Fans of Monty Python and the Holy Grail will remember the enjoyable first words of the movie as the Black Death runs rampant through Britain. In this scenario, unlike in the movie, there were no survivors to say "I'm not dead yet".

The Americans have to enter the field in two separated forces with a strong but immobile German force with strong tank/AT capability waiting in hiding to eviscerate the relatively thin skinned American tanks. Only a small ridge separates the Americans from clear death.

A rational German setup will deter the entry of the American tanks by placing a Panther, etc. in the town on top of the ridge. Failing that, the Americans will certainly take that town (as they did) and force the Germans to send an infantry assault to recapture the town, strongly supported by halftracks (LOTS of firepower). The SS, however, forgot that an armor value of "0" is really pretty low for 1944. In addition, this was the first real attempt to play the Americans and the sheer power of the OBA is stunning. I hadn't faced this level of fire before, and permitted the Germans to get blown to pieces on the way to the assault. The resulting slaughter of Germans in front of the town spurred my thoughts for the title of the AAR.

This and subsequent plays of the Americans leaves one with a grudging admiration for the bravery of the German soldiers who had to fight against this wall of fire. Play of Road to Berlin gives one an understanding of the bravery of those same soldiers facing armored behemoths, but the insane artillery support of the Americans is somehow even more debilitating. At least one can fight back against big tanks with Panzerfausts and direct assault, especially in woods, etc. There is no way to avoid the eventual arrival of the OBA and there is no way to fight back. The fact that the Germans fought on in such hellish conditions has to be considered a significant acheivement, albeit in a corrupt and evil cause.

The destruction of the SS infantry left the immobile SS tanks to face a slowly advancing American infantry force without any appreciable infantry support. The ultimate American win was a foregone conclusion. Perhaps more importantly, though, the German commander learned that better deployment and consideration of movement under such artillery fire needs to be made when facing Americans in 1944-45.