Retaking Vierville ASL Scenario S1 Allies: Ireland94 Germans:Major E Feb 27 – Mar

Company Commander Orders Vierville is a major supply route from the enemy landing beaches to their stronghold at St. Come du Mont. It is reported that the enemy has left Vierville lightly guarded. Our mission is to seize Vierville and cut the enemy’s supply route to St. Come du Mont. Company Commander’s Scheme of Maneuver: I intend to accomplish this by surprise and speed. Final result desired is cutting the route to St. Come du Mont by the seizure of the center of Vierville. 1 st Platoon you are the main effort. You are to quickly seize Objective Alpha (see next slide) with focus on building L3. Hold this objective at all costs. Heavy enemy reinforcements are expected from the north. 2 nd Platoon you are to secure the northern approach to Vierville, preventing reinforcement of the town center from this direction. You will have one squad from 1 st Platoon as an attachment to help you with this. This is an important enemy supply route, so expect aggressive enemy reaction from the north. 3 rd Platoon you are the company reserve. Be prepared to support the main effort or exploit enemy weakness as it appears. 4’th Platoon you are to assault the enemy from the east, putting him in a dilemma with 1 st Platoon’s assault from the west. If possible seize Objective Bravo. Be prepared to assist 2 nd Platoon’s delaying action to the north.

German Objectives

Platoon Commander orders 1 st Platoon: Before the enemy can react, We will sprint down this road here (H1,H2) and proceed through the city down this block here (J3,K4) to Objective Alpha, which we will seize and then hold from the enemy (see next slide). 2 nd Platoon: We will move quickly into position before enemy reinforcements arrive to prevent the enemy from reinforcing the center of the town. If the enemy threat from the north is neutralized or does not appear, we will be prepared to assist the assault on Objective Bravo to our direct rear, thus assisting in the holding of the main objective, Objective Alpha. 1 st and 2 nd Squad, you are to seize this building here (Q6) and establish fields of fire down the roads and to the west, preventing the enemy ease of movement through the area. I will be with you and will be in direct command of your efforts. 3 rd Squad you are to quickly establish a position in this building here (R7), establishing fields of fire to the north and west. 1 st Platoon 3 rd Squad you are our attachment. You will be our most forward position. I want you to quickly move into this building here (U3) to delay the enemy as much as possible in this sector. 3 rd Platoon: We are the company reserve and will be ready to support 1 st Platoon who is the company main effort with the mission of securing and holding Objective Alpha. We will also be ready to exploit enemy weakness if it will benefit the commanders final result desired of securing and holding Objective Alpha, in order to disrupt the enemy supply route into St. Come du Mont. Until then, we will establish a base of fire in these woods here (J7). 4 th Platoon: Our mission is to put the enemy in a dilemma by attacking them from the east, while 1 st Platoon is securing Objective Alpha from the west. If possible we will secure Objective Bravo, buildings N6 and N5. We will be read to assist 2 nd Platoons defense to the north if necessary.

German Scheme of Maneuver

AAR 1st Platoon’s assault down the road to seize Objective Alpha (building L3 specifically) failed right away. They were decimated running down the street from fire from the enemy in hex N3. Survivors retreated into the woods south of the town. In recognition of this and in keeping with their mission as the company reserve to support the company main effort (1 st Platoon), the 3 rd platoon coming from the west ran up the road behind the woods south of the town to seize Objective Alpha. They were out of site of the enemy up until entering the town from the woods, and were able to seize Objective Alpha by the end of Turn Four.

3rd Platoon becomes main effort to seize Objective Alpha (L3,M4) when 1 st Platoon fails

AAR 2 nd Platoon’s screening action to the north to prevent enemy reinforcements mostly succeeded. While the enemy did manage to reinforce the town center and take Objective Bravo, they were not able to do so in a timely manner and with enough force to be able to retake Objective Alpha.

End of Turn 2 German squad in building U3 is quickly lost but causes significant casualties. 3 rd Platoon who came from the east up the road in the woods.

Turn 4 After Axis, Before Allies

Turn 5, End State

Lessons Learned Defense to the North: It’s wise to secure building R7 and building Q6 immediately from the east. From the west it’s probably better to immediately secure building P1 instead of building U3 because the enemy can appear right next to building U3 when their reinforcements arrive. Securing Town Center and Holding It: Because of the difficulty of getting across the road N4-L6, it is better to have buildings M4 and L3 as your main objective instead of buildings N5 and N6. Additionally, instead of attempting to secure M4 and L3 from the west, it’s probably a better idea to secure it by coming up the southern road in the woods and then up through buildings H3, I4, J3, K4 to the objective buildings M4 and L3. Have your western reinforcements establish a base of fire probably from hex I2 or J1, thus assisting the movement of a platoon coming from the east up the road through the building hexes H3, I4, J3, K4 to the objective hexes M4 and L3. Having another platoon(-) in hex building L7 to fire on the enemy from that direction, and a squad in building K6 to fire up the road L5 to N3, will prevent allied reinforcement of objective hexes M4 and L3 from the city center M6, N5, N6, O6. Conclusion: This strategy of focusing on M4 and L3 vice N5 and N6, and securing via the southern road by reinforcements from the east, should nullify any intrinsic advantage the allies have in this scenario.

Final Numbers based on units remaining on the board, with distinctions of broken or reduced quality units ignored. Casualties: Americans:21 (two squads, and one leader) Germans:26 (two squads, one ½ squad, and one leader) End State: Americans:98 Available Unitgood order / broken squad4 / 4 1/2 squad3 / 0 leader2 / 1 Germans:88 Available squad5 / 3 1/2 squad1 / 0 leader3 / 0