Category Archives: After Action Report

Posted on

Normandy ’44 Campaign AAR Part VI: June 19th-20th

by

The Invasion So Far…

After linking the beaches, the US Army landed two more divisions, the 30th and the 79th Infantry. The former subbed in for the 82nd Airborne which took a lot of casualties in the fighting around Carentan. The latter is forming up between the 1st and 2nd Infantry divisions so greater firepower can be brought to bear against St. Lo. The British Army has also landed more infantry (the 15th and 53rd Divisions) since 50th, 51st an 3rd Canadian have taken a beating while fighting the SS troops in their sector.

Posted on

Tank Duel Scenario 2: Hold the High Ground – Round 10

by

Lowering his head, the Commander slumps back into the gulley – this battle is lost. He has failed to take the high ground, and worse – the Germans have a commanding view of the field of battle, and are moving up additional tanks and infantry to secure their lines.

“Get ready to fall back, we need to get out of here!” He shouts to his crew. They grab the wounded driver and slowly and carefully make their way back to some better cover. Tanks are retreating, the battle is lost. Soon they leave their cover and continue their way back to the rear as darkness falls. Tired, bruised and demoralized, they stumble along until finally reaching a first aid station. The driver is conscious but needs blood; the rest of the crew is essentially uninjured.

The Commander leaves his men and makes his way back to HQ to debrief the General. How to tell him that he lost the battle? He will be lucky to survive this meeting… 

Posted on

Normandy ’44 Campaign AAR Part V: June 16th-18th

by

The Invasion So Far…

The US Army successfully took Carentan and linked the Omaha and Utah beaches. More infantry will be needed as the front continues to expand deeper into the boccage. The British Army has landed more tanks and expanded their front line. Joining as reinforcements are the 11th Armoured Division and the rest of the 4th Armoured Brigade to help make up for losses sustained by the 7th Armoured Division, 8th Armoured Brigade and 27th Armoured Brigade. They were added to the front lines to complement the Canadian 2nd Armoured Brigade and the Guards Armoured Division.

Posted on

Tank Duel Scenario 2: Hold the High Ground – Round 9

by

Fire erupts from the barrels of the Panther and PZ IV nearly simultaneously as they open up on the T-34/85, which is creeping further into the building. The Commander sees one shot impact the T-34/85 in the hull between the driver and Assistant driver! No smoke or flames, but how bad is the damage?  The other round just misses, the small movement throwing off the aim of the Panther.

Behind him the SU-100 fires at the Panther again – another hit but it bounces off the sloped armor again! They need to flank him!

The T-34/76 moves into another building and has a nice flanking position on the Panther – if they hurry they can get a shot in before the Panther can move! This may be our chance to take out that Panther!

A round whistles past the T-34/76 – the Stug took a shot after it had stopped but missed.

The T-34/85 just sits there, how bad is it damaged?

The Commander looks around, but the situation is dim. The end of the day is approaching, the Germans control the high ground, and his tanks have been unable to dislodge the Panzers. If we can make one last push before nightfall, we just may be able to drive them off the hills. Attack!

Posted on

Normandy ’44 Campaign AAR Part IV: June 13th-15th

by

The Invasion So Far…

Last time the Germans tried to take out the British mulberry but failed with one last lunge by Panzer Lehr (which got surrounded and mostly destroyed for their efforts). Now the British can turn their focus to firming up their front line and pushing to Caen again. The American armies expanded their front at Omaha but it’s really thin and they need to land more infantry if they want to push to St. Lo. Over at Utah premature efforts to cut off the peninsula were abandoned and instead the focus is to link the beaches by sieging Carentan and driving northwest to Cherbourg.

Posted on

Tank Duel Scenario 2: Hold the High Ground – Round 8

by

Coughing from the acrid smoke that envelopes his men, the Commander realizes that they are going to lose this battle unless they can kill the Panther and Stug that have captured the high ground in front of him. And they need to do it soon as German reinforcements have been spotted moving towards the hills. They command the battlefield from there and are laying waste to his men. Fortunately the two German Panzers appear to have lost targets as they just sit there, exposed. 

The SU-100 behind him opens up, nearly knocking him into the side of the gulley. He sees the round impact the Panther in the Hull and bounce off! The angle from the hill was just enough to deflect the round! That Panther…

Behind him the T-34/85 moves up and moves into a building when a round bounces off the hull! The PZ IV has him in his sights, but fortunately that round failed to penetrate.

The T-34/76 appears to have spotted the Stug and is preparing to shoot.   Hurry up! Hurry up!

“The Panther and PZ IV are zeroing in on the T-34/85!” he hears his Loader shout out. Looking at the hills, he sees both tanks lining up shots on the T-34-85!

Posted on

Normandy ’44 Campaign AAR Part III: June 11th-12th

by

The Invasion So Far…

In our last after action report, we went through three days of action. We also had our first storm turn playing havoc on Allied supplies and reinforcements, but overall the British moved closer to Caen provoking a lot of punch and counter-punch near that city. The Omaha sector was pretty thinly held and the US 1st Infantry division along with the US 29th Infantry basically chewed up the defenders and split the area open with the 1st Division probing deeper beyond Bayeux, the 29th Heading west to link up with Utah beach and the recently landed 2nd Infantry Division pushing southwest towards St. Lo.

As for Utah, the terrain has made the road for Valognes and the ultimate prize of Cherbourg a lot harder going for the 101st Airborne, 2nd Armored and 9th Infantry divisions. Along the south, the 4th Infantry and 82nd Airborne divisions ran up against stubborn German paratroopers at Carentan; a vital piece of real estate necessary for linking up the American beach heads.

Posted on

Tank Duel Scenario 2: Hold the High Ground – Round 7

by

The Commander can only watch as the T-34/76 comes to a sudden stop, mud spraying.  Get out of there! But it is too late – the Panther’s gun barrel settles in, aimed at the T-34/76. He isn’t sure what came first, the sound of the shot or the explosion as the T-34/76’s hatches blow clean off and the turret is lifted up! Incredulously, two men crawl out and drop to the ground next to the destroyed tank.

This attack is falling apart. 

A shell whistles past his head, and another explosion rocks the earth, throwing dirt and debris into the gully where he and his men are desperately searching for better cover. Looking at the T-34/85, he sees that the turret is blown off the hull – there isn’t much left. There’s no way anyone survived that.

“I think the PZ IV went into those woods over there” the gunner shouts above the din, pointing to the right. Looking back to the battlefield, he is unable to see the PZ IV. 

Behind him, the SU-100 manages to find a small depression in the field, only the superstructure is visible. He sees the SU-100’s cannon adjust, taking aim at the Panther! Fire! Fire!!!

A T-34/76 and T-34/85 appear further to the rear, additional meat for the meat grinder. How much more of this can we take?

Posted on

Normandy ’44 Campaign AAR Part II: June 8th-10th

by

The Invasion So Far…

In our last after action report, I introduced Normandy ’44 and discussed the initial invasion plus airdrops. I sprinkled in a little commentary on game mechanics while reporting on the action. I intend to continue this format for the rest of the series. Last time we had just witnessed the failure of the 21st Panzer Division to bottle up the allies at Sword Beach in an attempt to seal them off and throw them back into the sea. To the west, Omaha was very successful rather than the near run thing it was historically and the US Army successfully linked up with the US paratroopers at Utah beach.