Germans entered from southeast to use trees as cover to approach town. When US reinforcements arrived on turn 3 a firefight ensued in the woods just south of the town. Germans were able to get units to east part of town and tie up M16 by assaulting it. They also assaulted the 105 but were unable to destroy it. The M16 was able to disengage from its assault and then reinforce the hex with the 105 on the following turn. In the end there was still an assault going on for the hex at the center of town with the 105 and M16 in it. A fun, close scenario that will warrant replaying.

I thought at first that this would be an easy ride for the Americans.. Not so.. Decided to enter the Germans from the southeast cutting off the allied approach from the south. Bringing the G on the board however proofed difficult with 2 or three units at the time. However, after a couple of turns 3 G units turned north and entered the city not covered by the M16. The M16 had to be moved to counter the threat and the G, having initiative, took a solid shot at the 105mm, which could have ended the scenario there and then, but failed miserably. The M16 in turn retaliated the turn thereafter with 1 step loss for the attacking G and the rest demoralised. The 105mm in the meantime went packing. Luckily the A had initiative next turn and the hooked up arty piece rattled north at a pace.

The A held on, with the help of the reinforcements who in the meantime had been fighting there way through and had entered the city. Having the arty pieces up north, I decided to let the G enter further north. To no effect however. The 105mm was hooked up and moved all the time. By turn 13 the city had to be shared by both.

This scenario is basically exactly like #3, except the Germans come from the East, and they know exactly who you are. The other large difference is that instead of marching up the road naked with bulls-eyes on (I played #3 historically) I chose to have the Germans come at the town through the woods and even getting to path.

I think a big thing here for me was that I learned a great deal about how light woods and hills really affect the play of the Bulge. Once the Germans were able to deploy it became an interesting battle, and more importantly for me, an interesting example of how intel can change not only the course of battle, but clearly the choice of deployment as well. Played this one twice actually, with similar results. I’d like to see this one face-to-face.

The Germans mounted the attack from the east, and pushed a second force from the SE to attempt to block reinforcing US troops from the south. The Americans made a critical error by failing to use the truck detachments to quickly bring up some of the reinforcements. Consequently the Germans succeeded in blocking the US just south of the town, and launched several platoons into assaults to the east of the town. The Yanks failed to limber and move the arty when they could, until it was too late. Eventually the 105 failed a rally when demoralised so was eliminated. The Germans won also controlling most of the town.

The game began easily enough, with American 105mm set up in 0911 on trail near town hexes, assuming a German advance from the main road on eastern edge of the board. Wrong move. The Germans entered with 3 GREN and a 0-10-1 Captain along the trail one hex east of 1215. They swiftly advanced up the trail and were quickly within firing range of the artillery. A second wave arrived with the 81mm mortar team and 2 more GREN units.

The third turn looked dire for the American artillery piece, which made to limber on board a truck stacked with it for that purpose. Two stacks of 2 GREN, each stacked with a Lieutenant, were now in position, along with the 81mm mortar, all adjacent to the 0-10-1 Captain. The activations came fast and furious, leading to a good direct fire among the 4 GRENs and a useless mortar bombardment before the American reinforcements could enter at the end of Turn Three.

Things got more interesting as the reinforcements advanced up the road and through the woods to strike the GREN stacks from the left flank. A German HMG team had entered at the track and advanced to one of the 2 GREN stacks, making a deadly direct fire situation. The direct fire cut up the stack of American reinforcements and demoralized one INF. Some of the other reinforcements quickly trucked up the road to the town hexes to take position with the 105mm artillery, still attempting to limber.

Next turn, the Germans got 2 more GREN units on to the board, entering east of 1209 on the main road. Now the American M16 had targets, but the focus on helping the 105mm artillery was lost. The distraction worked and the German Captain activated the 2 stacks of 2 GREN (+ HMG team) and shredded the truck, disrupting it and the artillery both. Things looked bad. Until the infantry and officer transported from the southern edge, now in the town hex, came to the rescue. The following turn, the artillery and truck were righted by a good recovery of morale.

By now, the German 2 GREN stacks had been reinforced with another GREN. Now: first stack had 2 GREN plus 1 HMG, second stack had 3 GREN. The rest off on main road as decoys.

Back and forth it went, the woods helping to shield the truck until turn 8. On that turn, the German GREN stacks were finally able to combine and make a withering adjacent direct fire at 45+ combat factors column, with a die roll of 12. The truck and artillery piece were destroyed on the result of 3X.

Game over, victory to the Germans. Beware poor setup is the lesson for the Americans here.

Overall a fun scenario that involved a lot of hide-and-seek in the woods.

‘Reuler’

Reuler : 16th December 1944

Scenario played 3rd August 2009

As the details of the German advance emerged, General Norman Cota, commander of the 28th Infantry Division sent a large part of his small reserve to defend the village of Reuler. Reuler was just east of Chervaux, a village of the Clerf River with valuable bridges the Germans needed to capture if they hoped to continue their drive west.

A battery of the 109th US Artllery battalion were located in Reuler along with a platoon of infantry and M16’ . It’s capture would be the key to the opening round of the battle. At 1015 hours the leading two platoons of German infantry entered the battlefield. Rather than head straight for Reuler, they instead had been ordered to push south and cut off the main road to euler to any would be US reinforcements.

For 45 minutes, both American and German troops skipped around the Ardennes firs whilst the artillery battery limbered up and was driven away from the village to the perceived safety of the woods. With the village practically empty, and US reinforcements quite distant having had their speediest route cut off by the two German platoons in advance, the remaining Germans were able to file towards Reuler.

But luck shone on the German vanguard platoons. As well as cutting off the main road, they were suddenly confronted by the sight of the American battery unlimbering before them just 400m away. Immediately, their commander ordered the infantrymen to open up on the unsuspecting US artillerymen Within 15 minutes of engaging them, thanks to super accurate assault-rifle and bolt-rifle fire, the battery had been wiped out completely. Thus within an hour, the German objectives for Reuler had been achieved completely without the loss of a single Grenadier!

A nice litle scenario this. German forces after to destroy artillery battery to win. The Americans start with very few troops but get reinforcements. As usual I played the allies and thought I had set up the battery in a safe position,deployed though and ready to fire. Needless to say Vince attacked from exactly where I did not expect. And so it came to pass that he got troops within range, which gave him a 7 shot after modifications so I said "If you get a double 1 you will win.....Doh!" Shame coz it was turning out to be an intresting scenarion.

The scenario has two victory conditions for the Germans; either eliminate an American 105mm arty or control all the town hexes.

At first, all the Americans are in the town. The Germans, entering the map piece-meal, march south of the town to a more protected approach. Immediately, the 105mm loads on a truck and, during the next turn, moves towards the northwest.

Now the Germans have to decide on two geographically different targets. Since the Germans are gathering within a few hexes south of the town and the truck with the 105mm is alone to the north the German chooses to enter a company well north to chase/engage the arty. Yes, I divided my forces, but come on, it worked for Robert E. Lee, didn't it?

The German "north" company approaches the lone 105mm when American reinforcements arrive and move to guard the arty. Yikes!

The Germans quickly move through two town hexes and are assaulting two others. The Americans are reinforcing the hexes as their casualties rise, but, man, their M16 is tough.

Finally, the "north" company flanks the US reinforcements and, by stretching, manages to assault the arty. But the assault was leaderless since the adjacent leader was guiding the remaining platoons to the assault hex. The single assaulting German infantry couldn't knock out the arty.

Knowing that help is on the way, the arty limbers and loads on its truck (I couldn’t find a rule stating that a truck couldn’t load in an assault hex; perhaps I was wrong). Now, the German assaults the loaded truck and a US infantry and manages to disrupt the truck, but gets pretty mangled.

The truck limps out of the assault hex leaving its rear guard to deal with the recovering Germans. The German mortar takes a few pot-shots at the arty without any affect.

Although the M16 is reduced there are still three town hexes in American control. The time runs out.

It’s amazing how close some scenarios are and it’s amazing how Lee split his troops and still scored a victory.

The Germans got caught out in the open with the M-16 sitting pretty in the town. CHEWED 'em up! After the reinforcements for the Americans came on line (around turn 5-6) there was little the remaining Germans could do. Bit of a set back already in the overall battle.

We are near Reuler, a small town east of Clerveax. Are 10:45 am on December 16, 1944 when the 28th U.S. Infantry Division, led by General Norman Cota is sent to the village to maintain safe other divisions and to protect the artillery. The Germans advancing from the east in an attempt to take the village and cleaning the area, important for the many bridges to keep safe from enemy hands. The Germans advance on two fronts. Centrally expose themselves to the American artillery fire while on the south-east using the woods to stay indoors from enemy view. Cota with his troops move from south to the village but here he suffer enemy fire and must stop his advance. The German attempt to advance towards Reuler. German troops entered the city initiating close combat aganist enemy. Allied troops waiting in vain for reinforcements, committed to South and so 'the country falls into enemy hands.