Panzer Grenadier Headquarters - Library: Britain's Bulge #1 - Six Kilometers from the Meuse: East of Dinant, Belgium

Panzer Grenadier Battles on April 27th:
Arctic Front Deluxe #40 - Children's Crusade	Broken Axis #14 - Târgu Frumos: The Second Battle Scenario 3: Sledge Hammer of the Proletariat
Army Group South Ukraine #6 - Consternation	Road to Berlin #73 - She-Wolves of the SS

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Six Kilometers from the Meuse: East of Dinant, Belgium Britain's Bulge #1
(Defender) Britain	vs	Germany (Attacker)

Formations Involved

	Total
Side 1	2
Draw	1
Side 2	2

	Total
Side 1	0
Draw	1
Side 2	1

Overall Rating, 6 votes
5 4 3 2 1 4.33
Scenario Rank: 28 of 913

Parent Game	Britain's Bulge
Historicity	Historical
Date	1944-12-24
Start Time	08:00
Turn Count	18
Visibility	Day
Counters	42
Net Morale	0
Net Initiative	1
Maps	4: 22, 23, 24, 25
Layout Dimensions	86 x 56 cm 34 x 22 in
Play Bounty	176
AAR Bounty	159
Total Plays	5
Total AARs	3

Battle Types
Exit the Battle Area
Hill Control
Urban Assault

Conditions
Minefields
Off-board Artillery
Severe Weather

Scenario Requirements & Playability
Britain's Bulge	Base Game
Elsenborn Ridge	Maps + Counters
Liberation 1944	Counters

Introduction
In Brussels, 21st Army Group headquarters hurriedly ordered 29th Armoured Brigade to collect their abandoned old Shermans and get back in action to defend the Meuse River line and counter the German advance. The brigade’s 3rd Royal Tank Regiment would defend Dinant. C (Recce) Squadron crossed the bridge and moved up the road to Ciney, followed by the tank squadrons. By 0900 on the 22nd, A Squadron was at Sorinne, C Squadron at Achêne and B Squadron at Dinant supporting G Company of 8th Battalion/The Rifle Brigade. The Tommies found themselves in excellent tank country: open and rolling fields with the frozen ground making the going fair over all the area. The next day, the 23rd, dawned foggier than ever. In the night, Sergeant Baldwin of 8th/Rifle Brigade laid a string of Hawkins mines (anti-tank grenades that looked much like a whiskey flask) that blew an American jeep to pieces. When challenged it had failed to stop. By Christmas Eve the British armor had put out defensive screens on the far side of the river where excellent hull-down positions gave perfect fields of fire. And though the squadrons went into leaguer, they took certain precautions, one of which was a 17-pounder-armed Sherman Firefly looking east along the Sorinne-Ciney road with an officer in a scout car ahead acting as a Forward Observation Officer. This officer moved into an upstairs room in a cottage and, with a long lead to the wireless set, took up his vigil. He had only been there a short time when he heard German infantry rummaging through the house’s ground floor. Fortunately, he got back to regimental headquarters, using not a little cunning and temporarily abandoning the scout car. On the morning of 24 December, German elements in the pocket of Celles tried to seize Dinant.

Introduction

In Brussels, 21st Army Group headquarters hurriedly ordered 29th Armoured Brigade to collect their abandoned old Shermans and get back in action to defend the Meuse River line and counter the German advance. The brigade’s 3rd Royal Tank Regiment would defend Dinant. C (Recce) Squadron crossed the bridge and moved up the road to Ciney, followed by the tank squadrons. By 0900 on the 22nd, A Squadron was at Sorinne, C Squadron at Achêne and B Squadron at Dinant supporting G Company of 8th Battalion/The Rifle Brigade. The Tommies found themselves in excellent tank country: open and rolling fields with the frozen ground making the going fair over all the area. The next day, the 23rd, dawned foggier than ever. In the night, Sergeant Baldwin of 8th/Rifle Brigade laid a string of Hawkins mines (anti-tank grenades that looked much like a whiskey flask) that blew an American jeep to pieces. When challenged it had failed to stop.

By Christmas Eve the British armor had put out defensive screens on the far side of the river where excellent hull-down positions gave perfect fields of fire. And though the squadrons went into leaguer, they took certain precautions, one of which was a 17-pounder-armed Sherman Firefly looking east along the Sorinne-Ciney road with an officer in a scout car ahead acting as a Forward Observation Officer. This officer moved into an upstairs room in a cottage and, with a long lead to the wireless set, took up his vigil. He had only been there a short time when he heard German infantry rummaging through the house’s ground floor. Fortunately, he got back to regimental headquarters, using not a little cunning and temporarily abandoning the scout car. On the morning of 24 December, German elements in the pocket of Celles tried to seize Dinant.

Conclusion
Despite the poor visibility it soon became evident that the advance elements of 2nd Panzer Division were trying to push through to Dinant in the mist. Panzers from Battle Group von Cochenhausen moved west from their concentration and approached a crossroads at Celles around 0600. There, a mine disabled the leading Panther. Battle Group von Böhm also attacked early in the morning from Foy-Notre-Dame. At 0815, more German tanks advanced against the two squadrons of the 3rd RTR in Achêne and Sorinne. First blood went to C Squadron who brewed up a PzIV about 0900. Full marks went to the Firefly gunner as the tank’s commander was busily relieving himself when the Germans appeared. Then the report came that the road between C Squadron at Achêne and A Squadron at Sorinne had been cut by infantry. This made C Squadron's position very insecure so they withdrew to the north-west. The next contact with the enemy was at Boisseilles where A Squadron knocked out a halftrack and another vehicle. An hour later, the mist cleared a little and another troop of A Squadron knocked out two Panthers moving up to Sorinne from Foy-Notre-Dame. In the end, the Germans received a bloody nose. At least three Panthers and some Panzer IV’s were knocked out without loss for the British. Moreover, machine-gun fire accounted for many panzer grenadiers in their halftracks. Meanwhile, the machine-gun platoon of G Company 8th/Rifle Brigade in their Bren carriers were chased by a six-wheeled armored car and found themselves cut off in the village of Boisseilles. They were saved in the nick of time by 3rd RTR. At the end of the day, the Germans were in Boisseilles and Foy-Notre-Dame in some strength and probably in or had passed through Achêne as well. Dinant was safe. It was now time to take the battle to the enemy.

Conclusion

Despite the poor visibility it soon became evident that the advance elements of 2nd Panzer Division were trying to push through to Dinant in the mist. Panzers from Battle Group von Cochenhausen moved west from their concentration and approached a crossroads at Celles around 0600. There, a mine disabled the leading Panther. Battle Group von Böhm also attacked early in the morning from Foy-Notre-Dame. At 0815, more German tanks advanced against the two squadrons of the 3rd RTR in Achêne and Sorinne.

First blood went to C Squadron who brewed up a PzIV about 0900. Full marks went to the Firefly gunner as the tank’s commander was busily relieving himself when the Germans appeared. Then the report came that the road between C Squadron at Achêne and A Squadron at Sorinne had been cut by infantry. This made C Squadron's position very insecure so they withdrew to the north-west. The next contact with the enemy was at Boisseilles where A Squadron knocked out a halftrack and another vehicle. An hour later, the mist cleared a little and another troop of A Squadron knocked out two Panthers moving up to Sorinne from Foy-Notre-Dame.

In the end, the Germans received a bloody nose. At least three Panthers and some Panzer IV’s were knocked out without loss for the British. Moreover, machine-gun fire accounted for many panzer grenadiers in their halftracks. Meanwhile, the machine-gun platoon of G Company 8th/Rifle Brigade in their Bren carriers were chased by a six-wheeled armored car and found themselves cut off in the village of Boisseilles. They were saved in the nick of time by 3rd RTR. At the end of the day, the Germans were in Boisseilles and Foy-Notre-Dame in some strength and probably in or had passed through Achêne as well. Dinant was safe. It was now time to take the battle to the enemy.

Display Relevant AFV Rules

AFV Rules Pertaining to this Scenario's Order of Battle
Vulnerable to results on the Assault Combat Chart (7.25, 7.63, ACC), and may be attacked by Anti-Tank fire (11.2, DFT). Anti-Tank fire only affects the individual unit fired upon (7.62, 11.0). AFV's are activated by tank leaders (3.2, 3.3, 5.42, 6.8). They may also be activated as part of an initial activating stack, but if activated in this way would need a tank leader in order to carry out combat movement. AFV's do not block Direct Fire (10.1). Full-strength AFV's with "armor efficiency" may make two anti-tank (AT) fire attacks per turn (either in their action segment or during opportunity fire) if they have AT fire values of 0 or more (11.2). Each unit with an AT fire value of 2 or more may fire at targets at a distance of between 100% and 150% of its printed AT range. It does so at half its AT fire value. (11.3) Efficient and non-efficient AFV's may conduct two opportunity fires per turn if using direct fire (7.44, 7.64). Units with both Direct and AT Fire values may use either type of fire in the same turn as their opportunity fire, but not both (7.22, 13.0). Units which can take opportunity fire twice per turn do not have to target the same unit both times (13.0). Demoralized AFV's are not required to flee from units that do not have AT fire values (14.3). Place a Wreck marker when an AFV is eliminated in a bridge or town hex (16.3). AFV's do not benefit from Entrenchments (16.42). AFV's may Dig In (16.2). Open-top AFV's: Immune to M, M1 and M2 results on Direct and Bombardment Fire Tables, but DO take step losses from X and #X results (7.25, 7.41, 7.61, BT, DFT). If a "2X" or "3X" result is rolled, at least one of the step losses must be taken by an open-top AFV if present. Closed-top AFV's: Immune to M, M1 and M2 results on Direct and Bombardment Fire Tables. Do not take step losses from Direct or Bombardment Fire. If X or #X result on Fire Table, make M morale check instead (7.25, 7.41, 7.61, BT, DFT). Closed-top AFV's: Provide the +1 modifier on the Assault Table when combined with infantry. (Modifier only applies to Germans in all scenarios; Soviet Guards in scenarios taking place after 1942; Polish, US and Commonwealth in scenarios taking place after 1943.) (ACC) Tank: all are closed-top and provide the +1 Assault bonus, when applicable Assault Gun: if closed-top, provide the +1 Assault bonus, when applicable APC – Armored Personnel Carrier: These are Combat Units, but stack like Transports. They can transport personnel units or towed units. They are not counted as combat units for the +1 stacking modifier on the Direct Fire and Bombardment Tables (4.4). They may be activated by regular leaders and tank leaders (1.2, 3.34, 4.3, 5.43). They do not provide the +1 Assault bonus (ACC). Armored Cars: These are Combat Units. They are motorized instead of mechanized. All have their own armored car leaders, who can only activate armored cars (6.85). Do not provide the +1 Assault bonus (ACC). Reconnaissance Vehicle: 8.23 Special Spotting Powers Both foot and vehicle mounted recce units (1.2) possess two special spotting abilities. The first ability is that they can spot enemy in limiting terrain at one hex further than the TEC specifies for other units and leaders. For example, an enemy unit in town can normally be spotted at three hexes or less, but a recce unit can spot them at four hexes.Their second ability is that they can place a Spotted marker on any one enemy unit they can spot per turn, just as if the enemy unit had "blown its cover" by firing. Such Spotted markers are removed as described earlier. Prime Movers: Transports which only transport towed units and/or leaders (May not carry personnel units). May or may not be armored (armored models are open-top). All are mechanized. (SB)

AFV Rules Pertaining to this Scenario's Order of Battle

Vulnerable to results on the Assault Combat Chart (7.25, 7.63, ACC), and may be attacked by Anti-Tank fire (11.2, DFT). Anti-Tank fire only affects the individual unit fired upon (7.62, 11.0).
AFV's are activated by tank leaders (3.2, 3.3, 5.42, 6.8). They may also be activated as part of an initial activating stack, but if activated in this way would need a tank leader in order to carry out combat movement.
AFV's do not block Direct Fire (10.1).
Full-strength AFV's with "armor efficiency" may make two anti-tank (AT) fire attacks per turn (either in their action segment or during opportunity fire) if they have AT fire values of 0 or more (11.2).
Each unit with an AT fire value of 2 or more may fire at targets at a distance of between 100% and 150% of its printed AT range. It does so at half its AT fire value. (11.3)
Efficient and non-efficient AFV's may conduct two opportunity fires per turn if using direct fire (7.44, 7.64). Units with both Direct and AT Fire values may use either type of fire in the same turn as their opportunity fire, but not both (7.22, 13.0). Units which can take opportunity fire twice per turn do not have to target the same unit both times (13.0).
Demoralized AFV's are not required to flee from units that do not have AT fire values (14.3).
Place a Wreck marker when an AFV is eliminated in a bridge or town hex (16.3).
AFV's do not benefit from Entrenchments (16.42).
AFV's may Dig In (16.2).
Open-top AFV's: Immune to M, M1 and M2 results on Direct and Bombardment Fire Tables, but DO take step losses from X and #X results (7.25, 7.41, 7.61, BT, DFT). If a "2X" or "3X" result is rolled, at least one of the step losses must be taken by an open-top AFV if present.
Closed-top AFV's: Immune to M, M1 and M2 results on Direct and Bombardment Fire Tables. Do not take step losses from Direct or Bombardment Fire. If X or #X result on Fire Table, make M morale check instead (7.25, 7.41, 7.61, BT, DFT).
Closed-top AFV's: Provide the +1 modifier on the Assault Table when combined with infantry. (Modifier only applies to Germans in all scenarios; Soviet Guards in scenarios taking place after 1942; Polish, US and Commonwealth in scenarios taking place after 1943.) (ACC)
Tank: all are closed-top and provide the +1 Assault bonus, when applicable
Assault Gun: if closed-top, provide the +1 Assault bonus, when applicable
APC – Armored Personnel Carrier: These are Combat Units, but stack like Transports. They can transport personnel units or towed units. They are not counted as combat units for the +1 stacking modifier on the Direct Fire and Bombardment Tables (4.4). They may be activated by regular leaders and tank leaders (1.2, 3.34, 4.3, 5.43). They do not provide the +1 Assault bonus (ACC).
Armored Cars: These are Combat Units. They are motorized instead of mechanized. All have their own armored car leaders, who can only activate armored cars (6.85). Do not provide the +1 Assault bonus (ACC).
Reconnaissance Vehicle: 8.23 Special Spotting Powers Both foot and vehicle mounted recce units (1.2) possess two special spotting abilities. The first ability is that they can spot enemy in limiting terrain at one hex further than the TEC specifies for other units and leaders. For example, an enemy unit in town can normally be spotted at three hexes or less, but a recce unit can spot them at four hexes.Their second ability is that they can place a Spotted marker on any one enemy unit they can spot per turn, just as if the enemy unit had "blown its cover" by firing. Such Spotted markers are removed as described earlier.
Prime Movers: Transports which only transport towed units and/or leaders (May not carry personnel units). May or may not be armored (armored models are open-top). All are mechanized. (SB)

Display Order of Battle

Britain Order of Battle

Army
Foot Leader Mechanized

Army

Foot

Leader

Mechanized

Germany Order of Battle

Heer
Foot Leader Mechanized Motorized Towed

Heer

Foot

Leader

Mechanized

Motorized

Towed

Display Errata (6)

6 Errata Items
Scen 1	Ignore Scenario Special Rule #5, per suggestion if the designer. (plloyd1010 on 2022 Oct 15)
	All Bren carriers should have a movement value of 7. (Shad on 2010 Dec 15)
	The "Optional Values" for the Firefly given in an Avalanche Press Daily Content piece on the 17-Pdr Anti-Tank gun (and printed on a replacement counter sheet Download) are now the Official Ratings, published in games like Cassino '44, Grossdeutschland 1946, and Indian Unity. These are: 5-5 / 8-8 Full Strength and 3-5 / 8-8 Reduced Strength. (caryn on 2012 May 03)
	The reduced direct fire value of the Heer HMG became 5-5 starting with Fall of France. (plloyd1010 on 2015 Jul 31)
	All SS PzIVH tanks should have a movement of 8. (Shad on 2010 Dec 15)
	All SPW 251s have an armor value of 0. (Shad on 2010 Dec 15)

Display AARs (3)

Next to the last turn, and no clear winner, yet...

Author	metfan
Method	Solo
Victor	Germany
Play Date	2021-09-21
Language	English
Scenario	BBoB001

This is the first "5" I have ever given as a scenario rating, and when I set up the game, I never thought it could happen. Surely the Germans should win with their Panthers, Mk IV's and armored cars, even with the Brits having a few minefields and some OBA. Then the game started, and that pesky low fuel/mire rule reared its ugly head, and the Germans stumbled from the start, and when that happens, the unit sits there for at least 3 turns. Combined with a tie initiative roll on turn one allowed for opening fire at greater distances, and the British managed to take full advantage, eliminating a couple of armor steps, including a Panther! Eventually, the greater German armor firepower reached viable positions, and began to whittle down the Shermans and make forward progress when the APC carrying their engineers was destroyed by OBA, and the engineers were eliminated later in the turn. So much for clearing the mines, making the exit victory condition difficult at best. The resulting battle for the 22 hexes of the hill/ridge on the west side of board 24, which was not decided until the next to the last turn, is why this scenario got a "5", with the Germans driving the last British units off the hill.

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For the want of a liter of petrol...

Author	Blackcloud6
Method	Solo
Victor	Britain
Play Date	2022-12-23
Language	English
Scenario	BBoB001

This is a very exciting scenario and one of the best PG scenarios I have yet played.

Played solo with Fog-of-War and Smoke.

The Brits decided to defend the main town on Board 24 while placing an outpost in the small town on the ridge. They decided not to defend any towns on Board 23 but had two Sherman platoons blocking the road coming up from Board 25 and with orders to fall back just out of view from the mist to delay the German advance if they come that way.

The Germans decided to roll up into Board 23, push back the screen, grab all the town hexes and assault the ridge on Board24. But the plan fell apart right away, expectantly, from the fuel shortages. The panzergrenadiers moved up for a turn, abandoned their halftracks and set out on foot towards the ridge. What tanks that started did push back the British screen and the armored cars did get to take the Bd 23 towns. The brits moved another platoon to the ridge with an officer. They dug in and were supported by a Sherman and Firefly platoon. Another pair of Shermans came forward to screen the center then fall back to the ridge. Once the panzers refueled and moved forward, there was brief tank fire exchange at the ridge which killed some Shermans including half of the fireflies. the brits puled the tanks back and eft the poor bloody infantry to hold the ridge.

The two infantry platoons held out for quite a while shrugging off MG fire and tank fire. Finally, the position blocking the road fell, but the Germans could not take the town, only contest it. This the ridge objective was not gained. The German tanks lunged at the large town, hoping to gain a hex or tow and maybe gain the town objective. They did kill a Sherman platoon and had an opening, but the panthers ran out of gas and the Mk IV platoon was killed by the last step of the Firefly firing from the flank. This one wen to the last turn with the Germans having a modicum of a chance to win.

The fuel special rules made for this one to be a very interesting and fun scenario.

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A Very Close & Fun To Play Draw

Author	treadasaurusrex (Britain)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	Draw
Participants	CavDo
Play Date	2023-01-03
Language	English
Scenario	BBoB001

As others have reported, this is a dynamic, relatively balanced and fun-to-play scenario. We completed this one is 4 Yuletide sessions, in which I led the defending British side, while the relentless, CavDo played the German Commander. We ignored the FOW, but used the excess initiative, smoke, consolidation and extended assault optional rules in this extended play-through. Both sides drew poor leaders, and we threw a combined 21 combat 7-die rolls in the 18 allotted turns. All the urban and road control hex close assault efforts were characterized by lengthy die-rolling contests. At the beginning, the German side has all the luck available from the PG fates. During the last two sessions, the PG fates abandoned the Germans and favored the remaining, though heavily-battered, British troops.

I refer the reader to Blackcloud6's concise AAR relating to this scenario, as our encounter played out in a very similar fashion - although we ended in a drawn game. The Axis fuel shortages significantly affected the German operations and reduced their mobility at crucial times. However, their Landsers did the job and initially took town hexes by close assault. These were later contested by counter attacking Brits, and this battle was fiercely contested to the very last turn, ending in a semi-frustrating, but very engaging, draw for both sides.

I give this arresting and fun scenario a 4 - only because we were not able to secure a win for either side. We heartily recommend it for shared play.

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