Defense of the Crossroads

After the American and German forces clashed at the crossroads weeks before over a stranded German officer and the vital intelligence he carried, the American 82nd secured the ruined village and fortified against an inevitable German counter attack. Dug in on the western edge of the crossroads, the Paratroopers receive additional armor and infantry support.

 Initial Deployments. Americans dig in to the west of the main road, while German advanced forces creep into place on the far side of the fields.

 Paratroopers hold the right flank, using the hedgerows as a firing position.

 A .30 caliber team help anchor the American right.

 The American center. Air Observer and mortar take the high ground in the upper floors of the ruin. A bazooka team sets up in the wall facing the crossroads. The 2nd Lt. sets up his HQ in the main floor of the ruin, defended by another squad of Paratroopers. In the next ruin the Paratroopers set up their Anti-tank gun and a Glider marksman and his spotter take up position at the corner of the ruin.

 A unit of Glidermen hold the American left, hunkering down in the forest.

 German Sniper team(Foreground) and Air Observer(far red die) spy on the American positions.

 Unknown to the 82nd, German artillery had zeroed in on the crossroads in preparation for the counter attack and as it fell directly on target. American forces were forced to dive for cover and when all was said and done, only the 2nd Lt's. Aide had succumbed to the barrage.

German Forces are quick to push up into the fields opposite the American positions, moving as fast as they can to get into as much cover as they can before the effects of the Artillery Barrage wear off. The first shot from the American Anti-Tank gun demolishes one of the German kubelwagons in the northern field. The paratrooper squad in the center ruins returns fire on a five man unit of regulars, cutting three of them down in one volley. In the southern field, the US air observer tosses smoke onto the Panther and the Glider bazooka team knocks out a German half-track, killing the German captain in the process and forces the SS squad to disembark.

 The Paratrooper bazooka teams comes in from reserves on the American right. The German air observer designates the American mortar team as its target, that could spell trouble for the paratroopers when or if it arrives.

 The Sherman shakes off the effects of the artillery and advances into the open, taking a shot at the panther and missing.

 Glider squad on the left hunkers down in ambush, hoping to hold the left as long as they can.

  On turn two, the first American fighter comes howling in, machine guns chattering, but unfortunately it doesn't have the armament nessecary to slow the panther down and flies off after a single pass.

 Reloading quickly, the gun crew re-targeted and knocked out another German half-track.

 The German Panther pushed up against the American right, obliterating the .30 cal team in a blizzard of shots, but quickly found itself under fire from both bazooka teams. The team on the right flank misses, but a shot from the center punches through the Panther's side armor and knocks it out.

 The US right add supporting fire into the nearest German units, hoping to keep some heads down.

 SS Fanatics advance up along the burning Panther, hoping to close the distance to the US lines.

 Sherman pushes up the road with all immediate threats gone, using its machine guns to drive off a five man Heer unit that was pushing up on the US HQ.

The US left trade shots with the remaining Germans, trading pins for another of the Heer squad in the northern field.

 Turn three sees a unit of Glidermen outflanking to reinforce the US right.

 The Sherman and Paratroopers push across the main road. Time to push the Germans back to their lines.

 The US observer directs another air strike onto the German SS unit.

 The US marksman trades another shot with his German counterpart and the remaining Heer soldier flees in one of the remaining kubelwagons.

  Turn 4 and the Luftwaffe finally arrive on the scene, but the Stuka mistakes the US smoke marker for its own target and makes his attack run against the SS unit. More pin markers, but no casualties as the plan howls on past.

 Paratroopers advance towards the southern field and the German 2nd Lt flees north in hopes of escape. The US Gun crew takes over for the sniper and fires on the German sniper with an HE shell, killing both him and his spotter and clearing the way for the Jeep to cross into the field.

 Surprised by a unit of German regulars, the Glider squad suffers half casualties from a point blank volley.

 Pinned by overwhelming firepower the SS come under fire from the second US plane to grace the skies. Firing into the signal smoke at will, only one SS soldier is taken out, but the Germans are forced to keep their heads down.

 The Glidermen on the right return fire on the Heer unit facing them.

 The two remaining kubelwagons gather at the south field, hoping to consolidate their numbers.

 The US left flank starts to reposition, with the paratroopers charging through the hedges to strike down the fleeing German officer.

 Assaulted by the Heer infantry, the Glidermen hold their ground and see off the Germans to a man, losing only a couple in return.

 One kubelwagon with observer on board attempts a last push for the US center, but is ambushed by the nearest paratrooper squad and the weight of fire cripples the engine and puts yet another German vehicle out of commission.

 German forces, whittled down to a single vehicle and trooper, concede the battle and flee in the wake of the other units that had run from the field, hoping to outpace the Americans who would undoubtedly follow up this success to punch deeper into the German lines. US victory.

German units destroyed or routed. 12 dice earned out of 16.