AAR-5 Wolfgang K. vs. Andreas E.

• Date: 10.07.2024
• Axis Player: Wolfgang (First of all, i have to say that we both got the factions mixed up. I was actually supposed to play the Americans and Andreas the Germans.)
• Allied Player: Andreas
• Scenario: First Encounter
• Result: VPs = 4:0 (Axis vs. Allies) – Surrender after turn 4
• Axis Losses: 0 pts
• Allied Losses:70 pts

1943, July, the day is drawing to a close as Unteroffizier Fritz Gessner poses again in front of the destroyed American M-10 tank. This time for the war correspondent Reinhold, who was sent by the regimental commander to record this historic moment for the Wehrmacht annals. What had happened?

Hours ago:

The German Hauptmann Klein decided to shift the focus of his lightly armored reconnaissance vehicle north into the village to avoid the dangerous guns of the M-10s to the south for as long as possible.

In order to block the bottleneck at the southern edge of the village, Gessner`s rifle squad was driven at breakneck speed in the Opel Blitz truck to the nearest building and dropped off. The mission was to prevent the enemy M-10s from passing through, or at least to delay them until the enemy infantry had been destroyed in the north of the village.

Gessner’s group consisted of very experienced front-line fighters, many of whom had already gained front-line experience at the beginning of the war. Gessner’s uniform coat was proudly adorned with many an award. He had a reputation for keeping his head in the most difficult situations – you could rely on him.

The commander of the reconnaissance vehicle SdKfz 231 with its 20mm machine gun was ordered to take up position between the buildings on the northern edge of the village. This position was intended to make it more difficult for the American soldiers to cross the open area from the staging area to the edge of the village. In the meantime, other forces were able to follow and the only available 75mm infantry gun was able to take up position.

Shortly afterwards, the troops began to move. An American mortar squad opened fire on the village center, but did not achieve any significant effect.

In the meantime, Sergeant Gessner jumped off the truck with his submachine gun in his hand and pushed open the door to the nearest house when he heard the sound of engines coming from the east. He quickly assessed the situation and ordered his soldiers to take up position, face south-east and wait. Further to the north, the 20mm of the reconnaissance started firing, forcing an enemy group of Rangers to take cover with heavy losses. The battle had begun.

The roar of the heavy machines grew louder. The first steel body of an American tank destroyer slid past a house barely 60 meters from Gessner’s position and opened fire on the German mortar squad sheltering in the olive grove. Shells whipped past and Gessner’s men ducked their heads.

The first M-10 was so busy that it did not notice the German infantrymen two buildings away. The roar of the engines grew even louder as a second M-10 a little further south passed the first. The two vehicles would soon pass the edge of the village and threaten their own flank. The German reconnaissance vehicles had little protection against the guns of these Amis.

But as the M-10s seemed to show no interest in the German rifle squad, Gessner made a decision. Attack! The M-10 has a fighting compartment that is open at the top and is therefore vulnerable to infantry in close combat – so get on it, get on it and get the grenades in!

Gessner urged his men on – let’s go! They attacked the first M-10 from the right flank – holding down the crew in the turret with firearms and hurling grenades into the open turret. The first tank began to retreat, heavily damaged.

No time to catch their breath… A sharp whistle, a hand signal and Gessner’s soldiers rushed towards the second M-10, which was about to turn in the direction of the attacker but failed to do so. This was because the German mortar squad, which had previously been fired on by him, opened fire and landed a hit in the fighting compartment. The M-10 was shaken back and forth by the force and enveloped in clouds of smoke. Its cannon fell silent and the crew was either wounded or panicked. This was the lucky moment for Gessner’s men.

They rushed at the wounded steel colossus with a hurrah and finished it off. In a loud detonation, the tank destroyer turned into a pile of burning steel. This panicked the crew of the first M-10, which consisted of recruits still on the return march, and a few minutes later Gessner’s group was able to force them to leave the vehicle as well.

Just as Gessner had gathered his group together again, a group of rangers hastily brought in to support him began to storm his position. The cool-headedness of Gessner’s veterans prevailed and repelled this attack right from the start. The south of the village was firmly in German hands.

After the American unit in the south had been completely annihilated and had failed to cross the open space in the north, they realized the futility of maintaining the attack. They withdrew and left the village to Captain Klein and his troops.

Designer Edit: I would like to thank you, Andreas, for the match…. I admit that I had actually expected to be inferior in the setup – the M-10s, when used correctly, are much more dangerous than my 8-wheeled scouts. I guess fate had other ideas. A nice game and I’m looking forward to more.