Panzer Grenadier Battles on March 28th:
Spearhead Division #15 - Dillenberg
Ad-hoc forces win the day
Author campsawyer
Method Solo
Victor United States
Play Date 2011-01-01
Language English
Scenario ElsR019

After seeing all the plays on this one, I thought I need to give this one a try. I played solo and expected the Germans to have a time with the Americans and their tanks. But it turn out to be the opposite with a couple of key dice rolls.

To start the Germans have to defend several towns from an ad-hoc American force. The Germans are SS with good morale and, with my play, good leaders. There were several X-1-1 leaders. In their setup, they have mines to help channel the American attack as well as the ability to setup on the high ground. There the Panthers and PzIVH dugin and were able to cover the advances. The SS GREN's and HMGs setup in the towns on board 22 and prepare to dig in for the American attack.

The Americans have the numbers in tanks but the Germans have the quality. The American infantry has decent morale and the leaders were OK. Some X-1-0 and X-0-1 but that was it. The big advantage for the Americans was the OBA 24 and 3x18 giving some impressive attacks of 30, 42 or 60.

The American attack was staggered with a reinforced company and the M36 and M4/105 moved onto the board 22 by the hill in the southern corner. After several turns moving through the light woods, the INF's look to attack the small town just outside the woods. They have to navigate past the minefields but the Germansmaneuveredevered a GREN and HMG to block their approach. German OBA strikes first with the loss of one INF step, but the Americans come right back and destroy a GREN. American units move up and position for an assault. The Germans send reinforcements in from the towns in the middle of board 22 to the fight. This leaves a small gap in the center of the German lines, but the other town hexes are strong with HMG's and GREN's to hold off any assault down the road.

The Americans maneuver several INF's to approach the town from the north. Moving though a minefield, they are able to bring fire on the town, but not before the Germans SS reinforcements make it in. Heavy fight occurs with the Americans demoralizing and moving back. But this allow the units to the sassault assualt the SS units. Heavy attacks get the better of the losing lossing and HMG step and having the GRENs demoralize and flee. American units are disrupted but pushing on the town. The American M4's appear and look toward positioning on the edge of the woods and push north to take the abandoned town. The German PzIVH moves out of the dugin position to hold the town before the Americans get there. The PzIVH moves in as the M4's can just watch without giving up there cover. But an American OBA spotter targets the other town hexes and scores demoralizations on the HMG and GREN. This brings on the last of the American units down the road which the town defenders are recovering. Some long range HMG op fire falls short and the Americans are looassault assualt the town.

This trigger the PzIVH to fire on the advancing Americans, but it is ineffective. The M4 spots them and fires scoring a step loss and demoralization. At this point the Germanbolsterto bloster the center and southern flank from the American attack. They move a Panther to position that can give long range fire at the M4's. The Amemaneuvers manuevers to possibly get a shot on the Panther from the hill. The covering Panther is at long range and has a tough shot if the M36 fires.

The American M4/76 moves on to the board to attack the SPW251's in the northern towns. It positions just out of range of the Panthers on the southern hill and take out half tracksd halftracks as they fire on the advancing INF's. This opens the northern towns a bit more. Meanwhile the Panther loses sight of the American M4's as they disappear into the woods and the M36 take a shot and kills a Panther step. The covering Panther returns fire but misses and the M36 moves back into the woods. The situation looks better for the Americans as the German losses are mounting but the towns are still in GeAssaultnds. Assualt will be required to take them.

Twouldssaults woudld be hard against tremnantsnd the remnats of the Panthers as will has HMG's and GREN's with good leadeassault first assualt on the southern town has a LassaultingF's assualting a reduced GRENSeveralther. Servassaultsns of assualtassaultsunter assualts yield disruptions but no breakthroughs. But then American bazookas hit the tanks and the GREN's are left to suffer the American wrath. They fall the next turn. One town down.

In the north an array of M4's, INF and HMG fire on the town without effect. The M4/76 contributes fire on one town and demoralized the GREN defending it. They run the next turn abnd the Americans followup and take the town, now the Americans have two. The other town is heavly defended and the heavy fire doesn't yield and results until later in the game.

The tipping point comes as the final Panther attempts to stablize the situation in the south after the loss of the town. It moves forward and forces the M4/105 back but the INF's advance to take it on. They close on it but not before lossing a INF to OP fire. Eventually they are able to assualt it and bazooka teams take it out. At this point the German armor is nullified and the the Americans have enough points to get a major victory.

A very good scenario, but tough to play as you need to have the Americans be patient and force the German tanks to move. At that point, and a little luck, the Americans can knock them out and isolate there GREN's from which they can be picked off by the good American OBA.

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