Well that was fast: Rockstar

 

 Bakcground story can be found here:

Scenario Background

Turn 1: Airborne initiative: 5/1 

A light snow starts to fall as SSG Rockstar advances his squad, limiting visibility somewhat (24”) and speed (3/4). Rockstar doesn’t want to cross the open field, so he elects to split his squad in two: a fire team and a maneuver team.

 Rockstar sends Cpl Bechtold (M1) with the MMG team and a pair of riflemen down the left-hand side of the road, giving him strict orders to stay in the concealment of the woods as much as possible. Meanwhile SSG Rockstar takes Sgt Baker, Cpl Lyon (both SMG) and the remaining four riflemen with him to scout the woods on the right.

Fuhrer Begleit Brigade (FBB)

The Germans have 3 PEFs: PEF #1 by the bridge,, PEF#2 on the wooded hill and PEF#3 in the woods on the right.

PEF#1 Cpl Bechtold confirms that there is nothing there

PEF#2: Cpl Bechtold sees movement and identifies a FBB recon squad: Lt Meyer (Mp40), Sgt Steiner (PPSh), Cpl Kruger (Mp40), Kern (MP40), Anshelm (MP40) and a MG42 team.  Fortunately, Bechtold had kept to the tree line (kept him from losing the IST), so was able to get off the first shots. After the initial exchange, Lt Meyer is killed and Soldat Anshelm is wounded, Soldat Kern and the MG gunner are both forced to drop back. Steiner, Kruger and Hollerbach (ammo bearer for MG42) hold their ground.

PEF #3 remains unseen for now.

Turn 2: FBB initiative 4 – 1

Steiner and his men open fire on Cpl Bechtold and his group. Steiner’s fire wounds Pvt Gunderson (MG gunner); Cpl Kruger drives Bechtold back and an accurate shot from Hollerbach drives back Private Givens.

Then disaster struck.

SSG Rockstar identifies PEF#3 as a building surrounded by an entire platoon of Panzer Grenadiers! (A very bad time to roll box cars)

Rockstar’s platoon gets the drop and opens fire. Rockstar and his men drop Lt Otto (pistol) and Soldat Kroner (Gw43), wound Sgt Borchert (St44) and Soldat Mutz (MG42 Ammo bearer) and Kranz (Pzfaust), two others are driven back.

Airborne:

In the face of such overwhelming odds, SSG Rockstar decides to fight another day. He has suffered his first defeat.

 Kind of reminiscent of the scene from Band of Brothers during their fight in the Bulge now that I think about it.

Photos from the fight

SSG Rockstar splits his squad into a fire base and a maneuver team.

Lt Meyer's Recon squad emerges from the woods

SSG Rockstar stumbles on an entire platoon: