Author	treadasaurusrex (United States)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	United States
Participants	Col. Sonichu
Play Date	2022-08-14
Language	English
Scenario	IN44001

This was a 3-session introductory scenario with the intrepid & quick-thinking Col. Sonichu commanding a defending force of German Panzergrenadiers in-and-around the 2-hex town of St. Laurent. We used the optional smoke and excess initiative rules and dispensed with the defense-biased fog of war rule. I played the attacking Americans.

The first session (game turns 1-4) featured a green, American 29th Infantry Division combined arms Task Force moving-to-contact in the northwest quadrant of Map 106. The US movement was slightly jumbled as the approaching assault columns were hit by German opportunity and OBA fire on the west & north margins of St. Laurent, but by the end of turn 4, the Americans had a foothold in the western half of St. Laurent and the German garrison was decisively engaged thanks to a pair of successful American close assaults. During this session, both sides managed a combined total of NINE, combat 7-die rolls.

The second session (game turns 5-10) was characterized by very accurate German OBA and the liberation of both hexes of St. Laurent by the invading Americans. US forces continued closing in, and by the end of this session, they were in close assault on the hex immediately adjacent to strongpoint WN 67. The lower-morale American force suffered a long string of disruptions and demoralizations as they pursued the remaining German troops, which caused confusion and dislocation in the stacks as the attackers moved east. During this session, both sides managed a combined total of TEN combat 7-die rolls.

The third session (game turns 11-14 ) was notable in several ways: 1) neither side threw a combat 7-die roll; 2) the Americans continued to suffer many disruptions & demoralizations which caused attack sequencing to break down as in the previous session; 3) friendly Allied OBA caused havoc among US units when rounds went astray; 4) the Germans in the strongpoint were slowly surrounded and eventually driven out during turn 12; and 5) surprisingly there were no US casualties. By the end of turn 13, both St. Laurent and WN67 were occupied by exhausted American infantry platoons. This resulted in a hard-fought, Allied major victory. The final step losses for the Germans was 12.