Welcome to Platoon Forward!

Welcome to the site where the story of the battle is as important as the battle itself. Here we will focus on men thrust into extraordinary situations of life and death. They must lead other men with duty and honor to meet their countries objectives. Some will be blessed with great skill, some will carry great shortcomings. No matter what nation, no matter what war, no matter what theater, they are all called to move their Platoon or Squadron forward!

These are their individual stories as played out using my various campaign rules . Hopefully these stories will entertain and inspire you to use your own troops, airmen and sailors to accomplish your own great heroics.

Friday, June 4, 2010

Neukirchen Feb 1945


Grandparents visited over Memorial Day. Umpired a 2 person Lazy TW&T game between my Dad (german) and my son (american) Fictional battle took place in Neukirchen. Americans orders are to advance to the RatHaus and accept the mayor's surrender. If heavy resistance encoutered attempt to take the town. They are the spearhead of an armored force with follow up reinforcements close on their heels.
The Germans are a platoon of Landsers commanded by Hauptman Robert Vaughn (my dad likes the movie Remagen Bridge) 2 squads have nl moral and 1 has poor morale. You also have a 75mm ATG pulled by an opel truck. Your mission is to advance into the center of Neukirchen. Meet up with a platoon of Volksturm and defend the town. Americans have been reported 30 kilometers away so time is short! You are to become the town commander and have the authority to remove the mayor if need be. Rumor has it he would like to surrender the town if not for the volksturm.
Unknown to Robert Vaughn, the Volksturm platoon is actually an 8 man squad commanded by a Gr I leader. Also unknown to Robert, the americans will enter the south entrance of the board 2 turns before the Wermacht due to the vagaries of the umpire's die!

Center of Town. 4 men hidden in Kirche
4 men with panzerfaust just driven off
roof of warehouse on left.
Where is Robert?
Moments before, the americans, not trusting
the umpire, enter town very cautiously.
Good job son!
The Volksturm quickly melt away under M1 fire. They do delay the americans enough to allow the germans to enter the board. 2 squads quickly make for the Rathaus. The opel truck enters with Robert and a squad and quickly see a Greyhound down the street.
3rd squad quickly abandoning the truck when
faced with an american armored car!
At this point a P-47 enters and strafes the truck/squad and gun. Somehow they all survive
(who wrote those rules? see lardies special) but the men are shaken and run into the brick factory.
The2 german squads gain the Rathaus first and the americans have a hard time breaking in. they finally send a squad around the rear to gain entrance.
Close order fighting in the
grand hallway!
Robert is at the top of the screen
An epic battles wages in the Rathaus for several turns. A german MG jams and the americans managed to get a second squad into the building. Both sides suffer heavy casualties. Ultimately, the landsers are force into the upper left corner of the screen shot above. With 12 americans in the grand hall and a sherman tank and greyhound out front, Robert Vaughn leads his 7 survivors out the windows and down the alleys to escape. They will live to fight on another desperate day. As Robert Vaugh says in Remagen Bridge, "Who is the enemy?"
Great game. My Dad failed to comprehend that the 75mm gun was slow to move and set up once unhooked from the truck. He never got it into action and the greyhound kept the crew under fire.
Germans
3 squads
1 gr IV leader
1 gr III leader 2 gr II leaders
1 75mm gun w truck
1 8 man VG squad SMG armed with PF and gr I leader
Americans
3 squads plus 1 bazooka and 60mm mortar
2 gr III leaders 1 gr II leader 1 gr I leader
1 M8 armored car and 1 jeep with 30 cal MG
1 strafing attack by P-47 will occur during game depending on your rules
1 sherman tank comes as reinforcement on turn 4
Enjoy
Joe




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