Stolberg Corridor - Day Two

Perhaps not the most perfect recreation of the battlefield from the previous session, but certainly a good fit.  This game saw Simon (US player) and I continue the campaign.  Day one can be found here: https://onesidedminiaturewargamingdiscourse.blogspot.com/2024/03/stolberg-corridor-day-one.html

This is the map used for Day Two.  Germans set up in rows 13 to 15 with two units further forward in row 11 adjacent to Zweifal.  Aachen, which is to the left of, but includes the two left hand built up areas on rows 10 and 11 required 3 units of US infantry to cover it off map.  This major city also means that the adjacent hexes were prohibited to US troops.  This makes for a very narrow front, as be fits a corridor.

The deployment.

The US are very crowded while the there are gaps in the German lines as we shall see.  There is also the 47th Regiment, 9th US Division to enter, lower right-hand corner.  German reinforcements will not arrive until near the end of the day.  I expected it to be a quick game, but Simon's ability to regularly roll 1s and produce abortive combat outcomes, saved the day for the Germans.

The view from Stolberg after the US second turn 

(Note: the first turn for both sides had been completed at the end of the first/previous session).  

First of many attacks against the 105th Panzer brigade holding a line of pillboxes in high ground.

The start of fighting to clear the pillboxes before Ellendorff.

While objectives hadn't been specified,

capturing Ellendorf and the high ground behind it

was essential to sealing of Aachen.

Continued attack towards Ellendorff.

The pillbox line under attack again.

The 105th Panzer Brigade continues to be hammered,

but more concerning a battalion of US infantry has worked its way through the marsh,

outflanking the town of Busbach and capturing part of the pillbox line.

Another attack towards Ellendorff.

This is the situation after the third or fourth US turn,

they have been able to breakthrough using movement rather than combat,

Ellendorff again.

The ridge and Busbach.

Rinse and repeat

Something different, an attack on Zweifal by the US 9th Division.

Ellendorff and attack on the pillboxes covering Stolberg.

The 105th Panzer Brigade still holding out,

but a more threatening attack developing to their rear.

Zweifal remains in German hands.

At this stage the German position on the left has been isolated.

It just remains for the US to tighten the noose. 

It's a bit hard to tell who is who so I've drawn in the front lines:

With the exception of the intrusions on the left and centre, the front line hasn't changed much.

The hashed area is where US zones of control isolate the German defenders.

But the 9th Panzer Division will arrive soon...

The renewed attacks on Ellendorff from the US perspective.

And attacks on the ridge taken from the US side.

The defenders of Zweifal still holding out.

The US still trying to clear the way to Ellendorff.

The ridge takes another pounding and there is also an attack to isolate Vicht.

The US keep attacking.

Zweifal keeps holding out.

The noose tightens on the Germans defending the ridge.

9th Panzer arrive and make an attack!

This is such a rarity it deserves two photos,

and yes, the hill was an oversight when we set things up.

The German attack achieved nothing.

The US finally capture Zweifal.

The ridge holds but it is surrounded.

Ellendorff and the heights remain in German hands.

These two photos will be used to recreate the battlefield for Day Three.

The final position as seen from the US side.

The night turn saw both the US and Germans use saved Ops dice as Support Points to rebuild units.  Without any coordination this just happened to be six units each leaving the Germans with 3 Ops dice and the US 2 for the next day (15 September 1944).