Author	treadasaurusrex (Germany)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	Germany
Participants	Tambu
Play Date	2021-11-26
Language	English
Scenario	AAAD004

This scenario was played online in 2 sessions with a first-time shared player, but long-time & experienced solo PG player as my able opponent. I led the German side and was surprised when the American side conceded after only 7 turns, not halfway through this scenario. Unfortunately, we played using the awful FOW rule which hurt the Germans far more than the US side. On a brighter note, we also used the extended assault, strategic movement and consolidation rules. As others have done as is clear from the AAR on file, the US deployed 11 platoons of M-3 Stuarts, dug in on both maps. This light tank battalion was accompanied by 2 M-3 halftrack platoons with a single 81mm mortar and a T30 unit.

The Axis assault force was company of German Paratroopers supported by a tank company consisting of a pair of Pz-IIIH, 1 Pz-Mk IIIJ, and a single, long-barreled Pz-Mk IVH. The Germans had to move directly across the map from northwest to south and exit as many units as possible off the south edge while my opponent's objective was to eliminate as much of my force as he could. Action began in the NW corner of the map with the destruction of the first 2 platoons of Stuarts on a local hill to clear the way for my truck-borne paratroopers, heading south along the western map edge. A turn or two later, an armored counterattack by a company of additional Stuarts was engaged and quickly eliminated by German armor. Dismounted Fallschirmjaegers proceeded to make a series of close assaults in the relatively rough terrain along that same western edge of the battlefield. Bad FOW die rolls delayed, confused and disrupted a number of these assaults, helping burn up turns. However, combined arms assaults paid off for the Germans and 2 more US light tank platoons and their mortar unit were eliminated. For the balance of this play-through only a single German para unit was reduced to half strength for a 1 step loss. My opponent chose to concede before the entire US force was eliminated or routed. This produced a clear victory for the Axis side, even though the their troops had not yet exited the southern edge of the battle area, the there were still 5 steps of Stuarts remaining.

This scenario seems to be historically accurate, but it is a tall order for the Americans to prevail with only a swarm of light tanks to defend a lot of ground against superior armor. With lucky shooting and maneuver, the US force may be able to engage those German trucks full of paratroopers. As others have mentioned, the only decent chance the Stuarts have against even the Pz-III units is to try and arrange a series of close-range, cross-fire shots from adjacent hexes. Sadly for their crews, the battalion of Stuarts demonstrated both their lack of AT strength and weak armor protection.