Author	battlecarrysabot
Method	Solo
Victor	United States
Play Date	2025-04-18
Language	English
Scenario	ElsR007

The initial setup for both sides was a continuation of the previous scenario. The Germans held the southern village with the forces that survived the night, established a mortar firing point and the woods, along with a few Infantry Platoon outposts to the east of the northern village in the woods. The rest of the German forces, including two Platoons of PzIVHs and four Platoons of Panthers, awaited offboard for the start of the operation. The American retained the northern city, the small hilltop, and American reinforcements lay hidden at dawn in the forest to the west of the southern city.

The first third of the operation saw multiple, furious exchanges of anti-tank fire in the early morning hours between maneuvering M18s and two defending Platoons of PzIVHs in the southern town. The M18s lose a Platoon but soften the village enough to enable the American counterattack to proceed. The American infantrymen gain a foothold but falter to morale checks and barely hold the one town hex. The rest of the German forces stream in from the eastern edge, deploying the Panthers in the north with a significant portion of the SS infantry, and a small reinforcement Company Team in the south lead by the PzIVHs. At first, the American artillery is not immediately felt - little effects in the southern town of the course of the first three turns, but completely obliterates the reinforcing German infantry in the south. In the North, the Panthers lead a bold extended assault to tied up American leaders on the hilltop. With no losses to the Panthers from first fire and two Platoons still in reserve, the Germans successfully open two assault hexes and a small path under concealment for the rest of the German dismounts to proceed. The Germans use some of their limited smoke and by the end of the first third the Germans are still in the mix in the southern town and have secured the hill in the north.

In the middle third of the game, the Germans attempt to establish an opening in the northern city. The Panthers lead the way, attempting to tied up American officers through extended assault. These assaults only succeed in part due to a hidden pair of 3-inch guns, which score extremely lucky hits as the extended assaults only tied up two American officers - not enough. The American artillery shifts fire to the north and begins attriting the German infantry as they round the hill towards the town. The Germans suffer casualties, but open two different assault hexes in the northern city. The remaining M18 Platoon maneuvers north to gain LOS on the Panther Platoons. An exchange of fire between the one Panther Platoon not in an assault and the M18 leaves both Platoons reduced and demoralized. In the south, the American infantry finally recover and manage to assault the next German town position under murderous fire. Both the Americans and the Germans are running out of steam in the south, the Americans down to two Infantry Platoons and a MG Platoon. But the defending Germans are in worse shape just two and a half Infantry Platoons and a weak 8-0-0 SS Lieutenant remain. The Germans end the middle third with a lucky artillery strike, eliminating one of the dug-in 3-inch guns.

In the final third of the operation, American local counterattacks and assaults in both villages regained lost ground and almost effortlessly pushed the German SS troops out. The Americans in the northern village forwent their infantry anti-tank weapons, opting to eliminate the Panthers in the conventional assault combat. Any German infantry outside the cities fell into a cycle of receiving bombardment fire, recovering morale, just to be hit with more American artillery. The last American M4 surges toward the demoralized Panther to fire point blank, scoring a 12 and final kill on the German tanks. As the Americans clear the Germans in the northern town, the American attempt a limited counterattack and reseize the hilltop to the northeast, reestablishing the initial defensive positions. In the southern town, the Americans barely secure the final two hexes, surviving near misses from friendly artillery bombardments. On the third to last turn, the last German Platoon is expelled demoralized from the village.

Conclusion: American Major Victory (63 VP to 42 VP)