KG Klink, France, Game 3

[Just Jack]

All,

It’s 0730 on 14 May 1940, and 7th Panzer Division has crossed the Meuse River and defeated a French counterattack on the bridgehead. Seeking to outflank French forces in the area, the division begins to flow around the village of Haut le-Wastia. As part of the southern prong, Kampfgruppe Klink’s Panzer Company is leading elements of the 25th Panzer Regiment when they encounter elements of the French 25th Tank Battalion, 2nd Demi-Brigade, and elements of the 37th Tank Battalion, 1st Demi-Brigade, both of the 1st French Armored Division (1DCR) in the French countryside.

The KG is on a road march, with the Armored Reconnaissance Company in the lead. Luck is with the French as the German recce elements speed along the road south, and the French armor arrives on the scene, catching the German Panzer Company still on the road.

The opposing forces:the Germans have 3rd Panzer Platoon (Pz Mk IIIs), 4th Panzer Platoon (Pz Mk IVs), and the Panzerjaeger Platoon (PzJgr Is), along with the Panzer Company Commander. The French have 3 Char Bs and 3 H39s.

Overview, north is up. Germans are on the road at right, travelling south, while the French have an H39 and two Char Bs in the southwest (bottom left) and two H39s and one Char B in the northwest (top left).

The fight devolved to a bloody, close-range brawl, and the Germans managed to carried the day despite knocking out only one of the French heavy tanks, with Sgt Graebner, hero of the fight in Haut le-Wastia, once again distinguishing himself.

For the whole fight, please check the blog at:
http://blackhawkhet.blogspot.com/2015/04/kg-klink-france-game-3.html

The game was fun, but next time I want to try fighting out the battle over the length of the table, not the width. I don’t like how the ranges closed so quickly; don’t misunderstand, it has to end up that way, it’s what the Germans did in real life (when they had to, i.e., they didn’t use Stukas or arty), but I think they should have to go farther to get there, and so that’s what I’m going to do next time I have an ‘armor only’ fight.

I’ll look to get another one in this weekend.

V/R,
Jack

[kyoteblue]

Good game and write up…always take you commanders with you…..Use your new dice for the next game!!!

[War Panda]

Absolutely brilliant report. This was incredibly exciting and actually very easy to follow.

I really enjoyed the change of pace with Tank vs Tank. I know you have some criticisms in how the game played out (lack of space playing width wise and the lack of command stands) but I think that was one of my favourite AAR’s. I found myself really engaged and rooting for Graebner. (I vote from now on Graebner has earned some luck and he gets to use Blue’s new dice). I actually found myself getting worried for the guy when he faced the Char B at the end.

Good job…looking forward to your next outing

“The great Gaels of Ireland are the men that God made mad,
For all their wars are merry, and all their songs are sad.”

[War Panda]

Hi Ivan…I just sent you an email…my 2 year old just trashed my Mac screen…will need your help locating my 5core rules 🙂

“The great Gaels of Ireland are the men that God made mad,
For all their wars are merry, and all their songs are sad.”

[War Panda]

Thanks Ivan…that was super fast…much appreciated 🙂

“The great Gaels of Ireland are the men that God made mad,
For all their wars are merry, and all their songs are sad.”

[Rod Robertson]

Just Jack:

Wow! That was the most engaging and exciting Bat. Rep. I have read by you. Outstanding! As I read it I had a sense of watching the action unfold around me. It was quite an immersive narrative you created there. We’ll done, sir.

There was one thing which puzzled me at the opening of the game. You wrote,

“It’s time for my now normal opposed die roll to see who gets the first activation: the German luck holds. The Germans not only win and get first activation, their first activation is a scurry, which will not allow them to fire, but it allows the entire force to get off the road and turn west. But it gets better: the French are behind hills and thus do not have LOS to the Germans, so the French don’t get to react move, and when they activate to come over/around the hills, the Germans will get to use react (Guard) fire.”

As line of sight is a two way affair, why could the Germans react to the French presence on the battlefield without being able to see them, but the French could not react to the unseen German presence? Why were the Germans permitted to break their march column and shake out into a combat formation when they cannot see the enemy? I am confused. If the Germans have knowledge of French positions from other means like Luftwaffe reports or army spotter aircraft or recce elements operating ahead of KG Klink’s advance then I guess that might be plausible but then the French have air and ground assets and a nation full of vigilant and terrified citizens to identify German movements too. So what’s a da go’in on?

Cheers and good gaming.

Rod Robertson.

[Just Jack]

Brother Rod,

“So what’s a da go’in on?”

From the very next paragraph of the batrep:
“In narrative form: travelling south on their road march ’round the French right flank, the KG’s Panzer Company is moving with all haste when Captain Bohm notices dust clouds to the west, then catches a fleeting glimpse of French armor advancing upon the German column: “Achtung!  All stations, enemy tanks to the west, all units deploy!””

V/R,
Jack

[kyoteblue]

Oh those French Tanks…….

[Rod Robertson]

Just Jack:

I read that Jack but figured it was just a bit of writer’s license to explain the rules and rolls. So, German panzers in much larger numbers don’t throw up enough dust for the French to see?

Rod Robertson.

[War Panda]

So, German panzers in much larger numbers don’t throw up enough dust for the French to see?

Leave the poor man alone Rod…you torture him so…

First he doesn’t get the armies right…then the vehicles are all wrong …then the rules are poo, now you question his ability to determine how much dust German tanks throw in the air…

Rod Roy get off the guy’s back…annoying him is my job

“The great Gaels of Ireland are the men that God made mad,
For all their wars are merry, and all their songs are sad.”

[Rod Robertson]

Just Jack:

Ignore the yammering leprechaun, please. I am not torturing you (at least that is not my intention). I learn by questioning everything, it’s my way of understanding the universe around me – all questions, all the time. I am really just trying to figure out the the thought process behind the decisions and events which you are posting about. I have no other motive then trying to learn. Yes, sometimes my questions are stupid (like the Harrier query on another thread here, but in my defense, who could easily make out four over-turned Harriers in the top left corner of a photo with probably fifty planes in it?), but for the most part they are my way of starting a conversation about something I don’t understand, in the hopes of learning something. My methods may annoy you but they are not intended to do so. If they do annoy, I apologize.

If they annoy the Panda, Boo-yah! +1 for team Scotland! Eirinn go Blah-blah-blah!

Cheers and good gaming.

Rod Robertson.

 

[kyoteblue]

Snort.

[War Panda]

Snort eile.

Rod. You’re sorry. He’s mad with you because you question the authenticity of the colour of the French’s  underware. He’s mad with me because he’s into goats and I’m not. Just leave the guy be.

Let him be mad in peace.

Of course it’s fine of you to make the effort ✌

besides you’re Scottish its in your nature to be annoying

but seriously im sure Jack couldn’t genuinely get annoyed over a couple of questions.

anyway life’s too short for silly squabbles on the internet.

 

“The great Gaels of Ireland are the men that God made mad,
For all their wars are merry, and all their songs are sad.”

[Author]

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