The "Indianhead" attack at point 88, phases one and two.

Our hero Captain Hanks gave the following orders for his Infantry company of the 2nd US Inf Division:

Phase 1

All Company level bazookas available; these will be doled out to the 3 rifle platoons.

The Recon troop will deploy from EP2, advancing down the hedge line to the lane. They will then take the lane to the main road where they will turn north to the barn. 

The first part of this advance will be covered by the Engineers HMG also deploying from EP2. If resistance is met, the recon troop will fall back to the position marked where they can provide fire support into the lone elm field / farm or into field c.

The Weapons platoon will deploy from EP1 and take up fire positions so that they may fire into the farm or barn as required. The mortars will lay down fire on orchard A and the barn.

The Stuart tanks advanced as did the Engineers .50 cal.  (going slightly beyond their orders to get into the cover of the hedge and wall.)

At this point a German Stug poked its barrel out of the hedgerow opposite and quickly put the Recon troop into a scatter and hide as their leader was picked off.  

Lt Shatner discovered that the Farm opposite was a strong-point, with German grenadiers dug in.  He proceeded to use his 30 Cal machine guns to supress it, with a fair degree of success.  his mortars zeroed in on the orchard and barn, clearing out a German section hiding there, as well as an MMG. My tablet also managed to get itself into the camera shot!

The .50Cal is a devastating weapon.  It began to decimate the Infantry section supporting the Stug, while the remaining two Stuarts took on the Stug itself.  Eventually the US tanks did the business and knocked out the German armour.  Almost simultaneously phase two began.  

Captain Hanks orders for Phase 2

Platoon 1 will deploy from EP1 and advance through orchard A and take the barn.

Platoon 2 will deploy from EP2 and assault he farm via the lane.

Platoon 3 and the AT gun will remain in reserve,

Platoons 1 and 2 will establish a defensive line to hold the road between the farm and the barn.

The US Infantry came on in two platoons at EP1 and EP2.  Lt Crosby lead the 2nd Platoon from EP2, whilst Master Sgt Hope lead 1st Platoon against the remains of the German defence in the Orchard and barn. 

Crosby actually lead a bayonet charge, although the German defenders had already been virtually wiped out by the .50Cal.  

I actually mark all of the big men with names, and the star on the central base denotes the presence of the BAR with that element.

The Germans had however one last surprise, as a platoon sized column approached in counterattack, lead by my Howitzer Stug, an ARV with some limitations, but it sprayed its hull Mg as it advanced.  I needed a Hero, and had one in the commander of 3 platoon, Lt Errol Flynn, who now lead his reserve forward with Captain Hanks.  

Flynn sited the anti-tank gun and the first shot dished up the Stug.  The Germans quickly withdrew and it was pretty much game over.

Having one of the Marshal Petain Club write the orders for Captain Hanks and his company really gave me a better game than simply relying on chance rolls as I normally would. The last German attack had been one of my contingency plans if the central strong-point was lost.  There seemed little point in continuing to Captain Hanks phase three since I had run out of Germans!

I may have to revisit this sort of WW2 game.  Very enjoyable.