Here is an after action report of a demo game with the scenario "Action at Galmanche" from the rulesbook of IABSM v3 of the Too Fat Lardies.
On the 8th of July, 1944, north of Caen, the C Company, 2/6 South Staffordshire Regiment and Shermans of the East Riding Yeomanry have to capture the hamlet of Galmanche defended by the 7 Kompanie, 25 SS Panzer Grenadier Regiment.
It was a very long and interesting game that lasted about 5 hours and a half.
The East Riding Yeomanry platoons advance in the open and are automatically spotted.
They fire a salvo of HE shells at the farm and the nearby hedgerows
The hidden Pak40 reveals itself when it fires at the Sherman Firefly. The first shell bounces off and the second hits only the front mudguard causing a temporary imobilization.
The Sherman concentrate their fire on the AT Gun, inflicting Shock to the crew that will lose its bottle despite the efforts of Rottenführer Hoss.
On the left flank the 2nd platoon under command of LT Oikswoth advances towards the woods. The platoon is ambushed by two groups of PzGrenadiers. One of the section withdraws.
The woods are poured down with shells from the Sherman platoons.
The german groups are forced to fall back, one is nearly wiped out.
The 2" mortar team of the 2nd platoon lays down a smoke screen in front of the woods.
The 1st platoon under command of LT Roundwood (blind) reaches the woods. The two remaining sections of the 2nd platoon advances towards the woods following the hedgsrows
But the 2nd platoon are ambushed by a german group, one section loses its bottle. The german group falls back to the nearby hedgerows.
The german FO established a smoke curtain on the Sherman platoons
The 1st platoon deploys in the woods ( At this stage, I must confess that I misundertood the player’s indication to stay in the woods and not at the edge)
One of the pzgrenadier group from zug 2 with Scharführer Klenk opens fire at the closest section that loses its bottle.
The two Sherman platoons advance towards the farm, 2nd Platoon is leading. They fire at the house where the pzgrenadiers are forcing them to fall back.
The section on the left is targeted by a german group in the Chateau.
Men from the 3rd british platoon reach the hedgerows near the farm.
While the 1st platoon stays in the wood, LT Oiksworth and the last section of his platoon crosses the road to reach the orchard.
While the Sherman are pouring shells on the farm where a last group of the zug 2 stubbornly resists.
The 1st Platoon regroups as the Pz Grenadiers zug 1 advances through the woods.
Smoke screens are laid down.
One of the 1st platoon’s section manages to withdraw with LT Roundwood while the other is wiped out by the assault of the waffen-ss.
The survivors of the zug 2 along Scharführer Klenk manage to withdraw before the destruction of the building but they will be mowed down in the orchard.
The pz grenadieren of the zug 1 under command of obersturmfürher Festem-Schritt attack the Sherman with panzerfausts but only one is destroyed.
After dispersing the zug 1 with a MG fire, the tanks of the 1st platoon moves behind the smoke curtain.
They take position in front of the Chateau, The 2nd platoon and LT Oiksworth are in the orchard.
And are quickly joined by the 2nd Platoon. The 3rd platoon is beginning to regroup at the south edge of the orchard before pushing towards the Chateau.
The panzerschreck team decides to fire at the Sherman but completly misses its target. It immediatly draws fire from the armoured platoons that fires at the Chateau destroying the panzerscheck team and forcing the pzgrenadiers group to fall back.
The british troops are preparing their attack with smoke screens
Rushing from the woods, Obersturmfuhrer Festem‐Schritt leads the zug 1 in the assault of the orchard. The close combat is furious. LT Oiksworth and his section are wiped out but the waffen-ss suffer heavy casualties too.
The pzgrenadiers mow down the 2" mortar team but Sergeant Slack counter-attacks with the 3rd platoon forcing two groups to withdraw behind the orchard’s hedgerows.
Under british heavy fire, the last group of the zug 1 has to fall back before being destroyed.
With the farm buildings and the orchard under control, the 3rd platoon moves towards the Chateau.
With only a tank killer team and 2 depleted groups of zug 3, Sturmbannfuhrer Kessleschlacht decides to withdraw the last elements of his company.
Galmanche is now under control of the 2/6 South Staffordshire regiment.