Battle of the Bulge: Approaching St. Vith Part II

Last post's screen shot was from turn 27.

Turn 34 (7 turns or around 24 - 32 hours later)

1: Kampfgruppe Telkamp initially attempted to reach Rodt and cut the highway to St. Vith.  The 7th Armored was there in force as can be seen by the many wrecks.  I destroyed a company of Shermans but at great cost and decided to head directly for St. Vith instead.

2: 7th Armored holding a line just north of the paved highway. I don't have enough force to attempt to cut the road and simultaneously advance towards the vital VP hexes in St. Vith

3: The surrounded remnants of what Intel is telling me is the 424th Infantry Regiment (playing "fog of war" I cannot access unit information on my opponent's troops but I believe this is the 424th as it starts the game in St. Vith along with a couple companies of engineers).

The enemy held a strong position on this ridge and was dug in but my troops were able to remain in LOS and call in heavy rocket fire, disrupting the enemy and allowing them to be encircled.

4: Steinbruck and the 500 vp hex is just south west of the numeral 4.  My 62nd VG Division is slowly approaching.

Remember that historically, the 424th Infantry Regiment was on the front line, south of its sister 422nd and 423rd infantry regiments which were quickly surrounded and destroyed. The 424th was able to pull back to St. Vith, and then forced back further west before taking part in the eventual counterattack.  They have an interesting history and will rate their own dedicated post.

Turn 38

St. Vith will not fall easily.  After overrunning the 424th I thought I may do the same to isolated defenders at St. Vith but the 7th Armored Division is here in force, along with quite a few engineers that cause havoc with my panzers at close quarters. They hold a continuous line and I hear armor behind their lines waiting to strike.

There is nothing to it but fight a battle of attrition: move forward, take the heavy op fire, try to force the defenders back so their artillery will not devastate my advance, and if I fail in that, lay smoke and hope I can hold on until my artillery takes effect.  Even the Tigers (on the right of the screen shot) are taking casualties from engineers fighting in the town hexes.