Hell on Wheels, Operation Torch Fight #3

 All,

1600 Local Time
8 November 1942
Near Port Lyautey, French Morocco

Despite the ass-chewing he'd just received from Major Reisman, Captain Henry, commander of the Task Force's Armored Reconnaissance Company, failed to perform the tasks given him, in a manner appropriate to the situation.  The French had a fortress ("the Kasbah") between the American forces and Port Lyautey, one that was proving severely problematic, but the Major believed a flanking movement to the south (right) could unhinge the defense, if executed quickly and violently.  Yes, the situation on the invasion beaches was chaotic, men and gear were intermixed, but the Task Force had just forced the French garrison out of the town of Mehdia and needed to act before the French had an opportunity to establish another line, particularly in that direction.  Major Reisman had picked out a small village with a bridge over a tributary of the Wadi Sebou as the correct target of this rapier-like armored thrust.  He just needed someone to get there.

But the Major had given Captain Henry the order five hours ago, and the Captain had yet to execute it.  Yes, Captain Henry had set about organizing the invasion beaches with gusto, directing men and material to the proper units and locations, helping get food, fuel, ammunition, and medical supplies stockpiled and headed to where they were needed, but he was not a Beachmaster, he was the commander of a mechanized element of the Task Force.  His Executive Officer (XO), 1st Lt Richards, always eager to stay off the Major's naughty list, continuously chirped at Captain Henry for nearly five hours; "Sir, the it's 1300, the Major is going to be none too happy we haven't set off for the objective."  "Sir, it's 1400, the Major is going to be angry we haven't departed yet."  "Sir, it's 1500, the Major is going to blow his top that we're still here."  "Sir, it's 1600, the Major..."

"Dammit, Stanley, I get it," Captain Henry replied to Lt Richards, "but we can't go running off out there, half-cocked."  "But Sir, we've got armored cars, a tank destroyer, pretty much a whole platoon of tanks, and the equivalent of one of our Armored Rifle platoons all set, just waiting on the order."  "Dammit, Stanley, if you're so hot to run off, chasing after the Major's glory, then YOU lead them!"

Flush with righteous anger, Lt Richards paused for a moment to regain his composure, then calmly replied to his company commander: "Yes Sir, I believe that's what I'll do.  I'll lead this force and will radio back once I'm in possession of the bridge," before pivoting and marching briskly off.

"But Stanley, wait, I...  dammit..." sighed Captain Henry, as he watched Lt Richards climb into his command vehicle and depart the area.

Overview, north is up.  At center left, just east (right) of the crossroads, is a small oasis with a couple hovels.  Below and at top left are unnamed bluffs, while at left top is a knoll identified as Hill 23, soon to be known as "Purple Heart Hill," while at far right is Hill 55, soon to be known as "The Meatgrinder."  At top center right is Hill 34, while the village of Barhrein, soon to be known as "Murderville," sits on either side of the bridged Wadi Sebou tributary.    

The opposing forces, with Americans at left and French at right.

The Americans are as follows:

Overall Commander: 1st Richards, Armored Reconnaissance Company XO

Tank Platoon: 2nd Lt Hastings, 2nd Tank Platoon Leader
Sgt Gibson, Vehicle 4, 1st Tank Plt
Sgt Parker, Vehicle 5, 2nd Tank Plt

Scout Car Platoon: Sgt Foster, Vehicle 2, Arm Car Plt

Sgt Rasby, V5, Arm Car Plt

Tank Destroyer: Sgt Kidd, Tank Destroyer Plt

Armored Infantry Plt: 2nd Lt Woodson, 1st Arm Inf Platoon Leader
Sgt Castle, 1st Squad, 2nd Arm Inf Plt

Sgt Anderson, 2nd Squad, 1st Arm Inf Plt
Sgt Carrington, 3rd Squad, 1st Arm Inf Plt

Sgt Buckner, Machine Gun Squad, 2nd Arm Inf Plt

Sgt Zgnonina, Mortar Squad, 1st Arm Inf Plt

Engineer Platoon: 2nd Lt Jefferson, Engineer Platoon Leader

Sgt Gammon, 2nd Squad, Engineer Plt

Sgt Means, 3rd Squad, Engineer Plt

All are seeing combat for the first time.

The French force.  Of note is the fact these men are from a Colonial (Moroccan) Battalion, so they are a actually defending their homeland and thus are a bit more invested than their conventional, European brethren.  The French force consists of:
-A Commander

-His Executive Officer (XO)

-Two rifle platoons, consisting of three rifle squads, each

-An armored platoon consisting of one Laffly armored car and one R35 Renault tank

-An artillery platoon consisting of two 75mm howitzers

-A weapons platoon consisting of a Platoon Leader, a Hotchkiss machine gun squad, and an 81mm mortar squad

Overview, now with troops.  The French have their 1st Rifle Platoon dug-into 'Murderville' (center top), accompanied by the overall French commander, with their Weapons Platoon (mortar and MG) dug-in right behind them, just across the Wadi Sebou (right top).  The French 2nd Rifle Platoon is dug-in on The Meatgrinder (far right), where it is accompanied by one of the 75mm guns.  The other 75mm gun is dug-in just behind Hill 34 (top right), and it is accompanied by the two armored vehicles (Laffly armored car and R35 tank), which are hidden between the buildings east of the Wadi Sebou (top right).  It should be noted that, save for the troops on The Meatgrinder, which are dug-in and begin the game concealed, the remainder of the French defenders are occupying what I would refer to as oblique, 'reverse-slope defense' type of positions, i.e., those that limit their lanes of observation and fire, but generally force the enemy into vulnerable and/or exposed positions in order to engage them.

For their part, the Americans can be seen coming in on their baseline, with advance elements of the force clustered around the crossroads (left bottom) and approaching Purple Heart Hill (left top), with the Armored Infantry and Engineer Platoons still mounted and off table.

The American baseline, with the commander, Lt Richards, directing traffic at the crossroads, flanked by the attached Scout and Tank platoons and the Armored Infantry and Engineer platoons stacked off table.

Lt Richards (bottom center) staring into Murderville (top center).

"Well, I don't see anything out there, and the Major said we need to move quickly, so..."

The US mechanized force bravely (rashly?) dashes ahead!  The Armored Infantry Platoon, led by a Scout Car and two M3 Stuarts, pushes right, towards The Meatgrinder (just visible at far right), while the Engineer Platoon, led by a Scout Car, pushes left, towards Murderville, as the last M3 Stuart and the Tank Destroyer move up on Purple Heart Hill (left top).

The French 1st Rifle Platoon, dug-into Murderville, accompanied by the French commander (their mortar team is visible at top right, across the river).

Looking northeast to southwest (Murderville is just off camera to top right and The Meatgrinder is just off camera to left top), you see the French Weapons Platoon dug-in behind the river (right), a 75mm gun dug-in below Hill 34 (bottom center), and the French armored platoon amongst the buildings east of the river (left).

A look from behind The Meatgrinder, where you can see the three rifle squads of the French 2nd Platoon dug in, as well as the French XO (left) and their other 75mm gun (bottom center right).

The French are dug-in to strong defensive positions and determined; it would appear the young Americans are in for quite a fight...

As you might expect, the French own the terrain, are well concealed, and thus fire the first shot.  Hidden away, deep in the shadows of the village, the French tank commander (bottom left) peered through his field glasses, eyes drawn to movement on the right (top right).  He focused in and immediately picked up Sgt Parker's M3 Stuart; "gunner, enemy tank, 300 meters, load armor piercing shell, fire!"  The little R35 bucked as it sent a 37mm AP round low over the heads of their comrades, at the American tank...

The thin, flank armor of the Stuart is pierced, and the tank bursts into flames!  Sgt Kidd, in his M3 GMC atop Purple Heart Hill, gasps in shock...

But there's no time for shock, as a heavy report echoes across the desert floor!  The French 75 at The Meatgrinder (bottom left) has spotted Sgt Kidd's tank destroyer atop Purple Heart Hill and immediately opened fire...

The shot is a near miss, suppressing Sgt Kidd's crew (red bead at center) and close enough to jiggle the insides of Sgt Rasby and Lt Jefferson (the Scout Car and truck holding the Engineer Platoon Leader at bottom right)!

Back on the east end of the village, the Laffly armored car (bottom right) spots Sgt Foster's M3 Scout Car (top left) and opens fire with its 25mm gun...

As the French 75 at Hill 34 (bottom right, with the R35 at bottom center, Laffly armored car at bottom left, and Weapons Plt and Murderville at center/top) opens fire on the right-hand American column (top left)...

The Laffly immobilizes Sgt Foster's Scout Car (right), while the 75 misses but suppresses Lt Hastings' M3 Stuart!

The French mortar team (bottom right) fires a spotting round over Murderville, engaging the left-hand US column, comprised of the US Engineer Platoon and being escorted by Sgt Rasby's M3 Scout Car (top left)...

The round lands a bit wide of the mark, but close enough for adjust and it still manages to pin the Engineers' 3rd Squad.

With mortar rounds falling near the crossroads, Lt Richards dashes over and rallies 3rd Engineer Squad...

Then dashes up to the head of the right-hand column, under French armored car and artillery fire, and rallies Lt Hastings' Stuart and Sgt Foster's Scout Car (the crew is not suppressed, but their vehicle is still immobilized)!

Lt Hastings immediately pushes his Stuart forward (top, from bottom), looking to engage the French...

When as-yet unseen French-Moroccan riflemen atop The Meatgrinder (right) open fire on the lone American tank (top left)...

But Lt Hastings and his crew (bottom right) shrug off the small arms fire and engage the French 75 at Hill 34 (top left)...

Delivering accurate fire to suppress the French artillery crew!

Sgt Gibson pushes his Stuart (bottom left) up to join his Lieutenant (bottom center left), coming to a halt before a patch of rocky ground, where he spots the French Laffly armored car amongst the buildings east of the river (top right) and fires...

The 37mm armor-piercing round slices into the French armored car, setting it alight!

Back on the US left, Sgt Rasby pushes his Scout Car up Purple Heart Hill (left, from center), attempting to get a better view of the enemy defensive positions and assist Sgt Kidd's suppressed tank destroyer.

More French infantry on the The Meatgrinder (bottom right) open fire, targeting Sgt Rasby's vehicle on Purple Heart Hill (top left, with Murderville at top center).

But the fire is ineffective, so Sgt Rasby is able to rally the suppressed tank destroyer (bottom right) and then open fire with his .50-cal on the French Weapons Platoon (dug-in across the river, at top left).

As Sgt Kidd (bottom left, atop Purple Heart Hill) order his gunner to engage the French 75 on The Meatgrinder (top right)...

The 75mm HE round misses and Sgt Kidd pushes his halftrack down the hill (right, from bottom left), towards The Meatgrinder (just visible at top right), unaware he's walking right into the middle of the crossfire...

French infantry in Murderville (bottom right) spot Sgt Kidd's tank destroyer and open fire...

But it has no effect and Sgt Kidd pushes the halftrack behind the cover of some nearby rocks.

Lt Jefferson is feeling particularly froggy, so he pushes his trucks laden with combat engineers forward, up to the edge of Murderville, and next to Sgt Kidd's tank destroyer.

Where he and his men immediately dismount into the sparse cover provided by some nearby scrub.

No sooner had the Engineers dismounted (far left, on the south side of the road, opposite Murderville) then the French 75 at The Meatgrinder (bottom right) sighted in on Sgt Rasby's M3 Scout Car (top left, atop Purple Heart Hill) and fired upon it...

And now, quite oddly, both M3 Scout Cars are immobilized on the battlefield, with Sgt Rasby's crew panicking (Sgt Parker's burning Stuart in the background)!

While atop The Meatgrinder (bottom right), two French rifle squads open fire on the Engineers' exposed flanks/rear (top left)...

Both Engineer Squads (behind scrub at left, with their platoon leader, Lt Jefferson, between them) are taking casualties and panicking, and Sgt Kidd's tank destroyer (top left) is pinned down.  Just as Lt Jefferson finds the resolve to get up and start barking orders, a French rifle squad in Murderville (bottom right) opens fire on them at point-blank range, pinning he and his command team down!

At which point the French mortar team (bottom right) begins pumping out smoke rounds, creating a screen to cut the two American columns off from each other (right-hand column visible at top center left and left-hand column visible at right top, with The Meatgrinder at top left and Murderville at right), and force the American Stuarts (just on the other side of the smokescreen) to have to blindly charge through and expose themselves in order to engage the French tank and 75mm guns.

Frustrated by the smokescreen, the two Stuarts (center and left) and Sgt Foster's M3 Scout Car (bottom left, next to the CO, Lt Richards) turn their guns on The Meatgrinder (top right) and pound away, to no effect.  

It's going to be pretty doggone tough digging the French infantry out of these positions, Lt Richards thought wryly to himself.  He had the fleeting idea to pull back and allow air and naval gunfire to pound the area, but he remembered the Major's directive to use all speed (though the Lieutenant should have realized that directive was now overcome by events, given presence of French forces in strength and the tenacity of their efforts...

And lo and behold, some good news for the Yanks!  Just then, two P-40 Warhawks roared over, returned, dropped four small bombs (which completely overshot the French defenses), roared over again, and waggled their wings before departing to the west.  The men collectively let out a cheer, morale was sky-high!

**The American rolled a random event that stated there was a lull in the fighting that allowed all pinned/suppressed/panicked units to recover; I felt like the air support was a good tool reflect the reasoning behind it, without having any undue impact on the game. 

Their spirits lifted and sure of their ability to defeat the French, Sgt Rasby (in his M3 Scout Car, atop Purple Heart Hill at bottom left) reloaded his .50-cal and began engaging targets in Murderville...

And his fire was joined by Sgt Kidd's halftrack (bottom left) pumping 75mm HE rounds into the village, but the Colonial troops were making excellent use of cover and were thus far unaffected by the American firepower!

The French 75 at The Meatgrinder (bottom left) immediately sighted in on Sgt Rasby's Scout Car (top center right, atop Purple Heart Hill) and fired...

Another near miss pins Sgt Rasby and his crew!

With that, Lt Jefferson commands his men, "Follow Me!" and rushes forward, into the street, looking to close with the French-Moroccans dug-in in Murderville!!!  The Frenchmen calmly open fire at the onrushing Yanks...

But Lt Jefferson (center) gets his men into position, where Sergeants Gammon (left) and Means (right)  have their flamethrowers engage the dug-in French troops!

Putting them out of the fight!

Lt Jefferson immediately leads his engineers forward, drawing fire from another French rifle squad and their commander (top right)...

But the American Engineers are dogged in their determination to close with and destroy the enemy!  Once again the flamethrowers cut loose...

The French rifle squad (bottom right) is eliminated in close combat, and the French commanders is forced to fall back, suppressed (red bead at top right), atop another French rifle squad, but Lt Jefferson and Sgt Gammon's squad are also forced to fall back, suppressed (red beads at far left), leaving Sgt Means' 3rd Squad alone inside Murderville (center)!!!

The American CO, Lt Richards, is with the lead element of the right-hand column, watching the scene unfold through his field glasses.  He sees Lt Jefferson and Sgt Gammon's squad fall back, suppressed, and realizes that victory in Murderville is balanced on a knife edge; "I've got to get over there, now!"

In a desperate attempt to reach Murderville (top left) and influence the battle, Lt Richards orders his driver to get him there, pronto!  The driver pushes ahead (left top center, from center bottom), but the rocky ground, enemy fire, and smokescreen conspire to slow Lt Richards' attempts to aid his men fighting for their lives in Murderville...

Meanwhile, Lt Hastings has pushed his M3 Stuart dangerously close to The Meatgrinder (right), where he is pouring machine gun and 37mm HE rounds into French positions nearby, as Lt Woodson's Armored Infantry Platoon moves up (bottom, moving towards The Meatgrinder).

A French rifle squad dug-in behind The Meatgrinder (botom center) spots the encroaching US Armored Rifle Platoon (top left) and opens fire, pinning down Lt Woodson's vehicle.

While on the French right, the Hotchkiss machine gun (entrenched on the east side of the river, with the 81mm mortar team, bottom right) opens fire on Sgt Means' 3rd Engineer Squad (top left) in Murderville, assisting their commander and comrades in a nearby rifle squad (top center).

Sgt Means' men are suppressed in the center of the village...

Followed by the French 75 at The Meatgrinder (bottom left) firing a third shell at Sgt Rasby's Scout Car, atop Purple Heart Hill (top right)...

Sending it up in flames, annihilating Sgt Rasby and his entire crew.  

Seizing the shift in momentum...

The French commander immediately grabs the nearby rifle squad and charges back into the heart of Murderville, crashing into Sgt Means' suppressed 3rd Squad!

The cowering GIs are no match for the French-Moroccans in close combat...

Sgt Kidd (bottom left) sees the French overrun Sgt Means' squad (top right) and resumes pumping 75mm HE into the village...

The accurate fire from Sgt Kidd's tank destroyer halts the French counterattack!

And the French promptly fall back to their previously prepared defensive positions, with their CO still a bit shaken up (red bead at right).

Unsure of the situation in Murderville (right), the French 81mm mortar team (bottom right) goes to work trying to interdict the advance of the American armored infantry platoon (top left)...

But their view is obscured by their own smokescreen and thus the 81mm HE rounds fall harmlessly into the desert.  Well, a little too close to his Stuart, for Sgt Gibson's sake (center left, with the CO further left)!

On the east side of the river, the French R35 tank moves out of cover, seeking targets and to assist the French 75 at Hill 34 (bottom right) to rally.

The French tankers then sight in on Sgt Kidd's tank destroyer (top left)...

And the two (bottom left and top right) harmlessly exchange fire.

Sgt Gibson orders his crew (Stuart at bottom left, Stuart at center is Lt Hastings') to engage targets atop The Meatgrinder (top right), suppressing a rifle squad there...

Before pushing his tank over to the head of the Armored Infantry column (bottom center), where he assists Lt Woodson in rallying.

As Lt Hastings pushes his Stuart up past the southern end of The Meatgrinder (bottom left), engaging dug-in enemy infantry at point blank range and pinning them down (right bottom)!

Which is just the break they were looking for!  Lt Woodson orders his platoon to advance at the double!

Where he and his riflemen immediately dismount!

Lt Woodson and his command team immediately charge directly into the pinned French rifle squad!!!

But the Colonial troops are just too tough, defeating the brash Yanks in close combat!!!

The French-Moroccan rifle squad that just defeated Lt Woodson's command team attempts to fall back, up The Meatgrinder (center top, from far right), where there other friendly forces are dug-in, as the US infantry take them under fire.

The French squad successfully make it through the US small arms fire, reaching their suppressed brothers (red bead at bottom right), and they immediately set about rallying their comrades...

But the suppressed rifle squad is not having it and panics, falling back to the north (read bead at far right, from left)!!!

With Lt Woodson's three rifle squads up and dismounted at The Meatgrinder (top right), his MG and mortar squads push left (the two halftracks at center left, with the US CO at far left, Sgt Gibson's Stuart at right, and Sgt Foster's immobilized Scout Car at bottom right), dismount, and get their weapons set up.

The French smoke screen lifts as Lt Richards (far left)...

Dashes to the edge of Murderville and rallies Lt Jefferson's command team and Sgt Gammon's 2nd Squad (red beads).

The French R35 tank (bottom right) takes another shot at Sgt Kidd's tank destroyer (top left)...

The French gunner (top right) misses, so Sgt Kidd's gunner (bottom left) returns the favor...

Sending in a near-miss that suppresses the French tank.

But then French 75 at The Meatgrinder (bottom right) sights in on the Americans on the edge of Murderville (left top) and begins raining down 75mm HE rounds...

Lt Jefferson's command team is knocked out, while Sgt Gammon's squad and the American CO are pinned down (yellow beads)! 

The French Commander (top right) rallies...

Then leads the charge back through Murderville (center, from bottom center, with the American CO and Sgt Gammon's squad at top left)!!!

Sgt Kidd (bottom left) again attempts to come to the rescue, ordering his gunner to engage the marauding French Moroccans in the village!!!

75mm HE rounds plow into Murderville, killing the French commander!!!

But the remaining French rifle squad is untouched, and decides to press home the attack anyway!!!

Where they put Lt Richards and Sgt Gammon's squad out of the fight!!!

Having eliminated all hostile infantry in the area, and finding themselves unnervingly alone, the French rifle squad falls back into a more sheltered position (top right, from bottom left).

With Murderville (just visible at far right) secured, the French mortar team (bottom right) sets about supporting its comrades on The Meatgrinder (top left), pumping out 81mm HE rounds...

Which pin down Lt Hastings' Stuart and Sgt Castle's 1st Squad (yellow beads at bottom left and far right, respectively).  The French-Moroccan rifle squad that defeated Lt Woodson's command team in close combat (top left) looks down on the American troops being pummeled by their mortars...

And decides now is the time for a counterattack!!! The Colonial troops descend (center, from top left)...

But Sgt Gibson (bottom left) spots them and opens fire with his .30-cal machine gun, suppressing them and halting them in place!!!

Dammit, as close as the Stuarts (especially Lt Hastings' tank) have gotten to The Meatgrinder (due to trying to stay out of the crossfire and only have to deal with one side of the French anti-tank firepower), I've been trying to get the French into position to launch an infantry close assault; finally happened, but luckily Sgt Gibson saved the day!

With their CO down, their Engineer Platoon chewed up and spat out, a tank and a scout car knocked out, another scout car immobilized, their Armored Infantry Platoon leader out of the fight, and their left flank being held only by Sgt Kidd's halftrack/tank destroyer, the Americans continue to fight on.  Maybe only because they no longer have an overall commander in charge, seeing the overall picture, to order them retreat, or maybe because they're already so far forward committed on their right.  Nevertheless...

In the center, Sgt Zgnonina's 60mm mortar team (bottom left, next to Sgt Buckner's MG team) finally begins pumping out HE rounds at the French 75 below Hill 34 (top right).

Suppressing the French gun crew!

Sgt Kidd's tank destroyer, feeling uncomfortably close to Murderville (just visible at far left) with no infantry support, pulls back (bottom center left) and begins firing on French positions atop The Meatgrinder (top center/right)...

Suppressing a French rifle squad (red bead at left, with another suppressed squad at center, a 75mm gun at top right, and the French XO at bottom right).  

Off screen to bottom we have the US Armored Infantry, as well as the French rifle squad that beat Lt Woodson's command team in close combat and charged Lt Hastings' tank, only to be stopped by gunfire from Sgt Gibson's tank.

"Well, it's now or never, let's go!"  And with that, Sergeants Anderson and Carrington pushed their squads up The Meatgrinder, into close combat with the suppressed French rifle squad on the side of the hill!

The French don't win the close combat, but they fight like lions, throwing the two American squads back, suppressed (red beads at far left and bottom left), buying themselves room to fall back into a proper defensive position (far right top, from center)!!!

Lt Hastings, the tank platoon leader, hastily looks around.  "I guess I'm the senior-ranking officer left here now," he thinks to himself.  He looks around, taking in the sights and smells of the battlefield, the broken bodies and detritus of combat.  "The boys have had it," he mutters to himself, before ordering the withdrawal.

The riflemen of the Armored Infantry Platoon gather up their casualties and gear and load back up in their halftracks...

Before beating feet back to the west.  Sergeants Buckner and Zgnonina (center), the mortar and MG team leaders, see the retreating halftracks, look at each other, then mount up in their own halftracks.

Lt Hastings' and Sgt Gibson's Stuarts hold the line as the MG and mortar team halftracks fall back onto the road, and Sgt Foster destroys his M3 Scout Car to prevent it from falling into enemy hands (far right).

With all forces from the US right-hand column on the road, the battle is almost complete.

The only issue is Sgt Kidd's tank destroyer (just visible at top right, below the rocks, right of the engineers' trucks and palm trees); he and his gunner had been vigilantly scanning for enemy to their left and front, launching the occasional 75mm round downrange, hadn't really been paying too much attention to their right.  It was Sgt Kidd's driver that raised the issue; "hey Sarge, it sure calmed down quite a bit over on the right, did our guys take the Meatgrinder?" 

Sgt Kidd glassed the hill; "negative, those are all them French Colonial troops up there still, but I don't see nobody shootin' over there anymore...  Hey, there go the halftracks and tanks!"  

Yes, that is how Sergeant Kidd and his crew became aware of the US withdrawal.  In the confusion of the withdrawal under fire, it's hard to blame Lieutenant Hastings for this, but it was to have horrible consequences for the young Sergeant.

"Hey, we gotta get outta here, let's move, lest we get left behind!"

So Sgt Kidd ordered his driver out; he promptly reversed the vehicle, wheeled around, got them back on the hardball, and sped southwest (bottom left, from bottom right), as fast as possible.

In his haste to not be left behind, Sgt Kidd left the three engineer trucks for the enemy (center bottom).  Even worse, he left American casualties from Sgt Means' squad, Sgt Gammon's squad, Lt Jefferson's command team, and Lt Richards' command team, in Murderville (right), and from Sgt Parker's tank crew and Sgt Rasby's scout car crew on Purple Heart Hill (far left)...

On the way back to the invasion beaches, Lt Hastings' column ran into Captain Henry, with the rest of the Armored Reconnaissance Company, narrowly avoiding a 'friendly fire' incident in the dark.  The two forces pulled over, established security, and set about the grim business of treating casualties, feeding the troops, redistributing ammo, servicing weapons, vehicles, and equipment, and figuring out what the hell went wrong.

Captain Henry's first question to Lt Hastings was "where the hell is Lt Richards?" 
"He's dead, Sir." 
"What!!???  Where?" 
"Back in Murderville, Sir." 
"Murderville???" 
"Yes, Sir, that's what we call the village.  The French, they just slaughtered'em, Lt Richards and the whole damn engineer platoon."
"And you left him???"  Lt Hastings just stared blankly back at the Captain.  "Get out of my sight!  As a matter of fact, you grab your men and you get your asses back up there, and you hold until morning, and I'll be up there and we're going back in there and taking that damn village!"

So Lt Hastings led the force back to the edge of the battle area, back to the crossroads, where they posted watch and dug in for the night.  Not satisfied with Lt Hasting's description of events, Captain Henry made his way up to the line and spent all night talking to survivors of the previous day's fight.  As fate would have it, Sergeant Kidd was last in line to be talked to by Captain Henry; the young NCO was visibly shaken by his experiences, and decisions, from the previous day, and the Captain was seething with rage. 

"You know, a lot of the men say you ought to be decorated for valor for your actions yesterday, Sergeant," hissed Captain Henry, "that you were fearless, constantly sticking your nose into trouble to help your comrades out, and that you saved the entire unit, holding down the left flank all by yourselves once the engineers were wiped out.  And I suppose that's true.  I suppose that's true.  But here's something I know is true: you pulled out, to save your own damn skin, like a yellow-bellied coward, and you left all those GIs out there, your own commander out there, to die, at the hands of those savages!*  Tomorrow we're going back in there, and you will fight, and when it's over I'm going to see to it that pay for what you did!  The smartest thing you could do now, Sergeant, is die bravely on the battlefield!  Now get out of my sight!"

*Rumors were running rampant about the horrible things the French Colonial troops were doing to American prisoners, which couldn't have been further from the truth.  The French policed up the battlefield and did their best to treat and care for the American wounded left in Murderville and on Purple Heart Hill.)

Sergeant Kidd meekly skulked back to his halftrack and crew; as soon as he arrived his gunner asked, "so what was that all about, Sarge?"  "Nothing, the Captain just said we did a good job yesterday.  Now get some sleep, I'll take watch."  Captain Henry's self-centeredness had already cost Lt Richards his life; it was now poised to wreck another...

Alright, alright, sorry about all the melodrama, it's just that it's actually kind of fun playing out these storylines, and hard to stop once I've started.  Regarding the tabletop game itself, man, that was a barnburner!!!  That fight was absolutely incredible, and after three fights, it seems like ol' Task Force Reisman is a bit of a hard-luck case.  They really have a talent for having the absolute worst possible thing to happen at the absolute worst possible time, snatching defeat from the jaws of victory over and over again.  I mean, I can't remember how many times I've seen one of my squads go on a close combat tear, knocking out three or four enemy units in a row, even in straight up head-to head matchups, but TF Reisman guys go in with an advantage, like two rifle squads vs one suppressed rifle squad in the open, and still manage to lose!  And it's happened several times already.  But don't worry about me, it's not bringing my spirits down, it's really adding a ton of flavor to the games, taking them in all kinds of different directions than what I expected.  And tons of fun.  And, honestly, I could never see myself having this sort of intra-unit drama with a Marine unit, my pride simply wouldn't allow it (I mean, there's no way some crap like that could ever happen in the Marine Corps!), but with this Army unit, man, it's practically turned into a damned soap opera, which is turning out to be tons of fun.  I can't believe I've never really played with this sort of interaction between characters before; eat your heart out, Joe! ;)

Let's get to some stats:

-the US had 25 men killed, wounded, or captured (yes, captured, as wounded were left on the battlefield and survived to be captured by the French, repatriated after French capitulation on 11 Nov 1942)

-the US lost an M3 Stuart and two M3 Scout Cars, and abandoned a 1/4-ton truck and two 2 1/2-ton trucks, which the French then destroyed

-the French lost 15 men killed or wounded

-the French lost a Laffly armored car destroyed

Characters:

-1st Lt Richards, Armored Reconnaissance Company Executive Officer, was wounded, captured, and died of his wounds in captivity, posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his leadership under fire and the Purple Heart.

-2nd Lt Jefferson, Engineer Platoon Leader, was killed in action, posthumously awarded the Bronze Star w/V leading his platoon into close combat, and the Purple Heart. 

-2nd Lt Woodson, 1st Armored Infantry Platoon Leader, Armored Reconnaissance Company, was slightly wounded, awarded the Purple Heart, and immediately returned to duty.

-Sgt Gammons, 2nd Squad, Engineer Platoon, was severely wounded, captured, and repatriated on 11 Nov 1942.  He was awarded the Purple Heart and medical screening determined he must be invalided back to the United States.

-Sgt Means, 3rd Squad, Engineer Platoon, was severely wounded, captured, and repatriated on 11 Nov 1942.  He was awarded the Purple Heart and medical screening determined he must be invalided back to the United States.

-Sgt Parker, Vehicle 5, 2nd Platoon, Tank Company, was lightly wounded, captured, and repatriated on 11 Nov 1942.  He was awarded the Purple Heart and medical screening determined he was fit to return to duty on 1 Jan 1943.

-Sgt Rasby, Vehicle 5, Armored Car Platoon, Armored Reconnaissance Company, was killed in action.  Posthumously awarded the Silver Star for his leadership on "Purple Heart Hill" and continuing to man his machine gun in support of the Task Force Reisman attacks while subjected to relentless fire from enemy artillery.

-Sgt Kidd, Vehicle 3, Tank Destroyer Platoon, was reprimanded for abandoning casualties on the field of battle (despite copious amounts of heroism displayed prior to the withdrawal, the chaotic nature of the withdrawal owing to heavy casualties, to include the force commander, and the fact the company commander was overly critical on account of guilt over his own decisions, which led to the death of the force commander).

So, that was the first fight for 'Murderville,' 'Purple Heart Hill,' and 'The Meatgrinder,' and the men are resting up and preparing for the second, which will actually be led by the Armored Reconnaissance Company commander, as Major Reisman had ordered yesterday, and which is probably a mistake now that it has been established that the French have strong forces/positions in the area (if an attack must be made, then it should be made by armor and infantry, not recon, but why not just use recon to bypass the position?).  However, we've got something else we need to get to, first: the French, feeling saucy, have launched a counterattack on the invasion beaches, and Major Reisman himself is being forced to fend off!

V/R,
Jack