Author	Bangla (Germany)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	Germany
Participants	tlangston28
Play Date	2020-11-03
Language	English
Scenario	Cass010

The scenario is simple. From two hexes away, the Germans have to climb and capture the summit at Point 593. The Americans are in possession of the objective, and all around the hilltop, and just have to hold out for 9 turns. However, all was not as it seemed. We used the Random Leader Generator and what a set it generated. The Germans had decent Leader ratings and morale, but no combat factors to enable the fire groups to combine and concentrate their fire. The Americans had a couple of fire factors, but no morale modifiers that could help rally the troops where the attack might be focussed.

As a result, as the German, I realised on turn 1 I couldn't bring enough firepower to the hilltop, what with elevation and mountain negative column shifts, to cause the Americans much discomfort. So, from turn 2 onwards, we had to take the risk and go for a frontal assault on the hill. By moving three fire groups adjacent to the summit prize their fire was too thin and most of our troops were intact. Within the hour we had the summit defenders in a do or die struggle. Meanwhile one of the fire groups assaulted more Americans who might have otherwise lent support to their beleaguered compatriots.

We got lucky! Our morale held, theirs broke, and without decent leadership they couldn't hold the line. It took at least an hour of fighting after we'd gone in to finally claim the prize. But by then, the rest of the Americans were in full flight. they had lost 12 steps after killing one German step during the initial approach. Our erstwhile number one, Hauptmann Britt, was leading his Grenadier company across the hilltop, making sure the enemy couldn't reinforce the summit defenders. Towards the end, he was stopped in his tracks by American supporting artillery fire. But by that time the summit had been secured, and the Americans retreated.

This scenario felt one-sided after the first 2-3 turns, but that was only because of (i) the poor quality American leaders who couldn't maintain the morale of their men. That would be remedied with even an average leader draw, and (ii) the Germans got very luck with their approach to the assaults and then during the first rounds of combat where they suffered first fire from the summit defenders themselves. Normally, I'd say this is really an excellent puzzle, and training scenario for a relative newbie like me. The mountain terrain slows everything down somewhat, but the opportunities to attack and defend are there.