Schnellgruppe Knittel is a great little 14 turn scenario that features a larger American force tasked with capturing the Antoine Farm and keeping the SS off of and adjacent from the road hexes west of the farm. The Germans have a deceptively smaller force, made up for by the better DF factors of GREN and HMG units. This scenario was played against Alan Sawyer over 3 short weekday evening sessions and provided a tense, fun battle whose outcome was undecided until the very last turn.

SETUP

The German setup with the STBNFR 10-1-1, HMG and GREN in Antoine Farm, along with an ENGR and HPSTFR dug-in the adjacent hex (1014) and a GREN, SPW251 and OSTFR dug-in 1114. The SPW251/22 was dug-in a little farther north in 1215. The Americans were arrayed along the road behind the hill on board 22, led by a MAJ 9-0-1 and a CAPT 11-2-1, with the M4 and M5 tanks on the left (South) flank. The original plan was to move the tanks over the open ground while the INF, HMG, ENG and MTR units would go down the road and setup in the woods just outside the farm. The tanks would then meet up with the infantry and assault the farm.

BATTLE

The Americans began their attack by moving down the road and forming up in a line centered on the CAPT with an ENG and a HMG, a SGT with 2x INF on the left and a LT with an INF and a HMG on the right. These units were followed by the MAJ with 2x INF and another LT with 2x 81mm MTR. The first several turns were spent getting into position, which was made easier by the fact that most of the terrain east of the farm was various wooded and light wooded areas. The armored units moved along the south edge, staying away from the 75mm PaK 40 gun on the SPW251/22 dug in to the north. The infantry units moved through the wooded area just east of Antoine farm and setup by turn 8 in the hexes just inside the wooded area. Over the next several turns the Infantry, Armor and OBA attempted to break the defense on the farm or in the dugout positions by the Engineers by sheer firepower, while the platoon of M5s moved west to intercept German reinforcements. An infantry platoon was obliterated as it approached the farm and it looked like it would be a tough struggle to capture the farm. Despite the M5 scouting platoon effectively eliminating the Puma platoon by demoralization, the Americans could not get a foothold in the farm. Finally, on turn 11, the OBA and direct fire on the farm and dug out positions forced the Germans into disruption and demoralization and were able to move into positions for Assault. Assault occurred on turn 12 and would go on for 2 more turns. In the meantime, a GREN platoon, SPW and an OSTFR were moving around the rear of the American lines attempting to draw the attackers off the assault on the farm, but the Americans stood fast, knowing that the Farm was the key to the entire scenario. There were two opportunities for the Americans to gain a victory. Turn 13 saw the loaded GREN, OSTFR on the SPw251 within range of the M5 guns and had they hit, the Americans would have been primed for a Major Victory. As it was, the American M5s missed but the assault was able to clear the farm of German units. After the Americans took the farm, the final SS units were moved down the road and were unable to be pushed from the road to secure the Major Victory.

AFTERMATH

When looking back on this scenario as a selection, this wasn't even 3rd on the list of options to choose from. However, I will remember this scenario as one of the best that I have played in my 20 or so games of PG. Despite the fact that it looks like the Americans have the edge, if the setup is done correctly, the German has a real chance to win. In fact, here was the situation on the last two turns and how each victory condition could have been attained:

American Objectives: take Antoine Farm and prevent German forces from being on or adjacent to the road east of Antoine Farm.

German Major - required 5 US step losses and no US objectives. - on turn 14, The US had not cleared the road and were on the final assault roll in the farm and had taken 4 losses.German Minor - required no US objectives. - Again, see above.

American Minor - One US Objective - by the end the US had taken the Farm but the road was not clear of Germans (Game Result).

American Major - Both US Objectives - the farm was taken and had the M5 hit the SPW251 loaded with a GREN and Leader, the 2nd objective would have been achieved with no chance for the Germans to get back to the road.

In all cases, when Turn 14 came around, any one of the victory conditions could have been met - so in my opinion, one of the best I have played.

This was a very enjoyable scenario for a small FTF. At first glance it seems to be bit tilted toward the Americans with the volume of troops, OBA and tanks, but surprisingly the Germans have quite a good force to attempt to stop them from retaking the farm. The German recon unit consists of just one company of lightly armed troops and armored cars. But they are on the defensive and with a decent leader draw they became of formidable force.

For the Americans they will have a focus on the farm hex, they must take that hex to win the game, whilst the Germans must hold out until the end. There is reinforcements to help the Germans but those won't be for some time and may not be able to help at the point.

For a setup the farm is the key for the Germans, here we had the most powerful stack a INF with and HMG and a STBFR to hold the town. Next door the ENG, dugin to support the town defense with the SPW251/22 in the light woods to the north to try to cover a tank approach. The other INF with a SPW251/1 was covering them but he would become the mobile element for the German defense.

For the Americans, they advance in from the east along the main road. After taking a couple of turns to close on the farm they are in the woods just to the east of the farm. Preceding with OBA prep fire they try to position forces to the advance. One platoon tries to close on the farm but quickly takes casualties and the Americans adjust there advance. The American tanks look to flank the farm and position to the west to fire on the town, while INFs and HMG's position to fire from the east. German response fire is good with morale checks and some disruptions and demoralizations on the Americans. The mobile German units of INF SPW251 and OSTFR give the Americans something to think about as they move to the east west road in the American rear.

Soon the German reinforcements appear and look to help the besieged troops at the farm. But the American M5 looks to block there path. It takes up station in the small town in the center of board 22 and the German SPW251/2 opens fire on it. After several round of AT fire exchanged the American come out on top and the SPW is reduced and demoralized. The German infantry continues on toward the town.

As time passed the Americans need to press of the town, but have been unable to break the Germans with direct fire. This turn they look to go after the dugin ENG's and they be the break they need. The ENG demoralizes and then flees isolating the farm a little more. With some direct fire from the M4's the HMG in the town disrupts. Then the Americans make there big move and close with their HMG's, INF's and ENG's. German OP scores morale checks but that was about it and the Americans are in a position to assault.

The Germans have one more option, the SPW251/22 opens fire on the M4's. It's shot misses and the Americans seal the SPW251's fate on the next turn. At this point it was the all down to the assaults, which the Americans slowly grind the Germans down. But it did come with American losses and it was down to the last assault roll for the American win.

A quick little scenario where the Germans try to hold on to some terrain with a small blocking force and get a small reinforcement group sometime on or after turn 8 on a 14 turn scenario. The Americans get about 3-4 times the size of units with off-board artillery but little time to conquer the required areas.

In the end, the Americans did control almost of the Highway with the exception of one disrupted German Infantry unit but took the Antoine Farm, so they were able to achieve a Minor Victory but one turn from a Major victory. The Germans took out 4 steps of American units, one step short of them achieving a minor victory, as they needed 5 steps or more. That German SPW-251/22 75mm AT Halftrack is weak in protection but it has a nice bite when firing AT fire at American armor. The last time I remember firing a 75mm halftrack, was when I was firing an American M3/75mm Halftrack at a Japanese Type 97 tank in Guadalcanal.

Kind an interesting little scenario with a nice mix of unit types and very manageable to play.

A nice quick Christmas Eve Bulge scenario.

This is a straight-forward attack scenario. Move forward, clear the Germans out of the way, take the town, right?

The US lead with the reinforced infantry company plus the Shermans and engineers followed by a rifle company and the Stuarts. The lead company's mission was to move down the road then peel off into the light woods to the north to skirt the German blocking position on the road in front of the far. Their mission is to take the farm while the follow-on company was to fix the Germans on the road and then clear them.

Neither company had trouble with their tasks. The Germans did fight like devils on the road, tying up the assault there for turns until they got wore down. The SS did adjust by trying to block the Americans coming through the woods, but that position got blasted by the Shermans and infantry.

The assault on the town proved tough as the high morale SS would not give. They did get won down, but the pioneers held out to the end. The Germans did lose though by losing control of the road and they only took out the Stuart platoon.

Author	treadasaurusrex (United States)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	United States
Participants	Tankodactyl
Play Date	2023-01-22
Language	English
Scenario	WiSo013

This was a 3-session, play-though of an American attack in a town in the snowy Ardennes that has been described in detail by several other, far-better writers than I. This will e a sketch AAR only.

Tankodactyl led the high morale, defending SS troops and I led the attacking American side with a few late-war Stuart & Sherman light tanks. We used the excess initiative, smoke/illum, extended assault and consolidation optional rules. Gratefully, we skipped the defense-favoring FOW. Both sides drew good sets of leaders.

As others have noted, the SS fight darn hard on defense and had to be slowly worn down by repeated close assaults and adjacent-hex fire fights. Both the farm and the town were liberated in the allotted time for a clear American victory. The Germans lost 10 steps and 3 leaders, The Americans lost 6 steps (yes, including the Stuart platoon) and 1 leader in this rugged, winter fight. Only a combined 5 combat 7-die rolls were thrown in the 3 sessions (14 game turns).

Germans tried a four-grouping broad defensive front to keep the US from a narrow single axis attack. US pushed forward leaders however s.t. their OBA and 2 mortars (with some good rolling) took out an early Gren step and got in some disruptions. The SS really had to fall back into the "farm" and hope that reinforcements might allow an end-around to take a road hex. Not looking good after the SS rolled a 6 & 8 on the 30-col DF table (with US making most of the morale checks) - loosing their big opportunity for significant damage as US approached. Thus, the bulk of US forces are mostly intact and now adjacent to the farm. Did kill off a half-step of M5 armor though, with the SPW251/22. Trying to keep those soft skin SS recon vehicles alive in the face of two platoons of M4s and the one platoon of M5 is a trick.

Essentially, on turn nine: SS holds Antoine Farm, but has US units on three adjacent hexes (and is getting hit by OBA/mortars as the US player is "magic" vis-a-vis friendly fire!). SS has lost two GREN units; a half-step of the SPW251/22; and a leader; US has lost a half-step of INF; a half-step of M5; and has an ENG and INF DEM and DIS respectively. SS has an SPW251 making an "end around" and the two PUMAs have just come on board. The question for them: engage boldly to try to hold Antione Farm or try to loop around to hold a road hex. Very little chance, I think, of the SS doing both unless die rolls shift dramatically.

Turn 10 was indeed dramatic: US launched a three hex, eight unit combined DF/assault against SS HMG/ENG in Antoine Farm (AF). Roll of 12 on 30+ DF col killed two steps; followed up in the same segment by a US assault roll of 6 (on the 18 assault col) for another two step losses (yes, three six die results in a row - an yes, my opponent is the spawn of ... when it comes to die rolls!). In one fell turn, the US obliterates the SS in that town hex; taking AF and pretty much ending any chance for a German victory. However, the Pumas that arrived on the previous turn, rolled a 9 and two 10's to kill an M5 step and two M4 steps.

Remainder of the game saw the sole German Gren step surviving trying to work its way around to establish itself on the road east of Antoine Farm: to no avail as they were interdicted by OBA and US INF units. The Pumas and the SPW251/22 attempted an "end run" to the south edge, but are cutoff by further US INF/HMG and the remaining Sherman (US got "lucky" with an initiative roll on turn 13 that allowed the PUMAs to be assaulted before they could get off AT fire on the last US M4 (hopefully clearing the way to the road for the other). The SS did have one valiant SPW (regular) platoon adjacent to the EW road survive three rounds of assault vs. a US leader + HMG + INF, but was killed off by the M4 on the last turn.

So, a major victory for the US (holding both Antoine Farm and keeping the EW road east of AF clear). It was fairly tense, though, until really turn 13 (of 14) where it became clear that the Germans would not be able to get and keep a unit adjacent to the road.

Whilst there was some good and bad rolling on both sides, the US side had an inordinate # of very good attack rolls on the DF and BF tables, whereas the German side pretty much was rolling 6-8's save for some fairly good AT rolls. In the words of the US player when I just asked him if he'd concede that he got the best of the die rolls: ::cackling:: "Yes, I think I'd concede that."

So whilst a frustrating scenario for the German player (classic too much to cover with insufficient forces to do it), it was dramatic until the end (over the last five turns) when the issue was whether the US would get a major or only a minor victory.