THE KILLING GROUND TURN 2 (7th-July-1944)

TURN 2 (7 of July 1944)

No need to post a picture of the “new” situation as I only did three attacks in turn 1. Two  americans and German, they  meant attackers retreat execept the american attack in St. Jean-de-Daye, it gained one hex (the town).

A  Weather:

 Weather is always known for allied player the turn before. In this case the weather continues the same. light overcast like. No rain, sea condition “calm”. Rolling next turn weather:

Dr= 3 with a drm of +1 (turn before 19-july) = 3 it means: scattered(…it’s getting better!)

Sea condition dr=2 (drm=-1) calm. No rain “dr” for next turn

Allied air segment

Allied player rolls in a table for the air support this day (turn), it depends on the  weather 

Dr=6, It gives the allied player “9” air points with light overcast no rain.

Now these 9 air points must be allocate between moviment interdiction, ground support and supply interdiction. I will set  5 points ground support, four in suplly interdiction and zero in mov. Interdiction.

B Mutual support and supply  stage.

First, form the army reserve allied player allocates support  points to keep corps HQ supported.

USA 1st army spends again no  s.p. for supporting all of his corps (as all 4 corps are at less than 12 hexes from supply source) 1st american army reserve=11sp’s. The same happens to British 2nd army, no sp’s is wasted and at the moment has 16 at the reserve.

Now armies may give sp’s to reach the maxim (now it’s just 1) to each corp reserve. American 7thn and 8th corp were at 0sp’s due the supported attacks they did. Now they arise to “1” getting down by 2sp’s the army reserve (1st am. Army reserve =9).  Now each army can resupply for free a number of artillery units equal to the artillery support level (in both armies is 2). British can’t resupply anything as no art. unit is flipped. But amercian flips  as free unit  190 and 187, and 288, 406 and 174 art reg. paying 3sp’s from army reserve (6 sp’s) 

German supports for free one HQ and one artillery for each army.

V Pz army have 5 corps 86ht, 1SS, 2SS, 47th and 74th, so it expends 4sp’s (15-4=11 sp’s left ). VII army have 2P, 25th and 84th corps so it expends 2sp’s (13-2=11 sp’s left).

Army artillery at 115th (25/VII army)  and  130 (47/VPz) both resupplied for free. 8NW and for 1sp’s from 

VII army (10 sp’s left)

Supply segment  All units are in supply, excepting German flack ¿¿??.

Units attachment:  I want to begin an operation with british 2nd army so must  reattach divisions to try to to use better operation opportunities. Americans cannot begin an operation as they don’t have 12sp’s in the army reserve. On the british side don’t want to choose 2can corp as 2 can di vis arriving this turn (need some tiem to deploy), 1st corp is weak, need time to replace and rest it’s troops. 8th divisions are worst, so 30th is choosen to be the spearhead.

German: V pz army: 86 corp: 711, 346, 16lft and 716. A corps may attach 3 div. Plus one more if any is assigned as a corp div… such as 711 or 346. So no sp expended for 86 corp

1SS corp: 12SS, 1SS, 271 and 21st Pz div- (3+1 div attached no sp cost) /2SS corp: 9SS, 10SS                          47 corp: 2Pz, PzLehr / 74 corp: 276, 277

 German: VII army:  / 2 parachute corps: 3Fsjg, 352 /25 corp: 265, 275, 2SSDR (2SS DR will be attached to 25 corp, actually in “reserve” at Vire) /84 corp: 91, 243, 17SS, 2Fsjg (no sp cost).

USA 1st army attchment:  /8th corp: 79, 90, 82Abn / 7th corp: 4, 83, 30, 9th (comming from Cherbourg) / 19th corp:  29, 3Arm  /  5th corp: 1, 2 , 2Arm

British 2nd army: 1 corp: 51, 6Abn, 3, 4Arm /2 can corp: 3can, 2Tank / 8 corp: 43, 15/12 corp:  53, 59 / 30 corp: 49, 50, 7 Arm, 11Ar,Gds arm (11Ar and Gds arm passes to 30 corp to be the armor reserve for the attack)

Roll (DR=5) to see if “daily corp support level” is arised (should be now just a “2” with two dice)

C    ALLIED PLAYER TURN

1-      Operation phase.  British 30 corp declares an operation. 5sp’s passes  from the 2nd army reserve (15-5=10) to the corp reserve (1 +6=7). No german opertional initiative this time.

• 2-      ARMY SUPPORT AND REPLACEMENT: No new army is activated this turn. Rolling how many sp are received this turn, it depends on the weather and the sea condition. USA dr=6-1 (USA support drm for 7-july)+1 Cherbourg.+1 daily=7   it is 7sp’s for 1st USA army. So now at the reserve there are 13 sp’s.  British dr=4 +1=5 (daily no table drm for brits), it means 6 sp’s, now Brit reserve=6+10=16

A Replacement segment: This turn 2/1/1 Re are received so now USA has 5 RE points and Brit have 2RE’s and Canadian just one.

• USA 358 and 357 from (90div), 26 (1st div). Brit 158 (53div)
  Now banked: Usa=2, Brit=1, Can=1 RE points
  B Reinforcements are added this step, this turn: American 9th inf div at Cherbourg+899TD batallion. 2nd div of 2 can corp brit depot and two german regiments at 12 area.
  
  
  3.- MOVEMENT PHASE
  No major changes in american 8th corp front area. (west of Cotentin Pennisula)
  
  
  
  In american 7th corp area we can see the approach of 9th división just disembarched at Cherbourg   (it came so fast due to the trucks)
  
  If with the americans I can save enough sp’s to get an operation for next turn it will be launched with 7th corp, as it has two elite full strength divisions (A3 counters) 9th div and 30th div. 7th corp Hq is at Carentan.
  In next picture we see american 5th and 19th corps area. German 2P div is covering St. Lo. We see too the boundery line between american and british sectors.
  
  
  
  British movement phase: Two regiments from 53div (12th corp) retreats from front to rest and 3 can div uses start move to reach 2can HQ, no other major changes in british front area 7th of july…except for 30th corp operation…
  49 and 50  div attack elements of Panzer Lehr. In reserve 11 armored and Guards división. If any of the attacks get a hole, tanks in reserve will enter to get another attack.
  
  N4236 attack:
  Combat secuence:
  1-      Attacker declares suppported attack so 30 corp pays 1 sp from the corp reserve (so 6-1 =5 sp’s).
  2-      Brit now declares one air support and support from the 5 AGRA regiment.
  3-      German can’t declare artillery support as they are far away from 47corps artillery.
  4-      Chits drawn  for every regiment (new in combat)
  231 reg (A3=11);151 inf (A2=10) both from 50 inf division. 131 mech. Inf (A2=9)+2 cadre. Total=32. German KG=9(already tested)+tank batallion=10.
  5-      Brit units=32, German=10 
  6-      32/10 is a 3vs1 attack on bocage row. But now before rolling dice  the ratio may change due to:
  a.       Divisional integrity: one column right as all 50th div is adjacent (4vs1)
  b.      Air support, an air chit is drawn (available air points now is 4) 2 shifts in favor of attacker (1 less due to bogage terrain hex.) (5vs1)
  c.       British artillery support, rolling in 12 column of the table (+2 for bocage  -1 for hilltop) dr=5 is 2 col shift (7vs1).
  d.      No combined arm bonus here as defender has  infantry and armor
  e.      ASV attackers have one White dot, defenders 3 (black+White) so defender gets a one shift left (6vs1)
  f.        Infantry defending in bocage gets a 1 col shift (5vs1)
  Rolling two dice in 5vs1 “bocage”= 7.   1<1/1  It means 1 casualty and one hex retreat for attacker and one step loose  for the defender.
  N4238 attack:
  Combat secuence:
  1-      Attacker declares suppported attack so 30 corp pays 1 sp from the corp reserve (so 5-1 =4 sp’s).
  2-      British now declares one air support and support from the 55Hv regiment.
  3-      German can’t declare artillery support as they are far away from 47corps artillery.
  4-      Chits drawn  for every regiment , giving (new in combat)  Brit units=16, German=10 
  5-      16/10 is a 2vs1 attack on bocage row. But now before rolling dice  the ratio may change due to:
  a.       Divisional integrity: one column right as all 49th div is adjacent (3vs1)
  b.      Air support, an air chit is drawn (available air points now is 4) 2 shifts in favor of attacker (1 less due to bogage terrain hex.) (4vs1)
  c.       British artillery support, rolling in 5 column of the table (+2 TEM)  dr=5 is 1 col shift (5vs1).
  d.      No combined arm bonus here as defender has  infantry and armor
  e.      ASV attackers have three White dots, defenders 2 (black+White) so attackers r gets a one shift left (6vs1)
  f.        Infantry defending in bocage gets a 1 col shift (5vs1)
  Rolling two dice in 5vs1 “bocage”= 4.   D/1>2  It means Disorganized for 3 attackers (2 remaining units +1 stillZoc).Defenders losses 1 step (inf reg.) and retreats two hexes along the road to Villiers-Bocage.  
  American 7th corp attack N3723.  Failed attack resulting attackers retreat with one step loss for german 897 inf reg.
  
  
  5.- RESERVE MOVEMENT:
  
  Situation after reserve movement in 30th corp operation area. In red retreat after combat phase. 50 inf div retreats after failing the attack against Panzer Lehr elements. 5 miles east, in spite of being “disorg” 49th british div.  forced to retreat back  902 panzer grenadieren. Then in reserve move mode 11 armored and Guards armored moved through the gap (blue) in order to try to make the breach bigger (black).
  
  
  Reserve attacks. N4236. Guards armor div attack elements of Panzer Lehr.  901 pz gren. were destroyed Stug III batallion retreats back, and 11 armored division advanced. In N4339, 11 armored div were incredible lucky in a suicidal attack against 19 inf reg supported by panthers and achieved an incredible “retreat result”.
  
  
  6.- Engineering phase Each Ip began last turn is finished now. Each  corp Hq may begin again an Ip for free, in brit sector corps 8th and 12th. In amercian area all corps did it.
  
  
  7 Disorganization/Regroup phase. Regroup allied units return to normal, and german “disorg” units passes to “regroup”.
  
  
  End of allied phase. Soon german phase of turn 7th of july 1944