Author	treadasaurusrex (United States)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	United States
Participants	goosebrown
Play Date	2025-09-02
Language	English
Scenario	PaLe012

This was another fun-filled, but slightly gamey, 6-session play through with tenacious & careful Goosebrown leading defending elements of the German Panzer Lehr, 5th Fallschirmjager and 2nd SS Das Reich Divisions, in a 14-turn battle. I led attacking elements from the American 9th Infantry Division in this 2-map fight. Both sides drew middling leaders.

We used the FOW, consolidation, excess initiative, smoke/illum, hidden units (Germans only) and extended assault optional rules. We also used these FIVE house rules: 1) 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, 2) German Assault Gun Activation —German Army, turretless STGs and Jagdpanzer units were typically crewed by artillerymen. Like halftracks, these units may be activated by ALL leaders, as well as Tank Leaders, unless prohibited by scenario rules, 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 2-pdr and/or 6-pdr towed AT gun platoons would all qualify under this house rule, 4) Armored Fighting Vehicle (AFV) Consolidation — Unless prohibited by special scenario rules, reduced 2-step units like 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, and 5) Voluntary Unit Reduction Rule — Unless prohibited by special scenario rules, players may voluntarily reduce 2-step personnel units to 1-step (halved) 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 the unit to be reduced. 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 as activated.

This rule set provided improved playability, tactical flexibility & simplicity during our play-through.

Our busy & relatively surprising first session (game turn 1) comprised a broad-front American movement to contact in 3 prongs with the right & left columns being much stronger than the central column. Very quickly, a pair of US M-18 Hellcat platoons came under fire as they probed forward, with both losing a step to dug-in 75mm AT gun units. A lucky American B-25 airstrike eliminated one enemy AT gun platoon and accurate OBA accounted for another, plus a Wehrmacht leader. Aan extended series of Luftwaffe paratroop positions were spotted in the central set of cultivated fields, which slowed American deployment.

The action-packed, second session (game turns 2-4) featured the American movement-to-contact splitting back into 3 distinct prongs, of which the center pincer – in the farmer’s fields – came under very heavy, adjacent-hex fire, quickly losing 6 steps. The first section of US M-18 tank destroyers exited the south edge of the map, and the last of the German Pak 75/41 AT guns were destroyed this session. Both elements of Panzer Lehr armor were spotted in the central fields as the American right flank spearhead began menacing the Wehrmacht positions in the southern fields on Map 5. German losses were relatively light at only 2 steps, but both a Major and a Sergeant were eliminated.

Our, third session (game turns 4-5) again comprised the American movement-to-contact approaching in three distinct groups. The already-in-decisive-range, central force pressed forward in the farmer’s fields where, adjacent-hex firefights continued, at the cost of a further 4 steps of GIs, and 5 more for the defending Germans. Both units of Panzer Lehr armor aggressively closed with the GIs in the southern portion of the farmer’s – now-ruined – fields on Map 04. Probing American patrols of the right flank column drew into decisive range in the western set of fields. The US initiative level fell, and the updated victory point score was now 21 for the Wehrmacht defenders and 12 for the surging Americans.

The costly fourth session (game turns 6-9) was a grim one for the German defenders, with 17 steps and 3 leaders lost in heavy fighting centered in the western fields on Map 05, as well as in the still-contested central fields on the northwest quadrant of Map 04. German reinforcements arrived on time and immediately reinforced the garrison in the 7-hex town. The revised victory point score was now 22 for the Third Reich defenders and 32 for the advancing Americans, who managed to exit 10 of their steps off the south map edge.

The exciting fifth session (game turns 9-10) was another costly one for both sides with 3 more GI step losses and an additional 4 German steps. The Americans lost their final level of initiative in heavy fighting on the north margins of the 7-hex town, that was covered by a 2-turn smokescreen. In a bold countermove southwest across the battle map, the SS contingent and an escorting Pz-IV platoon veered across the map to block more GIs from exiting the south edge of the battle map.

During our truncated, sixth session (game turn 11) we mutually agreed that it was time to end the scenario as there was no way that the German side could prevail. Call this one a victory for the American side. There were 6 FOW-shortened turns of the 11 played. The final victory point tally was: 25 for the Wehrmacht and 46 for the attacking Americans, who managed to exit another 2 steps off the south map edge in game turn 10, and two more tank platoons on the next game turn.

This fun-to-play, slightly unbalanced scenario gets a 4 from me and is recommended for SOLO or SHARED play. The more experienced player should lead the defending Wehrmacht force.

An entire regiment of US Infantry supported by extra mortars, OBA and armor attacks a mixed bag of German defenders, anchored by a battalion of Lehr troopers, a shattered Luftwaffe battalion and a company of SS troops who might reinforce the defense about halfway through the fight. The German force is well stocked with anti-tank guns (good ones, 74/41s and 88s and have a few tanks of their own, which will cause caution by the American tankers. There are plenty of fields in the area for cover and ta reasonably large town close by. The objective for the Americans is to destroy the German force, take the town and move further south. In this case move further south is defined as being south of the east west road. Given the frontage, both Daniel and I thought this would prove easy for the Americans and it did appear that way in play (thus the "2" ranking).

Daniel set up his weakened Luftwaffe paras in a dug in line in front of the town to try to funnel the American advance. Most of the hiden units of the Luftwaffe contingent were held back in the town. The Lehr battalion sets up in the more open terrain to the west, also to try to funnel the American advance.

The Americans advanced heavily against the Luftwaffe, sending two of three battalions in that direction and by the third turn in was apparent that the undermanned line could not hold and really wouldn't be delaying anyone in any substantial way. The line had all of the substance of a sand castle's outer walls when faced by the rising tide.

The Lehr troopers began to move to the support of the Luftwaffe but became embroiled in a firefight with the third American battalion and, although they gave as good as they got it permitted the remainder of the regiment to proceed in its advance on the town. As they approached the town several of the remaining AT guns were spotted and the 88 was eventually subdued with artillery and massed mortar fire.

A note about the American armor, it played virtually no role in the battle. It entered a field and after the M18s took out a couple of halftracks, the German armor and AT guns kept it pinned down. Of course, the fact that it remained there, close enough to make a run for it kept the German armor and AT guns from delaying the infantry racing towards the town.

The SS support arrived as soon as it was able and immediately raced into the town to support the Luftwaffe defenders. It was apparent, even before the SS arrived that the Americans could not be stopped from moving south of the road so the Germans set a couple of "moral victory" goals, one to hold the town and one to keep the reserve American battalion from breaking through the Lehr lines. In the end the Americans didn't even challenge for the town but were able to get one half platoon through the Lehr battalion and had the better of the fight in that sector due to their preponderance of HMGs supporting the advance.

In the end both Daniel and I felt that the scenario was clearly unbalanced. Looking back at the play it seemed as though requiring the Americans to exit the south of the board rather than merely be south of the road might have been a better requirement. In terms of victory points, exclusive of the points for steps south of the road, the Americans had a minor victory. I still believe that the troops could have made the edge of the board but if the SS focused on stopping the advance rather than holding the town it might have been more difficult for the Americans.

One clear component of the victory was the stalemate of the American armor and the German AT guns and armor. If the Germans fought the American infantry with their armor the American armor could have engaged the Germans or passed them by.

Played face-to-face against Matt W in 4 hours.

I read the scenario the day before our encounter and I could not figure out a good defensive plan. My German troops must cover a wide front to prevent a much larger American force from simply walking south of the road. Half my troops are low morale Luftwaffe (7/6 morale) and I don’t think I can afford to stack the 8 reduced unit because the American have lots of bombardment capable units in addition to strong OBA.

I decided to show two strong flanks and to hide most units in the center and in the town. The idea is to encourage the Americans to enter near the center so that I can collapse both flanks and hope it is enough to hold.

The problem is my east flank is held by the reduced Luftwaffe units and the Americans just moved them down with much superior firepower and assault capabilities. I think only 2 of the starting half platoons were alive at the end of turn 5. The remaining Americans entered at the center and I was able to bring the units on my left flank to slow their advances.

It was clear when my reinforcement arrived that counter-attacking on my right wing was just folly. Counter-attacking would leave the town vulnerable to the Americans and I needed the guns stationed there to keep an eye on their armor. The net result was the Americans were able to cross south of the road unopposed with many, many units.

All was not lost because I set myself two goals: hold the town and prevent a breakthrough h in the center. The battle for the center was very bloody and it did not help that friendly fire rained on both sides. Whoever was directing the German OBA should have been shot the fifth or sixth time they hit German troops but that is just my opinion. The American managed a small breakthrough on the last turn with 1 unit reaching the road and another crossing it. The town did hold because the Americans did not try to attack it after the first wave was disrupted and demoralized.

I don’t know the final score but it was certainly much more than the Americans needed for a major victory, not surprising as they were already in Major Victory range after 8 turns.

I rated this scenario a “2”. Despite being fun to play (the mini goals helped in that regard), I don’t see how the Germans can hope to win. I see is no reason for the Americans to attack the town when crossing the roads is far less riskier and more rewarding in terms of victory points. Maybe changing town hexes to be worth 3 points or forcing the Americans to exit the map would help balance this scenario.