Them Germans were good

[Imp]

2 Tanks taken out for 3 men 1 to MkIII other to PSW
A scout found another CharB 2 squads attacked & then scout made up for the loss of his friends, killed for no loss.
Moving on others & lost an 222 due to transparent trees.
Found that HMG he is out of his hole for 1 man
Raumpanzer is backing up he is supporting 4 FJs working down bank & has come under fire from 2 ATGs at about 300m, expensive if he dies FJs smoked to block one firer.
Planes one down as skies filled with flack but did there job this time. Another AA gun is toast & a few hits on infantry but discovered.
5 R-35s
1 Inf Co in woods area near 3 chars, this has kippered best approach on them as could get to within 150m through woods.
2 Inf Co round hill & wood flags.
Most of these disapeared at the start of my turn.
Where is that arty I need it back on line fast giving up CB think one of its battery only has a couple of guns as fired twice same place.

This is turning into another hard fight the only real error AI made in deploying was the groups of tanks without inf support as taking out is not to hard. Stuff that has protection like first group is tough to get to.

[Imp]

MkIIs now have French armour under there belt, Char covering road taken out by FJ & 2 MkIIs for no loss.
99% of all fire vs armour is taking place point blank to rear or sides, vehicle fire vs troops nearly all under 250m.
Most MKII & all AC main gun HE is gone.
The other Char was also taken out for no loss by FJLMG a Squad & 1 each of MkII, III, IV the III getting the kill.
Finaly found 2 mortars near Chars, hard to get decent shots without giving them targets but 1 down.
Made a risky move through village with lead elements unscathed, 3 armoured cars looking at likely ambush spots & troops in position to find out if vacant.
Once through here I have about 1Km of open ground (with a partial line of trees halfway) to the hill held by a rifle company. I can take most of this before in LOS to S-35s in the area. Think some AAA in area to. Some smoke ploted.
Most of tank killer is trying to catch them up so can help with S-35s as they will be a problem. 3 chars as unsuppotted will fall to regular guys, at least thats the plan.
FJs are trying to get a bit closer to ATGs before open up & arty should hit next turn, Raumpanzer has done a bit of pant wetting & taken cover I hope.
Force on hill 2 is moving in direction of woods near chars planes saw a company in. My offboard is being directed here to soften, moving on dug in units in woods is not a good idea so going slow, hopefully by the time I have a go at them some of their spirit will be gone.
All MMGs are heading for road area to support lead elements. If arty becomes critical they can Z fire to aid. 223 Fu vehicle is with already.
Transport is getting well confusing now as moving all sorts & I just dont have enough, tanks are picking up some in safe areas.
Will resolve arty at start of next turn as have lost contact with a battery that is about to drop on me due to speed of advance this go #@%$, have also lost contact with entire troop of onboard or as I suspect they all ran out of ammo together, smoke to.

[Imp]

Enemy arty was totaly inefective not sure what it thinks its firing at. Not so my stuff lost at least one man 2 trucks & MkII took a hit straight through the engine deck, good job realised & bailed passengers. On board troop is out of ammo arty truck has started resupply so will at least get 1 back, a lot of my arty is in transit to its final resting place as have outrun its range so planes filling in but most are nearly out of ammo to. I do have 1 Stuka left with bombs.
Progress to woods has slowed even more due to blue fire pinning can see fisty cuffs at the mobile canteen later.
Whoops FJs have run into a spot of bother 1 ATG down but heavy loses there are at least 4 of them, where is that arty they are being outguned, & Raumpanzer is pretending to look for mines, I cant support them on the ground tasking air but they could well be dead by the time it arrives.
Lead force found ambush forces 2 squads so far but not in trees where expected but slap bang on the road. One is dug out but a 222 is in a bit of a dodgy situation at turn end. One 222 has moved West slightly onto a hill, if he does not recieve fire 223 Fu will move onto it for a nice view of the area.
The other mortar died & his offboard must be getting low so all stopping all CB made sense, had little effect again.

Works quite so will try & knock some out today.

[Imp]

FJs are putting up a valiant fight taking out 2 gun crew but they have been cut in half.
On the road a couple of units have made it most of the way to mid point treeline going past the funeral pyre of my 222, running out of them another one here took an alarming amount of damage, still mobile but armour must be paper now, if he can make it will be running. 223 Fu is on the hill & troops did better finding another 4 squads in ambush area, another co? 3 are out of there holes & hand to hand combat is in progress for another foxhole.
3 47Paks have managed to get in position to target 1 of 3 Chars at 400m he died going for the other 2 with infantry assist.
I have realised wooded hill if take level 3 can overlook some lower levels to East so force has split some going that way rest to approach from East to force retreat towards them. A couple of Pioneers are going to help smoke them out. East guys have to be a bit careful or could run into other elements.
Think I missed a unit near hill 1 a Bat of 75s is targeting transit along that road, detouring but lost a Sdkfz7.
Planes took out 2 ATGs 1 left some FJs will see another day, barrage started on level 3 woods
My force is looking a bit thined out now as the French are slowly taking a toll on my forces, troops mainly are the guys that are suffering & he still has a fair bit of fresh stuff out there. But they are now confined to a shrinking 3x2Km box.

[Imp]

Planes took out last ATG & 47Paks got another Char
Units aproaching wood hill from West & North have found several units & are at level 2 a couple ready to move to level 3, East force was in position to start entering when French infantry left woods & came round corner, boy did he get a surprise. Think he was moving for flag I have just taken or running from barrage possibly, morale going? Found 6-8 units lost count most still dug in, slow now we are in woods & no arty this turn so its coming for me.
About 1/2 a dozen squads + 2MMG 2 tanks & 2 AC behind treeline ready to push out on hill 1/2km away.
Some arty is finaly getting near its positions most aren't & apart from units in woods these guys are on speed wizzing along.
Briliant 222 survived & moved to safety not, he is leading a charmed life 3 Char-B1s (the easier ones marginaly) just roled in as reinforcements & missed.
Eek thats thrown a spanner in the works so much for morale going they are launching a counter offensive. More are bound to turn up & 1 turn earlier I would have been in a lot better position to counter it, thats life.
I hope this battle does not wind up early as I was just approaching main flag areas so French still control the majority. At 180 a pop they are valuable.

[Imp]

Its all gone a bit manic I seem to have stirred up a real hornets nest here. Fighting in the woods I have destroyed a few squads but currently engaged with 6 or so.
The force attacking the hill has been reinforced but have found an entire company to take on across open ground. 2 MMG took 2 hits each plus a few other casulties I think.
Then there is the reinforcements to think about they seem to be heading for hill 1 & now I have looked must have entered 1 turn before they were seen.
Trying to get to 2 wide woods & setup an ambush if they carry on that way plus get some eyes on the subject, 222s luck finaly ran out.
Last Char killed by 47 Paks they are heading for hill 1 to try & harass French reinforcements
Lot of men sweeping woods I am being spread a bit thin Oh er.
Well the arrival of reinforcements seems to have hardened their resolve, in French turn killed my MMG & a FJLMG plus several more casulties, that smarted a bit they just had a bit of a mad 3 minutes. Lost sight of reinfocements.
Arty falling on woods & CB vs my onboard 155s ammo truck is exiting stage left if its still able.

[Imp]

This renewed vigour has slowed the pace but
About 1/3 of the way through the woods have not found any new squads 2 are left 1 out of hole 1 cas & 3 flags.
150m from hill now 1 squad killed 4 dug out, they have taken a dislike to MMG teams another takes 2 hits, oh they are dual MG teams.
Getting close to seeing whats on the other side of the hill & entering R-35 line of sight. I know somewherse there is another company dug in.
223 fu moving to woods hill to firm up view & 3 PAWs + 2 Pioneers are close now riding trucks.
Typical got reinforcements in LOS vanished again but worse as I am now right on top of several flags some infantry on the other side has started moving & FOO across the river has just seen 5 more R-35s break towards me. Plus 5 of the 6 in my general area vacated & are heading up woods hill.
My ATGs are going the wrong way & PSW pioneers are going to have to backtrack. The only bonus is if they enter the woods its not the best enviroment for tanks. Annoyingly last bomb was ploted to drop next turn on 3 adjacent ones. Typical though it might actualy have some effect now they are in the open.
Think arty has immob a HT & CB continues ammo safe.

[Imp]

The halftrack survived but its passengers are gone!!!
They are crawling out of the woodwork everywhere
Just South of the FJ debacle Raumpanzer & small infantry escort have seen & fired on 2 squads heading inland one routed.
Planes spotted some troops furter South heading to woods hill seems to be an alarming amount still about, due to lack of transport some of mine are still up Northish
At least some arty is in place now so trucks can go get em.
Reinforcement ambush is set up but have lost sight, do not think anyone else is with but a bit early to say for sure.
I have a big problem with the advance on the hill.
Need to realy because flags are here & could hit lone tank, fine if they head off into woods but if they come 150m my way so at level 2 treeline that force are sitting ducks.
Heck if they head into woods its where I have least concentration (2squads) as working that way. Troops have to find / stop them as even point blank I will need lady luck for a frontal hit to mater. Pioneers are the guys I want in the woods but getting them there is problematic.
ATGs are going to be of no further help as I keep moving them in wrong direction
Its got a bit tense all of a sudden this turn will take a while to figure out so signing off for today & leaving you with a cliff hanger aka any good TV show.
Its turn 35

[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