Author	treadasaurusrex (France)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	Draw
Participants	Isra3lite (AAR)
Play Date	2025-06-25
Language	English
Scenario	FaoF006

This was a 4-session play-through with the bold & determined, Israe3lite, leading an armor-only German attack by elements of the 35th Panzer Regiment. The I led the defending combined-arms French task force of the 3rd DLM holding several towns on Map 28, without supporting artillery or air. The French side had a decent leader draw in a 12-game turn scenario on 2 maps.

We used the FOW, excess initiative, smoke and extended assault optional rules, as well as these two house rules: 1) Road Movement for Mechanized & Foot Units - All FOOT & MECHANIZED units may move on roads at the rate of 1/2 of a Movement Point (MP) per road hex, just like MOTORIZED units, and 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.

During our initial session (game turn 1-4) a multi-pronged German movement-to-contact, led by probing Pz-I & II light tanks, moved south along multiple axes of advance. Wisely, the left flank German tank column bypassed the eastern, 2-hex town on Map 28, and proceeded to take as many unoccupied, Belgian town hexes as possible on its way south. The French garrisons blazed away in OPFIRE to no avail until the third turn, when their sole AT gun managed a hit on the only Pz-IVA heavy tank platoon, forcing it back in demoralized condition. Other probing German units in the center and far western reaches of the map continued south occupying additional town hexes, thereby forcing French tactical redeployments, as well as mostly ineffective counter moves.

The second session (game turn 5-7) featured a great deal of maneuver by both sides as the rapacious German horde maintained its focus on occupying, Map 28 town hexes and pinning down the remaining French units, who were now in extended, and somewhat tenuous, positions. Only a single step of Pz-I light tanks was lost by the German side this session, but that resulted in a decrease in their initiative level. At this point, the fates might be portending a draw, by the end of game.

Our costly, third session (game turn 8-9) was also characterized by an abundance of rapid maneuver a the French reclaimed 10 of the 11 hexes of the large town in the Northwest corner of Map 28. Both sides lost a level of initiative this session in the heavy fighting. The victory point tally was now: 3 for the German invaders, and 8 for the embattled French side.

The fourth & final, session (game turn 10-12) featured a good deal of additional maneuver and some fierce fighting. The combined step loss this session was 6. The Germans were able to secure a single town hex more than the French were still holding, but had only 8 French step losses to their credit. The French had inflicted 10 Wehrmacht step losses by the end of the session. The result was a hard-fought draw, with a rapidly improving player!

This was a gamey exercise that was fun to try, I give it a rating of 45 in shared play with a challenging opponent.