20mm WWII: BATTLE OF MAIRY, LORRAINE, 8 SEPTEMBER 1944

We played this game at the SESWC 2 weeks ago.  It represents the attack of the 106th Panzer Brigade on the 90th US Infantry Division.  Historically this attack was as disastrous as the later attacks that month by Panzer Brigades on the 4th Armoured Division.  The game is based on a scenario which I got from Mark Piper’s 20^th Century Wargaming site on the internet.  I slightly revised the OB to agree with my available models. I supplied all the troops for the game and Colin Jack and I provided most of the roads and buildings.

German AA Cover - but no allied airpower arrived

Scenario Outline
The Panzer Brigade advances onto the table and is met by the HQ elements of the 90^th Division.  Three US infantry battalions with attached supporting units arrive in stages around the battlefield as the game progresses.  The game starts in darkness, which limits all movement and visibility, the arrival of dawn is randomized as is the last move of the game.  Unusually the Germans have an objective of withdrawing 2 of their attacking companies of their own base line.  This is because Hitler had limited this Panzer Brigades involvement in the attack to only 2 days.

Panzer Brigade commander - looking for the Allies - before his rapid strategic withdrawal

How the game played
The German commander took the bulk of the German forces and attacked towards the Foret de Landers but was delayed by the limited movement in the dark.  Finally after a struggle he managed to clear the forest despite the effective off-table US artillery fire.  His advance beyond that point faltered as the US reserves filtered onto the table and even the M5 Stuarts proved effective shooting into the rear of the German armour.  The game lasted 14 turns and ended as a draw with the Germans achieving  2 of their 4 objectives – clearing the forest and withdrawing 2 companies of their baseline.  For once I forgot to take my explosions and smoke to the club and this combined with umpiring limited the number of photos that I took.  Bart Zynda who played the part of the overall German commander has written a more detailed account of the action on his blog at
http://asienieboje.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/panzer-attack-at-mairy-pancerny-atak-na.html

Victory Conditions

German Objectives

Clear Mairy for at least one ‘turn end’
Clear ‘Forêt de Landres’ for at least one ‘turn end’
Exit 2 companies off table edge at A5 or A6 by game end – the German start point
More American troops destroyed than German.

Germans achieve:

4 Objectives: Major German victory
3 Objectives: Minor German victory
2 Objectives: Draw
1 Objectives: Minor American victory
0 Objectives: Major American victory

Game End

The game lasts 10 turns initially. Then ‘Sudden Death’ turns start:
1.         Roll 1D10 at the beginning of each turn.
2.         If 1D10 < (Sudden Death x 2) then game ends.
Example: D10 Roll = 5.   Game ends if it is ‘Sudden Death’ Turn 3 or higher.

Visibility

The game starts in the early morning hours of darkness.
‘Darkness’ Turns – Visibility: 6”
Maximum movement - Roads: 9”, Other: 6”
‘Dawn’ Turns – Visibility: 12”
Maximum movement - Roads: 15”, Other: 6”
‘Day’ Turns – Visibility: Unlimited
No movement restrictions

‘Darkness’ to ‘Dawn’:

Roll 1D10 at the beginning of each turn.
Divide the die roll by 2 (round down).
If this is less than the turn number, ‘Dawn’ has arrived.
‘Day’ arrives automatically two turns after ‘Dawn’.

Terrain Notes

Many roads had hedges which blocked visibility
Numerous open areas should have fields

The long German column -too long -  the head is finally nearing the forest

German OB

Germans are Conscripts

Stossegruppe 1, Panzer Brigade 106

Stossegruppe HQ

1 Pz V ‘Panther’
1 PzIV ‘Wirbelwind’ w/qd 20mm AA

3 Panzer Companies

Ea 2 Pz V ‘Panthers’

Attached Volksgrenadier Company (attached & riding on tanks)

8 SMG figures

Composite Armoured Panzer Grenadier Btn

HQ of 6 figures, Sd 251Halftrack w/3.7ATG
2 Coys of 8 figures , Sd251 Halftrack
Coy of MMg, 3crew, Sd251 halftrack
End Coy, 8 figures incl Flamethrower, Sd251 Halftrack
Wpn Coy:  20mm Drilling AA SD251 Halftrack
 

US Weapons company deploys

American OB

Americans are Trained

Elements 90th Infantry Division HQ units start in the wooded area: ‘Forêt de Landres’.

90th Div Signal HQ Company
8 Figures incl bazooka
1 M8 Armored Car
 
90th Div Artillery HQ Company
8 figures incl Bazooka
1 M7 SP How

949th Field Artillery Battalion

1 FO jeep + 3 155 Howitzers (off Table)

344th Field Artillery Battalion
1 FO jeep + 3 105 Howitzers  (off Table)

The following Infantry Battalions enter as reinforcements.

I/358 Infantry Battalion enters table edge H6
Attached Company: M4 Sherman
II/359 Infantry Battalion enters table edge D1
Attached Company: 2 M4 Sherman  (1 75mm/1 76mm)
III/359 Infantry Battalion enters table edge A2
Attached Company: 3 M5 Stuart

Each Infantry Battalion enters in the following order:

Turn 3: Infantry Company
Turn 5: Battalion HQ Company + Weapons Company
Turn 7: Infantry Company + Attached
Turn 9: Infantry Company

Each Infantry Battalion has Headquarters & HQ Company

HQ: 6 figures
Weapons Coy:  57mm ATG, Hmg, Mmg, 81mm  Mtr  and 11 crew, transport
3 Rifle Companies ea 10 figures incl Bazooka