Author	treadasaurusrex (United States)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	Draw
Participants	goosebrown
Play Date	2023-05-12
Language	English
Scenario	AAAD025

This was a 4-session play-through with the careful & wily, goosebrown, leading three German combined arms battle groups. I led elements of Combat Command C of the US 1st Armored Division. We played with the consolidation, smoke/illum, extended assault, tank riders, strategic movement and excess initiative optional rules. We ignored the FOW optional rule in this encounter. In addition, we experimentally used the following four 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) Standardized Movement for Mechanized Units All mechanized units may move through clear hexes at a movement cost of only 1 movement point (MP) per hex, instead of 1 1/2. Add one to this cost if moving up or down slopes hexes, 3) Dug-in units are Automatically in Limiting Terrain in Desert Games Unless prohibited by special scenario rules, ALL units that are dug-in on slope 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 are marked with a spotted marker, see 8.22, 4) Tank Leader Forward Observation Efficient tank leaders (full strength only) may spot for ALL artillery & air strikes in accordance with the normal spotting rules (8.0, page 19). Just as in the case of leader units spotting, this action does not require an activation. Nonefficient tank leaders may also attempt to spot for ON BOARD ARTILLERY ONLY by throwing a single die per attempt to spot a target. This action does require an activation. They spot the intended target on a die roll of 4-6.

The initial session (game turns 1-3) the beginning of a relatively lengthy American movement-to-contact across the northwest quadrant of Map 77 and onto the north margin of Map 78. This advance was met with accurate AT fire from the forward-deployed 50mm AT gun position on the northernmost 20-meter hill of Map 78. This fire resulted in the elimination of a section of overeager M-3/75 tank destroyers. This was quickly followed by a pair of American OBA strikes that eliminated that fiendish AT gun platoon during the 2nd game turn, as well as the capture of a platoon of trucks. Most German defenders remained quiet in their many dug-in positions, not wanting to fire and expose their positions. The session ended with single step losses for both sides.

The second session (game turn 4) was a costly one that featured the dramatic entry of German Battle Group Gerhardt on the north margin of Map 77. This combine arms advance was well-supported by two successful Luftwaffe air strikes and made an immediate dent in the American positions. By the end of this bloody turn, step losses for the Americans was 9, and the Germans had now lost 10. These casualties resulted in both sides having their initiative reduced to one. Another fiendish German At gun was eliminated by accurate American OBA, but two others managed to eliminate a pair of steps of American Self-Propelled (SPAT) vehicles. A German leader was captured in an armored probe of an abandoned AT gun emplacement in the northwest corner of Map 79. The end of the session saw the Germans holding a slim lead in victory points of 10 to 9.

The third session (game turn 5) was another blood-spattered episode for both sides with multiple, close-range AT firefights in the northwest corner of Map 77. There were also two Luftwaffe air strikes in the same section of the battle map. By the end of the game turn, the advance of Battle Group Gerhardt had been stymied in-place on the map margin – though at a considerable cost to the defending GIs. In addition, the northernmost German position on the 20-meter hill on Map 78 was secured via a combined arms attack, supported by accurate OBA. The step loss count increased to: 20 and 3 leaders for the attacking Germans, as well as 18 for the American defenders. As a result, both sides had their initiative reduced to zero. The victory point totals were nearly tied at 20 to 18, slightly in favor of the American side.

The fourth session (game turns 6) was interrupted by the onset of a shared case of ennui, and we mutually agreed on a draw and enjoyed several sips from the Absinthe Fountain. The finals steps lost was: 23 for the Americans, and 25 for the Germans in this artificially truncated play-through. We experienced a great deal of adjacent-hex and AT crossfires in the northwest corner of the map that - while fun - were fairly pointless in terms of the likely outcome of the game.

I give this one a rating of 4 and recommend it for SHARED play. This was entertaining to play, so we may switch sides & try it again.