Banzai!! Pipeline

AAR: FT178 Niederburg Farmhouse

Ed Beekman

 

Ed Beekman: Americans

Ralph Garringer: Germans

 

The Germans are clearing a pocket of American  resistance in Luxemburg during the Battle of the Bulge.  Ralph chose to attack as the Germans.  The battle is on board 10, hexrows A to P, in the MUD by SSR.  Also by SSR, the stone building at the hill top cross roads has two levels and the Germans must control both at game end.  The Americans have only 3.5 squad equivalents of elite infantry, a pair of leaders, but plenty of support weapons including a MaDeuce, and 2 of those squad equivalents can start HIP.  As scenario defender, the MGs can be  boresighted (Ralph didn't enter either location I selected, I think they may have been too obvious).  I hid the best leader, a HS and the .50 cal upstairs in the victory building with a squad holding downstairs.  I dug in a HS with my other leader behind the building.  A HS with the MMG was on the right flank to sweep all the open ground there and lay down a FL in front of the building if needed.  Finally two BAZ teams hid on the left flank among the hedges.

 

Ralph attacked with his 8 squads of Volksgrenadiers (2nd line with a couple stormtroop squads thrown in) on my left.  I lost a Bazooka team to a low FP shot led by the German -2 leader but then I got lucky and pinned that leader, broke the accompanying squad and raked the following Volksgrenadiers with the 50.  This is when the Hetzer showed up finding the infantry in shambles.  It saved the day by locking the units in the victory location by going into bypass.  I couldn't kill it with Reaction, CC nor 50 cal fire onto its roof.  This allowed half the broken Germans to rally and renew the attack.  The Hetzer turned around and smashed into the building! and all the Germans rushed after.  My MMG on the flank slowed the attack a little but then was lost to malfunction, the 50 cal team broke on a low odds NMC shot and were FTR while all the other nearby supporting groups broke.  If I could keep alive downstairs in Melee, I could deny control of Level 1 and still win.  In the penultimate German CC phase I had the advantage (3:2 -1) failed to kill as I did the following turn.  On the final German turn, the Hetzer sallied forth to lock up my last infantry not in the building (the MMC team rushing to help) and all the remaining Germans but a HS jumped into Melee - overstacked by 1 MMC.  Ralph then Withdrew one squad upstairs (-2 withdraw, -1 my leader, -1 overstacked, +6 supporting units for a 3:2 +2 if I attacked him - need a 3 to eliminate - CR not sufficient) to control upstairs.  I was attacked at 2:1 -1 and was eliminated while managing to get a CR on a 6, leaving the Germans in Victorious control.