I chose this scenario as one of the unplayed ones. Plus, it was a nice, meaty scenario with tanks on both sides. The British come in with 30 infantry units of various types, 8 tanks (5 Shermans, 2 Fireflys and an Achilles) plus supporting mortars, AT guns and OBA. The Germans oppose them with SS GREN, various mortars and AT guns, some OBA and, oh yeah, 3 Panther units that enter on turn 1. The scenario starts in the daylight and ends after dark.

Historically, the British, who set up on Board 58 and are trying to exit Board 57, plus take towns and a hill there, got their butts spanked and ran back to the large town on Board 58. This scenario really illustrates why.

I set up with strong forces going down the east side of the map to contest the hill, with tanks and infantry trying to break through in the middle. The AT guns and more infantry went down the west side. I covered the advance with smoke as long as I could. For their part, the Germans defended the town and hill strongly, with a bunch of hidden units to cause trouble for the Brits. I'm using the suggested method of writing down 2x as many hexes and drawing from a cup. In this particular scenario, I wanted all of the Germans to be stacked 2/hex. I ran into some interesting issues. For instance, there were some HMG among the hidden units. So, when a unit got within 5 hexes of a potential hidden hex, I'd draw. And sometimes I'd draw GREN, who shouldn't come out that quickly. I settled on basically counting draws like that as "no draw" and keeping it as a potential hidden hex.

This one turned ugly quickly. Once the British guns started to run out of smoke, the Panthers started tearing apart the Shermans, whose thin armor couldn't stand up to their guns. Before dying, the Fireflys did take out a platoon of Panthers, however the other 2 platoons were more than enough. Some of the tanks did survive, however the step losses gave a lot of points to the Germans. In addition, the German OBA and on-board artillery was causing havoc with the advance, inflicting some step losses, and disrupting and demoralizing a lot of troops. The British attempted to respond, however they werre firing at units either dug in or in a town for the most part, and just weren't as effective. The British assaults made it to the smaller hill, although with a weak force, and were making some headway in the middle, however the casualties were appalling. 25 steps for the British (about half of that was armor counting double) to about 6 for the Germans. And, by turn 12 when I called it, they were nowhere close to taking any of their objectives or exiting the map.

I was going to play out all the turns, however one of my cats decided to jump on the board yesterday. Amazingly, she avoided all the counters. However, she started to walk, and I tried to lift her off, and that's when stacks went flying. Given the lopsided score in the scenario so far, I decided to move on and not try to recreate things.

This is an interesting scenario, I suspect different British tactics might have provided a better result. However, the superiority of the Panthers, having to cross open ground to get to their objectives, the hidden Germans and the quality of the Germans will make this one a tough fight. This is one I think I'd really enjoy FtF.

Author	treadasaurusrex (Germany)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	Draw
Participants	NBGB
Play Date	2026-04-02
Language	English
Scenario	LIBE012

This was a very fast-moving, 3-session play-through with the redoubtable & thoughtful, NBGB, leading attacking elements of the British 69th Infantry Brigade and the 4th/7th Dragoon Guards Regiment in Normandy, in the vicinity of Cristot and Audrieu. It was a 14-turn, pitched battle in rolling terrain. I led defending elements of the German 3rd Battalion of the 26th Panzer Grenadier Regiment of the 12th SS Panzer Division, in this stimulating, 2-map fight. Unexpectedly, the German side had a decent leader draw, while the British leader set was middling.

We used the FOW (starting on game turn 3), consolidation, tank riders, smoke/illum, extended assault and excess initiative optional rules. We also tried these FIVE house rules: 1) Road Movement for Mechanized & Foot Units — All FOOT & MECHANIZED units may move on roads at the rate of 1/2 Movement Point (MP) per road hex, just like MOTORIZED units, 2) Standardized Movement for Mechanized Units — All mechanized units may move through clear hexes at a movement cost of only 1 movement point (MP) per hex, instead of 1 1/2. Add one to this cost if moving up, across, or down slopes hexes, 3) Towed Anti-Tank (AT) Hidden Emplacement — Unless prohibited by special scenario rules, ALL dug-in, entrenched, or town- occupying, towed AT gun units always begin scenarios in HIDDEN mode if allowed to dig-in per scenario special rules (please see Optional Rules for Hidden Units; Plotting Position; Revealing; and No Hidden Units Specified on Page 37). For example: dug-in, PaK 38 (50mm); Soviet 45mm, or British 6-pdr towed AT gun platoons are eligible under this house rule, 4) Voluntary Unit Reduction — Players may voluntarily reduce 2-step personnel units to 1-step (halved) units if they have at least one leader of MAJOR or higher rank among their side’s assigned force. To do so, the unit to be halved must begin the player’s activation phase in the same hex or in an adjacent hex to a CAPTAIN or higher rank. The full-strength unit to be halved must be in good order and this action costs all the reduced unit’s movement points. Remove the full-strength unit and replace it with 2 reduced strength units. Mark both — and the leader — as activated, and 5) Armored Fighting Vehicle (AFV) Consolidation — Unless prohibited by special scenario rules, reduced 2-step tanks, and other AFV units of the same type, nationality, and morale condition may be combined to form a single, full-strength unit. Both reduced units must start their activation in the same hex and be activated by an adjacent – or same-hex – good order, Tank Leader. This action costs both units all their movement points. Remove one of the units, flip the other to its full-strength side and mark it activated.

This rule set provided improved playability & simplicity during our high-mobility, play-through.

The surprising, initial session (game turns 1-4) was fast paced & deadly, especially for the rapidly advancing Green Howards. The Brits came on with an extended, skirmish line of scouting rifle platoons & forward observers in the center, followed by a weak-side advance on the German’s left flank, and a stronger – better-led – approach opposite the German-held, forested hill on the Herrenvolk’s right flank. Sporadic & highly variable artillery and mortar fire by both sides ensued, while the British left flank thrust pushed into decisive range, covered by well-deployed, OBA smoke screens. As fate would have it, the Scottish infantrymen boldly rushed a series of close assaults on the wooded crest of the hill, without benefit of adequate suppressive fire, and were repulsed in 2 of the three assault hexes. This action resulted in the loss of 8 steps and a leader, but cost the Germans 4 steps in heavy fighting. Surprisingly, the victory point score was now: 23-4 in favor of the Jerry defenders.

Our exciting, second session (game turns 5-8) featured the scrambling Brits pushing south on their far right flank, and also in the center, bypassing the single-hex town. The Tommies also consolidated their battered left flank pincer with multiple morale recovery attempts as night fell. Two steps of British riflemen exited the south edge, while another 3 steps, plus 3 officers were lost to His Majesty’s service in heavy fighting. The Germans lost 2 steps and a level of initiative as they reoriented their defensive efforts. The updated victory point score was now a narrow, 11-8, still in favor of the Third Reich.

The high-maneuver, exciting third session (game turns 9-14) featured the Green Howards exiting the south edge of the map in large numbers, whilst elsewhere, multiple close assaults & adjacent hex firefights occurred. Scottish casualties climbed dramatically in very heavy fighting, and there were repeated feints and attempts to create crossfire situations by armored units of both sides. The final victory point score was 48-43 in favor of the British side, which yielded a DRAW!

There were an amazing 10 FOW-shortened game turns of the 14 played!

This was another gamey, flawed scenario that slightly favors the charging Scots and their armored compatriots. The victory conditions could use a rewrite, as the British may simply push their infantry units off the south edge of the map, regardless of losses, to exit steps IN ANY CONDITION. I give this one a 4, as it was fun to play with a flexible & notably aggressive opponent. It merits a recommendation for both SOLO and SHARED play. The more experienced player should lead the embattled German defenders.

Author	CavDo (Germany)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	Britain
Participants	treadasaurusrex
Play Date	2026-04-03
Language	English
Scenario	LIBE012

This was my first dip in the Liberation 1944 game set that my daughter gave me for my birthday. Selected this sceenario to play with the dreaded T-Rex - since both had tanks! He had just play tested it with another member of the SEAZB&J Foils and I refer the reader to his usual, well-written AAR.

Apart from the very dark green maps that made it difficult to see terrain features, this was a fun encounter that was only marred by the gamey victory conditions that allow the Scots to move directly south and off the map board to secure a win. Lots of casualties for both sides, the final step losses were 19 for the Brits, plus 5 leaders, and 26 to the Germans, plus 2 leaders. I lost 2 of the 3 Panther tank platoons, to the wild valor of Scottish riflemen that pinned my tanks inplace for the Fireflies, regular Shermans and the doggone Achilles SPAT.

I give this slightly flawed scenario an enthusiastic rating of 4, and recommend it for shared and solitaire play.