Them Germans were good

[Imp]

Pic included of position so you can do own sit rep if wish.
France has more squads in East trees & a company just off map behind
Also 5 tanks that way which will be in picture next turn if use road.
German 2 of tanks in pic have no main gun 1 in woods is one of.
Other forces in North woods are at least 2 turns away by transport if charge through unscouted.
Road is clear & some relief can come down in 1 turn for squads 2+ for tanks or enter woods from.
A reasonable size force could come East round woods in 3 turns but infantry is coming back from halfway to river & probably its bank as well
Most remaining flags East & NE
Feel free to post any tactical ideas you might have tried but I feel visible tanks will head into woods & others come down road.
If I push on though think they will probably turn for me.
Dont forget even point blank side rear is by no means a guaranteed kill for German tanks.
Me thinks I am going to wimp out for a turn or 2 till can get more in the area & direct arty at, wait for prayers to be answered.
Armour losses so far have been Armoured cars though quite a bit running round damaged, think I underestimated blue fire incidents effects.
If it wasn't for his infantry could hide behind trees in hopes of ambushing 2nd tank force.

[Imp]

Force listings N>S
North Force (Raumpanzer) & a few men trying to get in position & perform a holding action
Ambush force is hoping its in position now as needs to finnish & head out, has 1 pioneer with several tanks squads but think they have changed direction.
East force that could come round East end of woods has 1 Pioneer Platoon, it is trying to keep an eye on furthest tank group & vector towards but is still finding squads & lost 2 men as moving fast now.
Men in woods going South lost a man enemy is fine will include in South force
South force killed 3 closest squads for no loss at the hill & half are moving to take up positions in vacated foxholes & hold. Tank without gun is taking cover behind line of trees to help support. Rest crossing road & heading for woods scout dropped smoke to cover just in case. 2 Pioneeers & 3 PAW in area are at West end of woods. Dont realy want to use PAWs in woods but little choice trying to keep so can respond to tank force 2 depending on what it does.
Squad in woods pulled back he is not taking on by himself.
Taking on the tanks in woods is risky if troops cant kill tanks may have to risk a blind move to get a rear shot & finnish it
Time to find out if this is the Man or Maus Division
French arty landed on West end of woods hit a couple of tanks. Tank force 1 Proceeded into woods trying to task arty on, Force 2 veered off NW, Reinforcments can now see & 2 assualts failed not even buttoned.
2 planes flew 1 limped away.
Concentrating arty in woods as still not clear but more towards force 1. Reset planes to fly in from East now hes moving might give me an Idea of whats out there. Stuka was supposed to hit force 2 but plotted wrong area, If infantry about may well target those anyway

[Imp]

Rampanzaer > 4 squads seen now 2 routed cas 4 for 0 ATG in area picked up by truck FOO trying to find cover before he is compromised.
Reinforcment > Pioneer got 1 with flame MkIII got 2 lost 5 men in 2 botched assaults, there does not seem to be anyone else but found HQ which explains arty on the road previosly.
East/Middle Killed a squad for 1 man bit rag tag but moving through bottom of East woods & into more woods running off NE, cant find fire positions & infantry is moving on them, tank force 2 is heading roughly in there direction.
South > Killed 1 squad by hill have a line of infantry in woods 4 squads 2 pioneers, PSWs & a couple of tanks in supporting positions with some LOS behind.
Other tanks have done there best to get to a position can move on & a couple of squads are in HT for mech assault option.Remaining Flak wagon is trying to muscle in on the action as has Pen of 6.
Line in woods caught on outskirts of arty, minor several trucks in there all survived, Tanks missed pioneers but it was as far as I could get them but 1 S-35 immobile cople of men down, risked close arty strike they are all buttoned, force 2 is heading towards middle force

[Imp]

Reinforcement > HQ killed moving to support middle
Rampzr > 1 enemy squad down
Middle > In position to attack tanks depending on what they do light engagement with 6 found squads
South > Suicidal FJ had a go at tanks, 3 in LOS 2 men down, Squad had a go at 2 tanks OK. Pioneer flamed 1, 2nd Pioneer found enemy Squad attacked tank under fire twice killed. Squad & MKIII that cant reach S-35s routed enemy squad. MkII moved through woods for flank shots no effect, 2nd MkII rear shot kill,222 rear shot kill, MKII & MKIII flank for no effect, 2 Squads mech attack force wiped out. Rest doing best to clear area before arty strike 2 PSW towards dug in tank 1 on motorbike heading for middle force, might make it.
Squads at hill decide to take it 2 squads killed 1 routed on the hill that other tank could well decide to move.
Enemy morale has I think gone 3 squads surrendered his turn, arty hit as expected 1 man down

[Imp]

Ram > 1.5 squads left
Middle >this was harder than first tank force because of 5 infantry, attacked them first with my troops & 1 tank then sent in 2 pioneers got a kill & one damaged.
Tanks followed 1 damaged by S-35. After lots of shots got 2 more kills. Damaged tank bailed out when attacked FJ killed crew. They are folding now.
2 squads killed but I lost about 8men. S-35s were 100-150m away & 1 still lives took a couple of shots at my tank but missed.
South > Taken the hill forces that killed tanks took on squads in the woods 2 are dead rest unwell. Some of that force made it to near dug in tank & engaged 2 squads just past it. Fearing atack from tank 1 scout & 2 squads that started turn on other side of woods from him all assaulted to make him think about it, died when routed.
French still control 10 flags & planes made pass can see about a 1.5 companies, Stuka with bombs hit tank so should be an wasy kill.
There are AAA guns some where but 1/2 squads are a KM away as are 1/2flags loading up & moving out.

[Imp]

Turn39
Lost a tank killing last one 4 flags left woods are mine he has 12 squads
Turn40
Silly me lost a tank to mines on road probably why it did not use
Found AAAgun, Lost 1 HT to ATG 6 Squads left have all flags


GAME ENDED

German > French > My total loses 6 battles
Men > 351 >1279 > 697
Art > 0 > 11 > 1
AFV > 6 > 31 > 21
All Air > 1 > 0 > 3
Score > 7550 > 1078
Marginal victory
That battle accounted for nearly half my men lost


Standardising reporting
C = casulties listed his > mine, if I don't take any just his.
Forces if use will say then give its Name > when talking about.

Anything else you think might be nice say.
Also might be easier to follow can suggest map from either game.
Give map no. & description City Villages Woods Hilly Open etc will only use if matches type of terrain it gives me as take what it gives.

Calling division bridgehead taken time for some quick R&R before having a look at these tank destroyers we are getting.
Then its time to spearhead the push for Paris & the coast. Wonder if those Tommys are going to try & muscle in on the action

[Imp]

New Battle
We are to dig the French out again & are assaulting at dawn.
Turns 45 visibility is 11 terrain is mainly fields with some single line trees surrounding them (like fulda gap MBT), area 130 x 130

Road runs E>W 250m from top with a small village at coord 50,4
2nd E>W road runs mainly down 91 going sligtly South for last 2km in the West
A third road runs at 45 degrees from 30 to the bottom right corner.
Where it crosses route 91 there is a small settlement & also at coord 60,42.

We have to capture the level 3 hill that dominates the NW quadrant at its most Eastern point it is about 10 hexes from last village mentioned & North of the village gets fairly close to the road. It stretches to within about 10 hexes of route 91 which veers away from it & has 2 large peaks.
Level 1 has about a 70% ring of trees on it but the rest is mainly fields.
Elsewhere its flat.

We must control both Peaks & the terrain between the hill & route 91 so as to control the roads in the area for the advance.

We have had some changes to our line up & it currently stands as follows.
Total inc crews 8 shy of 900 men

Infantry
3 Comp > 39xSquads 6xMMG 6xScouts 2xSnipers
20xTrucks 8xHalftrack 3xMotorbike
A&B comp have swapped 2 squads for Pioneers giving a total of 4

Armour
2x222 4x321(8rad)
14xMkIIIe 2xRaempanzer 6xJPz 1

Arty
4 Each of 8cmMTR 10cmNbwMTR 10cmK18(offboard) 15cmInf How 12 Trucks
2 Foos 223Fu

Other
4xFlak36 mobAA
3x 4.7Pak ATG 3XSdkfz7

Support
2xJPz 1
2x75mm offboard
1x22cmMrs offboard

Notes Got a bit big for a fast game last time so pioneers deleted now in inf com.
Rather than increasing my tank company stayed with 22 tanks but swaped MkIIs &IV to JPz1 for the moment.
Upgraded MkIIIs & 4 armoured cars.
I actualy have 40 squads 1 is in command of the odds & sods.
Trying big guns 22cmMrs, it might hurt but has a very low rate of fire so thinking not that useful.
Looking at arty listed core has grown a bit might delete some next game.


Votes for path please when get there Balkans N.Africa or Eastern Front, thinking Mother Russia. Not played this campaign before but a long time in dessert could get a bit boring. Could I do a few dessert battles & then get transferred?