First of the four mini-series concerning Road Junction (RJ) 278. Germans set up with a Grenadier platoon in village hex 1208 and an HMG in 1207. The hauptsturmfuhrer leading these two platoons was a grizzled veteran of the Russian front (11-1-1). Another grenadier platoon was dug-in at 1106 holding the open terrain from the river to RJ 278 (hex 0907) held by dug-in platoons of Pz-IVH and SZ234/2 armored cars.

US drew, or rather flipped very poorly in the leader draw. Only one of seven was to the "better" side and only one leader had a morale bonus of +1 and another an attack bonus of +1. Lacking leadership, the US really needed to pile up its force. The mortar stack was in 0909; 3xINF in 1009 (to attack over the hill/field terrain); and the rest of the INF/HMGs were in hexes 1214; 1315; 1115; 1215;1316.

Things started off poorly for the Americans. A 2X result against an HMG platoon by OF! Otherwise, Turns 1 and 2 were positioning, defensive OF, and bombardments. Two US INF platoons were sent on a southerly "end around" the large fields (woods => fields as per Scenario instructions) to threaten RJ 278 directly.

Turn 3. Americans take their one aircraft; roll for the P47 with the x2 AT value; they roll to strike the hex; DF does nothing; a single '6' roll; roll to have US pick unit to take step loss; bye to a Pz-IVH step. The other is disrupted, but recovers. US loses an INF step to DF.

Turns 4-5 has desultory results. Lots of disruptions/demoralizations to US forces as they try to soften up the village hexes. Assault against dug-in hex 1106 leads to an SS grenadier step loss each turn, but US units fragmented by morale failures. US "end-around" reaches RJ 278, but OBA demoralizes the attackers.

Turn 6: US finally gets an assault going vs. village hex 1207. Both this and next turn lead to a bunch of M1's which go poorly for the US (Germans passively defending and recovered morale on their activation if lost during US assault phase). Turn 7 ditto, though US loses two INF steps to compound demoralization. Attacks vs. RJ 278 broken up by morale failures.

On turn 8 (of 9), SS reinforcements arrive (4xGren) which seals the deal. No possibility for US to take three objective hexes in two turns with these reinforcements now on board.

Although not a victory condition, total steps losses: Germany = 4 (PzIVH step counting double); US = 5.

This might have gone the other way with a stronger leader draw for the US, especially with some combat bonuses to help defeat the town defense col shifts. Reading the scenario, however, this appears to have played out as a simulation almost identically to the historical result.

I've played Obsession Junction, #3/4 of the RJ 278 series. That one was quite exciting.

Played with character leaders and anonymous leaders.

This is a short infantry fight between battalion sided forces on a small board. At first it looked as though the Germans were going to anchor on the towns, with fire coverage in the center. Americans moved against the northern town while their artillery disrupted the German march. The Germans invested the southern town quite strongly, and placed a small reaction force behind it.

The disruption by American artillery was significant as the Germans became disorganized and a gap presented itself in the center. An impromptu advance by the American HMG's and a couple platoons of infantry crossed the road. What was to have been the main American attack kept the Germans in the northern town area pinned down. The American advance force (led by 3 LT's, 2 of which were not very good) overran a small blocking force with the help of mortar fire. The now exposed force suffered disruption and demoralization. Repeated German artillery & mortar strikes failed to actually produce casualties, but grenadiers were moving in for the kill.

The Americans in the pocket mostly fled. 1 HMG rallied , and managed to hold the gain made. An American infantry platoon jumped over the HMG's positions to use 2 grenadier platoons as cover against 2 larger fire teams. The next, and last turn, the American infantry ran deep to east.

Final result was 6 German steps lost to 1 American, and 2 undemoralized American units east of the road. American artillery and mortar really carried this one.