Cassino 44' Scenario 3 - Red Bull Attacks the Barracks

Turns: 18 (starting at 2200hr)

Victory Conditions: American - Kill Germans, Get across the Rapido in good order, Control Barracks, Point 56 and 324. Germans - Kill Americans, Maintain control of Barracks, Point 56 and 324.

Set-up: I did a much better set up this time playing as the Germans. No area of the Gustav Line is "unwatched" this time. As soon as the Americans set foot in it, I'll know about it providing the smoke clears in my favor, which I'm sure will be used. My Infantry Guns have command of the heights and therefore the entire Gustav Line in their LOS once the flares start going off. My one AFV is sitting on the road by the Barracks to quickly respond to any area under threat. With all the flooding and mud rules in effect, the allies are going to have a rough go of it. Randy sets up his forces directly across from the Barracks. The shortest path to his VP's. With only one ENG to help his units get across the Rapido, he'll have to make extensive use of Smoke as he probes the Minefields. Again, I am unable to make any activations until one of my units spots his.

Turn 1: The Americans move forward. One of the M4's manages to get disrupted moving into the flooded area.

Turn 2: Three Leaders are sent into the Gustav Line to draw op-fire, I obtain a disruption on one of them. Smoke is fired and the ENG's makes their way into the minefield directly across from the Barracks, where they find themselves in one of the worst spots on the Gustav Line, with a 3 and a 1 Mine Marker. The Luck of the Irish must be with Randy, because I only roll 2's! And just to show how fickle Lady Luck can be, Randy moves 2xINF units into the hex with the ENG's, where all 4 steps get blown to smithereens and to add insult to injury, all 3 Leaders that entered the hex previously fail their Leader Death rolls and are also removed from the board.

Turn 3: Is over quickly. After 3 activations each, FOW is rolled. I'm able to get a Leader close enough to fire Flares and my Stug takes a position among the Barracks.

Turn 4: THE ALLIES ARE ACROSS! Randy manages to get an HMG and Captain across into an assault with the Stug in the Barracks. No damage is sustained to either unit however. My OBA into the River Crossing Hex, with all the bonuses, gains nothing. Who ever said 7's are Lucky?

Turn 5: The Allies begin with 4 activations! Allied OBA is ineffective. M4 firing into the assault hex at my Stug is ineffective. Demoralized HMG recovering to disrupted is as good as it got for the Allies. The German Captain gathers his GREN and HMG up to lead them into the assault hex with the Stug. The Allied HMG has 1st fire from the Barracks hex and is able to disrupt both the GREN and HMG, but that doesn't save them from the 30+ column on the assault hex, which a 6 is rolled, breaking the Allied assault and destroying the HMG. The Allied Leader is able to avoid death and capture. Germans troops make their way towards the River crossing before FOW is rolled.

Turn 6 & 7: Allies start with 2 activations and make extremely good use of them. M4 fires from across the river at my Stug, missing the 1st time but gaining a hit the 2nd time and demoralizing it. The OBA coming in gains an X1 on a soft target and demoralizes the Stug again, losing the remaining the step. After the Allies sustain another step loss from entering the minefield, Infantry Guns on the mountain fire on a flare lighted hex containing 3 combat units, gaining an X2. A GREN brought into the assault hex is enough to gain another step loss and demoralize the remaining step. A German assault on the remaining INF west of the Rapido gains another step-loss. German OBA is able to demoralize the ENG's. Casualties are now Germans 5 and Allies 12.

Turn 8: ENG's recover to disrupted. An M4 moving up into the minefield is unlucky, receiving a Demoralization and then a step loss, effectively destroying both steps. German Infantry Guns are able to destroy a step of HMG that were lit up by a flare from compound morale failure. Germans 5 to Allies 17.

Turn 9: ENG's recover to good order, which is the only good news for Randy. INF units moving into the minefields sustain 2 step losses while German OBA gains another step-loss in the River crossing hex. Total frustration sets in as the Allies order an OBA strike into the assault hex, demoralizing the GREN and disrupting the Lt while also demoralizing the Allied INF. Disrupted Lt and HMG reassault, finishing off the INF and a massive DF attack removes the last of the Allied INF West of the Rapido. Germans 5 to Allies 21 steps lost.

Conclusion: With only one ENG to assist in the crossing, this scenario is almost impossible for the Allied troops since all German troops will key on that one hex. The Minefields, however, were the biggest obstacle. Gaining 4 step losses and 3 Leaders Deaths in Turn 2 from mines was extraordinary and set the stage for a very bloody battle. Would love to try this again sometime playing as the Allies.

A 2 out of 5 for play due to the harsh impossibility (?), but 5 out of 5 for those unbelievable Minefield rolls. Thanks to John Stafford at AvP for official rulings on the Minefield situations that came up.