Survival of the US 5th ID (M)

[Legbreaker]

Were I the commander on the spot, I would have called for whatever support Brigade/Division could send me in the way of reinforcements, fuel, and supplies...

Well there's the problem I think. There are no reinforcements, fuel or supplies available from Brigade, Division or anywhere else for that matter. Everyone else is already occupied.

As for a walking barrage, by the last day or so of the 5th, it seems that they were almost out of everything. The artillery is likely to be otherwise occupied also, supporting other units in contact with the enemy. Mortars may be available, but after the long fight with the 124th, are likely to be very low on ammo.

If you take the pressure off other units it might be possible to support the 3-70th etc, but that may change the entire dynamic of the scenario and enable a breakout in another direction.

[schnickelfritz]

It is listed that 3-10 Infantry arrives at some point shortly after 1200 hours and assists in defeating several conterattacks by the 124th.

Elements of 4-12 cavalry must have been on scene as well, after all, they spotted the 124th on the road in the first place.

Six howitzers from 2-21 FA are stated to be to the rear of 3-10 and 3-70.

If they did not have ammo, why would they set up Let's be realistic, there are no endless piles of ammo, but surely there must be a couple dozen shells you could use to scare off some shattered formations on the other side of the column.

I would push across the road with every warm body I could use to secure the road and cut it. With a battalion of infantry on hand...even by the standards of T2K year 2000, I would assume that would mean 200, perhaps 300 infantry. 100 would be a weak skirmish line, but given the situation, it would probably work.

Scream for every body and vehicle you can get...this may be your only shot.

It is stated that there is still an emergency fuel reserve and that the supply-maintenance echelon is to the rear of 3-10/3-70. The remaining fuel and supplies would be distributed and the breakout would kick off. 3-77A, 3-143I, and 3-19FA were just North of Kalisz and would be brought down during the night.

Thanks-
Dave

[Legbreaker]

Anything is possible.

Re the artillery, I'm thinking that the ready supply of ammo was expended during the battle leaving very little for defensive fires should there have bene a counterattack. In that light firing just to create a screen at targets that may, or may not be there or even be a threat seems a little wasteful.

There may well have been the manpower available to conduct a cursory scrounging of the wreckage. I don't believe though that enough would have been recovered quickly enough to resupply the US units in the area.

Given the scenario parameters, it seems likely that the writers considered any PC groups that escaped to have probably come from one of these units . Taking a bit of a leap, it seems probable the horseborne cavalry were effectively wiped out, given that animals aren't an option when equiping beginning characters with transportation.

[Panther Al]

Actually, Horse are an option. Instead of rolling 1D6 per three characters for a vehicle, you get 1D6 horses/mules. I was seriously thinking of going with that in my game. (Page 26, V2.2 BYB)

[Abbott Shaull]

You know that is one thing that hasn't been discussed much that I can remember. Sure month or so well forward of the IX Corps and limited amount of round for the AFV's. The battles with various units during the break through and pursue Polish and then major battle would of drawn down the number of main gun rounds for the tank, but I don't recall much about like Mortar and Artillery rounds.

Again the 5th could carry so much of everything and they already been in running battle more less for at least the last month. Could it be that part of the reason why the 5th was so easy to pick off was due to the fact that ammo for Mortars and Artillery as well the MRLS units of the Battery were at running short and no one was able to get the calls of fires they would of liked.

So throw this into the mix...