Author	treadasaurusrex (Germany)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	Draw
Participants	goosebrown (AAR)
Play Date	2023-07-01
Language	English
Scenario	AAAD037

This was a 4-session play-through with the playful, yet redoubtable, goosebrown leading an attack by elements of the US 1st Infantry Division’s 16th Infantry Regiment. I led defending troops of the German Panzer Grenadier Regiment Afrika. The American side drew a marginal set of leaders. The Germans had better luck in their leader draw. We played with the consolidation, smoke/illum, extended assault, tank riders and excess initiative optional rules. In addition, we used the following three 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, and 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.

The initial session (game turns 1-2) featured the beginning of a lengthy American left-flank, deep-battle movement to contact from the west skirting the north margins of Hill 812. This was accompanied by a heavy smoke screen that prevented accurate long-range AT fire from the demonic German AT guns. The “grand battery” of no less than 6 US HMG platoons maintained a heavy covering fire on the dug-in, Landsers on Hill 812 as the Americans advanced. From the beginning, a US diversionary force consisting of a reinforced infantry company on the neighboring 40-meter hill, southwest of Hill 812 drew a great deal of long range fire in the first 2 turns that resulted in the loss of 3 steps and a leader. Total step losses were tied at 4, by the end of this session resulting in the German initiative dropping a level to one.

Our second session (game turns 3-5) consisted primarily of a major exchange of long-range direct, OBA and mortar fire. Another step of German infantry was the only casualty, as the left flank American advance curled east & began closing to decisive range on the north and east margins of Hill 812. The Lee tank company began a close assault on the first of the German’s forward positions in Hex 76-0913. A number of Landser infantry units and their pet snail, Corporal Laszlo, were forced to redeploy from their original positions to face the oncoming US onslaught from 2 directions.

The third session (game turn 6-7) was a costly one for both sides with step losses now at: 8 for the Germans, and 9 for the attacking Americans. The massive US .50 cal machine gun line began approaching from the west, and the adjacent US infantry column initiated its decisive engagement with the few remaining Germans on the southwest margin of Hill 812. A pair of simultaneous combined arms, US teams commenced more intensive close assaults on the opposite flank of the nearly-encircled German garrison on Hill 812. Corporal Laszlo moved quickly to a safer position below the German mortar emplacements to avoid the increasingly accurate American artillery barrages.

Our fourth session (game turn 8-9) was more of the same and the last Satan’s spawn, AT gun of the Germans was eliminated. Ineffective US artillery during this episode prompted Corporal Laszlo to re-emerge and lay slime trails around the 2 remaining German mortar platoons. Two American close assaults were rapidly collapsing at this stage and this battle was looking more and more like a replay of Verdun. By mutual agreement we decided on a draw at the start of game turn 9. I give this slightly disappointing, but balanced, scenario a rating of 3, and recommend it for SOLO play only.