Game played against Wayne Baumber. Normally, I'd have rated this game a 3, especially with a loss, but it is going to get no less than a 4 and here is why.

Readers of the CSW folders or APL site will probably be aware that MB, the games inventor wrote that he never plays through the scenarios he writes. That being the case, he is probably quite unaware of the little gem that this innocuous looking scenario is, and drawn, as it is from an even more innocuous download pack

Here are the reasons I rate it so high. It has two Elsenborn boards, covered as that lower part of Germany is, with fir-tree woods as well as thick woods, hamlets, villages, farmland and rolling ground here and there. And yet, to defend this largish exapnse, the Germans have very sparse and an inconsistent quality of forces, half of which the infantry are disinterested Landeschutzen with a 5 morale. BUT, they have AT and Assault guns that can set up hidden, and are also equipped with defence materials of wire, mines and entrenchments. Where on the map should one put these forces ?, where will the GI's enter ? The south-east, the south-west or straight south ? So many options !

Then, as a real poser, the German has to consider this. American reinforcements, that the US player WILL need (150% more infantry) can only enter when they start losing their own AFV's. In fact, a 12 result, modified by +1 for every AFV step lost. So the German has to decide when he should knock out these guys if they come into view and just how many.... afterall, he can not have them roam untouched around the board. So there you have it, many, many variables that should make each play very different. For the record, I decided that no more than two US AFV's be knocked out until the game gets to the mid or later stages because he will not have enough infantry to capture the VC targets. In the event, his M18's stumbled right into my wood hidden StG's and the M18's were summarily wiped out. Wayne then rolled 2 x 6 for a 12 result and his reinforcements entered on turn 4.. WAYYYYYYYYY to early for this hotch-potch German force. Heres the AAR. I hope it conveys the fun we had with this one

The Lie Of The Land

One part of this Schill Line, located not too far from Stolberg pitted elements of the US 3rd Armored Division against a hodge-podge of soldiers from the 9th Panzer Division and the aforementioned Landeschutzen units. This particular area was well wooded in the west, with small hamlets scattered about in the southern part of the battle area and two larger villages in the northern sector. Around here, the Germans plotted two platoons of StGIII’s (in the wooded area) and three batteries of 75mmAT guns in the northern villages. The hamlets to the south were given up as indefensible by the Germans due to their sparse numbers of manpower. These particular German forces had not been scouted by American forces at all. The Americans were only aware that some Panzer Grenadiers and ‘Home Guard’ units were in the vicinity and as such at 0700 hours, they sent forward a two company sized task unit supported by an M18 platoon and a squadron of M4’s.

Early American Losses & Reinforcements

By 0730, German OBA had spotted the invaders and began sending down regular barrages against the Americans. In short order, casualties were soon made of the US GI’s doing their best to get forward. In their support, some pretty reckless, albeit selfless support was given by the M18’s and M4’s pushing hard into the western woodland in an attempt to flush out any enemies. Unfortuantely for these brave tankies, they got more than they bargained for. Seeing them when as close as 200 yards, they bumped into the StG platoons at 0745 hours. Within minutes, all the M18’s and some M4’s were burning wrecks. Marching to the ‘Sound of the Guns’, the other American troops and AFV’s made for that area. The Americans soon overpowered the almost immobile German vehicles, though at the same time, losing a good few of their own M3’s in the process as well that also appeared to get ambushed. But the way through the wood now appeared clear. A huge benefit had also been gained for the Americans despite their early casualties. Learning how resolute the defenders were being, a whole battalion more of men from the Big Red One were now being sent forward as reinforcements so that the GI’s certainly now had numbers on their side.

Slowly The Balance Tips

But, for the next hour, the Americans still lost infantrymen regularly. Losses came from artillery strikes, MG fire and close in battles and at this point, it seemed that the frontline of this attack would be decimated. However, once the 1st Infantry Division reinforcements got into the scrimmage, the pendulum swung the Americans way for the rest of the morning. By 0915 hours, they were able, when required to bring down plenty of suppression fire backed by good armour and APC support. The Germans, not only were unable to match such firepower, but were too thinly spread for what they were required to defend. One by one, German entrenchments were slowly winkled out in an attritional style but always to the American advantage. There was one entrenchment in particular in the central part of the battlefield that held out for some 3 or more hours. This had been well armed with HMG firepower and although it took early casualties, the grenadiers that remained fought for some time until the American commander finally threw some real heavy duty American industry at it. Infantry, MG’s, tanks and MG armed halftracks finally levered out the remaining resistance.

The Hill Inspires Heroics

The main focus of the battle really centred around a large area of high ground in the north east side of the battlefield. As well as the StG’s encountered earlier, German pillboxes, infantry and more entrenchments were scattered around its environs. For two hours fighting raged in this area, amongst the fir-tree covered trails and raised ground, Germans and Americans savagely fought to the death in the eerie humidity of the evergreens in their desperate attempts to claim or keep this hill. There was no doubting the winner here. Once more, sheer US firepower availability eventually punched the defenders away to seal the day for the attackers…. Almost ! Just before midday, a defiant German Major took a Grenadier platoon with him up the hill. They were fired on from literally all sides, as the Americans were shocked to see yet more outnumbered Germans trying to counterattack up this hill and control the high ground. Pushing some 600-800m through constant American attention with bullets and artillery, the brave grenadiers were finally stopped, stunned and then mercilessly finished off just yards short of their destination. This was the end of the German resistance in the sector, and the battle tailed off around 1215 hours.

Aftermath

A close run thing it had certainly been and took just short of a full 6 hours of battle-time. In summary, it appears the quick appearance of US reinforcements was probably the saving grace for them. For had they waited 30-60 minutes longer, they probably, though not definitely may not have had the fullest of time to clear the Germans out of this sector. In fact, had the reinforcements taken any time longer to arrive, then, the outnumbered Americans that originally began the battle may well have been out-gunned ? So one would have to conclude, that this event was probably the most important of the battle. American combined arms operations was good overall in a tricy and testing situation and may also be given as reason for the victory.

Germans losses were 25 step eqivalents and the Americans lost 20 step equivalents. The Americans gained another 33 points from entrenchments and town hexes taken and this included 8 points for clearing the hill of undemoralised Germans. Germans gained another 9 pomits for trenches and town hexes held. Total score US 53pts, German 29pts. American major victory.