Author	treadasaurusrex (United States)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	United States
Participants	Col. Sonichu
Play Date	2024-06-02
Language	English
Scenario	SpDv001

This was a 6-session play-through with the clever & adroit Col. Sonichu, leading defending elements of the 9th Panzer Division & Landeschutzen reservists. I led attacking elements of the CCA, 3rd Armored Division (TF Doan) and part of the 1/26th Infantry (1st Infantry Division). Both sides drew better than average leaders. We used the FOW, smoke/illum, hidden units, extended assault, tank riders and excess initiative optional rules in this play-through. We also utilized these three house rules: 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. Unfortunately. we did not use the extended assault rule, 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, across, or down slopes hexes, and 3) Enhanced Anti-Tank (AT) Gunnery & Hidden Emplacement, Unless prohibited by special scenario rules, ALL dedicated, dug-in, entrenched, or town-occupying, towed AT gun units including Self-Propelled AT guns may fire in opportunity fire (OPFIRE) TWICE just like tanks in the standard rule set. For example: dug-in, German PaK 36 (37mm); or British 6-pdr towed AT gun platoons would therefore be able to fire TWO times per unit in OPFIRE situations. In addition, towed, or self-propelled, AT guns always begin scenarios in HIDDEN mode (see Optional Rules for Hidden Units; Plotting Position; Revealing; and No Hidden Units Specified on Page 37), if allowed to dig-in, or are entrenched, or town-occupying. All the initial German units were deployed hidden. We both felt that this rules set was optimal for this scenario and recommend it to others who play it in the future.

The initial session (game turns 1-5) featured a great deal of American maneuver with the very fast, but vulnerable, M-10 unit in a high-risk probing & scouting mission that lasted until the end of the 4th game turn. At that point, this most intrepid, but doomed platoon, had discovered the bulk of the Axis forward-deployed units, revealed a decoy minefield, captured a Lieutenant, and identified 3 manned entrenchments. The TD unit’s luck ran out when the lone, Jerry AT gun got a hit, ending their movement and prompting some furious German grenadiers to sally, trap and destroy the unit in close assault. Posthumous Silver & Bronze Stars, plus Purple Hearts all around for this courageous outfit! The first batch of US reinforcements were delayed until game turn 5 when they entered on the south edge of Map 22 – without motor transport. The step losses by the end of the session were: 2 for the Germans, and 4 to the attacking GIs. The victory point total was: 4 to the German side and 3 for the Americans.

Our costly – and likely decisive – second session (game turns 6-10) was a relatively grim one for the advancing GIs, that began well with the capture of the last Axis entrenchment on Map 22, but rapidly went downhill from there, as emplaced German firepower began to tell. The German combined arms reinforcements entered in game turn 6, while delayed US reinforcements did not show up until game turn 8, which was probably too late to accomplish the central mission of liberating Nuthiem. US step losses mounted fast, beginning with the loss of the sole M-4/76 tank platoon to accurate, long-range Germans armor piercing fire by the STG-IIIG self-propelled, AT guns, followed by the halving of 2 infantry platoons in opportunity fire on the well-defended, southern ridge on Map 24. An intended US envelopment of the eastern German stronghold on this ridge, was seriously diminished and disrupted be superb Axis standoff fire. The updated victory points were now: 32 for the Third Reich and a mere, 6 for the stumbling American side. A combined FOUR combat 7-die rolls were thrown.

The fun and high-maneuver, third session (game turns 11-12) featured the consolidation of the American attack into a strong left flank advance on the German-held village in Hex 24-1105; a series of mostly inaccurate long-range AT shots by both sides; intense close-quarter fighting on the western portion of the long, east-west ridge that consumed a platoon of Jerry STG-IIIG SPAT guns and an stubborn, dug-in 50mm AT gun. Both sides had decent luck in morale recovery and OBA die rolls. The right flank American approach on the ridge was blunted, but not stopped by heavy defensive fire of the trapped German defenders. The victory point tally was now: 36 for the German side, and a mere, 12 for the advancing Americans – though this ratio would later change to favor of the American side. A combined SEVEN combat 7-die rolls were thrown this session.

Our very entertaining, but costly, 4th, 5th and final session (game turns 13-18) featured whimsical interference by the PG fates as strings of either very bad, and/or very good die rolls affected both sides. In the main, the German defenders had great luck in their initiative rolls & morale recovery attempts, but significantly bad luck with artillery strikes and in the two close assault hexes. The scattered & disorganized Americans had luck with armor-piercing shots and eventually in each assault hex, but lousy bombardment and mostly failed morale recovery attempts. The FOW ended two of our game turns prematurely, which also served to further discombobulate the scrambling GIs on the north ridge, and delay their morale recovery attempts as they outran their supporting mortar units. Casualties were heavy in these sessions, with the Germans losing an additional 6 steps, plus 2 leaders, and the American side losing 2 more steps of infantry. The premature game turn endings contributing to the Yanks not being able to mount a better-sequenced attacks, and also to the loss of a second platoon of German assault guns, as the GIs slowly closed in on the south and west margins of Nutheim. American troops ended up securing 3 hexes of Nutheim and contesting a fourth, while the Germans hung on in another 3 hexes. At the end, the victory point tally was: 24 for the Third Reich and 32 for the American side, unexpectedly resulting in a minor American victory. There were 6 FOW-shortened turns of the 18 played.

This was a somewhat gamey, but very-fun-to play & relatively quick moving scenario with many decision points & scope for ample maneuver by both sides. This one rewards fire discipline. Maintaining a mobile reserve, as well as thoughtful placement of wire, minefields and entrenchments on the part of the defending German player. We played this one as if the Jerries had set up a hasty defense, and with the GIs also mounting a hasty approach with a perilous, armored probe. I think that a rule allowing efficient tanks to also be able to spot for artillery would be a fine enhancement, to this, well-designed scenario that merits a rating of 4 in SOLO or SHARED play.