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Invasion of Germany – Player aids and historical background
06-24-2012, 02:48 AM,
#1
Invasion of Germany – Player aids and historical background
1. Attached is a table of Invasion of Germany scenarios listing the original scenario number from West Wall, North of Elsenborn, Aachen, Roer River Battles and Siegfried Line. It includes dates, locations (which are more accurate than described in some of the scenarios), the defensive line, titles of American and German units, which games the maps are from, whether Tigers are featured, and which games counters can come from.

The table can be used to identify mini-campaigns that follow the progress of individual units e.g. the American 823rd Tank Destroyer Battalion, and the German 301st Heavy Tank Battalion.

2. Also attached is a map showing the scenario locations. It can be used for mini-campaigns covering a particular area where several scenarios are based.

3. Research sources:
http://www.history.army.mil/books/wwii/S...ied-fm.htm
“The Siegfried Line Campaign” by Charles B. Macdonald.

“The Siegfried Line” by Steven J Zaloga, Osprey Publishing.

“Defense of the Rhine 1944-45” by Steven J Zaloga, Osprey Publishing.

4. Historical background:

When I started to read the IoG book I was rather confused about the different names of the defensive lines, so I carried out some research to clarify the situation:

The defences in the area covered by this game include the Westwall fortifications.

The original Westwall had been built between 1936 and 1940. It split between Geilenkirchen and Aachen into two separate zones.
West of Aachen was the Scharnhorst-Stellung (Position) (called the Scharnhorst Line in IoG), running down through Schmithof and Monschau, then south through the Ardennes.
East of Aachen was the Schill-Stellung (Position) (called the Schill Line in IoG), running down through the southern edge of Stolberg, around Mausbach, to the West of Schmidt in the Hurtgen Forest, then south through the Ardennes.
The two zones met up east of St Vith and then continued southwards.

The Westwall had been largely abandoned after the defeat of France. The armaments and fittings had been removed from the emplacements for use in the Atlantic Wall, leaving concrete shells. The minefields had been lifted and most of the barbed-wire entanglements taken away.

A refurbishment programme of the Westwall was initiated in August and September 1944, and other defensive lines were built in depth (outside the scope of IoG).

The western zones of the Westwall in the Aachen to Hurtgen Forest area were manned by lower grade troops, and the Americans made better progress initially. By the time that the Americans reached the Schill Line, the Germans were bringing in reinforcements including more powerful units, and the Americans’ supply problems were getting worse. Consequently the fighting became much harder.

The Siegfried Line nickname has been applied over the years to the original 1940 Westwall and also to the far more extensive defences of 1944-45. The name stemmed from a speech by Hitler in 1939 when he described the new Westwall as 40 times stronger than the old Siegfried-Stellung fieldworks of 1918. Due to a misunderstanding the British Press started referring to the Westwall fortifications as the Siegfried Line in 1939-40. When Allied forces reached the old Westwall in September 1944, the German defensive positions were again called the Siegfried Line.

5. Strongpoints:
The weaker mix of 6 strongpoints from Airborne/Edelweiss Expanded feature in North of Elsenborn scenarios #1, 3, 4, 5 and 9 (IoG scenarios #3, 8, 9, 10 and 14).
The stronger mix of 15 strongpoints from Cassino ’44 are used in the other 4 books (IoG scenarios #2, 5, 7, 17, 18, 26, 27, 29, 30, 32, 35, 36, 37 and 40).

The Scharnhorst Line was less heavily defended than the Schill Line in the early scenarios of IoG, which may explain why IoG #3, 8 and 10 have the weaker strongpoints mix. I am not so sure about IoG #9 (in the Schill Line), and IoG#14 (adjacent to IoG#15 and 26 – both Cassino ’44 strongpoints).

6. “Missing” counters to play IoG scenarios:
Most of the counters that I was short of come from Cassino ’44. Using images of counter fronts on the PG-HQ website, I made up a sheet of 28 counters and their correct reverse sides. Can I share them here?

7. I am working on a similar spreadsheet and scenario map to cover the combined Battle of the Bulge, Elsenborn Ridge and Winter Soldiers games. I will post it later this year.

Tim


Attached Files Image(s)
   

.xlsx   Pz Gren Invasion of Germany scenarios.xlsx (Size: 19.01 KB / Downloads: 22)
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06-24-2012, 04:19 AM,
#2
RE: Invasion of Germany – Player aids and historical background
Very nice! Thanks for posting this.
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06-24-2012, 05:56 AM,
#3
RE: Invasion of Germany – Player aids and historical background
Cool more stuff for the database.

As for a map what about posting the locations to Google Maps. It would allow you to see where the locations are today. Someone did this for FoF years ago.
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06-24-2012, 08:59 AM,
#4
RE: Invasion of Germany – Player aids and historical background
I think this is an excellent effort, especially in a campaign I have a lot of interest in.

I have not seen the Osprey efforts, but as short as they are, maybe I should invest. However, if you (Bluebell) were looking for other interesting reads on the subject, here are some I have enjoyed

"Closing With The Enemy" by Michael D Doubler (a book on US squad and platoon tactics)

"The Longest Battle" by Harry Yeide (this is where the 50 scenarios are drawn from)

"Assault On Germany" by Ken Ford (straight-forward read)

"WestWall" & "Battle of the Hurtgen" by Charles Whiting (not incisive, but useful train reads)

BTW _ Your tag "Bluebell" ............... not from near Maidstone are you ?
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06-24-2012, 04:33 PM,
#5
RE: Invasion of Germany – Player aids and historical background
Great.

Thanks Bluebell.
La guerra è bella, ma incomoda.
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06-24-2012, 07:26 PM,
#6
RE: Invasion of Germany – Player aids and historical background
(06-24-2012, 08:59 AM)vince hughes Wrote: BTW _ Your tag "Bluebell" ............... not from near Maidstone are you ?

Vince,
Thanks for the info about the books, I will look at getting them.

Have you played DG's "Aachen - first to fall"? It gives a good overview of the encirclement and capture of the city. I posted a review/AAR of it on CSW and BGG recently.

I live in North Yorkshire. The background to my tag isn't a plant, if that's what you were thinking. Any more guesses?

Tim
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06-24-2012, 08:05 PM,
#7
RE: Invasion of Germany – Player aids and historical background
(06-24-2012, 07:26 PM)Bluebell88A Wrote:
(06-24-2012, 08:59 AM)vince hughes Wrote: BTW _ Your tag "Bluebell" ............... not from near Maidstone are you ?

Vince,
Thanks for the info about the books, I will look at getting them.

Have you played DG's "Aachen - first to fall"? It gives a good overview of the encirclement and capture of the city. I posted a review/AAR of it on CSW and BGG recently.

I live in North Yorkshire. The background to my tag isn't a plant, if that's what you were thinking. Any more guesses?

Tim

Tim,

I asked about Bluebell as there is an area just outside Maidstone and Medway called Bluebell Hill. I was suspecting that..... Wrong ! Would have been useful as I now live near Rochester :-)

Mmmm ? The In-Laws are in North Yorkshire, can not think of any links there (white rose etc), ... I KNOW !... You were the lead singer on 'The Bluebells' song "Young At Heart" lol

ON the Aachen game, no I have not seen it but will look. I'd certainly like to play a strategic battle around the Eifel and Aachen etc. The map would probably be useful if it is any good ?

Although tempted, I stayed away from the Wacht Am Rhein Series offering "Hurtgen-Hells Forest" as the series simply has far too many erratas and errors according to some postings and being such a big, involved and expensive game, I'm shy of investing the time in such big rule books, only to find lots of errors ?

I'm going to have a look at the Aachen game you mention.

Linking that game to the book offerings I made to you. Where I have mentioned Charles Whiting, look at his "Bloody Aachen" book. Its very short, and as I said, more useful for commuter travel as his books are never heavy. But if ever a historical book could be transposed to a Movie, its this one. He gives some splendid battle descriptions in the town, especially around the park, and gets you involved with some of the personalities. Mind you, Charles Whiting is also the famous 'Leo Kessler' of 70's War books fame. So that would explain it. You could probably pick it up for pence from amazon or ebay rather than pay normal book prices from a shop. Just get the paperback.

On Hurtgen, I quite enjoyed the little known film "When Trumpets Fade" made in 1998 featuring The Bloody Bucket in Hurtgen. Yeah, it could have been better, but I thought it was brave and cool to select a subject matter less glamorous to American audiences depicting a battle they should not have got so embroiled in and coming out of it severely mauled. The film tried to depict this 'Hell', but probably not quite enough. Trouble is, the film was released the same year as Private Ryan, so it kind of got trumped ! Bit like Wizard releasing "I wish it Could be Christmas Everyday" a week before Slades "So Here It Is-Merry Christmas" .... bad timing as both were No.1 material at the time Big Grin
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06-25-2012, 09:06 AM,
#8
RE: Invasion of Germany – Player aids and historical background
Vince,
"Hurtgen-Hells Forest" from the Wacht Am Rhein Series might be more manageable for a slow coach like me (see my Avatar Undecided) using the Quick Play rules (outlined on CSW but not published yet), or even bodge a DIY set together to speed things up. The maps look superb, and include a huge area to the west, north and east of the forest. Only 6 counter errata have been identified so far.

I seem to recall reading some of the Leo Kessler books in the 70s. One that stood out was "Hammer of the Gods" with a certain Colonel von Dodenburg running out of fuel in the Ardennes. Now who could that character have been based on?

I've not heard of "When trumpets fade" - one more thing to look up along with "Bloody Aachen". I do get drawn into the history side of the PG games, it really brings the scenarios to life.

I'll hold off any more clues about my tag for now in case anybody else wants to have a stab at it.

Tim
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06-28-2012, 01:00 PM,
#9
RE: Invasion of Germany – Player aids and historical background
(06-24-2012, 02:48 AM)Bluebell88A Wrote: 6. “Missing” counters to play IoG scenarios:
... snip... Can I share them here?

By all means, yes!

Sorry for the slow reply, I was on vacation when you started this excellent thread and have only just had time to really dive into it.
...came for the cardboard, stayed for the camaraderie...
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06-30-2012, 07:38 AM,
#10
RE: Invasion of Germany – Player aids and historical background
My DIY counters:

I copied most of the base images from PG-HQ, so they are not high resolution.

With hindsight I should have used software other than Word and planned ahead better.
- The counters are not laid out in exact rows of fronts and rears ready to mount and cut out.
- Some are a slightly different size (although the respective fronts and reverses are the same).
- Some were constructed with overlays on the document rather than copied and pasted so it is not easy to move them now.
- Some of the overlays may look slightly out depending on the screen magnification, but they are almost spot on when printed.

I printed the page onto an A4 label sheet; cut out and mounted the fronts onto card stock (known as “environment sheet” 1.1mm thick from my local art supplies shop here in the UK); trimmed them to size; then cut out and mounted the reverses one at a time.

The German SPW 250/7 is for use in Black SS scenarios 22 and 26.

Tim


Attached Files
.docx   Cassino '44 modified counters ready to print.docx (Size: 477.2 KB / Downloads: 15)
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