The final game of our Lorraine theme was a big one for eight players. The scenario that we created depicted the attack by Panzer Brigade 106 against the U.S. 90th Infantry Division on 8 September 1944. Flames of War is not designed for divisional-sized games, so we reduced the orders of battle, then reduced them some more, so that battalions were represented by small companies on the table.
Background: Our primary source was the Osprey Campaign book, “Lorraine 1944”. Historically, the “Tough Ombres” of the 90th Infantry Division were supporting the left flank of Patton’s offensive into Lorraine. Hitler authorized the use of Panzer Brigade 106, a newly raised formation commanded by Col. Dr. Hans Bake, to make a limited counterattack from the north into the flank of the Americans, who were advancing from the west. Even though his own Panzer crews and PanzerGrenadiers were barely trained, Col. Bake was confident that an audacious night attack would scatter the Americans. His overconfidence might have been justified by the 90th Division’s poor combat record up to that point.
Terrain: The combat zone of 8 X 3 miles was represented by our 14 X 5 foot table with the long axis running west-east. The attached sketch map shows the details of the table. The terrain is a mix of forests and open farmland, with several small towns. A fordable stream runs from some higher ground in the west, and exits to the east. The key terrain features are the gaps through the forests that will serve to channelize the advances of the German tanks and halftracks. These gaps are: The two roads from Mont-Bonvillers that pass around both sides of a large wood near Landres in the west; the road to Mairy in the center; the rail line from Trieux to Mancieulles in the east, and the road from Trieux through Avril and Briey in the far east.
Objectives: If the Germans can penetrate the American defenses and cut the main road that runs from Landres in the west through Briey in the east, they will disrupt the American offensive and earn a victory. The Germans will receive bonus points if they can also locate and destroy the 90th Division HQS, which is hidden in the large wood near Landres. The Americans have to protect their HQS and keep their line of communications open.
Forces and Deployments:
90th Infantry Division: The Americans were set up in their historical locations. One rifle platoon and one Sherman tank platoon were set up hidden in the woods near Landres in the west, defending the divisional HQS. One rifle company was in the towns of Mairy in the center, one rifle company was deployed across the rail line between Trieux and Mancieulles, one rifle company was in Briey in the east, and one rifle company was in Avril, forward of Briey. The companies in Mairy and Avril were supported by towed 3-inch antitank guns. In Reserve was another rifle company, which would enter from the west, two Sherman tank platoons, which would enter from the west and southwest, and one off-table battery of 155mm artillery. All of the rifle companies were composed of two platoons supported by two LMGs and bazookas, and some light mortars supported the company at Mairy.
Panzer Brigade 106: All of the German forces would enter the table from the north. To balance the scenario, the German commanders were given some latitude as to when they attacked and how they deployed, with the proviso that they had to send at least some force into each sector of the table so that all the players would be engaged. Historically, the Germans made contact at 0300 hours and much of the action took place during a foggy night, but the Germans in our game elected to attack just before dawn so that most of the action would be fought in the daytime. The Germans divided their forces as follows:
On the road from Mont-Bonvillers: Panther HQS, two Panther platoons, Pz.Gd. HQs, two Pz.Gd. platoons.
Deployed in Trieux: VolksGrenadier HQS, two VG platoons with HMG and mortar support, 3 X 15mm AA halftracks.
On the road to Mairy: Pz.Gd. HQS, Pz.Gd. Recon platoon, Pz.Gd. Platoon, 4 X Flamm halftracks, 80mm mortars, 3 X Wirbelwinds.
On the road from Trieux to Avril: Panther HQS, Panther platoon, Pz.IV/70 platoon, Pz.Pioneer platoon, 4 X SP infantry guns.
Moves: Due to the effect of the night and the fog, the German columns were restricted to advancing along the roads until contact was made.
In the west, the German column was led by a Pz.Gd. platoon in halftracks. As they drove up to the Shermans that were hidden in the woods, the Americans became aware of the Germans’ presence and opened up with everything they had, destroying all of the leading halftracks. Fortunately for the Germans, five Pz.Gd. teams successfully bailed out of their burning transports. The Panthers in the middle of the column then halted and turned to engage the threat in the woods.
In the east, the two American 3-inch guns in Avril opened fire as soon as the leading Panther crested a small hill, resulting in a bail out. This alerted the column, which fanned out from the road, with the Panthers and Pz.IV/70s in the lead.
In the center, the Americans held their fire until they were spotted by the Pz.Gd. recon platoon that was leading the column of halftracks. The German halftracks deployed to both sides while the Flamm tracks moved forward. The Americans were thankful that they remained gone to ground, as the majority of the flamethrower attacks missed. Nevertheless, the defenders were pinned and the veteran German recon troops launched an assault, which won a toehold in the town but at a high cost to the attackers. In their turn, the defenders rallied and assaulted back, and wiped out the recon troops — the Germans had suddenly lost their best infantry unit! Thus the action in the center quickly reached a stalemate, as the Germans lacked the infantry strength to make another assault, and the Americans lacked the means to drive the Germans away.
Back in the west, a protracted firefight developed between the Shermans in the woods and the Panthers on the road. Normally, the outgunned Shermans would stand little chance, but they managed to hold out for quite some time (the Germans missed a lot of shots). After wasting time on this indecisive action, the Germans ordered one platoon of Panthers to finish the fight with the Shermans while the remaining six Panthers and the remaining Pz.Gd. platoon slipped away to the left and continued advancing toward the objective road.
In the east, the Panzers focused on knocking out the 3-inch AT guns, which they quickly accomplished, losing one Panther in the process. At the same time, the VolksGrenadiers began to move out of Trieux and advanced along the rail line to engage the American infantry in the woods. The Pz.Pioneers followed the Panzers, then dismounted and moved into the woods, encircling one U.S. rifle platoon. With supporting MG fire from their halftracks and SP guns, the Pioneers and VolksGrenadiers launched assaults on the trapped Americans, wiping out the defenders but at a very high cost to the Pioneers. The other US platoon declined to get involved and fell back to defend Mancieulles.
Back in the west, the last Sherman in the woods was finally knocked out, but by then the U.S. reserves had arrived. First to enter was a Sherman platoon from the west, which boldly moved around to the north to cut the German LOC! This platoon remained out of sight behind the houses of Mont-Bonvillers, which forced a Panther platoon to turn back in order to deal with it. Meanwhile, a rifle company entered from the west and moved to reinforce the defenders in the woods. A second Sherman platoon entered from the southwest and deployed behind a small wood. The presence of these forces would ensure the security of the divisional HQS (which was still unspotted by the Germans), and would tie down the remaining German forces in this sector.
In the east, although the AT guns had been eliminated and the woods had been cleared, an American rifle company still held Avril. The Panzers did not dare to enter the town unsupported, so they settled down to the slow process of blasting the US infantry out of the houses, supported by indirect fire from the SP guns, while they waited for the VG to come forward. When the VG arrived, they were able to mop up the last of the Americans still holding Avril, but this was the German high water mark. There was insufficient time to regroup, pass through another defile, and then make an attack on Briey, which was the ultimate objective in this sector.
The final acts took place in the west. The US heavy artillery finally became active, and ranged in on a Panther platoon. Some very hot shooting knocked out three Panthers! This took the wind out of the sails of the German attack. When the US infantry then began to counterattack and hunt Panthers with their bazookas, the German commander broke off the action and the game was over.
Thus the game resulted in an historical American victory! Even though the Germans were completely unsuccessful, the German players could take satisfaction in knowing that they failed with far fewer losses than the historical Germans. In the actual battle, Panzer Brigade 106 was reduced to one quarter of its combat strength, which effectively eliminated it from the Lorraine campaign.
- TJ