Bastogne, 7am December 19, 1944

Started by MengJiao, May 12, 2022, 05:29:00 PM

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MengJiao

  This is a nice, small instance of the Grand Tactical System: 2.5 counter-sheets of Germans try to overrun 1.5 counter-sheets of US troops.  And there are RULES about things like that.
Anyway, we are down to the basics here:  Team Cherry and Team O'Hara and some engineers and the Canadian Forestry Company and Team Snafu are going to try to hold off Panzer Lehr
and the 26 Volksgrenadiers long enough for the 101 Airborne to get into position.  I read the US Official history (which came out in the early 1960s interestingly enough) and the HQ of the
28th Division (or at least its commander) and some of its AT units and such were still in the Sibret area on the 19th.  Sibret is on this here map about 4 miles SW of Bastogne.  On the 20th they
were sent packing by Panzer Lehr, but on the 19th they were still there.  Anyway, here goes...Panzer Lehr has commandeered the bicycle fusilier battalion from the
26 Volksgrenadiers -- which did happen historically on the morning of the 19th:


MengJiao

Quote from: MengJiao on May 12, 2022, 05:29:00 PM
  Anyway, here goes...Panzer Lehr has commandeered the bicycle fusilier battalion from the
26 Volksgrenadiers -- which did happen historically on the morning of the 19th:

  And by 1pm Panzer Lehr is pushing steadily toward Bastogne:


MengJiao

Quote from: MengJiao on May 15, 2022, 12:37:55 PM

  And by 1pm Panzer Lehr is pushing steadily toward Bastogne:

   3pm, Panzer Lehr is running out of command points and ammo, but here we see the Russian horses of 26 Volksgrenadier.  The US official history credits the 26th Volksgenadier division with
5000 Russian horses and even this GTS game gives the division more potential command points than 2nd PZ.  Plus it didn't collapse like the 5th Parachute division and it kept up with Panzer Lehr
and it continued the attack on Bastogne longer than any other division.  Thanks to those 5000 Russian horses, I guess:


MengJiao

#3

   5pm 2nd PZ is going to go around to the north (actually this is a Night Turn -- no 5pm to 7pm since night falls earlier in the winter so these positions are as of nightfall on the 19th):



MengJiao

Quote from: MengJiao on May 20, 2022, 12:39:07 PM

   5pm 2nd PZ is going to go around to the north (actually this is a Night Turn -- no 5pm to 7pm since night falls earlier in the winter so these positions are as of nightfall on the 19th):

   And: 7am on the 20th Panzer Lehr and the 26th Volksgrenadier prepare to drive straight into Bastogne.  Historically most of Pz Lehr went around to the south (where apparently the 5th FJ division simply dissolved as US forces headed north to relieve Bastogne) and 2nd PZ drove off to the north leaving the 26 VG to continue the attack:


MengJiao

Quote from: MengJiao on June 01, 2022, 09:37:58 AM
Quote from: MengJiao on May 20, 2022, 12:39:07 PM

   5pm 2nd PZ is going to go around to the north (actually this is a Night Turn -- no 5pm to 7pm since night falls earlier in the winter so these positions are as of nightfall on the 19th):

   And: 7am on the 20th Panzer Lehr and the 26th Volksgrenadier prepare to drive straight into Bastogne.  Historically most of Pz Lehr went around to the south (where apparently the 5th FJ division simply dissolved as US forces headed north to relieve Bastogne) and 2nd PZ drove off to the north leaving the 26 VG to continue the attack:

  9am on the 20th...Part of 2nd Panzer hasn't headed off around to the north, but 26 Volksgrenadier and Panzer Lehr are pushing right on in despite low ammo and lots of American artillery (which is atill in supply):