Breakthrough at Mortain

While Patton's tanks roll through Brittany, threatening France's center, Hitler orders Field Marshal Von Kluge to launch an armored counter-attack to cut the Avranches corridor. The Germans struggle to regroup 150 tanks from the remnants of four armored divisions before …

1944-08-07

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While Patton's tanks roll through Brittany, threatening France's center, Hitler orders Field Marshal Von Kluge to launch an armored counter-attack to cut the Avranches corridor. The Germans struggle to regroup 150 tanks from the remnants of four armored divisions before venturing into hedgerow country on the night of August 6-7. Initially they make good progress, except around Saint Barthélémy and Hill 317 near Mortain. But soon the fog lifts, unveiling a sky full of rocket-equipped Typhoons from the 2nd Tactical Air Force. The Panzer assault is stopped dead in its tracks. For the next 4 days, it's a duel to the last between the US infantry and the German Panzers. Finally on August 12, Von Kluge is forced to call the retreat. The ultimate attempt to save Normandy has failed.

Saint Barthélémy, France

Operation Luttich was a codename given to a German counter-attack during the Battle of Normandy, which took place around the American positions near Mortain in northwestern France from 7 August to 13 August 1944. The offensive is also referred to in American and British histories of the Battle of Normandy as the Mortain counterattack. The assault was ordered by Adolf Hitler, to eliminate the gains made by the First United States Army during Operation Cobra and the subsequent weeks, and by reaching the coast in the region of Avranches at the base of the Cotentin peninsula, cut off the units of the Third United States Army which had advanced into Brittany. The main German striking force was the XLVII Panzer Corps, with one and a half SS Panzer Divisions and two Heer Panzer Divisions. Although they made initial gains against the defending U.S. VII Corps, they were soon halted and the Allies inflicted severe losses on the attacking troops, eventually destroying most of the German tanks involved in the attack. Although fighting continued around Mortain for six days, the American forces had regained the initiative within a day of the opening of the German attack.

Wikipedia: Operation Luttich

German

American

Game Type: Breakthrough

Board Type: Countryside

Website Access: Classified