US 2nd Armored Div vs Panzer Lehr

My first entry in the WWPD Overlord Campaign was a fight between a US tank company from the 2nd Armored Division and a mechanized infantry company from Panzer Lehr.  The mission took place just behind Omaha Beach in bocage county and involved a US Hasty Attack.  My son played the US forces and I commanded the Germans.  Even though I just received the new Normandy books we used the older force lists - Easy Army is just to easy to use!  It's been a LONG time since we've played FOW and we got a lot wrong last night!

The German forces  consisted of:

Panzer Gren HQ 

2 x Panzer Grenadier Lehr Platoons (3 Squads each) 

4 x Panzer IV

3 x Panther (reserves)

3 x Puma (reserves)

3 x Nebelwerfers (reserves)

1 x 88 Antitank Gun

2 x Sd Kfz 7/2 AA (3.7mm) (reserves)

Total Points: 2,005

The Germans Occupied a village with one PZG platoon and anchored the left flank with PZ IV's supported by the 88 and the right flank had the 2nd PZG platoon.

The 88 was deployed in the woods.  I like to use a canopy for heavy woods which actually hides the unit and gives a better feel of something "hiding" in there.

 The US Tank company consisted of:
2 M4 Shermans in the HQ
2 x 4 M4 Sherman tank platoons
1 x 4 M4 76mm tank platoon
1 x 4 M5A1 Stuart Light tanks
1 x Tank Destroyer Section (2 M-10's)
1 x Armored Rifle Platoon (2 squads)
1x Priority Air (p-47)
Total Points 2,240
The US strategy was simple - attack down both flanks with the heavy stuff and use the light tanks to tie down the center.  Unfortunately the bocage had other ideas....

 Turn 1:
US rolled reserves and brought the Stuarts on board in the center and then advanced on both flanks.
The Germans did not get reserves.  The PzG platoon on the right flank mounted up and withdrew from the bocage line to the one behind it.  The German strategy on this flank was to trade territory for time and hope the bocage slowed the US advance.  It seemed that, for this game, the bocage was indeed a German collaborator!

 Turn 2:
US reserve roll was good and they brought on the 76mm Shermans on their right flank.  "Oberstrumfuher Bocage" sprang his trap as 3 of 4 Shermans bogged down trying tho cross the bocage chasing the PzG's as they fell back.  The Stuarts machined gunned the village to no effect (digging out confident vets is damn hard).  The US did get air support but the plane just flew menacingly over the Pz IV's and whiffed.

 The Germans draw first blood with one of the Panzer IV's taking out a Sherman.

 Turns 3 & 4
US - the attack on their left flank literally looses to the shrubbery and the 3 bogged Shermans all roll to remount and then all promptly bog down again!
The US does some shootin' but misses all their shots with the exception of killing one Pz IV.
The US also brings on it's M-10's

 Turns 3 & 4 go well for the Germans - on turn 3 they roll and get reserves.  The Panther platoon rumbles onto the table and promptly shoots at the wounded US tank platoon.  One tank is killed and the other 2 are bailed.  The platoon fails its morale check and runs for the rear.

Turns 5 and 6
Turn 5 sees the 88 take out the 2 M-10's (note to self, small platoons don't stay around long) and more bogging and general frustration with the terrain.  The US do manage to draw blood by killing one PzG machine gun team and then on turn six the P-47 reappears and catches the 3 remaining Px IV's redeploying to other side of the board and .....

 BOOM! I'm beginning to respect air power and doubt the value of AA!  Scratch one German platoon.

 After loosing the PzIV platoon, the Germans elect to take a passive posture and essentially hide for turn six - lets not blow the lead!.  The Germans do roll for reserves and get their Pumas on the board.  The nebelwerfers never show up.

The board at the end of the game.  With the Germans holding their two objectives they're declared the winner.  Losses are 2 US platoons to 1 German so it's a Major German Victory 5 points to the Germans and 2 points to the US.

As mentioned earlier, we got A LOT wrong last night but the game was fun and has re-kindled my interest in FOW - hmmm I wonder if that's one of the goals of the Overlord online campaign.

I need to paint up some basic US infantry to fight better in the bocage.  I also need to edit the US list to include artillery.