Carnage in Koln

Cologne/Koln, March 1945. A report from a journalist embedded with the US Army’s 3rd Armoured Division.

Last night US armour tried to break through to the Hohenzollern Bridge, fighting in the streets of Cologne. One of the new factory fresh M26 Pershings joined a seasoned troop of Shermans, with the Shermans acting in concert and the Pershing pushing alone along the North of the table. 

The Panther reported to be in the area was nowhere to be seen or heard, but a lone Panzer IV soon made an appearance turning to engage the M26. It obviously didn’t know what is was facing as the Pershing’s 90mm gun made short work of it with a single shot. 11 attack dice is a pretty powerful gun!

Greg’s Panther then leaped into action from its lair. Using its “fast” attribute it raced cross table deftly manoeuvering along the south edge of the table using buildings as cover. A tense turn as Tony’s 76mm –armed Sherman tried and failed to take on the Panther, only for Greg to kill it with another single shot. Turning north he also despatched Rob with a side shot. Ouch!!

Chris returned with the 2nd Panther and Tony and Rob returned on their game start line with less-than-mighty Shermans. Chris took cover around the railway station and rather ineffectually tried to duel with Phil’s heroic... or stupid... M4. That contest allowed Malcolm to slip the M26 into the railway yard and despatch Chris with a side-shot. Panther side-armour vs a 90mm gun. No contest! So far all kills has been catastrophic, with no “damage caused”.

Greg’s Panther continued North finding a rear-shot into Phil’s M4. The result a foregone conclusion and another pall of black smoke appeared over the table. Greg then went for Rob’s 75mm M4 instead of Tony’s better-armed 76mm gun-tank. For the first time no kill, but damage, and Greg closed in for the kill. However Malcolm returned from his success in the railway yard to race across the board and put another side-shot into Greg.

A victory for the Americans, albeit historically they ran out if time. The Germans blew the Hohenzollern Bridge leaving the Yanks in a race to reach “The Bridge at Remagen”.

I sense another game coming on...

Simon