Marnach - Ardennes 1944 - part 3

As we return to Marnach, the US tank column has emerged from the woods - straight into fire from the Panzerschreck detachment!  The lead tank platoon is immobilised.

More Germans trying to flank the US reinforcements. 

Marnach by now seems securely in German hands

US AT gunners near Clervaux anxiously await a German breakthrough

By the time the US yanks got moving again the Germans were ready - and in some force.  Two platoons of Shermans were soon ablaze, while the woods were becoming dangerous.

It was all very dramatic!

And what of the US AA battery?  It too managed to get stuck and was soon overrun by hungry Germans

We concluded that the Germans had full control of Marnach and would have no trouble advancing to the west, while the remaining US units could do little more then harass them.  A most enjoyable game to run - and thanks again to my enthusiastic players who joined in from South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire and Iowa!

And when the 'snow' melted, this is what lay beneath!

Marnach - Ardennes 1944 - part 2

 The German forces had by now all arrived - two battalions of dismounted Panzergrenadiers (less their heavy weapons) and another two companies from the recce btl.  I used different styles of figures to help differentiate between the units.

One of the recce companies - deployed on the left.  And behind them...

...the second such company.

As the German advance elements reached the village, the US rifle company defending simply melted away.

Trudging along from the south, meanwhile, was the relief column...

...with artillery firing in support.

The Germans on the left dashed up the hill to stop the US reinforcements reaching Marnach.

The Colonel had seen fit to drive forward from Clervaux to order this AA battery into the fray.

Shermans grinding slowly forward.

Germans entering Marnach!

The German recce troops again...

... but what's going on up ahead?

Find out the final score in part 3 - coming soon...ish.

Marnach - Ardennes 1944 - part 1

This was the first in a planned series of games set during the Ardennes campaign.  Regular readers will recall that I visited Marnach a few months ago - and having walked/driven the ground was very helpful when setting up the game.  Having set the game up, I emailed out briefings to players and they joined in by Zoom over the course of two evenings.

Marnach atop the NE the SW ridge.  The buildings are 15mm resin by Hovels.  The church bears more then a passing resemblance to the current building...

The field of battle - on my 72 by 39 inch table.  A white fleecy throw was er, thrown over a carefully laid out arrangement of boxes.  North is to the top of the map.

This being a quiet sector(!), the rear area traffic is light.  Here a US traffic controller looks hopefully for some 'trade.'

At the rear (to the west), the US HQ skulked in an eastern suburb of Clervaux.

Here come the Germans!  A full battalion - actually dismounted Panzergrenadiers - surges forward.

The US garrison consisted of a rifle company and a platoon each of MG and AT

Off to the south, US reinforcements trudged forward while artillery prepared to fire in support.

In the woods on the NE corner - another btl of Germans!  Deetail figures and veterans to a man!

From the German point of view it was a bloody long way to Marnach.

The German assault looked very impressive and their sheer numbers dented US morale.  Well, the players' morale anyway.

Would the US reserve arrive in time?

German MG plt in position to support the attack.

We leave the action there for the moment and will return as the German assault goes in.

Marnach, Luxembourg

 

I’m on a visit to the Ardennes, combining museums, memorials and walking the ground. Marnach was the unlikely scene of an early encounter between German troops from 2 Panzer Division and the US 28 ‘Keystone’ Division. I’ll let the photos do the talking.