The Big Hurt. Bring'em back alive. 01

"The Big Hurt (TBH) is a 2-part scenario book for NUTS! that takes place in the Hϋrtgen Forest in Germany from mid- September 1944 to February 1945.

MISSION 1 - BRING ‘EM BACK ALIVE

September 17th, 1944 - Near Rotgen, Germany

SITUATION

The German main line of resistance is a few miles away, deep in the Hϋrtgen Forest. However, they still seem to have outposts and patrols far forwards of their fortified positions. While the Brits dally up north in the Low Countries, we Americans face the Hun on his own turf, the soil of Germany! You can bet he’ll be putting up a stiff fight for every inch of it too…

Earlier today we sent out several small patrols into the forest’s edge to the east of us. One of them was ambushed, and 4 out of the 6 men were killed. A wounded survivor returned a few minutes ago, and said that the Lieutenant leading the patrol was hit badly. As the survivor is a little guy, he had to hide the LT in a hollow tree at the bend of a creek. He then distracted the Jerry’s away from the spot. We’ve got to get the LT back, alive! Hopefully he’s still there."

So I created a full squad with an NCO Rep 5 Born Leader and Tough, Jr NCO Rep 5 Resilient, BAR and assistant Rep 5, grunt with rifle and grenade launcher Rep 5, three riflemen Rep 4 and four riflemen Rep 3. I deployed the squad split in two sections. One lead by the NCO with the BAR, 3 Rep 4 and 1 Rep 3 riflemen, and another lead by Jr. NCO, grunt with grenade launcher, 1 Rep 4 and 3 Rep 3 riflemen.

TURN 1. US 3 - G 5.

German did not activate and I moved my squad through the forest as fast as I could.

TURN 2. US 5 - G 2.

Germans received half squad as reinforcements from their border of the table. My squad reached the border of the forest and stopped there in the hope that a German PEF would activate and come out from the forest, but they didn't move.

TURN 3. US 4 - G6.

As German didn't activate, I decided to cross the firebreak and engage the first PEF, but it was a false alarm. Then I realized that the second PEF was now within line of sight (12") and it turned into half squad. I won the Reaction Test and killed the German NCO. The rest of the squad Ducked back but held fast. I kept the other half of my squad in reserve to give me firing cover when I moved back with the lieutenant, but that proved to be a fatal mistake.

TURN 4. US 5 - G 4.

All Germans were prone so one of my riflemen crossed the river and reached the wounded lieutenant. Then the German activated and popped up. In the shootout the BAR was wounded and one riflemen killed and only one German soldier was down. Both groups carried on. The German reinforcements (out of the picture) were closing fast.

TURN 5. US 1 - G 2.

Germans moved first and the reinforcement section arrived and wounded another man from my section, and also killed the soldier who crossed the river to rescue the lieutenant. Then, in my turn, I finally advanced with the rest of my squad but the Germans fought fiercely and managed to kill two men of the second section! Luckily, all my troops held their ground whereas the Germans couldn't take it and left the battlefield; so I could rescue the lieutenant and retrieve all of my wounded men. The price was too high for the life of just one man; I hope he deserves it.