Clash of Steel: Elsdorf 1945

 

This Clash of Steel game is inspired by the tank duel in Elsdorf between M26 Pershings and Tiger 1s. The battle took place during the Allied advance into Germany’s Rhineland, Operation LUMBERJACK, aiming to capture key locations, including the city of Cologne, which was a significant industrial centre for the German war effort.

310 M26 Pershing tanks were sent to Europe before the end of the war. 

The US 3^rd Armored Division (Lt Gen Maurice Rose) received 10 of these, CCB’s Task Force Welborn and TF Lovelady each receiving a handful, each manned by a veteran sergeant Tank Commander and a hand-picked crew. These would lead each TF's column.

On the 26^th February 1945 General Rose was impatient to get to the Erft Canal, last obstacle to Cologne, before its defense had time to coalesce. 

This required a swift strike through either the Hambach Forest on the left of the axis of advance, or through the villages on the right, known to be the haunt of Tiger Tanks…

In this game: TF Welborn; with two M26 and three M4A4E8 will attack the village of Elsdorf by going left flanking through the bitter woods. 

TF Lovelady, with just the one Pershing and lighter M24 Chaffees and M18 Hellcats, would attempt to race through the outskirts of Elsdorf to the right. Total US points for three M26, five M24 and four M18: 30 points.

The defense consisted of two Tiger 1Es from sPzAbt 301 and four Panthers from the 9th Panzer Divison, for a total of 21 points:

The German tactical thinking was the Tigers would cover the long range fields of fire of the Hambach forest approach, whilst the more nimble Panthers would start off in town and react to any unexpected approaches.

Unexpected approaches is exactly what TF Lovelady had in mind as they burst from the woods and drove at full pelt to past the outskirts. Exposing side armour is something of a moot point for Chaffees and Hellcasts - would it pay to rely on speed and surprise?

TF Welborn took a more considered and covered approach across the tracks and into the cover of the Hambach forest:

Inevitably the dash past the Panthers on the US right...

Exacted a toll:

But the rest of TF Lovelady was able to seek cover to the rear of the Panthers, seeking potential side shots:

Whilst on the US left the covered approach left the Tigers wondering whether to leave their covered positions:

But patience paid off as the Easy Eights finally rumbled into view...

Unfortunately for the Tigers their shooting was poor...

And the Easy Eights and Pershing's armour was thick!

But TF Welborn's return shooting rolled high!

Meanwhile the agile TF Lovelady overcame its poor firepower with nifty maneuvering...

 To gain lethal sideshots:

After the lone surviving Tiger failed its last stand test, TF Welborn was also able to creep up on the now distracted Panthers...

Getting rear/side shots of their own! With all the Panthers wiped out, TF Lovelady had a clear run to the Erft canal at the edge of the table.

A clear US victory!

A fast and enjoyable game. But price paid in reality would have been high.

Sources: Both highly recommended!

The Full Mockern!

After last Thursday's half Mockern practice game, on Sunday the Mittagong Garde kindly offered us the time and space to host the full spread. On the left the Prussian team, L-R Cornelius, Amos and Daniel. On the right the French team: L-R Richard, John, Caesar and Rex. 

The French team strongly occupied the villages on their left: Waren and Mockern...

And  deployed their third brigade out on their far right flank, covering the objective on the road to Leipzig.

Their centre was held by a grand battery of 4 Field artillery batteries.

Starting the game 5 victory points down owing to the French occupation of the villages and road objective, the Prussians wasted no time in going forward!

But it seemed the French were also intent on an active defense! However the Prussians were able to quickly occupy Lindenthal for 2 victory points.

This was such a busy and bloody battle, its hard to know how best to recount the action in any kind of order!

Let start with the villages on the French left flank adjacent to the banks of the river Elster.

Occupied by the French, with a further Brigade echeloned out to the right, even the small village of Wahren (just 1 Defensive Terrain Feature 'block', occupied by a single battalion), would be a tough nut to crack!

Heartened by the presence of 'Papa' Blucher, who added a bonus melee dice to every unit in his vicinity, the Prussians wasted no time maneuvering for advantage.

They just knocked on the front door!

It really shouldn't have worked, but it did. Another Victory Point to the Prussians!

But the French weren't having it! Their counter attack retook the village, adding to their VP tally.

The Prussians set up for a second assault slightly more carefully:

And the village changed hands for a third time! By this stage the troops on this western sector of the battlefield had pretty much exhausted their combat potential, and many attrition victory points had been racked up from opposing failed Fortitude tests.

In the centre, the Prussians had been sensibly avoiding the area in front of the French grand battery! 

But they decided they needed to grasp the nettle, so their cavalry headed for the grand battery!

The French horse responded, and the impetuous attack was contained, but not without heavy casualties and ensuing attritional victory points!

As night fell and the exhausted protagonists drew apart, it was revealed that the French had racked up 10 Victory Points, and the Prussians...10 also! As Marshal Ney said of Eylau: 

Quel massacre! Et sans résultat!

However, important results were achieved: above all we had fun and enjoyed the hospitality and great facilities of our new friends at the Mittagong Garde. It was also a useful introduction for some, and practice for others, of the superb Valour & Fortitude rules in preparation for our Ligny mega game in June.