Bucha, Ukraine - 27 Feb 2022 - 15mm
H-Hour +1 Hour ... A Ray of Hope?
Turn Five is now complete, putting us at one full hour after H-Hour on Omaha Beach.
Wave three is now ashore, and finally the American losses in initial landings are starting to slacken off. Almost all German artillery is now silenced or at least suppressed, sharply reducing the rate of wholesale butchery taking place on those bloody sands. A handful of German “wiederstandnester” strongpoints have also been taken, American infantry and even some tanks are now up off the beach and atop the bluffs. But other strongpoints remain in place and continue to exact a grim toll on American units trying to assault them, and also further assault waves still hitting the beach.
American air power is now more or less exhausted, although surviving P-47 Thunderbolts can still linger and attack light targets with machine guns.
But dare we say … there are a few rays of hope?
The far western shoulder of Omaha Beach at the end of Turn 04. A full-strength naval gunfire strike did NOTHING to the Germans in WN71, even as “C” Company / 2nd Rangers and some survivors from “A” Company / 116th manage to launch the first close assault through the German trench system supporting the flanks of WN71. 
Further east, we see the game’s first successful armor overrun, with two platoons of 743rd Tank Battalion smashing German infantry in the trenches flanking WN66 overlooking Easy Green. Other assaults and overruns at WN 68 have not been so successful. 
On the far eastern shoulder of Omaha, 16th RCT / 1st Infantry Division is simply pouring firepower into WN 61 and simply blowing it apart. Tanks and “M16” AA halftracks (x4 .50 caliber machine guns, and that’s a platoon of five such vehicles) have cleared the German fortification hex, then occupied by American infantry in the movement phase. Some vehicles have the ability to move after they fire, which is why some of the “fire arrows” seem to be coming from empty beach hexes. Those units fired and then moved later in the turn. 
Other parts of the attack aren’t going so well. German 2.0cm flak (both a quad-array battery and more mounted on SdKfz-10/4 halftracks) have shot down not one but TWO P-47 counters (up to four aircraft in all). But one bombing mission finally bot in and finally silenced this regimental battery of 15.0 cm mortars. 
Dog Green and Dog White beaches at the end of Turn Five, ONE HOUR into the Normandy assault. They are tightening the noose on WN71, but it’s still causing casualties as the Americans struggle up the Vierville bluffs. The third wave is ashore (“C” and “D” Companies / 116th RCT) but as you see, landings are still chaotic.
After P-47s drop bombs, they can linger on the board for four turns and make strafing attacks with their guns. 30 = their bomb attack (once), 3 = their MG attack (four times). These guys are massing for a huge strafing attack on German battalion 8.0cm mortars and a 2.0cm FlaK pit. Each counter = x2 planes, and each plane carried x6 .50 cal HMGs. So that’s 120 .50 cals coming in hot! Yeah, those German light artillery positions are toast. 
At Easy Red beach, there is a moment of hope! Two platoons of engineers hand made it to the block covering the “Easy One” draw. Technically those two Sherman platoons at lower left hold the objective (yellow target icon) but the Americans don’t get the victory point for it until the blow the block and open the draw OFF THE BEACH. This is two chances at a 1-2 on a d6 (one roll for each platoon). But neither succeed. The charges go off but the blocks remain in place (historically some of these concrete blocks were up to 50 feet deep in places). 
Further east, at the very edge of the assault zone, there comes the first REAL CRACK in the Omaha Atlantic Wall. One platoon from “A” Company / 37th Engineer Combat Battalion has reached the block at “Easy Three” draw and blown it sky friggin’ high with a successful 1-2 roll on a d6. Meanwhile, the weapons section from “Ida” Company / 3rd Battalion / 16th RCT / 1st Infantry Division has occupied the objective hex at the other side of the draw. THAT’S IT! The first draw is open! 
Once again, I’m amazed by the ability of Panzer Leader to recreate such an accurate simulation, with considerable help from you of course! Totally enthralled by this game!
Thanks very much, @cpauls1 – yeah, Panzer Leader Situation 02 in the original box set (Omaha Beach) doesn’t do a bad job. It’s basically half the size of this one (using the original 250-meter hexes). The drawback is they were limited in how many boards they could include in the physical box, so the same “Board B” had to be used for both Omaha Beach and Gold Beach (Scenario 03). But it’s a solid approximation, most of the special rules, especially for landing and for 2-turn delay for calling in naval gunfire support, are ported over directly from the original… Read more »
I’ve always been a disciple (since I was 14!)… just don’t have time to reproduce all the yummy counters and boards you left on my hard drive when you were here!
I’m really pinched for time these days but will absolutely jump in one day on a mega game. I’m thinking the Ardennes would be a good large scale romp, but limited for maneuver room. I enjoyed the Goodwood scenario in Panzer Leader, but guessing it could be expanded upon.
@templar007 The game is worth the money… whatever they’re charging now!
Goodwood was indeed a favorite, @cpauls1 , as well as Utah Beach (the para landings), although for that one we have to use the airborne “Para Leader” rules expansion where you start off with scattered sticks (“mini counters” with AF of just “1”) and have to condense them into actual platoons.
But yes, many of the Bulge games were great as well – @amphibiousmonster and I used to like Patton’s Counterattack.
In the coming weeks we MIGHT do a St Lo, Cobra, or Caen-themed game, reflecting more of the fight-thru deeper into hedgerow country behind the beaches.
@oriskany is Panzer Leader still being produced?
If one is thinking about getting into it, where does one start?
Complex question, @templar007. 1) No. Avalon Hill stopped producing Panzer Leader way back in the early 1980s. 2) Yes … sort of? Multiman Publishing technically has the license but haven’t done anything with it in decades besides making a truly terrible “Panzer Leader Hill of Death” reboot. 3) Yes … sort of. Sites like Gregpanzerblitz.com, ImaginativeStrategist.com, BrianTrain, PatStorto.com, are keeping the flame alive much the way “Battlefleet Gothic” is kept alive by the community after GW stopped supporting the line. There are also releases by Tosach Miniatures’ Tactical Combat Middle East (TCME – Panzer Leader for 1991 / 2003 Gulf… Read more »
I’ll have to keep an eye out for that if it happens.
Now I’m off to scout eBay and brace myself for sticker shock. ?????
No worries, @templar007 , glad you liked the stream. Send me you e-mail address and I cans end some of the older 1980s Panzer Leader materials, see if it’s the thing for you. 😀