Author	treadasaurusrex (United States)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	United States
Participants	Capt. Chaos
Play Date	2023-04-14
Language	English
Scenario	AAAD002

This was an introductory 5-session play-through with the crafty & cunning, Capt. Chaos, leading a reinforced, French battalion in the vicinity of St. Cloud. I led attacking elements of the, very green, US 1st Infantry Division (the bulk of the 18th Infantry Regiment). We played with the Smoke/illum, consolidation, strategic movement and excess initiative optional rules. We ignored the FOW optional rule in this encounter. In addition, we experimentally used the following two house rules: 1) 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, 2) Dug In Units are Automatically in Limiting Terrain in Desert Games Unless prohibited by special scenario rules, ALL units that are dug-in on hill, slope or wadi & gully hexes are considered to be in limiting terrain and are spotted if enemy units approach to within 3 hexes, or 4 hexes for reconnaissance units – unless they fire or move.

The initial session (game turns 1-3) featured a rapid American movement to contact, under intense small arms & artillery fire south of St. Cloud on the two adjacent 20-meter hills on Map 79. Simultaneously, a single American infantry company also moved to the west in the northern sector of the same map to establish a presence on the large 40-meter hill mass north of St. Cloud. Surprisingly, the French Foreign Legionnaire Police, deployed as forward skirmishers, fought hard and very well from the start. They outperformed the French regular infantry, throughout this play-through. During the third turn, the senior French leader was captured in a surprise attack on the northern hill mass. This decapitation had no visible impact on the defenders, and was soon forgotten as French artillery battered the US company responsible for the capture of their leader. US forces closed to decisive ranges in the south and began to menace the garrison of St. Cloud as the westernmost of the adjoining hills was secured. By the end of this session, step losses stood at: 1 for the American attackers, and 4 that had been lost by the Vichy French defenders. This reduced the French initiative to just one. The victory point totals, favored the French by 10 to 4. SIX combat 7-die rolls were thrown by the French side.

The second session (game turns 4-5) was a grim episode for the French defenders with 5 additional step losses and another leader captures were recorded in fierce fighting on the two adjoining 20-meter hills south of St. Cloud. The French initiative level fell to zero during game turn 4. A single French Foreign Legionnaire Police platoon – ably led by a Sous Lieutenant, and deployed as forward skirmishers – managed to hold their advanced position until the very end of game turn 5! The other platoon of Legionnaire Police on the far, NE margin of the same hill also stubbornly held out. The Americans created a substantial smoke screen to obscure French observation of morale recovery operations on the western hill, while they also prepared to move into assault positions as the sun began setting in the 5th turn. The victory point totals, still favored the French by 10 to 9. Only TWO combat 7-die rolls were thrown by the French side.

The third session (game turns 6-8) featured the collapse of the last French-held toehold on the southeastern hill and the slow-motion surge of the Americans in the south under cover of growing darkness and another smoke screen. At this point, the US force began splitting into 3 advances thanks to the decreased visibility, in spite of the town garrison’s multiple illumination rounds, and a growing volume of defensive fire. The three American prongs now menaced the east, south and west margins of St. Cloud. Total step losses were ended at 14 for the Vichy French, and 1 for the attacking US side. The updated victory point tally was now 10 for the French, and 14 for the Americans. A new record of 14 combat 7-die rolls (including 8 in a row) was set by the French Commander, with 3 more by the American player, for an overall total of 17 in a single 3-turn session!

The fourth session (game turns 9-11) featured a close-range, three-sided, American attack on the newly-surrounded garrison in St Cloud. This generally went badly for the attacking Yanks, as frequent bad morale rolls disordered the converging American thrusts on both the east and the western margins of St. Cloud. By the end of this 3-game turn session, step losses totaled: 2 for the Americans, and 18 for the defending Vichy French. The combined total of combat 7-die rolls was EIGHT! The victory point count was now 11 for the French and 18 for the men of the Big Red One, or a minor victory for the brittle-morale, Americans.

The final session (game turns 12-14) featured the continuing series of adjacent-hex firefights and fierce urban fighting in, and around, contested town hexes 0611 & 0511. The Big Red one was not able to clear the entire town of St. Cloud, but was able to contest two of the 3 town hexes. French resistance was tremendous and ground was gained very slowly as the GIs gradually surrounded the town. Final tally of steps lost was: 21 for the Vichy French and 2 for the advancing Americans. The final victory point total was: 5 for the French, and 21 for the US side, resulting in an American major victory.

I give this fun-to-play scenario a well-deserved 5.