The main group of 4 Panzer IV would also advance along that tertiary road.
The 71 Regiment would serve as reserve and would advance when the I/104 Regiment clears the front line of the KSLI perimeter.
Further to the eastern MLR, the II Battalion of 104 Regiment would advance westward. They should be able to move decently in the dark. The last group of 4 IV would advance alongside along the tertiery road and move back northward into the rear of the SF BDA and to provide fire support when possible.
II Battalion of 725 Regiment would use a few turns to move westward in the dark and prepare to assault the SF from their southern perimeter.
If the battlefield is illuminated by the British, the Germans should use smoke to cover their advance approach.
The British would be receiving some Shermans in the morning from the south. The Germans could delegate a few AT for blocking down south.
Memorial Day 1999
George Chow
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