Quick Campaigns: Wings of Glory + Bolt Action - Continued.

 Phase Two - Ground battle using Bolt Action.

The setup followed the description back in Part One found HERE, with one German Unit on board, here seen huddled behind a stone wall outside of a small brown cafe' (below and), top right; 

and the Allies in the near corner. 

The Allied Forces, as selected:

A first LT and assistant;
2 x medium MG team
1 x Medium Mortar
3 x Veteran Glider Infantry squads, one equipped with multiple SMGs and AT grenades.
One bazooka team
1 recon jeep with MMG mounted
One Arty FO team
One 75mm Howitzer.

With the losses experienced in landing, the Allied Commander removed the FO team and pack howitzer. As we'll see later, this was probably not the best choice against the German defending force, consisting of:

3 Waffen SS squads

A sniper team

A flamethrower team

A Leutnant and assistant 

A Sdkfz 251 for transport

A Pzkw IV 

Rolling to enter the  fray on the same side the Germans set up, the Allied Commander chose to huddle in the trees rather than immediately take fire from the enemy, and control the ford over the river, with a mortar team, one squad, and a Medium MG north of the river, the remainder of the force on the south.

Turn 1 saw no additional German units arriving, allowing the Allies to run toward the bridge, leaving the northern MG team and mortar on Ambush, and one squad Running along the river's edge towards the foot of the bridge. 

                Recon jeep races ahead

Turn 2 saw the far German squad run from cover to cover in the north coming under MG fire from the MG team in the woods and taking a pin, while their relief column began to arrive, also on the eastern edge, a Panzer IV and a track full of SS Fanatics. 

German Commander: "...Despite my fear of untrustworthy intelligence, I put my squad on alert and hoped that there were not too many steins of cheer being raised at the small brown cafe'. We heard our A-A and drone of aircraft motors and knew reports of an invasion were true. From the cafe' we sprinted to cover to the west to watch the river both sides of the bridge and called for armor support"...

Having both sides' units arriving from the same edge meant a running race to the bridge while immediately coming under fire. 

The Panzer immediately put the US MG team in the woods under fire, delivering pins from its MGs. The halftrack was hit by the US bazooka team, putting it out of action, but the entire squad it was transporting escaped with only a pin to show for their forced dismount.  (Should have fired at the flank of the Panzer, in retrospect). 

SS squad leader: "...We were advancing toward the bridge when I raised my binoculars in time to spot an enemy panzerfaust in the ruins south of the bridge. As the rocket streaked toward us I ordered a halt and immediate abandonment behind our 251 - and to my horror it destroyed the vehicle we had just left..."

Bazooka-eye-view

The allied squad on the north side of the river reached the foot of the bridge, but at a high cost, losing 4 troops in the process.

The Panzer managed to eliminate both units north of the river (MG and Mortar) and the bazooka team while the Allies sprinted into cover in the ruins surrounding the south end of the bridge. 

Panzer IV commander: "...Call received that airborne troops had landed and were attacking and had two of our squads pinned down and being raked with MG fire.  Moving ahead our gunner was anxious and fired our main gun into the trees. While it stunned the allied gunners we turned to our own forward MG with success eliminating the allied nest. Pivoting north we spotted the panzerfaust that had destroyed the 251 and successfully neutralized him..."

The remaining German relief column entered in Turns 3 and 4, while the recon jeep was able to attrite the initial German SS squad as it approached the bridge from the north, down to 4 of its original 9, but they passed their morale check and continued to advance.

Can the Allies remain in control of, or at least contest the bridge, for two more turns? We will have to gather again to find out. We ran the clock out getting through turn 4. Stay tuned to Part III!

Reactions thus far:

Allied initial advantage evaporates as soon as German armor appears. Restrictions to Allied list based on glider limitations means nothing bigger than 57mm, which at 2500 lbs could be carried by glider. (Unfortunately I don't have that model. I'd bring one if I were you ;-) ).