Section Leaders:
Fionn Kelly & Madmatt

Riesberg

German – Riesberg
Turn 7

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ORDERS FOR SEVENTH MINUTE

 Klappert is to continue firing at the US infantry that are circling the town’s left side, while Schafer’s newly arrived reinforcements are to station themselves in the thick patch of woods between the main part of the town and the 2 barns behind. From there he can stop the troops that are trying to flank my positions, as well as contribute fire to the center part of town. Heinrich will fire his last smoke shell at the advancing tanks; anything I can do to keep them from contributing to the town battle will help.

The situation in the center part of town is critical indeed. Lamp’s third squad will likely be overwhelmed by the US squad engaging it in hand-to-hand combat, while Lamp is being fired on by another squad. His second squad is also engaged, but Hermanns’ Panzerschreck team is to move farther back, otherwise he will be destroyed by the US infantry that will almost certainly own this part of town soon. I want him to try to get back into the same patch of woods as Schafer, from there to fire at US tanks he might see. He will have no opportunity to shoot from where he is now.

Meister’s platoon, along with Thieser and Eymer’s machine guns, as yet unscathed, are  to continue firing at the US infantry advancing on the town’s front left. The heavy SMG squad is able to fire on the US infantry that are currently fighting Lamp’s third platoon; perhaps their assistance will make a difference. Ploebsch cannot get a good shot on any enemy tanks, so I want him to get out of that building in case the Americans either rush it or level it. Once he’s out, Ploebsch can re-deploy into the heavy woods currently sheltering Meister; if the Americans bring their tanks further in he will have a shot.

Machen’s mortar can see some targets to the immediate left of the road, so I order him to engage them. Hopefully these are command or support elements. Beerbauer is to rotate his gun and watch this same area; he cannot quite see any of the targets that Machen can, but if Machen’s fire forces the US infantry to move, Beerbauer will shell them.

ACTION IN SEVENTH MINUTE

 Lt. Lamp is killed only a few seconds into this minute, and his remaining 2 squads break and flee to the rear of Riesberg. The third squad is eliminated before it gets ten meters, but the second is at the rearmost row of buildings. I might be able to save them, but they are useless as combat troops. If I can give them orders again, I’ll have them hole up in the heavy woods behind the town along with Schafer.

Amazingly, Klappert is still at his gun, along with a loader, and they manage to fire a few bursts at the US infantry to the town’s left. Klappert’s men will certainly soon be overwhelmed by the US, though. It is impossible to get them out, as they have no covered retreat. The collapse of my left front has eliminated their backstop. The enemy troops that Klappert is firing on have stopped their movement and set up fire positions, which is fine with me as it gives Schafer that much more time to deploy. His men are almost set; from where they are they can fire on the US infantry coming either from the left side, or straight through the town from in front. Hermanns is within command range of Schafer, and I don’t think the enemy has seen him. If that is so, he might be able to damage the tanks that are creeping forward.

 
“Schafer’s men are in the woods behind town, while Lamp’s survivors and Heinrich’s mortar crew are fleeing to the rear. American troops are circling the town to the left.”

 Before leaving his exposed spot in the two story house, Ploebsch fires a rocket at a tank, but misses. He is then able to start moving, and is almost out. Meister’s men have heavily engaged the enemy rushing the town, and one man is killed in the first squad, but as the minute ends the US infantry are all in buildings, and Meister’s men cease firing. I will now attempt to get them out of their original positions and use them to garrison the church.

Bahr’s men are still unmolested. I really think I’ll be able to get them to the road, and use them to hit the US infantry from behind as they are attempting to regroup.

And they will need to do quite a bit of regrouping. I have definitely seen one US HQ section eliminated; another, unidentified, infantry team is also killed. I am certain I am hurting the Americans as badly as they are hurting me, but without being able to kill any tanks I cannot hold the town.