Author	treadasaurusrex (France)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	Draw
Participants	plloyd1010 (AAR)
Play Date	2021-11-07
Language	English
Scenario	FaoF011

This scenario took 3 online sessions to complete. I played the French side who needed to capture and control as many town hexes as possible and also inflict as many step losses on the Germans as possible. The French outnumbered the Germans and had the slight advantage of a nighttime movement to contact.

My worthy opponent stoutly defended the northernmost position of Haut-Le-Wastia, and decided not to defend the smaller hamlet to the south as others have reported in their AARs. In action, repeated -- and very costly -- French assaults from south and northwest sectors failed to dislodge the Germans but did result in footholds being created in the north (Hex 0411) and the southeast portion of the town (Hex 0614) as well as in the center (Hexes 0412 & 0513). Assault units of both sides were stuck exchanging heavy fire in 3 hexes for the bulk of the scenario. In the process, 2 French leaders were killed or deserted. One quickly learns that the 14-strength increment of French OB artillery counts for very little in this kind of urban combat against a determined opponent.

The final score in this relatively-balanced scenario was 14-14 -- a dead-even draw with the vast bulk of the Germans VPs coming from French step loses. Given the poor firepower of the French force, and their corresponding lower morale than my opponent's Germans, this result seemed like a foregone conclusion after about turn 8. However, this is an excellent learning scenario for inexperienced players like me, if they play the French side against a more seasoned PG player as the defending Germans.