Author	treadasaurusrex (Germany)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	Germany
Participants	Grognard Gunny (AAR)
Play Date	2024-12-09
Language	English
Scenario	BBoB005

This was a 4-session play-through with the bold & determined, Grognard Gunny, leading attacking elements of the British 6th Airborne Division. I led defending elements of the battered German 2nd Panzer Division, in deep snow terrain and visibility of only 4 hexes (800 meters). Both sides drew decent sets of leaders.

We used the FOW, smoke/illum, excess initiative, and extended assault optional rules, along with the following house rule: 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.

The initial session (game turns 1-5) featured a careful, British movement to contact from the west to east in 3 task groups. In the north (left pincer), they rapidly liberated the small village of Wavreille, and then moved south through the snow to attempt to flank the 3 German positions on the eastern 40-meter hilltop on Map 25. In the center, they slowly moved east taking advantage of the light woods and poor visibility to close on another flank of those same positions. In the south (right pincer), both sides exchanged quite a bit of desultory fire in the vicinity of the 7-hex, town of Bure, where an overeager Sherman platoon came to grief in a minefield, and was eliminated by short-range AT fire, Thus, the Germans drew first blood, with a 4-step loss to the surging Tommies, which also lowered their initiative level.

Our second session (game turns 6-10) was an extremely grim one for the attacking Tommies with 12 step losses including 2 platoons of tanks as both sides scrambled for advantage in the snowy landscape. Their initial armor-heavy close assault on the east 40-meter hill on Map 25, collapsed for lack of sufficient infantry support and the unpleasant discovery of another German minefield. By the end of the tenth game turn, the Brit’s initiative had fallen to zero, however they still held Wavreille in the north, but were having a devil of a time gaining a foothold on the wooded, 40-meter summit. There was still hope for a limited British victory in this fight with 1 objective secured and another still within reach, although the chances had diminished significantly by the end of the session.

The third & fourth sessions (game turns 11-20) featured a substantial exchange of long-range, AT fire and adjacent-hex firefighting. The British conceded during game turn 20, resulting in a minor German victory, as they had liberated Wavreille, but did not have enough time left to finish taking the required town of Bure, and all the remaining 40-meter hilltops. Oddly, there were no German steps lost. The Tommies lost 17 steps in all.

There were 14 FOW-shortened game turns of the 20 played. These played havoc with the Tommies attack sequencing!

Though this was fun to play, with a determined & skilled opponent, we decided to give this scenario a 3 in SHARED play, and suggest that the more experienced player should take the British side. It is very suitable for SOLO play.