This is an interesting scenario. A small group of paratroopers, with 8/8 morale and initiative that never drops, need to take a town from some German Volksgrenadiers. There are 2 problems. One is that the VG will get to the town first. The second is that, starting about midway through the scenario, 2 battalions of reinforcements show up for the Germans. Of course, to win, the Paras only have to hold one town hex. Oh, did I mention that the only artillery the paras have is a pair of 81mm mortar units? The Germans have some OBA, although its not a huge amount. Snow limits visibility to 4 hexes, which is not a big deal as most of the fighting will be much closer than that. It does restrict visibility for OBA and the mortars, and the effects on movement have some effect.

So, the Paras assembled and came marching up the road until they were about 5 hexes from the town and then broke into attack forces. One platoon went towards the 1 hex town away from the main one, and the rest of the force headed for the main town. A big problem for the Paras in this one was that the Germans had a 10-2-1 leader, so there was massive firepower coming from the town. And the plan, which I knew would be bloody, fell apart quickly.

First, I should have sent 2 platoons to the 1 hex town. As is, the Germans sent 1 platoon and a leader to defend it, and got there first, and the assaults were on the 5 column vs. the 9 for the Germans. And, despite the Germans 7/5 morale, they refused to fail any morale checks (this was a theme through the scenario). So, they were still locked in assault when I called the scenario. Under the cover of smoke from the mortars, the Paras approached the town taking some casualties, and eventually forced their way into one town hex. 2 platoons and a leader circled around to the back of the town which was much more lightly defended to try to get in that way. The German platoons that were there took a low column shot at them and rolled snake eyes, and the Paratroopers were all demoralized. They fled and refused to recover for the rest of the scenario (I mean, they needed a 6 or less, you'd think they'd get it eventually). That was the high tide for the Americans. The Germans refused to fail morale checks (for the most part), they won initiative several times despite having a deficit in the base initiative each turn, and the US could not get more troops into the town.

The reinforcements came in on their 2nd eligible turn (turn 12), and I called the scenario. There was little chance of the Americans taking another town hex, and with 10 turns to just pound on the guys in the one town hex, it seemed unlikely they'd keep it. Plus, I needed the table for another game. :)

Despite the total failure of the Paras in this one, this was an interesting scenario. Without the 10-2-1 leader, the Germans, while still tough defending a town, are not as deadly. If the Germans don't roll that snake eyes when I'm trying to end-run the main force and the Paratroopers get another foothold, its a different game. If I send 2 platoons to the small town instead of 1, the Americans have another hex the Germans have to retake.

Although its a fairly static scenario (take the town(s)), I think this would be a good FtF scenario and could be played in just a few hours.