THE BATTLE OF HOBSON’S CREEK - A LONGSTREET BATTLE REPORT

Well, it’s been the Christmas holidays, so like many, a few days-off seem a good chance to squeeze in a wargame or two. The first of my Christmas battles was the 6th battle of my on-going Longstreet ACW campaign. So far in this campaign I’ve won the first 3 battles (in 1861-62) and built-up a solid lead in Epic Points, only to lose the last two games (both 1863), one very narrowly, the other a solid Confederate win. My early lead had been cut, so this was a big game, a win for 'Johny Reb' would see their comeback complete and back on parity, but if I could win then my lead would look solid again with only 3 more games to go until the end of the war in 1865.

This battle would be a ‘flank move’ scenario, and the randomly generated terrain produced a stream running across the battlefield (Hobson’s Creek), and after the Scouting roll, I would be defending with the Reb’s choosing to be on the attack.  I would have to deploy first and go second, handing a huge initiative advantage to the Reb’s. We’ve played enough Longstreet now (this is battle number 16 or 17 in all I think), to know that if I deployed as a single solid defence line across the field then the Rebs would pick one flank and attack hard in great force, forcing me to redeploy or leave half my force sitting doing not much, and thus get beaten.

The field of battle, cut by Hobson's Creek. Confederates attacking from the far edge. Yankees holding this end. 

Blue-belly's odd deployment. Mostly in column waiting to respond, a few units are out front to slow the enemy long enough to allow me to manoeuvre. Two gun batteries are dug-in.

This has been a re-occurring feature of both sides in attack in our games, and with two objectives to hold my problem was that I couldn’t be strong on both flanks. So, looking at the lay of the land, it seemed to me that, if I attacked, I would come through the cover of the woods, against he defender’s right, aimed at smashing through and getting that objective, whilst just ‘demonstrating’ on the left, to hold his forces there long enough to win in detail on the other side of the battlefield. 

The 41st Maine as a forlorn hope behind the big wood, about to face the main Reb assault.

 My howitzer battery, not well positioned in the centre and out ranged by the enemy guns - doh!

 The Rebs advance swiftly in column into the woods. 

Assuming my opponent would do something like this too, I deployed my best infantry unit (the 41st Maine), veterans with sharp-shooters, to face the woods, with the intention of swiftly digging in to fortify their position and make them a tough unit to shift. Their orders were to hold as long as they could, to the last man. With my best, largest infantry on the right, the risk of an attack on the left would be mitigated by placing my artillery to cover the open fields. That flank now looked like a long march under a lot of artillery fire for the enemy, very punishing given I also have an artillery officer to make the fire more accurate, and some heavy rifles with the long range to start hitting any bold Rebs from turn 1. My opponent well knows the power of these guns, dug-in against counter-battery fire because my commander is also an Engineer officer as well, so I can start with extra fortifications. Sensibly, he baulked at the prospect of another hammering from those Yankee guns.

The rest of my force I deployed at the back, still in column of march in the centre, they would react to where the Reb’s deployed and quickly march to form a defensive line against his main attack wherever it fell, left, right or centre. It was a flexible defence plan, I’d have to move quick, but in column troops do, and then change formation before the Reb’s arrived. The forward deployed ‘forlorn hope’ infantry and guns would hopefully buy me the time to do this behind them.

The rear-most battery on my right, again, no targets would force them to limber up and move-out. 

Reb guns in the centre, in range and causing me some concern.

Having hopefully set my enemy a few problems with my deployment, he went with the plan I’d also have used in attack. A strong, quick smash and grab on my right, through the woods, and avoiding all those artillery guns on the left. My enemy also placed his artillery in the centre, with just enough range to hit me (with rifles and Napoleons) but with my own howitzers out of range themselves, cunning thinking. Hmmm!

On his right (my left) were a few southern infantry and a weak cavalry unit, but enough to stop me just ignoring that flank and not defending it with anything, thus freeing my guns to move to the right. The enjoyable early mind-games of the deployment phase complete, the battle was on…

Early Turns

The Rebs began, long infantry columns streaming towards the woods, veteran cavalry moving up just behind. It looked like a lot of men for the 41st Maine to meet alone. In response they dug-in behind piled rocks and branches to face the coming storm. The Reb guns began a long range bombardment, to little effect, but to which currently I had no response at all (counter-battery fire being something of a doctrine for me, winning that duel before starting on his infantry or cavalry, but not this time). 

Rebs crowd through the woods.

Still more, the attack looked overwhelming. 

In response my reserve columns moved right, to line Hobson’s Creek with rifles and my third artillery battery. In the centre, the howitzers were in a useless position, so they limbered up and moved forwards to get into range, giving up their cover, but by moving they could get to the edge of the swamp in the centre and get into range to take-on the enemy guns in an artillery duel. They lost a gun to enemy counter-battery fire whilst on the move (drat) and another as they deployed (double drat), leaving just one gun to return fire, ineffective until it too was hit and dismounted from its carriage, the end of one battery which had scored, erm, no hits! A waste of good artillery and a first victory for the Reb artillery in the counter-battery duel (for the first time ever I think). 

In the woods, the Reb infantry changed formation into lines, ready to attack, whilst the skirmish fire took its first casualties from the veteran 41st Maine’s sharpshooters in the woods. It wasn’t a skirmish firefight the Reb’s would stand for for long and they quickly charged, without any volleys to try and weaken my infantrys line a bit first. My veterans put up a solid defence in the melee and threw back this first Reb charge, phew! Behind them I was quickly building a second line along the creek, with far more firepower, but my forlorn hope out in front where doing a great job in buying me the time. They had to keep it up.

Here they come! Emerging from the tree line, and the volleys let fly as the Rebs charge home with barely a pause. 

Behind, deploying on the Hobson Creek, in force. 

After that charge was repulsed the Rebs began a long firefight, picking off the occasional infantry stand to weaken me, as I vollyed back into the woods and took a few enemy stands as well, in a very even fight. The initial impetus of the Reb’s storming charge had gone, the 41st Maine veterans had done their job, behind them I was now in place to stop the main Reb attack.

On the quiet left I sent out one infanry unit to hold the isolated objective. I did this so I could redeploy my artillery and not leave the objective undefended against a cheeky lightning cavalry march to seize it unopposed. His weak cavalry wouldn’t face my infantry head to head, and that meant I could redeploy the big guns and not leave them tied down guarding the objective from nothing, and out of the main fight. 

The new firing line complete with guns, enough to make the Reb's baulk at taking on an assault over the creek.

Middle Turns

We had already been through our action card decks once, in all my manoeuvring and

the Rebs big attack through the woods and artillery fire. Now we began whittling through our second decks as the firefight in the woods continued for turn after turn, the Rebs still not judging their attack had enough of an advantage against dug-in veterans in cover to make a second charge, yet! Stalemate… for about 7-8 turns of firing in the woods, until the Rebs played a special event ‘Confusion’ on the 41st Maine, who somehow thought they had to advance and moved forwards out of their nice fortifications into the open, and so promptly got charged by a lot of Rebs. Screaming their ‘Rebel Yells’ (I hate that card - but only as much as my opponent hates the Yankee Guns cards), he won the melee easily and overwhelmed the 41st Maine, as I lost the last 4 stands of the 7 stand unit… the forlorn hope was gone. 

41st Maine, dug-in and still holding on. 

Then suddenly gone after a 'confusion' card, and the Rebs have the fortifications.

Now the Rebs faced a new advance against my potent second line, he was outnumbered by rifles and I had artillery in close support as well (he had none). Would he press on and face the slaughter to try and get the objective? (Given he hadn’t moved on my left either and he wasn’t going to win without at least capturing 1 objective, he had to try somewhere). 

The Rebs baulked in the woods, deeming that pressing the attack would be carnage, trying to cross the creek in the face of bristling yankee guns. They formed back into columns and marched back into the woods, heading back into the centre. That bold move threw me a curveball, suddenly the entire Reb attack shifted to my left, and I didn’t have the forces their to hold them. The Rebs were fighting a cunning tactical battle, but it was costly in cards, his deck was used up again and he was well into a third hand, he might well run out of cards and lose by default.

The Reb right flank springs into action, infantry, cavalry and guns coming forwards at last.

The Yankee response, back into columns and marching at the quickstep. This felt like dancing to somebody else's tune...

Later Turns

Seeing the danger I used my last mobile reserve, my under-employed cavalry, which had waited in column in the centre all game, to move quickly and form a new emergency blocking force. Losing them would be worth it, if again they bought me some time to move my infantry across the battlefield. The Rebs were already hurrying across the stream in column, under some artillery fire from me, and going as fast as they could. Their cavalry was like the wind, suddenly appearing on their right and coming forwards fast. Eek, the objective looked weakly held now, by a single isolated infantry unit of new recruits.

More Reb cavalry arrive in column, having flown from the far flank, with infantry on the way too.

The foot race was on, and I got lucky, timely ‘quick step’ cards coming into my hand allowing my infantry columns to move extra quicky and deploy into place on my left. My cavalry raced into the centre, dismounted and took cover in the area of rocky ground out front. There they opened fire on dismounted Reb cavalry who had had the same idea but lost the race to the cover.

But my dismounted cavalry steal the cover of the rocky ground and get the first volley in.  

The Rebs threw me another curved-ball, suddenly about facing an infantry unit and coming back through the woods on the right, forcing me to leave the 12th US Coloured Infantry to guard that objective. The Rebs suddenly thought they might get that objective, as my infantry and guns streamed away to hold the left… my eager recruits would have to hold alone, I couldn’t turn around again.

The End

The Rebs were very low on cards, he had to attack now or run out in a few more turns… so his infantry boldly pressed attacks on both of the objective. On my right the 12th Coloured won their fight and inflicted severe losses, but on my left, the enemy deployed from line, fired a volley, then charged in. My recruits own volleys had been pretty ineffective, and suddenly, they were beaten in the melee too, forced to fallback and vitally concede the objective. 

The last face-off. A very even fight that I managed to lose badly, being pushed back off the objective and costing me the battle. 

The Reb cavalry charged too, but ran into a stoic unit of veterans that threw them back with heavy losses.

The losses on both sides were mounting, both sides were rolling to win the game (I needed a 6 though, and if I got it, it would seem a very flukey win). With an objective in his possession, my opponent rolled 2D6 and my forces Shatter Point was easily exceeded. Game over… the Yankees had to withdraw and give up the field, the Rebs had now won 3 straight and evened up the campaign again. 

It was a close, and very long battle, I thought I had it in the bag after the 41st Maine’s long resistance… the Rebs sudden withdrawal and second attack was a good (and brave) move (not many game rules would allow a player to try such a move with any hope of success), but even then the Reb's cards got perilously low... if I’d have held out a turn or 2 more he’d have lost by default. Great game, as ever with Longstreet… with 3 battles left to fight the campaign is back in the balance, I need to up my game a bit or the Rebs will win it again… noooooo! 

DAWN ASSAULT ON HULSA, AAR

The previous post has the scenario and the complete force lists, so here is the action...

First light was breaking as the US armour began their assault…

The Volksgrenadier deployed first, holding the line along the edge of Hulsa, 105mm Flak on their right, covering the roads, HMG bunker doing likewise on the right. Fortified buildings were designated (the church and a building on the right), minefields and PRTP placed (on roads and on the bridge). 

The battered edge of Hulsa, the German end of the table. The white building with an orange roof, at the back, is the hotel on the edge of town.

The Rinnebach stream, all quite at dawn. The American end of the table.

The US then deployed Recon Team Able-12 around the bridge, with the Piper Cub spotter circling overhead. The US took turn 1 and the GIs began to advance on foot, M8s rolling along side, until an ambush fire shot from the 105mm Flak wrecked one if them with a long range blast of nowhere, with the first shot of the game, kaboom! Bad start. 

The Piper Cub swung over the town, and recieved MG and rifle fire from the ground and was pinned, preventing it calling in any artillery fire on turn 1.  Behind the initial recon troop’s advance, the Priest and attending supply truck of Combat Team Harris rolled on to take up a firing positon on the far river bank. The first P-38 swooped in, unleashing its bombs on the 105mm’s dug-out, but they deviated wide and had no impact… beyond forcing another early counter on the Germans. Their stack was racing up, adding to the US objective held and the ‘dispirited enemy’ special rule. 

 P-38's first bombing run on the 105mm Flak gun. Behind the Piper Cub pinned by heavy ground fire. 

GIs of Recon Team Able-12 make their away across the fields towards Hulsa, to meet a lot of MG fire from the hotel area. The then fell back to the same bushes they started from, and hunkered down here out of trouble. 

 An early move, the second M8 Greyhound takes up station by the woods to call in mortar fire on the town and bunker. Unwittingly, he is just 6" from the junction, which is mined out to 5". A far better use of the armoured car than getting it killed in a fruitless attack.

The Germans got back onto ambush fire, sprayed a few MG shots into the fields to cause some pinning, but held fire with the potent off-table Nebelwerfers until better targets arrived. More ground fire hit the Piper Cub and damaged it this time… pinning it again. It was having a tough day. Also, some 120mm harassing mortar fire hit the bridge area, pinning a few units, including the forward radio halftrack hidden in the woods. 

The US advanced continued, with infantry now in the woods and hedges. The last M8 Greyhound took up position short of the road junction (and fortunately just short of its hidden mines) to start calling in 82mm mortar fire on the edge of town. The five Shermans of Combat Team Harris started to roll over the bridge, whilst from the south, two M26 Pershings nosed onto the table, to recieve instant fire from the 105, which missed. Their return fire pinned the gun crew in their dug-out with multiple HE shells. Now the 155mm artillery began to fall, the Long Toms thundering into the edge of town around the church, which proved its worth as a fortified building, and the Priest joined in the barrage. It all had little immediate effected. The second P-38 skimmed in to unleash more bombs, but again the church proved too solid a defence (althoug it was being turned into rubble). Taking it, held by elite Hitler Youth, was going to be a very costly fight.

The German repsonse was to immediatetly tactical co-ordinate to get the 105mm Flak firing again, and its first shot hit and destroyed the lead Pershing… new tank, same result as ever! On the right, the HMG-42 in the bunker began to area fire into the woods, now full of cautiously advancing enemy infantry. It's constant pinning, for 7 consequtive turns, would stall the GIs advance all game, with no response for them against its firepower and 2+ cover save. It looked another tough nut to crack.  The Germans then let loose the Nebelwerfers at the bridge, its big stonk smashed down to destroy the US Forward HQ in his M20 armoured car with a direct hit, and pin some Shermans. Ouch, his loss would be felt, no command and control re-roll every turn, or tactical co-ordination either! 

 GIs hug the hedgerows under long range MG area fire from town. 

 Pinned in the woods, this GIs never got any further, facing a blazing HMG pillbox... with nothing heavy to hit back with. A few rounds of area fire back did nothing.

 The enemy bunker, it fired every turn and cut the woods, and then the infantry in it, to shreds. It was still untouched when the Germans pulled back.

Turn 3 and the US rolled very well for their reinforcements, the rest of Combat Team Harris arrived, infantry in their half tracks, and most of Combat Team McCarthy in the south too. The fight was on. More 155s smashed into the town (called in by the infantry platoon HQ), and the Volksgrenadier’s own Platoon HQ caught one shell and was wiped out, the Germans had lost a precious officer. Meanwhile, the church continued to be a rock, protecting the men (and boys) inside (obviously hiding in the crypt from the barrage overhead). The 105 Flak, the subject of the American’s ire, was pinned again. Next turn, its inexperienced crew failed to rally on another tactical co-ordination attempt. 

 Volkssturm Platoon HQ, before a 155mm shell killed them all, costing the Germans a valuable officer. 

 The first M26s of CT McCarthy arrive to face the 105mm Flak, on ambush fire... 

 McCarthy's forces all arrive together. The lead Pershing was whacked by 105mm Flak fire straight away, but the others swiftly removed that threat.

The Germans first reinforcements now arrived, armour in the form of a Panther and the Jagdtiger, which found the going hard (the town’s rubble strewn roads were counted as off-road). With the off-table Nebelwerfers reloading, they threw out some more harassing 120mm mortar fire, and more area firing MGs, which kept the US infantry well pinned and going nowhere. The 105 Flak was pinned in heavy fire all around, but still a threat if it could just survive a turn. 

A lone Panther moves up to take up position on the edge of town, as ever, my Panthers performance was, well, less that amazing... but both survived, if with a few extra dents. 

 First reinforcements, the Beast of Hulsa, my Jagdtiger's first ever run out on a battlefield. One scary monster. 

It didn’t, desperate to see the gun silenced, MG fire raked the dug-out, killing the crew until the last man ran. Things looked bad on the German right. With the US troops closing in, could the Volksgrenadier hang on for the reinforcements behind?  The US artillery was putting them through the mincer turn after turn. 

McCarthy's men deployed to face the church. Note, the red dice of doom, well, suspiciously high rolling... cover saves... no problem. 

CT McCarthy's Pershings advance towards the church. 

 More Volkssturm await on ambush fire, next door to the church, as the GIs keep up the pressure.

Those needed German reinforcements were arriving in dribs and drabs, but two half tracks were on the way, as was the Jagdtiger (slowly). The supporting 251/17 arrived and immediately engaged the Piper Cub with its 20mm Flak, 2 hits saw the spotter shot down… to cheers from the Germans. One of the resulting 2 chits was another aircraft, and with a forward air controller on the table, a bomb-armed P-51 Mustang raced in low... to groans from the Germans. 

The USAAF returns... P-51 Mustangs in close support, the first of two to arrive over Hulsa this morning.

As the firefight on the edge of town continued, MG42’s melting their barrels and piling up spent brass high, the Combat Team Harris began its main push forwards, all the tanks and halftracks now over the bridge and swinging into the fields in the centre, HE rounds flying to try and pin those MGs and relieve the infantry ahead, which was still largely stuck in the hedges and woods and unable to get much effective return fire off. The Sherman’s fire helped, as did the Mustang’s two bombs and more Priest and mortar stonks on the church. 

 Sherman's lead CT Harris into the attack.

Armoured Infantry following close behind. The ARV sat awaiting an order all game, but there was always other demands...  so it just sat. 

CT Harris on the move over the Rinnebach stream. 

 Moving up at just 5" per move, the Beast found getting into the battle the hard bit. 

At the chuch, with a Pershing directly in front, the Volksgrenadier readied their panzerfaust and, judging that it was just out of range, made the bold decision to advance on the tank, into the open, to get an anti-tank shot. This might seem like madness, but the plan was actual well thought out. Return US fire would devastate the squad, but they could Fall Back!, losing just 1 man and become pinned, but then be back into the church’s 3+ cover save. Well, the plan seemed sound, except the panzerfaust missed on a 1. OK, at least the squad could be saved… but no, the first US area fire from the engineer’s half track .50 cal pinned them. Now they were in the open and not able to fall back, ot-oh! Now MG fire from Pershing tanks swept the Volkssturm squad away in the blaze of bullets until the last man was pinned and thus removed. One more chit to the ever growing stack.  

 Rash Volkssturm advance into 'faust range. The plan was sound(ish), until the dice were rolled. 

With the church defenders all pinned the US combat engineers now made their advance, dismounting to close on the church (and the prospect of flamethrowing child-soldiers in a church looked highly probably!). But this plan didn’t work either, the Germans used more tactical co-ordination to get their squad shooting again, and pinned the engineers outside, now also stood in the open. In a desperate measure to hold the edge of town the artillery observer in his bunker called upon the reloaded Nebelwerfers. He was also in the blast zone as the big 210s screamed in, wiping out the US engineers, pinning both Pershings and the infantry squads following behind them. The observer’s bunker saved him from his own fire. The bitter fight for the church had reached stalemate, the US all pinned down, the Gemans almost out of troops, until the 2 Panzer Grenadier squads debussed from their half tracks into the church again, before their Hanomags retreated off the table to save the chits. The new infantry’s MG fire would then sweep away the last US infantry to their front and, when a lurking Panther at the edge of town glanced a shell off the lead Pershing, its already pinned crew abandoned their tank and the fight for today. It was now obvious the church would not fall to the single M26 left and a lone half track, which was returning MG fire for all its worth. Combat Team McCarthy had shot its bolt in the southern flank of the attack, it was down to Harris’ men to win the day in the centre.

 McCarthy's attacking infantry move on the church, engineers in the fore. 

 Ouch, well placed 210mm Nebelwerfer strike causes havoc... and effectively ended the southern attack. 

The attack in the centre rolled on in great force, Shermans blazing HE and MG fire into the town buildings, whilst the armoured infantry debussed and advanced on foot to take the lead. Overhead the P-51 circled round and came in strafing, but ran smack into accurate 20mm AA fire which drove it off pinned and damaged. The SdKfz 251/17 20mm flak crew were proving their worth waiting on ambush fire. 

Here comes Harris' armour, thundering over the fields, MGs and 75mm HE blazing away. The infantry are still close behind in a well co-ordinated combined-arms attack. Artillery, then tanks, then close assault by infantry racing forwards and dismounting... the Volksgrenadiers couldn't match them and were overwhelmed at the hotel.

Light armour reinforcements take cover (hide) from the approaching Shermans. 

At the hotel in the centre the last Volkssturm and their HMG had finally been destroyed by artillery and Sherman fire, and the first US infantry moved up into the objective buildings, before spotting the Volkssturm panzerschreck team which had been trying to sneak up through the alleys unseen. A blast of area fire from their M1s and BAR saw the enemy pinned, and lose a man to a rolled 1 for its cover save. 1 man, pinned, and the ‘schreck team had seen enough too. Also, an obejctive was in US hands. 2 more counters on the stack.

The battle looked increasingly desperate for the Germans, but one ‘panzer ace’ Panther was now in position and lurking on ambush fire for Sherman targets to appear. The Jagdtiger was manouevring behind the church, now on reserve move ready to pop-out and take down the last Pershing, which was itself now dueling with the other Panther, glancing an anti-tank round of its glacis and taking a glancing hit in return (to-hit rolls were good, but penetration rolls shockingly bad). 

 Panzer Ace on ambush fire, behind the Tiger is knocked out... just scenery. He kept the Shermans cautious. 

Panther and Pershing meet head-to-head and trade big blows, both unable to penetrate on rubbish dice throws. 

The SdKfz 250/9 hiding in town moved to bring some 20mm area fire onto the hotel and pinned the US infantry inside, but exposed itself to a tempting long range Sherman shot, if it moved to the road junction on the German left to get a line of sight. It duely did, trying to lined up the little armoured car, only to find itself on the hidden minefield. The mines went off and Sherman was left a smoking wreck by the road. Straight after this, the US found the second minefield as well, as an infantry squad advancing down the lane from the barn walked into it, lost 2 men and was also pinned down. 

 Oops, a Sherman finds the minefield... hoping for a sneaky long shot. M8 still calling in the mortar stonks. 

There were now 12 pinned US units on the tabletop. Next turn, they took 2 chits for unpinning and rolled 2 on 2D6.. eek! Half the force just wasn’t fighting. But, in compensation, one of the chits was another aircraft and, with the forward air controller still busy on his jeep radio at the back, another P-51 Mustang buzzed in, this time rocket-armed. The USAAF was having a busy day. 

The fourth air attack of the game saw the next P-51 target its rockets on the, well what else? … Jagdtiger. The lurking beast hadn’t fired a shot when four 5” rockets screamed down at it, and 3 hit (on sixes)!  In a massive fireball the Hunting Tiger was gone… left a burnt-out hulk. The German players looked glum as another chit landed on the pile. Looking at the large stacks, it seemed even on numbers taken (it was actually pretty even on BR inflicted too), but the Germans were much closer to breaking.

Enemy eliminated. The Beast meets 3 5" rocket hits and its very dead.. never fired a shot, first game blues (it's only waited 10 years to see a battlefield, oh well, back in the box).  

 Burning hulk... so much for the Beast of Hulsa. No match for the flyboys of USAAF.

And then break they did, when the next US chit taken turned out the Endkampf counter, and forced the German to take 4 extra counters… with the loss of the Jagdtiger the fight had just gone out of them, under relentless 155 fire, repeated air attacks and with the US troops now in the hotel in force and Shermans grinding into the streets. The Germans pulled back, obviously saving the two Panthers and most of the panzer grenadiers to fight another day. The Volkssturm had been slaughtered, only 3 men left from the platoon and its support units.

The attack in the centre, heavily pinned but still coming as best they can. The lead Sherman has nosed out to try and pin the ambushing Panther panzer ace...brave boy! The 75mm L70 ambush fire missed it, and the area fired HE did nothing, but when the smoked cleared, the Panther had gone... pulling back to fight another day. 

By midday, Hulsa could be reported to be in US hands… one more small step on the road to victory in Europe.

It was cracking day, I enjoyed umpiring and watching it all unfold. The late war US forces looked a formidable beast, the Germans felt it had been a forlorn fight against too powerful an enemy, but a balanced game non-the-less. The USAAF and the US artillery firepower had blasted the Germans all game and even their great cover save rolling had, in the end, succumbed. Luck can't last forever. Thanks to all the joined in, 9 players in all throughout the day. 

Tactically, the Germans forward deployment didn’t help, it exposed them to too much artillery fire early on, perhaps a deeper deployment in the town, and a swift counter-attack at closer quarters might have worked, and cut down the long-term effect of the US artillery. The US attack had been rather slow, an attritonal meat-grinder, in the south Combat Team McCarthy had been stopped and had very little left, a M26, a Sherman artillery spotter, a M3 and the forward air controller was it. But, Combat Team Harris’ determined drive had cracked the Germans open and secured Hulsa.

Hope you enjoyed the write-up and have a Merry Christmas all. Hopefully Santa will bring the toy soldiers you need... I know there is a parcel with almost 200 Early Imperial Romans in it under our tree.