Background
Colonel Oden’s column, CCA, 4th Armored Division, made the initial attempt to penetrate the new German position between Bénestroff and Dieuze. Oden’s objective was Marimont-lès-Bénestroff, a crossroads village about one and a half miles southeast of Bénestroff. A passable road led out of the
Koecking woods through Bourgaltroff to Marimont, avoiding the hills and woods around Bénestroff. This road intersected the German line at the village of Guébling, about four miles north of Dieuze, which would be the scene of the first American assault.
Leaving Hunter’s column to cover the exposed flank and rear of CCA, Oden’s column, divided into two task forces, struck out from an assembly area near Hill 337 at first light on the morning of 14 November. Task Force West skirted the Bois de Kerperche and moved by a secondary road southeast toward Guébling. Task Force McKone took a route directly through the woods, which had not yet been cleared of the enemy by the advance of the 328th Infantry, but found the forest road so heavily mined that it was forced to turn back. About 0845 Major West’s force encountered six Panther tanks which had taken position among the buildings at Kutzeling Farm on the road to Guébling. These tanks belonged to a detachment of ten Panthers that General Wietersheim had dispatched from the 15th Panzer Regiment as a roving counterattack formation. For nearly six hours the German tanks fought a stubborn rear guard action along the road to Guébling, using the long range of their high-velocity 75-mm. guns to keep the Americans at bay. After much maneuvering at Kutzeling Farm, West’s tanks closed in and disabled three of the Panthers. The rest escaped under a smoke screen. Later in the day five Panthers made a stand just west of the railroad, where a corkscrew road out of the forest dipped abruptly toward Guébling. Again the Panthers showed themselves impervious to long-range fire from the American M-4’s and supporting 105-mm. howitzers, and again maneuver was used to bring the Panthers within killing range. Fortunately, the German tanks were so closely hemmed in by their own mine fields as to be virtually frozen in position. Snow and rain precluded an air strike by the fighter-bombers, but finally an artillery plane managed to go aloft and adjust fire for the 155-mm. howitzers of the 191st Field Artillery Battalion. This fire forced the Panthers to close their hatches, and A Company of the 35th Tank Battalion charged in on the flanks of the partially blinded Germans. Leading the attack, 1st Lt. Arthur L. Sell closed within fifty yards of two Panthers and destroyed them, although two of his crew were killed, two seriously wounded, and his own tank was knocked out. Sell’s companion tanks finished off the remaining Panthers, and as the afternoon drew to a close Task Force West rolled into Guébling.
The village itself was quickly secured, but the short November day gave no time for the armored infantry to take the high ground and the German observation posts that lay beyond. Next morning about 0300 three gasoline trucks came into the village to refuel the task force. The sound of movement: inside Guébling reached the enemy observation posts and brought on the worst shelling the American troops had yet experienced. The gasoline trucks were destroyed and several tanks and other vehicles were damaged. Early in the morning Task Force McKone arrived to strengthen the detachment in Guébling, and at daylight the 10th Armored Infantry Battalion was thrown into an attack to clear the high ground beyond the village. The armored infantry pushed the attack with vigor and determination but were beaten back by the German gunners. American counterbattery fire failed to subdue the enemy batteries, the guns shooting blindly into a curtain of snow and rain. About noon the 4th Armored Division commander ordered Colonel Oden to withdraw from the precarious position in Guébling and return to the original assembly area at Hill 337. Oden evacuated his wounded, destroyed his damaged vehicles, and gave the order to withdraw. By this time the German guns had ranged in on the exit road running back to the west and the Americans were forced to run a 1,500-yard gauntlet of exploding shells, with only the cover provided by a smoke screen. Oden’s command finally extricated itself, suffering “severe losses” in the process, and rejoined the 26th Infantry Division. This venture had cost the armor heavily-the 35th Tank Battalion had only fifteen tanks fit for battle-and on 16 November General Wood gave orders putting an end to independent attacks by elements of the 4th Armored Division…”
(http://www.history.army.mil/html/books/007/7-6-1/CMH_Pub_7-6-1.pdf), pages 363-366
Situation:
Elements of the American 4th Armored Division’s Combat Command A attempt to smash weak German resistance (elements of the 11th Panzer Division) while capturing several strategic French towns. Victory for the Americans was to capture Guébling for a tactical victory and capture the next town, Bourgaltroff, for a major victory. The German objectives were to prevent the fall of both towns.
The Game
Scenario Special Rules:
- The game was played as a series of linked engagements. In each engagement, fresh German forces were placed on the table in their historic locations, and the US forces were deployed to positions from which they could advance into contact.
- Deep mud slowed all off road movement. Fully tracked vehicles could move cross country up to six inches a turn without the risk of bogging down. If they opted to move at full speed, they had to take a bog test. Any US tanks with duckbills could move eight inches without bogging in cross country terrain, but that was their maximum movement. Non-fully tracked vehicles treated cross country terrain as difficult going.
- All fully tracked vehicles (US and German) could attempt stormtrooper moves.
- The stream was impassible to all vehicles; infantry could cross on foot. The low rail line was not an additional impediment to movement, provided concealment to teams adjacent to it, and did not block line of sight. Tree lines provided concealment but did not block LOS.
- Both forces were rated Confident Veteran. The US had 4000 points to build two tank companies and an armored rifle company, and was given off board artillery support in the form of two 105mm batteries plus a 155mm battery later in the game. The Germans had six Panthers in the first engagement, five Panthers in the second, an HMG team and SMG command team in the third, and two panzer grenadier platoons with three attached HMGs if the game reached a fourth engagement. The Germans also received a 105mm battery and a 150mm battery as off board artillery support in the second engagement and beyond. Any surviving teams from previous engagements would fight in the later engagements.
- Cloudy and rainy weather prevented any air support, except for a US artillery spotter plane in the second and third engagements.
- 105mm artillery bombardments had an AP of 3 and a firepower rating of 3+. 155mm and 150mm artillery bombardments had an AP of 3 and a firepower rating of 2+.
- The US could use any off board artillery batteries to try to neutralize German off board artillery support. For each US battery used in this manner, a D6 roll of 4-6 would suppress a German battery, determined at random, in the German turn.
- Repairing a destroyed bridge required six successful skill tests by adjacent infantry teams — any non-engineer teams making the repairs would have to re-roll successful tests.
The Allies consisted of a Sherman company (Company A) with Engineer support; a M4 Sherman Tank Company (Company B) recce support; and an Armored Rifle Company with an attached Sherman Platoon. The Americans had one 155mm and two 105mm howitzer batteries on call. The Americans were rated as Confident Veterans Trained.
The Germans consisted of a 6 vehicle Panther forward delaying force on board one, with infantry and medium artillery support in the two towns, per the scenario special conditions. The German units were rated Confident Veteran.
Narrative:
The game depicted Task Force Oden’s advance to Guébling as part of the 4th Armored Division’s campaign in Lorraine. The US objective was to use a tank and armored infantry task force to advance a distance of 15 feet across the table and capture the village of Guébling, and if possible, continue the advance and capture the village of Bourgaltroff and the high ground beyond Guébling. The German objective was to use scattered detachments of Panthers and panzer grenadiers to delay and prevent the US from achieving this.
The first engagement was fought on a side table measuring 4X6 feet, and depicted the initial fighting around the Kutzeling Farm. Six Panthers stood against the entire US force, which had deployed 12 inches onto the table. Bad going off the table prevented any wide flanking movements, so the US force had no choice but to advance straight ahead on a broad front, generally moving all tanks at half speed to avoid bogging down and taking advantage of stormtrooper moves to push forward. On the US right, a dismounted armored rifle platoon emerged from some woods and advanced across open ground directly toward the farm buildings, supported by a Sherman tank platoon on the main road. Although it was pinned down, the threatening presence of this infantry induced the Germans to pull back and eventually withdraw from the protection of the farm. The Sherman tanks of A Company advanced across the open ground in the center, losing some tanks along the way but drawing the attention of the main German force. The Shermans of B Company used the cover of a stand of trees on the left to maneuver without loss into a position to engage two Panthers on the right end of the German skirmish line. US artillery caused the German company command Panther to bail out, which would not pass the motivation test to remount until it was too late. The aggressive attack cost the US a Sherman platoon from each tank company, but the Panthers were eventually swarmed on all sides and wiped out. The company commander and 2iC of A Company were awarded the DSC for leading the breakthrough of the German position with their own tanks, which were destroyed in the action.
The second engagement was fought on the western end of the main table. Five Panthers were deployed near the rail line facing the open ground coming from the Kutzling Farm area to the north. The surviving US force deployed 12 inches onto the table. On the US left, the surviving Sherman platoon and command tanks of B Company advanced along a farm lane parallel to the rail line, followed by a recon platoon and dismounted armored rifle platoon; the ARP then turned to its left, crossed the tracks and waded across the stream. In the center, the surviving Sherman platoon of A Company slowly moved cross country, taking cover as it could behind undulations in the ground. On the US right, the supporting Sherman platoon of the armored rifle company led the way along the main road at full speed, followed by A Company’s armored engineers and recon platoon and a mounted ARP. The German artillery came into play, killing a halftrack full of engineers, and causing some casualties among the dismounted infantry. The Panthers were in a very exposed position, and sought to withdraw across the stream into Guébling. However, this maneuver was thwarted by the presence of a friendly minefield that was unknown to the German platoon leader. The minefield blocked access to the bridge and prevented the German withdrawal. The US used 155mm artillery bombardments and direct fire smoke to limit the Panthers’ ability to fire and employed counter battery fire to reduce the German off board artillery, and reached flanking positions from which the Shermans eliminated the Panthers after suffering no worse than equal casualties. Only one Panther was able to brave the minefield and successfully withdraw over the bridge into Guébling. Moments later, the Germans blew up the bridge, ending the second engagement.
The third engagement began with the Germans defending Guébling with a detachment of one HMG team and one command SMG team in the church, with the surviving Panther in the tree line to the right of the village, plus the two off board artillery batteries. The other German panzer grenadiers and HMGs were in positions farther to the rear, in the town of Bourgaltroff and on the high ground leading to Point 277 off table; both of those areas served as German artillery OPs. The Americans redeployed three weakened Sherman platoons up to the edge of the stream while the engineers cleared the mines and repaired the bridge under the cover of a smoke screen. The dismounted ARP moved on the German side of the stream toward the village; the other ARP remained mounted and in reserve on the main road waiting for the bridge to be repaired. As the third engagement began, bazooka teams from the engineer platoon infiltrated toward the church while the German HMG held its fire. German artillery strikes caused continuous casualties to the dismounted ARP, which broke before reaching the village. The Panther engaged in a duel with B Company’s Sherman platoon across the stream, reducing that platoon to one tank, which withdrew to a safer location after passing its morale test. At that point the bridge was repaired and the remaining Shermans surged into Guébling, followed by the engineers. To counter the Shermans, the Panther redeployed to a position behind the village, where it was harassed by US artillery but was unhurt. Sporadic German artillery fell among the US platoons near the bridge with little effect. US tanks and engineers fired on the Germans in the church, but were unable to pin them or cause any casualties. German defensive fire then drove back an attempted assault by the engineers with heavy casualties; the engineers passed morale. The remaining ARP then came forward and occupied the church after the Germans to withdraw to a house to the rear. Fire from the Panther and a heavy artillery bombardment aimed at the church eliminated the armored infantry company’s supporting Sherman platoon in the street, causing the company to take morale tests, which were passed. Two Shermans from A Company fired into the German-held house with their .50 cals, scored two kills, thus ending German resistance in the village. The Panther withdrew to Bourgaltroff, and we ended the game at this point as night was falling. Both sides agreed there was no chance for the Americans to take any more ground beyond Guébling, given how fragile all three of their companies were at the end of the game.
In the historic battle, Task Force Oden was able to take Guébling after suffering heavy casualties. The Germans lost all but one of their Panthers, but held Bourgaltroff and the important high ground. As the game produced nearly the same results, it was judged to be a well-earned draw for both sides. In terms of forces engaged, the Americans had roughly a two-to-one advantage in points (approximately 4600 to 2300 including the provided artillery), but faced the challenge of having to frontally attack Panthers though the mud and across mostly open ground, and then having to channel their attack across the repaired bridge. The Americans skillfully used all arms and accepted necessary casualties to keep the pressure on the Germans and put their Shermans in favorable positions to kill Panthers. The Germans were challenged by only being able to employ very small historical forces on open battlefields with very little defensible terrain during the first two engagements, and by being restrained to using a tiny HMG detachment to hold the village. The Germans did well to keep their small forces alive as long as possible while causing heavy casualties on the Americans, thus preventing the possibility of a deeper advance. Had some luck gone the Germans’ way (the Americans passed an uncanny number of platoon and company morale tests, while the Germans seemed very reluctant to remount bailed out Panthers), the Germans might have been able to pull off an unlikely victory. Well done to both sides.
– Manteuffel