Alberto vs Alberto Reports (Vassal): N44, 6th June, German Phase

After the Allied invasion phase, play resumes with the German phase. There is no reinforcements in this first turn and a few special rules are applied.

The most important are that German units have some restrictions to movement to reflect the delay in reaction. So, 21st Pz Div movement factor is reduced to 3 and all Ost battalions and units with black-boxed movement factors are blocked and can not move.

With this restrictions, German plan was to establish a defensive perimeter.

In Utah, German wanted to take advantage of the bad landings of 82nd division and hit the paratroopers before they can reorganize.

I have used 91 Inf Div to create ZOCs that keep US close to the beaches. My main objective was to push paratroopers behind Merderet river and to defend Carentan. I have relocated Contentin Artillery in Valognes for future support. Probably, I was overconfident that my attack on the cadre unit of the 82nd Div west of Merderet was strong enough without artillery support (2-1 shifted to 3-1 by armor). Result was DR and paratroopers retreated to St Mere Eglise. Not that bad but i would prefer a loss step and destroy that cadre unit.

At Omaha I was trying to hold the position behind the River. The good landing at Pointe du Hoc forced me to do not defend Grandcamp-les-Bains and I have decided to stay at Isigny-sur-mer. I hope that those Antitank battalions can give me enough support to resist the line next turn, holding Bayeux and waiting for reinforcements.

In the Commonwealth sector I have a lot of doubts about the best way to defend and probably i have made some mistakes. The first thing to realize is that i can not defend Douvres Radar St as Canadians and British ZOCs blocked me the access. Then, I was afraid that units defending Creully (hex 2326) could not stand the attack of the 50th Inf Div creating a hole in my line menacing a flanking maneuver towards Caen from the West. So, I have taken the decision to place the 21st Pz Div not to close of the beaches and do not try to defend Strongpoint Hillman (that probably is an error). My last decision was to attack the scattered battalion of the 6th AB Div at Ranville (hex 2131). This is a hardest objective than the other paratroopers but it defends Pegasus Bridge. If i can force them to retreat, then 6th AB is isolated from 3rd Div and Brits will have some problems here. My attack was 1-1 (10-6), shifted to 2-1 by armor so i had 66% of probability to force a retreat (or a Determined Defense). But i got an EX result and each side lost a step but paratroopers held the bridge.