France 1940: Return to Tagnon (WWII Battlefront Scenario) 8

The French Commander Responds:

As the German Panzer Battalion commander contemplates his dilemma of "How to bypass Alincourt and cross the bridge" the French commander introduces him to French 155mm Schneider artillery "en masse" (see below):

What goes around, then comes around.

Enjoying this "artillery phase" and not wanting to be left out of the action the French commander at Neuflize (ahem, me again) brings in his trusted regimental artillery assets to 'save the day' and scramble those annoying German motorcyclists. Again the 'risk adverse' (of hitting your own troops - again) mental calculation is triggered and once again dismissed as unlikely (after all this would be a "one in one thousand occurrence").

I am sent straight back to Probability Class 101 as once something has occurred its certainty is P=1. Therefore instead of 1:1000 it is still only 1:10 and guess what .. (see below):  

Note to Self: See reference to "Ground-hog Day" and related entry of "Twit"!

"Friendly Fire" once again hits 'Friend and For' alike, prompting the Umpire to declare, "This is no accident the French artillery have just registered short on Neuflize today, no need to roll the dice again as I already know the result" .. I laugh hoping he's joking, but something of a twinkle in his eye makes me wonder!Not as bit as the divisional templates but I still mange to upset my sole AT gun covering the river (see below):

The battle as seen from the German side of the battlefield. The fighting for Neuflize (see below, top of photograph) has certainly drawn in the German motorcycle unit to its death, being under half strength in infantry now its fighting "umph" is definitely questionable but what holds in that mysterious black Hanomag 251 column, it has got to be something special. The motorised transport (see below, bottom of the photograph is probably the German Pazer Division Engineer Battalion plus various HQ elements. I will be interesting to see where it will deploy to, Alincourt or perhaps the 'wooded river-line' space between Alincourt and Neuflize (see below):

Finally the "panzer parking problem" of Alincourt. The lead German Panzer Company is certainly looking disorder (but not killed, dead or dying). Its attention may be drawn to something coming "off table" left in the form of French "tracked vehicles" (see below):

But it is not over yet as there is a third action (game) planned to cover the "tooth and claw" tank versus tank action as the French High Command commit their precious 'char' (aka tank) battalions in a desperate 'make or break' counter attack.

To be continued ...  hope you have enjoyed it so far