Author	treadasaurusrex (United States)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	United States
Participants	bugmaster@aol.com
Play Date	2023-01-28
Language	English
Scenario	ElsR014

This was an extended, holiday season, 6-session play-through with the formidable and hard-fighting, bugmaster, as the attacking German Commander of heavy elements of the 1st SS Panzer Division. I played the defending US Commander of forward elements belonging to the 30th Infantry Division, seeking to hold out in the vicinity of the 7-hex town of Stoumont. We used the FOW and the smoke, consolidation, extended assault, excess initiative and tank riders optional rules. In addition, we experimentally used the following rule: Road Movement for Mechanized & Foot Units, All FOOT & MECHANIZED units may move on roads at the rate of 1/2 a Movement Point (MP) per road hex, just like MOTORIZED units.

The initial session (game turns 1-4) featured some surprisingly accurate long-range American AT fire and OBA strikes, resulting in 8 step losses and two leaders eliminated for the Germans in the first 2 turns as they moved-to-contact with a strong left flank lead. This dropped their initiative level by one step. By the end of the 4th turn, there had already been 2 FOW-shortened turns, as the Germans got into extended assault range on the wooded, 20-meter hill, south of Stoumont in the southern portion of Map 24. Only a single combat 7-die roll was thrown in this session.

Highlights from our second session (game turns 5-8) included the destruction of all 4 steps of American armor to German AT fire, and a single 3in AT gun platoon in the SE margin of Stoumont by OBA. Surprisingly, 2 steps of German armor were eliminated by either close assault, or accurate US AT fire from Stoumont. The Boche left flank attack broadened to embrace both the wooded, southernmost 20-meter hill mass on Map 24, by SS infantry units; and now, a set-piece combined arms attack on the SE portion of Stoumont. SS infantry, SPWs and paratroopers from the two villages that they had occupied by the end of the previous session, veered diagonally southwest across Map 22 to support the German heavy tank companies that were engaged in suppressing Stoumont’s defenders. Step losses at the end of game turn eight were: 16 for the Germans, and 10 for the US. At this point, the victory point totals were 16 for the Germans, and 37 for the Americans. A combined 5 combat 7-die rolls were thrown in this session.

Our delayed 3rd session (game turns 9-11) was highlighted by the loss of 5 additional steps by the Germans as SS troopers moved to decisive contact on the southern hill mass south of Stoumont. Accurate American suppressive fire slowed this approach, causing significant morale problems, and led to the wise redeployment of a company of Pz-IVH tanks to close assault the American mortar company in the wooded hilltop position atop the hill. Two companies of German armor continued to shell the US positions in the SE margin of Stoumont. Step losses at the end of game turn eleven were: 21 for the Germans, and 11 for the US. At this point, the victory point totals were 17 for the Germans, and 45 for the Americans. Surprisingly – only a single combat 7-die roil was thrown in this session!

Our fourth session (game turns 12-14 ) featured intense short-range and close assault combat both immediately south of Stoumont, as well as on the adjoining, 20-meter hill mass, that was covered by mixed woods. Among the highlights, was some very accurate American OBA strikes, an armored-overrun of the last remaining US mortar platoon, and a large number of successful German morale recoveries allowing the SS troops and their supporting armor to begin decisively engaging the remaining US forces on the southern hill. Some very lucky American direct fire managed to unhinge the initial, armor-heavy attack on Stoumont, forcing the heavy tanks to back off into standoff positions in the light woods, where they continued to pelt the garrison of Stoumont with tank rounds. Step losses at the end of game turn 14 were: 23 for the Germans, and 13 for the US. The updated victory point totals were now 21 for the attacking Germans, and 47 for the Americans. Surprisingly – only a single combat 7-die roil was thrown by the Americans this session!

Our 5th session (game turns 15-16) was a costly one for the remaining American troops atop the southern hilltop, with 3 steps lost to high-powered SS close assaults. A section of Pz-IV tanks chased a lone American Lieutenant over 600 meters through the woods on the same hill in an unsuccessful attempt to capture him. A left flank move by a company of German tanks circled Stoumont, and approached the lone US AT gun platoon on the northernmost ridge on Map 24. Step losses at the end of game turn 16 were: 23 for the Germans, and 16 for the US. The updated victory point totals were now 24 for the attacking Germans, and still 47 for the Americans.

Our sixth & final session (game turns 17-18) was another bloody episode for both sides, with the defending Americans bearing the brunt of the step losses, as a German armored column attacked the southeast margin of Stoumont, while their powerful assault stacks inflicted 3 more step loses on the few remaining US infantry in the woods of the southern hill. A German heavy armor company crushed the US AT gun platoon on the northern hill and then launched a close assault on the 1-hex village on the same hill. This move had the merit of contesting this town hex, thereby reducing the victory points for the US side by 3.

By mutual agreement, the Germans conceded defeat during game turn 18 and we ended this slug-fest of a scenario early. Step losses by the end were: 25 for the Germans, and 20 for the US. The final victory point totals were 28 for the attacking Germans, and 46 for the Americans.

There were 8 FOW-Shortened turns, of the 18 that we played.

I give this fun-to-play scenario a 4, and recommend it for shared play.