The Iron Riders' Road East: Part 3 - Screening the Engineers

The platoon had just enough time to grab some replacements from the depot before being sent back out into the fight. A detachment of engineers were going to be clearing mines from a key supply route as the division was preparing to jump into a full scale incursion into the Hurtgen Forest. 1st Platoon, Baker was tasked with the job - at worst there might be a small German patrol to fend off. It must be obvious by now to the Germans that a large attack is on the way, and they were probably digging in and preparing defenses. 

With Red Kingsley wounded, and his squad shaken and full of replacements now, Lt. Rourke thought he should just take 2nd and 3rd squads out. Hennings and 2nd squad were hard, seasoned. Cpl. Frank Malloy and 3rd squad could perhaps be blooded and get some experience against some Jerries. 

2nd Lt. Jacob "Jake" Rourke - interested in working his way through the ranks to best provide for his family back home. Bold but inexperienced. 

Staff Sgt. Michael "Micky" Delaney - Fond of a tipple, he has seen a lot. Aged 29 he is the old man of the platoon, the backbone, and trusted by all.

Squad leader - 2nd Squad: Cpl. Walter "Walt" Hennings - An aggressive patriot, will stop at nothing to fight for the cause of freedom. Admired and feared. 

Squad leader - 3rd Squad: Cpl. Frank Malloy  - promoted after the death of Sgt. Bandowicz. Inept and in it for himself, this man is unpopular. 

The platoon would split in two. Part would advance into the fields and sit tight. They would engage any patrols who they found. The other half would advance quickly up the hill and occupy the wooded area at the top. This would provide cover and great fields of fire at any German patrols. 

Advancing up the hill would be Hennings and 2nd squad. They had an attached .30 cal team to help pack a punch. 

Malloy and 3rd squad would take the less dangerous task of sitting in the field and detering any advancing patrols. Lt. Rourke would head up the hill, but keep an eye out on Malloy in the field. 

As Rourke and Hennings charged up the hill, they noticed movement. There was a patrol up in the hills! And they were closer than the Americans would have liked. 

Malloy had his BAR team sit tight in the field further forward, and his rifles in another. They would sit at the edge and respond to orders as needed. 

The true extent of the German patrol became clear! A rag-tag group. A cobbled together platoon with a couple of rifle squads and a ton of machine guns! Where they had found two MG42s was a mystery, but they were holding onto them. They had even managed to comandeer an Sdkfz 222! 

One rifle team and an MG42 targetted Henning's rifle team with a devastating hail of fire! 

One man went down in a bloody mist, the rest hit the ground! Cpl. Hennings, hunched but mobile, grabbed them by the scruffs of their necks, kicked, shouted, pointed, and got them back into the fight!

The entire of 2nd squad laid down enough fire onto the German rifle team that they hit the dirt and kept their heads down, heavily suppressed!

Rourke and his squad charged another MG42 team, forcing them out of position! No casualties!

Henning's squad took more fire from an MG42 team, taking another casualty! Again Hennings dragged them off their bellies and back into the firefight! This man is a true american hero!

The German platoon leader and his rifle team charged down the .30 cal team, forcing them to head back out of the woods!

Rourke's team took fire from the rest of the Germans in the woods, but nothing stuck. Too many trees in the way. This was absolutely desperate fighting at short ranges. 

The Sdkfz 222 trundled around the hilltop, looking to flank the platoon.

 It spotted Malloy's squad and opened fire, killing a man and pinning the BAR team. 

Rourke kept the desperate close range firefight going in the woods, killing a German but no-one was ready to retreat yet. His radio-operator got on the radio to find out about the progress of the Engineers. They were almost done! He just had to hold on for a little while!

Hennings had his rifle team follow him around the back of the woods in an attempt to secure them from another angle. His BAR team exchanged fire with the Germans and unfortunately took a casualty!

The radio crackled - the minefield was cleared. It was time to begin a fighting retreat! 1st platoon had taken a bit of a mauling but had succeeded.

Frank Malloy and 3rd squad held the field and laid down covering fire as Rourke and Hennings led their men down the hill and back to US lines. The brass would be pleased that the mine-clearing was a success. 1st platoon might even get a couple of days' rest before the division jumped off! 

In game mechanic terms, Hennings was insane! 2nd squad took a lot of hits from the MG42 and rifle team. They failed seven morale tests across two turns. Hennings led from the front seven times and every time they rallied and passed the morale test. Any time I rolled a 1 he would be dead - but he didn't die!

This wasn't the best fight for the platoon. Luckily Staff Sgt. MIckey Delaney managed to whisper to the correct people and the whole platoon managed to get pulled back from the front line for 4 days. This enabled them to settle in a full complement of replacements, and attempt to get them in any way combat ready. No squads would be shaken or have any negative effects from the previous battles. In fact, Lt. Rourke, on the back of a few successful missions is feeling confident. His morale is increasing! I will allow him to reroll a morale test, or have a bonus on any breaking point tests next battle.  

In other news an NPC will be tagging along next mission. 

Platoon Morale: 1
Replacement Points: 7

Reputation: 1

Platoon HQ squad: 2XP (at 3xp they become hardened and can have a free reroll of a morale test)

2nd Squad: 2XP

3rd Squad: 1XP - Nice to see Malloy not screw the pooch.

The Iron Riders' Road East: Part 2 – Raid at the listening post

Welcome back. I have been working on actually creating characters and personalities for the leaders in this platoon. And creating a platoon. Since I am using ASW I am slightly adapting it for my needs. 

A US infantry platoon consists of:
4 individual leaders, and one adjutant.
4 Rifle teams of 5 men
3 BAR teams of 4 men
I can have a bazooka. 

I am organising it as such: Each rifle and BAR team share a squad leader (x3).
This leaves me with one extra rifle team and one leader - this will then be the platoon HQ squad. I am toying with including a 5th officer as a platoon sergeant, but wonder if he can be a more vague concept. I like the idea of him providing a generic boost once in a while. 

There are three platoon campaign stats that I will follow:
1. Platoon morale. This number increases and decreases with success/failure. It allows a bonus on any breaking point tests made. 

2. Replacement points. Starting with 6 per battle, I can spend them to replace soldiers and teams. 

3. Reputation points. I earn these with successes. I then spend them on extra support resources, even ones that are not allowed on that mission. 

Meet the Platoon:
2nd Lt. Jacob "Jake" Rourke - interested in working his way through the ranks to best provide for his family back home. Bold but inexperienced. 

Staff Sgt. Michael "Micky" Delaney - Fond of a tipple, he has seen a lot. Aged 29 he is the old man of the platoon, the backbone, and trusted by all.

Squad leader - 1st Squad: Roger "Red" Kingsley - One of the few pre-Normandy men left he is a steady hand, a family man who wants to get through this and get home to his dearest. 

Squad leader - 2nd Squad: Cpl. Walter "Walt" Hennings - An aggressive patriot, will stop at nothing to fight for the cause of freedom. Admired and feared. 

Squad leader - 3rd Squad: Cpl. Sgt. Frank Malloy  - promoted after the death of Sgt. Bandowicz. Inept and in it for himself, this man is unpopular. 

These are the leaders of 1st Platoon, Baker Company, 327th Infantry Battalion ("The Iron Riders"). This line infantry battalion was raised from a mix of Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Indiana National Guard cadres and trained in Camp Wheeler, Georgia. After final workups in England in Spring 1944, the battalion crossed into France in the throes of Operation Cobra, spending much of August and September catching up with the front lines. Now, in late September 1944 they are being thrown into the fight on the Westwall, where they are probing and preparing to fight their way through the Hürtgen Forest and over the Rhine.

Current Situation:
The platoon was sent to clear a wooded hilltop that overlooked a key supply route. During this battle there were some casualties but the mission was a success. 

Now recon forces have identified a German listening post tracking US movement along the edge of the forest, located just on the other side of the hill. Major Brill has ordered its destruction to blind local defences before renewed attacks. Baker 1st Platoon — blooded in the recent clearing of Hill 73 — has been assigned the raid. Lt. Rourke decided to take 1^st and 2^nd squads take care of this, as 3^rd squad was still reeling from the loss of Sgt. Bandowicz while taking that damned hill.

The plan would involve having 1st squad's rifle team held in reserve, just in case. Somehow Major Brill had scrounged up some support from an M5. A little mobile MG bunker would be useful.

On the left flank the M5 and 1st squad's BAR team would advance across the field. In the centre Lt. Rourke would provide covering fire from the edge of the wooded hill, along with an attached .30 cal MMG team. On the right flank Walt Hennings and 2nd squad would rain fire down from the hilltop and advance when possible. German forces would be hiding in spots to protect the listening post.

Upon entering the woods Walt Hennings and 2nd squad come under fire from a couple of German rifle squads. They hit the dirt and find other cover. 

An MG42 team in the farm complex spots Red Kingsley and his BAR team in the field. They open fire...

...and pin them down! Kingsley, in his attempts to grab his men and move them forward gets hit and crumples to the ground! 

Lt. Rourke and his squad charge into the flank of one of the German squads in the woods, pouring fire into them! 

The yellow dice are hits, you roll 1D6 per person, plus extras for certain things. For every hit you roll for casualties: the red 1s and 2s. The Germans, taking more hits and casualties lose and will suffer a -3 modifier to the following morale test, which makes it essentially unpassable. Because they took over 50% casualties, and failed the morale test, the squad is wiped out. 

Just across the way, Walt Hennings and his squad engage in a firefight. This time, the German leader manages to rally what remains of the squad and they make a withdrawl. The plan is to retreat as fast as possible to the listening post and hook up with anyone there. 

Kingsley's BAR team moves up to the hedgerow. The .30 cal team and the M5 launch a hail of fire at the MG42 team at the farm. This heavily suppresses them, and with no leader around, they will have to try and unsuppress themselves. 

They succeed! They manage to pop their heads up long enough to send a stream of tracers up the hill to pin down the .30 cal team! Out of shot, the remnants of the German squad from the woods continues retreating down the hill and across the field.

The M5 and BAR team in the field continue firing into the farm, attempting to knock out the MG42 team! 

One of the crew is killed, and the remaining team drop to the ground, heavily suppressed. 

Lt. Rourke and Hennings' men advance to the edge of the woods and begin pouring fire into the listening post. 

A squad of Germans at the listening post take some fire, but it is ineffective. The survivors from the woods keep retreating. The MG42 team continues to remain suppressed. 

The .30 cal team takes fire from the squad at the listening post. But again, it is not enough to cause a problem. 

Hennings and his men keep pouring fire into the listening post. 

They are pinned down and the squad leader is killed trying to rally them!

With the MG42 team suppressed, the BAR team and the M5 break out of cover and advance towards the farm.

Lt. Rourke and his men leave the cover of the woods to begin charging down the hill at the listening post. They take a scattering of fire, but it is wild and inaccurate.

The MG42 team manages to gather themselves together enough to send off some bursts at the BAR team - caught in the open they break and run!

The M5 and Lt. Rourke's team pour enough fire into the farm to finally break the MG42 team! They leave the gun and run!

Henning's team, who have been covering the open area and trying to keep German heads down, keep firing. This suppression is meant to help Lt. Rourke advance!

It works! The survivors from the woods take heavy fire and their squad leader goes down trying to drag them to the listening post!

Lt. Rourke and his men charge down the hill! Bayonets fixed!

They charge through ineffective, weak resistance!

The M5 advances behind the listening post. With Lt. Rourke and his men closing in, and heavy suppressive fire coming from the .30 cal team and Hennings' 2nd squad, the remaining Germans call it a day. With nowhere to go, they throw down their weapons and accept that for them the war is now over. 

With a successful raid, Major Brill is happy. The breaking of 1st squad was not great, but they were caught before going too far. Shaken, they will be back in the fight after a little rest just off the line. Red Kingsley, while wounded, was not dead. In fact, he was barely wounded. When going down he ended up hitting his head and was knocked out more than riddled with bullets. He would be patched up and ready to go for their next assignment, albeit with a squad who were shaken up a bit. 

The success of Cpl. Henning and his leadership of his squad has helped build his reputation for competance. In game terms I will allow him one free reroll of a failed Lead from the Front action each game from now on. 1st Platoon has also begun developing a reputation as a platoon that gets the job done. 

Platoon Morale: 1
Replacement Points: 6

Reputation: 1

Platoon HQ squad: 1XP (at 3xp they become hardened and can have a free reroll of a morale test)

2nd Squad: 1XP

Next battle planned.

US probe into Hürtgen Forest - Giving A Sergeant's War a whirl after 6 years

After deciding that my campaign to follow the King's Hampshire Fusiliers would be better suited to the ruleset A Sergeant's War, it became apparent that I would need individually based leaders. These I do not have for my British forces, so while I hastily threw some NCOs onto some coins and sprayed them white, I will have to wait for enough time to paint them, in order to continue my campaign. I did, however, remember that I actually have leaders based and ready to go for my US and Wehrmacht forces - time for a game to refresh my memories of the rules. 

A wooded hill overlooks a key road. There are Germans in those woods and the Ol' Man wants them gone so this road can be used as a supply route to support a push into the Hürtgen Forest. An experienced platoon has been tasked with clearing the highground. They have been given a Sherman to blast away at the forest, and an M8 Greyhound for some recon support. 

The coloured dice represent possible locations of German units. Yellow is likely infantry squads, purple is MG/mortar/support teams. The two orange are possible armoured support. When LOS is made, I will roll up what they are. 

The extreme left flank has a couple of BAR teams and a rifle squad. In the woods is a rifle squad.

On the right flank we have another squad and BAR team while the Sherman and M8 cautiously advance up the road. One squad, with a bazooka are being held in reserve to plug any gaps or push any advantage.

Atop the hill, as US infantry advances a German rifle squad opens fire to no effect. The Pak 40 tracks the Greyhound...

...and turns it into so much scrap metal, or Schrott as the Pak crew would say. Not a great start for the Americans. 

The Sherman veers off the road and lays down some HE at the woods, pinning the Pak40 crew. (They would immediately unpin at the start of their turn, so it didn't really do anything). The platoon begins a general advance with some squads trying to lay down covering fire, but it is not effective.

On the extreme left flank an MG34 team begins peppering the hedgerows with fire.

One bullet managed to strike home, killing one of the GIs. 

On the extreme right flank, in a field, hugging the hedgerow, another German squad takes the chance to catch some GIs in the open.

This squad takes a few hits, becoming pinned!

The Pak 40 team miss the Sherman.

The Americans in the centre rain fire down on the hilltop, heavily suppressing the rifle team and killing an NCO in the process.

On the left flank they also manage to pin down the MG34 team.

Emboldened by this a BAR team begins to make a dash up the slope, hoping to clear the woods at closer range. If the Germans can't unpin themselves, then they are basically combat ineffective. At the start of the German turn, they try and unpin, and fail.

Another BAR team makes a run to try and outflank the MG34 team by the barn.

The Pak 40 got a glancing shot on the Sherman, pinning it. The Germans in the field on the right flank, out of shot here, keep the Americans on the road pinned in the open. 

The BAR team charged at the German squad, causing it to break. More ineffective fire is exchanged. 

The Pak 40 finally sends enough fire to send the Sherman crew into a panic, they turn and run, although they recover enough to not leave the battle. They don't actually take any further part in the fight though. 

On the left hand side of the wooded hill, and MG42 team makes its presence known. 

But the fire goes wide and the US squad makes gains towards the barn.

US squads down by the road continue trying to suppress the to MG teams - to no avail.

The Pak 40 - the German MVP this game launches some HE and pins a rifle squad. While trying to rally them the NCO takes a fatal wound, knocking him down. 

The MG42 team pins down a BAR squad on the road, causing a casualty.

The BAR team who charged to the woods, opens up on the Pak 40 crew, killing one and sending the rest into panic. They abandon the gun and run.

Hurling themselves over the hedgerow, the BAR team on the left flank engages with the MG34 in a fire fight, breaking them and sending them retreating. At this point the Germans called it a day, with just two MG teams, it seemed like the best bet would be to regroup further back. 

I haven't really done any campaign events or work for this. The mission was straight out of Platoon Forward. I should spend some time putting together a US platoon and some narratives for them. I do want to do better in terms of seeing campaigns through. This week I will probably come up with some stuff and play another game Friday night. 

A Sergeant's War - I really like it. It has that feel of small scale combat - the sort of heroic platoon who have been tossed a tank to help them punch a hole in a line narrative. I honestly really enjoyed this game. I like that casualties aren't super common, but happen often enough. I forgot that my GIs had an extra suppressing attack. If I compare to Battlegroup where you choose EITHER suppressing fire OR fire for casualties, I like that they are both in one with ASW. 

Next game I would like to experiment a little with off board artillery fire and maybe even smoke. Of course, that will all depend on how the dice land when rolling up the next mission via Platoon Forward.