A narrative of the scenario described here, played out. The Chain of Command ruleset worked beautifully. The Chain of Command dice added a lot of uncertainty, and the interrupts used by the PIAT team saved the day for the Paras. The narrative flowed naturally from what the dice were doing that day. The mobile patrol inched along except when facing the sentry at the road, so it only make sense that the sentry was in for a dressing-down. The picture above is the Para’s Vickers on overwatch. The picture below, the layout of the ground.
The ground was soft after two days of rain and it squished underfoot as 5 Platoon made its way up to village where the Maquis were sheltering the pilot. The Lt looked as his watch and gave quick and quiet orders and then it all started. The bulk of the platoon stepped into the swollen stream and fought their way slowly through the mud. 2 section made their way to the old stone bridge nearby and quickly hustled over it before dropping to the wet grass. Up ahead, silhoutted by the lights of the town, a sentry lit up a smoke. On the left flank, there was a stone wall with an orchard behind it. Behind that was a German HQ. On the right was an old farm house, and somewhere in the town the pilot.
* * * * *
The oberst laughed loudly as the hauptman got the wine by the window. Karl paused to look outside. It was still raining lightly, which meant that Allied aircover would stay grounded and his troops might have a bit more rest. The reports of resistence fighters in the area was concerning, but he had a platoon out in force tonight. One section beyond the stream, some sentries and roving patrol. Lieutenant Max Schertze had a section with the hanomag, and the mechanics had repaired the STUG and were putting the schurzen plates back on. That should be enough. Karl turned back to the table of officers and forced a smile onto his face.
* * * * *
The unteroffizier moved with a purpose along the stone wall when he saw the young sentry he had posted earlier light up a cigarette. The verdamt fool! He was making himself a target!
* * * * *
2 section watched the German NCO tear into the sentry before leading his patrol down the fence line to the farm to the right. Then it was up and into a ruined house for a bit of cover and a look at their next bound to the old wall ahead.
The Lt pulled himself and the Vickers gunner out of the sucking mud before signalling 1 section to head towards the farm house slowly. He nodded to his sergeant and led the PIAT team up. The sergeant scrambled up the hill and then set up the 2″ mortar and gave the Vickers its arcs.
* * * * *
The unteroffizier was in a mood. After that young fool with the smoke, now another staring into the farmhouse instead of looking out towards the stream. He cursed him out and the troops on his patrol sighed and didn’t see the Brits crawling up. Another curse and the NCO ordered his patrol up and back to the main road where the sentry had lit up ANOTHER cigarette! The MG gunner wondered aloud where he got them all…
* * * * *
2 section lined up along the old tall stone wall. The section commander saw the sentry struggle to light his smoke and turn his back to the wind. Now! The section moved through the gap in the wall.
As the patrol moved up the unteroffiziersmacked the cigarette out of the sentry’s hand and then paused. The old MG gunner shook his head at the sentry as the unteroffizier shouted, “ALARM!” Tommies were moving through the wall into the forest – and towards the HQ! Quick, back to the town!
* * * * *
The Lt heard the shout and 1 section followed his lead and their fire smashed into the farmhouse and the inattentive sentry outside of it. Up and over the fence. PIAT team to swing left and 1 section right. The sky lit up.
The platoon sergeant saw the para-flare streak up and the roving patrol dash down the road. He calmly told the 2″ to drop smoke on the far side of the wall. Then the Vickers was signalled and the sentry by the road jerked and fell, his outstretched hand seemingly reaching towards the cigarette in the mud.
* * * * *
Karl’s head pivoted sharply at the sound of gunfire. A squad testing its weapons the Oberst suggested. Then again. This time it sounded like a heavy machine gun, much slower than his own MG42s.
Karl stood up and moved to the window. The rest of the officers laughed and carried on drinking the wine.
* * * * *
The patrol moved at the double as the gunfire rang out behind them. To the left smoke rounds from the mortar hid what seemed to be a full platoon of Tommies. The corner store had good sight lines. If they could make it there they could hold long enough for the rest of the company to come up. The sky went dark as the flare burnt out.
* * * * *
Crossing the farm’s fence, the PIAT team took a bound in the darkness into the rough ground by the farmhouse and crouched behind a large wheelbarrow. Another paraflare went up and a smoke round landed ahead of them to the right to shield 1 Section. The two men leapt over the wheelbarrow but tripped up and rolled on the ground. By the time they found their feet, an MG42 opened up and killed the loader as the team lead tried to bury himself in a furrow and cursed himself for joining up.
* * * * *
The unteroffizier smiled grimly. The Tommies had gone to ground when his patrol opened fire. His men were watching the crossroads from inside the old store. There was some smoke covering some movement to the left, but the QRF must be on the way.
* * * * *
As the para-flare flickered out the Lieutenant was already in the hanomag and the rest of the troops were climbing on the STUG. Another paraflare went up as the QRF stopped by the HQ. Lieutenant Max Schertze looked at the terrifed sentry and bit back an angry remark. He quickly ordered him to watch the woods with the STUG. Then he bent down and the hanomag shot down the road towards the crossroad. The trooops on the STUG dismounted and doubled up the street. The heavy assault gun pivoted to the right and then loaded HE.
* * * * *
The sound of gunfire came closer. That was definitely a ’42. Karl holstered his pistol and turned to the table. “Mein oberst, it is time to return to the field headquarters.”
The oberst grew red in the face and stormed to the window and pushed it open to see a hanomag stream by, followed by troops dismounting from a STUG which traversed to face the woods across the street. A mortar shell screamed in the air and exploded nearby. He drew a deep breath.
“Very well, we will depart. A pity about the wine though…”
* * * * *
The platoon sergeant grimaced as the 2″ mortar missed its mark and scattered roof tiles across the crossroads. The sound of armour was clear in the damp night air. The Lt and the boys better be quick. At least some of the platoon were hit by the blast of MG42 fire from crossroads, hopefully they were just wounded though.
* * * * *
The smoke rounded landed in the open area to their left and 1 Section dashed forward and crossed the main road as the shadows of vehicles could be seen moving near 2 section.
“Damn.”
“Sergeant?”
“It’s okay corporal, let’s get our zoomy and get out of here.”
* * * * *
The Germans had dismounted from the Hanomag and were busy deploying into the crossroads. The armoured vehicle raced towards the lone member of the PIAT team, its MG opening fire. The Lt was sheltered by the corner of the farmhouse and ducked as the rounds came towards him and the PIAT. “Take it out!” he yelled. The PIAT streaked out and hit the front of the half-track, blowing up and causing the vehicle to catch fire. The MG gunner was hit by shrapnel and hung limply from the side of the vehicle.
“Good man!” shouted the Lt, making his way over.
He ducked instinctively as the shot rang out, but it was his own sniper, bagging the unteroffizier at the crossroads. There was shouting and no more MG fire for a moment. Maybe this would go better than he thought.
* * * * *
The smoke round blanketed the edge of the wood on the other side of the crossroads. The oberst had climbed into the staff car nearby and was giving directions to the driver. The sentry thought he heard something about “rapid fire” and at the edge of the ruined townhall he saw bursts of flame and the staff car screeched to a halt as soon as it started. He fired back towards the muzzle flashes, but too high. The oberst threw the door open and tried to run but was cut down by the Tommies. The STUG started to life, too late, and its MG cut into the troops in the woods, one of them falling lifeless.
* * * * *
Lieutenant Max Schertze moved his troops up, and deployed them quickly, attracting some fire from a Vickers nearby. His men were disciplined though, and in no time his section had shaken out and had laid down an impressive amount of fire. 2 machine guns plus the FJs FG42s cut into the Tommies on the hill and dropped first one, then another, and then the Vickers and the nearby mortar team went silent. Max stared into the night as he heard gunfire to his right. The ‘Hano’ was down but he had the initiative. Then the STUG’s MG opened up in response to some bolt action firing…
* * * * *
The MG kicked up an awful mess as the STUG lurched towards them. “Right boys, let’s get out of here!” 2 Section took off through the trees. No one went back for the body of their buddy as the STUG rev’ed up and began to crash through the trees. The squad doubled through the woods and leapt through the gap in the stone wall as the STUG’s MG continued to fire at them. A PIAT round exploded just beside the STUG and the tank destroyer traversed left and began to seek out the PIAT team. As 2 Section went to ground near the stream they heard and then saw the STUG go up in flames.
* * * * *
“Good man!” The Lt shouted. A hanomag and a STUG destroyed by one wounded man. Just the help they needed to get out of there without more casualties. 2 section was covering the retreat as 1 section and the sqn leader and resistance fighters made their way to the muddy stream to cross over in the darkness. His platoon sergeant was dead, as were the rest of his HQ section, save for the sniper who hurried up, bloodied and shaking his head.
“Over the stream now, quickly!”
* * * * *
Lieutenant Max Schertze swore loudly. 1 dead unteroffizier, 2 dead sentries, plus the driver and gunner of the hanomag. The crew from the STUG survived, but his company commander was now left with little armoured support. At least they cost the Tommies. 9 dead, several wounded. Expensive for a pilot, especially when the Allies had so damn many of them…