Eroudeville Turn 30

Things are happening very fast right now. The tanks have fully driven off my artillery spotter that was in the church. That has left the fire mission incomplete! It’s hanging there until someone finishes the spotting. Even though other command units can see where the rounds need to go I can’t end this mission and start another one. I need to get that last radioman somewhere he can see the final few rounds. Otherwise, the US Infantry Right will have enough fire support to enact an assault of my Entrenchment.

The lead tank rounds the corner, and my anti-tank gun at the Entrenchment opens up. 

The .50 cal coaxial on the bow of the lead Sherman rakes the trenches while the two big guns square off.

There’s a flurry of rounds exchanged and the Germans get the first hit on target, landing one on the upper front hull. I receive a message that I’ve penetrated their armor, but they don’t slow down!

This frame shows exactly where the round hit, on top of the .50 cal gunner's position. But he didn't stop firing. The round penetrated, but didn't strike a crew member. Inset is the explosion from the perspective of the antitank crew.

The US tank lets one more round fly though knocking down two men on the German gun. 


But the tank has had enough, and pops a pair of smoke canisters up through the turret’s launcher and begins to reverse. 

You can see the port for the smoke launcher just to the right of the main gun on the turret.

I’m hoping the gun crew will pick themselves up off the ground before the smoke takes effect or it could be another round or two before I get a clear shot.

Look at the detail on that smoke canister! I can practically read the serial number. Smoke port again is on the lower right, directly below the .50 cal. mount on the top of the turret.

Stacker and Stager are beginning to take mortar fire, but so far it’s very inaccurate. 

Stacker's full scout squad is on the left, while Stager and the MG team are on the right. They have great cover behind this hedge, and I'm hoping they'll observe the advance of Infantry Left before they have to retreat from the mortar fire. In the mean time, they're doing a fine job of holding up the Americans.

My hunch is that there’s a spotter up in the farmhouse. My mortar men should have rounds on target next round, but for now I have at least 20 men in four units pouring fire into those windows. 

Four German units, marked by red lines above, are firing on the farmhouse that was occupied by Stacker and Stager at the beginning of the engagement, now circled in orange. That's 2x MG-42s and assorted small arms coming down on the house. Strong as it is, the roof should be easily penetrated by my mortars next round.

I’m amazed the Americans haven’t retreated to the lower floor. This observation position must be a fulcrum for their advance with Infantry Left.

A few hero shots of the plucky Americans in the farmhouse. Sometimes it's hard to see, but every round that's fired has a brass somewhere in the animation.

Here's our friend the BAR rifleman from last round.