Ardennes 44 continues

Lawrence and I continued our game of Ardennes 44 last week (on the 15th).  I have been tardy in getting it written up.  Work has been a bear this past week...  Enough Whining!  onto the report!

Start of Allied Turn 3

German Left Flank

Center

And Right Flank

Lawrence insisted I get a picture of this.  It is a good indication of how things will go for this session...
Allied 9-6-6 attacks German 3-2-6 that was sitting in the open, and rolls two sixes in a row getting an engaged result (ENG marker should be on the German unit).  I think this was the only possible result not causing a German step loss...

End of Allied Turn 3.

Allied Tank unit is stuck on the wrong side of the river and has nowhere to go.

The unit with the 1 on it (near the middle) is ZOC blocked in position.  Down near the bottom the other stack rolled a 1 (see Lawrence, you didn't roll ALL sixes...) to not gain a Surrender point this turn.

Reinforcements are streaming in and another shot of that battle mentioned earlier.

End of German turn 4

Germans take 2 entry areas in the A,B,C zone.  This will keep Allied reinforcements from entering the map in those sectors.  The Allied tank unit stuck on the wrong side of the river is reduced in this turns fighting.

My panzer unit ZOC blocking the Allied tank went for a Joy ride, leaving the tank unit free to escape DOH!)  On the plus side it makes the Allies position to stop that single unit from winning the game all on its own.

Front line is slowly being pushed forward on the German Right flank.

End of Allied turn 4

Green circles - Allies place units in blocking positions, the can not move out of them (or attack out) till every blocked area has at least 6 defensive factors.  Causing allied reinforcements to wait till being able to enter the map.  Allied units retreat to the river line (green and red lines) and the Tank unit is still stuck on the wrong side of the river and just holds tight (red circle) 

Allies have few units to hold the center.

Allied Left flank (German right) is holding nicely.  Surrounded units are now at the second surrender point - one more and they surrender.

Another pic of the Allied Left flank.

This is actually part of German turn 5 - Allied played insisted, I rolled a LOT of ones this game session.  

It had something to do with this attack but I forget exactly what.  I think the 546 attacked eliminating someone.

And another one... 

OK - managed to surround the allied unit getting a replacement.  This is near the center of the battle zone.

End of German turn 5 (neither player had reserves for a night turn)

The US tank unit is finished off on the Left flank.

Another bout of ones and the Germans get the first D1 result of the game (allowing for Breakthrough combat).  The stack then attacks another allied unit and Bastogne is now in reach!

St Vith still stands - time to start putting pressure on there.  Capturing it eases traffic congestion in the yellow hexes (near the bottom right of the map for example)

Like it says, fighting in this area is seesawing a bit due to Allied and German reinforcements.  Holding this shoulder is probably the best the Germans can hope for while exploiting the hole in the center.

And here the Allies roll another six while attacking a nearly surrounded German unit (Part of Allied turn 5).   

End of Allied turn 5

Airborne units racing to the battle zone.  (this is near the top left of the map from German perspective - bastogne would be just off the picture at the bottom)

The Allies used a strategic move marker to get the arty unit out of danger.  Other units are just holding a river line but will not last long without reinforcement.

The center of the line is very thin.

A 6-7-3 is holding St Vith (also near the center

Allies fell back a couple hexes from the seesaw bridge area but still have strength here.

As the Germans I managed an average Die Roll of 1.5 or so while the Allies managed an average of 5.5 or so.  Extremely lopsided.  Even with that it looks like a long slog to getting a victory and starting on turn 7 fuel shortages start occurring.  Next game is schedule for September 12th!