Author	treadasaurusrex (Britain)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	Britain
Participants	goosebrown (AAR)
Play Date	2022-07-09
Language	English
Scenario	LIBE002

This was a fast, 2-session play-through with the playful, yet cunning goosebrown, as the defending German Commander. I managed the invading British side. We used the optional smoke, consolidation, excess initiative – and unfortunately – the miserable Fog of War rules.

The 1st session (game turns 1-3) was all about the British movement-to-contact led by an armored spearhead that was primarily focused on the northern half of the Map 57 and 56. This right flank approach quickly secured the 2-hex town on Map 57 (Hexes 57-0612 and 57-0613). By the end of game turn 3, British Sherman platoons was probing the northern margin of the northeastern 20-meter hill mass on which the bulk of the east-facing, German force was dug-in. A much smaller, company plus, British left flank probe, secured the single hex village in Hex 57-0506 during the 3rd game turn. So far, no sign of the dreaded Jerries with their fiendish AT guns . .

Already, 3 steps of German mortar units, and a single British step had been eliminated.

The 2nd session (game turns 4-6) featured the continuing of the remorseless British left flank approach the end well-defended hill mass with the 2-hex town. RAF bombing and Royal Navy shelling in support of this phase of the operation ere either completely ineffective, or deadly. The last German mortar platoon was destroyed on the northeastern edge of the hill leaving the Captain that had been directing their mayhem all alone in his rifle pit. In what turned out to be a foolish move, a Sherman platoon bolted forward to try and capture the Captain, only to discover that the clever Germans had dug in their mortar units in the middle of a minefield! The Captain was eliminated by the charging tanks, which then promptly hit a mine and was demoralized in-place. This surprise, forced a re-alinement of the rapidly closing Tommy infantry in hopes of rescuing the tank from a likely counter attack. As it turned out, another German leader was left alone by a pair of fleeing infantry in the adjoining hex – here was another baited trap as that hex contained another minefield.

The German Commander conceded the game in the next turn, as the final result seemed a foregone conclusion for the outnumbered fascists.

As this is only a 16-turn scenario, it would be improved by correcting the “as published” Royal Navy shore bombardment rolls to occur on turns 3, 7, 11 and 15; and not in turns 5, 10,15 and 20. This was what the game’s designer intended and we have noted the correction as an erratum.

I give this exciting and very fun scenario (for the British side) a 4, but recommend it for solo play only, as it is seriously unbalanced in favor of His Majesty’s troops.