Panzer Grenadier Battles on April 27th:
Arctic Front Deluxe #40 - Children's Crusade Broken Axis #14 - Târgu Frumos: The Second Battle Scenario 3: Sledge Hammer of the Proletariat
Army Group South Ukraine #6 - Consternation Road to Berlin #73 - She-Wolves of the SS
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Heiderscheid
Battle of the Bulge #49
(Defender) Germany vs United States (Attacker)
Formations Involved
Germany Führer Begleit Brigade
United States 319th Infantry Regiment
United States 610th Tank Destroyer Battalion
United States 702nd Tank Battalion
United States 80th "Blue Ridge" Infantry Division
Display
Balance:



Overall balance chart for BaBu049
Total
Side 1 1
Draw 0
Side 2 4
Overall Rating, 5 votes
5
4
3
2
1
3.8
Scenario Rank: 196 of 913
Parent Game Battle of the Bulge
Historicity Historical
Date 1944-12-24
Start Time 02:30
Turn Count 53
Visibility Day & Night
Counters 62
Net Morale 0
Net Initiative 0
Maps 1: 10
Layout Dimensions 43 x 28 cm
17 x 11 in
Play Bounty 96
AAR Bounty 171
Total Plays 5
Total AARs 1
Battle Types
Urban Assault
Conditions
Off-board Artillery
Reinforcements
Terrain Mods
Scenario Requirements & Playability
Battle of the Bulge Base Game
Introduction

The advance of the American 80th Division continued and on the morning of the 23rd of December lead elements of the 319 Infantry Regiment neared the town of Heiderscheid. Held by infantry and armor of the Führer Grenadier Brigade, it was not to be taken on the run.

Conclusion

The Germans opened fire in the bright moonlight and halted the American advance. Accompanying Shermans destroyed the German assault gun platoon, but could not advance into the town due to the presence of a minefield. In short order a path was cleared through the minefield and the American tanks advanced into Heiderscheid. It was not long before a counterattack developed. The arrival of a platoon of M36 tank destroyers put paid to this German attempt to retake the town and the American advance continued. But one more attempt to retake the town remained.


Display Relevant AFV Rules

AFV Rules Pertaining to this Scenario's Order of Battle
  • Vulnerable to results on the Assault Combat Chart (7.25, 7.63, ACC), and may be attacked by Anti-Tank fire (11.2, DFT). Anti-Tank fire only affects the individual unit fired upon (7.62, 11.0).
  • AFV's are activated by tank leaders (3.2, 3.3, 5.42, 6.8). They may also be activated as part of an initial activating stack, but if activated in this way would need a tank leader in order to carry out combat movement.
  • AFV's do not block Direct Fire (10.1).
  • Full-strength AFV's with "armor efficiency" may make two anti-tank (AT) fire attacks per turn (either in their action segment or during opportunity fire) if they have AT fire values of 0 or more (11.2).
  • Each unit with an AT fire value of 2 or more may fire at targets at a distance of between 100% and 150% of its printed AT range. It does so at half its AT fire value. (11.3)
  • Efficient and non-efficient AFV's may conduct two opportunity fires per turn if using direct fire (7.44, 7.64). Units with both Direct and AT Fire values may use either type of fire in the same turn as their opportunity fire, but not both (7.22, 13.0). Units which can take opportunity fire twice per turn do not have to target the same unit both times (13.0).
  • Demoralized AFV's are not required to flee from units that do not have AT fire values (14.3).
  • Place a Wreck marker when an AFV is eliminated in a bridge or town hex (16.3).
  • AFV's do not benefit from Entrenchments (16.42).
  • AFV's may Dig In (16.2).
  • Open-top AFV's: Immune to M, M1 and M2 results on Direct and Bombardment Fire Tables, but DO take step losses from X and #X results (7.25, 7.41, 7.61, BT, DFT). If a "2X" or "3X" result is rolled, at least one of the step losses must be taken by an open-top AFV if present.
  • Closed-top AFV's: Immune to M, M1 and M2 results on Direct and Bombardment Fire Tables. Do not take step losses from Direct or Bombardment Fire. If X or #X result on Fire Table, make M morale check instead (7.25, 7.41, 7.61, BT, DFT).
  • Closed-top AFV's: Provide the +1 modifier on the Assault Table when combined with infantry. (Modifier only applies to Germans in all scenarios; Soviet Guards in scenarios taking place after 1942; Polish, US and Commonwealth in scenarios taking place after 1943.) (ACC)
  • Tank: all are closed-top and provide the +1 Assault bonus, when applicable
  • Assault Gun: if closed-top, provide the +1 Assault bonus, when applicable
  • Tank Destroyer: do not provide the +1 Assault bonus, even if closed-top (SB)
  • APC – Armored Personnel Carrier: These are Combat Units, but stack like Transports. They can transport personnel units or towed units. They are not counted as combat units for the +1 stacking modifier on the Direct Fire and Bombardment Tables (4.4). They may be activated by regular leaders and tank leaders (1.2, 3.34, 4.3, 5.43). They do not provide the +1 Assault bonus (ACC).
  • Armored Cars: These are Combat Units. They are motorized instead of mechanized. All have their own armored car leaders, who can only activate armored cars (6.85). Do not provide the +1 Assault bonus (ACC).
  • Reconnaissance Vehicle: 8.23 Special Spotting Powers Both foot and vehicle mounted recce units (1.2) possess two special spotting abilities. The first ability is that they can spot enemy in limiting terrain at one hex further than the TEC specifies for other units and leaders. For example, an enemy unit in town can normally be spotted at three hexes or less, but a recce unit can spot them at four hexes.Their second ability is that they can place a Spotted marker on any one enemy unit they can spot per turn, just as if the enemy unit had "blown its cover" by firing. Such Spotted markers are removed as described earlier.

Display Order of Battle

Germany Order of Battle
Heer
  • Motorized
  • Towed
United States Order of Battle
Army
  • Mechanized
  • Motorized

Display Errata (4)

4 Errata Items
Scen 49

Reinforcement Turn(time) indicators are out of sync by two turns.

(triangular_cube on 2021 May 13)
Overall balance chart for 20

The reduced direct fire value of the Heer HMG became 5-5 starting with Fall of France.

(plloyd1010 on 2015 Jul 31)
Overall balance chart for 41

All SS PzIVH tanks should have a movement of 8.

(Shad on 2010 Dec 15)
Overall balance chart for 47

All SPW 251s have an armor value of 0.

(Shad on 2010 Dec 15)

Display AARs (1)

Squeeze Play
Author Blackcloud6
Method Solo
Victor United States
Play Date 2021-12-28
Language English
Scenario BaBu049

I'm not one to like the "take the town" scenarios as they can degrade into a dice rolling contest. But this one was interesting because both sides get to attack the town. It starts with the Germans in Heidersheid with a force that cannot fully cover the town. The Americans attack from both the east and the west and put the squeeze on the Germans. Just like in the actual battle, the moon-lit night allows the Germans to shoot up the Americans as they approach the town. But over time in the early morning hours, the overwhelming firepower erodes the Germans until they finally collapse. The Sherman and Stug platoons trade kills and finally the Shermans get destroyed. But once it is apparent the town is going to fall, the Germans tried to escape to join up with the counter-attacking force coming in alter. But the Americans mopped them up by pursuing with a rifle company. The entire initial German force was destroyed.

The Counterattack force arrived on schedule and moved out with the infantry using the northwest woods for cover while the tanks hi the small American outpost line that dug in between the two wood lines. This outpost line allowed the Americans to hit the German infantry with artillery as it approached the town. But the Panzers pushed back the outposts and then drove on unhindered to the town hitting the north hexes with fire. The M36 Jacksons appeared and risked engaging the Panzer Kk IVs. Getting the imitative the Jacksons missed their first shot but killed an entire Mk IV platoon. But the other Mk IV killed the Jacksons. The Germans tried to whittle down the Americans to gain a foothold, but the US firepower was too much and tore up the German infantry. By 1300 hours it was apparent the Germans had little combat power with which to even attempt a meager attack. They called off their attack for a US win.

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