Author	treadasaurusrex (United States)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	Draw
Participants	Col. Sonichu
Play Date	2022-09-25
Language	English
Scenario	IN44003

This was a 2-session play-through with the careful and determined, Col. Sonichu, as the defending German Commander. We dispensed with the stultifying optional Fog of War rule, but used the smoke/illum, excess initiative and extended assault rules. I played the attacking US side.

The first session was characterized by very fine die rolling by the German Commander and his garrison centered on the 2-hex town of Sainte-Clair-sur-l’Elle. By the end of turn 8, there were already 6 American step losses of infantry due to both highly accurate direct and opportunity fires; coupled with misplaced, friendly fire by US artillery. The north hex of Sainte Claire was contested in a bitter close assault that slowly turned in favor of the attacking America combined arms team in turns 8-10. Surprisingingly, 2 platoons of tough German paratroopers panicked and fled the northern town hew. As the PG fates would have it, ultimately, this morale failure would be the undoing of the Axis defense The southern hex was still uncontested at the end of the 10th game turn.

By the end of the session, step loses were 6 for the Americans, and 3 for the German side, including their sole mortar platoon. The best that the US-side could hope for at this stage was a very slim chance of pushing the tough Luftwaffe paratroopers out of both town hexes for a minor victory.

The 2nd session featured the decisive engagement of both sides in hotly-contested assault fighting in Sainte Claire with the result that the Americans were able to hold on to a single town hex. The other was still contested when time ran out. At that point, we declared the scenario a draw. If it had gone on for another two turns, the Germans would likely have prevailed by recapturing the American-held, north hex of the town. This one is recommended for SHARED and SOLO play and it deserves a rating of 4.