The Battle For Donville - Rapid Fire

 Bob Black came over for a quick game earlier in the week and after a beer and a light lunch we went to the war room, where I had set up a scenario borrowed from the July 2025 Miniature Wargames (credited for the map):

Essentially, US forces in the shape of an infantry company are holding the vicinity of the central farm, while elements of 17th SS Panzer Division, supported by StugIIIs, Panzer IVs and 17 Artillery Regiment.

The US forces have advance warning of the German attack and rush to send reinforcements to the area.

Here is the table, looking at the central farm area, viewed from the north.  The US infantry can be seenlining the hedgerows around the farm, a single Sherman has arrived and there is a machine gun covering the diamond shaped field within the small copse.  An FOO team has also turned up and moves towards the taller of the three buildings:

german infantry arrive, emerging from a wood on the western edge of the board and move towards the farm:

Bob, playing the Germans, sends his first Stug III rushing up the road and straight into the field adjacent to the farm. The Sherman takes aim - and misses.  The Stug fires and the Sherman is destroyed:

A US bazooka team flanks the Stug from the hedge, but they are out of range. Now the US troops are in trouble, with an assault gun in the area of the farm and nothing to deal with it.

Meanwhile the German infantry begin to work their way through the hedgerows:

Some enter the field and are mown down by the concealed US machine gun:

To add to the US woes a second Panzer Grenadier company with heavy weapons dismount from their half tracks and follow up behind the Stug:

The Stug, meanwhile, crashes through the hedge and engages the US infantry, some of whom retire into the farm buildings. German artillery hits the farm and HE rounds from the Stug cause casualties. 

The Panzer grenadiers close in, but they come under fire from US artillery and small arms:

The US machine gun is taken out by German artillery and heavy fire from the hedge, allowing the German troops to close onto the farm:

Most of the US defenders are either dead or wounded and the farm is quickly cleared and occupied by German infantry.  The Stug takes up position in the farm to cover the approach road:

To make matters even worse, a second Stug arrives and rumbles up the road to support the Panzer Grenadiers in the field, who have taken heavy casualties from flanking fire:

This final US defence is soon disrupted as the half track pours machine gun fire into their position. Despite three shots from the Bazooka team, all miss and the half track causes havoc:

At this point the first US reinforcements, in the shape of armoured infantry and heavy weapons:

But, it is too late.  The Germans have two tanks and a half track in the farm, with the remnants of two infantry companies.  Also, the US FOO spots more Panzer Grenadiers approaching the farm across the fields:

Outgunned and with the Germans in control of the farm and key road junctions the US commander calls it a day and withdraws what he can save.  This was a resounding win for the Germans.  A very interesting game that played well with Rapid Fire rules.  The loss of the Sherman early on was a major disaster and spreading the US infantry out too widely was probably a mistake, putting the Bazooka team out of range.