And I forgot to put my "variants" in. I used none and tried it the way it was written. I also found a good discussion of the action in The Ardennes: Battle of the Bulge (
http://www.history.army.mil/books/wwii/7-8/7-8_21.HTM) which clearly indicates that my result was pretty darn historical (the bridge wasn't built until too late to take Warnach on the 23rd and the 4th Armored did not risk the decimation of their infantry in an unsupported attack while the bridge was being built. Having said that I need to go watch the grass grow or the paint dry. Rushing the result, however, is a near guarantee for an American win as the mechanized support is too huge for the Germans to stand it.
It all comes down to building the bridge.
This is why I think Shad's variant doesn't work. The one I proposed should keep it on the historical timetable, however I'm not sure if even that is overcompensating in game terms.
It is really a very tricky balance. I'm not sure how to correctly "time" the construction of the bridge. I did have some pretty hideous luck on this. I worked out all the permutations on it and thought that it would take 52-53 turns to get the bridge built leaving about 14 turns to go after the Germans on average which seems right but the variance in results is obviously pretty broad.
I hope I roll nearly as badly as Matt when I play the SotM!
Well I have now played 3 sessions of this behemoth and due to family commitments will not finish it until next month. But I will darn well finish it even if only for my own personal satisfaction
Hurrah. Hurrah I have finished it. Now read my comments on the AAR, but I am so glad there is not OCT SotM
