OPERATION 'COBRA'

What a disastrous start to a major operation! It was a tragedy all around with Bradley losing his good friend (and the proponent of the US armored warfare tank destroyer doctrine) Lt.Gen. Lesley McNair - one of 4 of the highest ranking US deaths in WW2. 111 other US soldiers killed and 490 wounded by inaccurate bombing by the Eighth AF. Those pilots and crew must have felt horrible when they found out! One of those tragedies that wars involve. I feel for them and the families of those who died.

Nonetheless, the Panzer Lehr division was devasted by the concentrated carpet bombing that came their way. Estimates vary but something like 70% of equipment lost and 1000 men killed are mentioned. In any case, it was not long after that that they were deemed incapable of combat. Still, they were able to make a credible defense after a couple of days and, together with 17SS PG and 2SS Pz on their flank, held the American onslaught back - for a few days!

The capture of Avranches unhinged the whole German defense in Normandy but Hitler, fresh from his own bombing incident of 20th July, was also unhinged. He decided the best form of defense is attack and if you can't die gloriously in a hopelessly lost cause you should attack! Operation 'Luttich' was folly from inception and disaster in execution. It's worth reading about for its military craziness and left me thinking perhaps Hitler was the best commander the Allies had. :)

It failed miserably but where is the fun of that in a game? So, I made the 4 German divisions stronger than they were in real life and the US air force and RAF weaker. That way the attack, when it comes, seems intimidating but remember, the AI is your friend and it will not mount a coordinated attack. 'Luttich' is fairly easy to contain as Brittany is made open to the oncoming 3rd Army.

This sets the scene for the German disaster of the Falais Pocket...