BARKMANN'S CORNER*
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DATE: 27 July 1944*
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Two-Player PBEM Game*
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BATTLE TYPE: USA advance vs. Germany delay*
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LE LOREY, FRANCE:  The 2nd SS-Panzer Regiment, after a harrowing cross-country march through the heartland of the Maquis, assemble with the rest of its division south of Saint Lo to meet the American threat. Having lost two tanks in the sharp fighting of the past two weeks, SS-Unterscharfueher Ernst Barkmann set out at dawn in his refurbished Panther to rejoin his company. But coming out of the village of le Lorey, he encountered infantry and rea-area troops running in the opposite direction shouting that the Americans had broken through along the main road from St. Lo and were right behind. Rallying a small group of the infantry to give him cover and appropriating an AT gun and crew from the withdrawal, Barkmann went into battle stations. Backing off Route N172 into the crossroads from le Lorey, he prepared to meet the enemy.*
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AFTERMATH: Barkmann's Panther lay between the high hedges lining either side of the crossroads. No sooner had he taken up this position than American armor came into view, some 200 meters distant. His first shot flamed the lead tank, and the others were throuwn into confusion. Barkmann's loader slammed shell after shell into the breech, as jeeps and halftracks tore apart under the fire of the 75mm cannon. Suddenly, to the left, two Shermans were spotted. Coolly switching targets and range, Barkmann opened fire. It took a couple of shots to brew up the first. Although the second managed to get two hits on the Panther, it too fell victim. But it all had to end, for fighter-bombers were now cratering the ground all around the tank and the German infantry were all dead or had fled. Two more Shermans crept close and opened fire, their shells scraping the paint off the tank. Barkmann's Panther, with track damage, one of the hull seams split open, ammunition exhausted, and the driver and gun-layer wounded, managed to reverse up the hill to le Neufboug where the jammed hatches were prised open with crowbars and the tank abandoned. German infantry on the spot counted nine kills for Barkmann; he was awarded the Ritterkreuz for this exploit.*
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NOTES: This scenario is based off of Avalon Hill's Advanced Squad Leader (ASL) deluxe scenario 15 with some minor modifications. The map is not based on the scenario.*
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Sources:  Deluxe ASL Scenario 15*
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Design by:  Don Lazov*