Flames of War: 2 DB at Dompaire - Pt.2 - Breakout?

In the previous blog post, we covered the history, terrain and preparations of the Free French 2nd Armoured Division's astounding victory over the 112th Panzer Brigade in and around Dompaire, Lorraine, in September '44. Part 1 - Advance to Contact

A Panther tank company are attempting to escape the closing trap by reaching two objectives up on the high ground above the villages in the valley which they presently occupy. On the western flank a platoon has just had a narrow escape from an allied airstrike as they were leaving the village of Lavieville, and they are now determined to keep off the roads and tracks (else the French get to re-roll their call for air)..

Daringly, a 75mm Sherman platoon of the 12eme Regiment de Chasseurs d' Afrique (RCA) have pushed forward from their hull down safety back up on the ridge in their impatience to close with the enemy, taking up positions in the hedges and treelines that edge the valley...

Despite their inexperience, the Panthers make short work of these daredevils...

And push on through the fields to rejoin the other platoon and company HQ. Coming under fire from the M10s of the Regiment Blinde de Fusiliers Marin (RBFM) in the woods up on the ridge line, they reply in kind...

Out on the eastern side of the table, the other group of Panthers are having more luck as they exit the village...A second airstrike again fails to do any damage.

But as they approach the edge of the fields, they too find a reception committee waiting...

And the RCA tankers on this side of the table are just as enterprising as their comrades, but perhaps a little more crafty - a platoon dashes forward to take up flanking positions - even a 75mm ought to be able to penetrate the side armour of a Panther!

However their pluck and guile are severely punished..

A shot from the RBFM finally manages to penetrate a Panther before the troop is destroyed. 

The 112th Panzer Brigade is approaching the near objective en-masse...is it time for Commandant Massu to reveal his ambush of 76mm armed Shermans?

However help arrives from the sky once again..

Resulting in another Panther destroyed!

The 76mm platoon spring their ambush from their hull-down positions on the ridge...

And obtain 3 kills!

A fourth airstrike wreaks more havoc...

In the inferno of ambush fire and airstrike, only 2 Panthers survive - but they are perilously close to the objective...

However Commandant Massu has not been idle. He and his 2i/c have manoeuvered their command Shermans to the edge of the wood on the approach to the unprotected objective. One lucky side shot from the deputy dawg brews up C/S 122...

Then the 76mm platoon account for the last survivor, C/S 124...

Panzer Brigade 112 comes to a fiery standstill just short of the objectives, trapped by the steel arms of Groupement Tactique Langlade (GTL) of the Free French 2nd Armored Division. Close, but no cigar!