Cassino '44 Scenario 2

Bridgehead on the Rapido

Game Length: 20 turns

Starting at 18:00 hrs.

Victory Conditions: If any "good order" US units are within 5 hex's of the Rapido at the game end the US wins. Any other result means German victory.

18:00 - Captain Jamison: "OK men". We had a rough go of it keeping this bridgehead and we got a long night ahead of us. Rest assured Gerry is going to be hitting us hard again sometime tonight. We can't expect any reinforcements since Gerry destroyed our last footbridge and all of our boats are somewhere down river full of bullet holes. We need to hold on til morning. We'll have Artillery support throughout the night plus we still have a mortar unit. So lets get our defenses prepared and start digging in. I want 2 platoons per section of foxholes. The Heavy Machine Gunners will be set-up in the center of the defensive works with me, ready to give support where needed. Sgt. Orozco, I want you with the troops to the South. Lt. Alexander, your superior leadership skills will be needed to the Northwest if Gerry sends anything down the road from Cassino town and Lt. Jackson will support your flank from the East. All right then, lets get it done, and may God help us.

GERMAN COMMUNICAE:

Major, you are hereby ordered to take your Battalion and remove the American bridgehead South of Cassino. Your armor support will join you when it can be detached from elsewhere. Do not fail!

18:15 - Lt. Alexander: "Captain, I hear troops and a tracked vehicle coming down the road towards us". "Keep your troops digging Lt.". Captain Jamison: "Christ Almighty! They got us lit up with Flares"! INCOMING! HIT THE DECK! Lt. Jackson! I said no firing until those foxholes are dug! You better make any more op-fire count instead of missing. That's better. Everyone else keep digging. Step losses 0/1 (Americans/Germans)

18:30 - Lt. Jackson: "Captain! We're being assaulted with Grenadiers, HMG's and an APC with a Major. I just lost a whole Platoon but I shot up half of their Grenadier Platoon". Lt. Alexander: "Captain, we're being assaulted as well, just lost half of one of my Platoons! I don't know if I can take much more of this." Captain Jamison: "Suck it up Lt.! HMG's, follow me, fire from the hip"! There Lt., maybe now you can do something since all them Huns are now disrupted". "Thats the way to do it! Those boys in the Southwest just took out a whole platoon of Grenadiers that tried to get close to them. Too bad they couldn't do it a second time". Step losses 3/4 - Force Cohesion now at 8/6 for Germans.

18:45 - Lt. Jackson: "Captain, I just lost another half Platoon. I can't hold out much longer". "Take it easy son". I need to take care of some fresh Gerry's that just entered the fight. I'll help you when I can". "Machine Gunners and Infantry, Attack!" Outstanding, men, killing off 2 for everyone one of ours. You Ground Pounders get yourselves together now. There'll be time to cry for you fallen buddies later. Those troops to the South of us are holding out for now and our Artillery is keeping some of those Bastards disorganized enough to keep 'em out of the fight. Step losses 5/6 - Force Cohesion now at 7/5 for Americans.

19:00 - Lt Jackson: "Captain, I'm being over-run! I have no troops left. Falling back to central position". "Very well. Lt. Alexander, we need to get our troops ready for assault, so give them a Pep-talk. Where are those troops going? Get back here! Damn! We only have our Machine Gunners left. We'll have to make do Lt". "Those troops to the South of us are sure taking a beating now, only half a Platoon left out of 2 full ones, Captain". "At least that Hun Captain took 1/2 of a Platoon of Grenadiers with him when he ran away from us. Maybe we can finish off this Lt. and his remaining Platoon. "Sir, Lt. Jackson and the troops he just took command of are getting disorganized under all the German Artillery". "I know Lt. Looks like they'll be assaulted soon". Lt. Jackson: "Captain, we're being over-run again. Just lost another 1/2 Platoon and my remaining 1/2 Platoon are hiding in their foxholes. Don't think we'll make it thru another assault sir". "Do what you can, Lt., then fall back to Sgt. Orozco's position only if necessary". Step Losses 10/6 - Force Cohesion now at 6/5 for Americans

19:15 - Capt. Jamison: "O.K. boys, lock and load those HMG's and let them have it! That's it, they're down by half". Lt. Alexander: "Captain, more bad news. Lt. Jackson was just over-run again. He has no troops left and is heading towards Sgt. Orozco's position. The remaining troops to the South were killed to the last man as well". Capt. Jamison: "Well aren't you just a blue bird of happiness, Lt."? Step losses 12/7

19:30 - Capt. Jamison: "Get ready, that German Lt. just brought in a full Platoon of Grenadiers with supporting HMG's. GET DOWN! GET DOWN! Damn-it to Hell! We've only got half our HMG's left now! Stiff upper lip, now, thats it. I'm awful proud of you boys for bouncing back so quick". Step losses 13/7

19:45 - Capt. Jamison: "Lt, that German Sgt. that's leading those troops now looks like he know's his business". Lt.? Lt. Alexander? SOB! Everyone's dead but me. Wonder if I can make it up and around to Lt. Jackson's and Sgt. Orozco's position"? Sgt. Orozco: "Get the Captain on the horn, we're need some help here. Lt. Jackson just got his head blown off, the Mortar team just got shot all to hell, a quarter of my troops are dead and the rest are pissing in their pants"! "What do you mean you can't raise the Captain"? Sgt. Orozco: "Come on fella's, I need you to look alive and get ready for the next assault. We have to hold.....Where do you think your all going? Get back in your foxholes before they open fire at your backsides. Idiots! A whole Platoon getting shot in the back will not look good on my record. Hold up, guys, I'm coming with you"! Step losses 18/7

20:00 - Sgt. Orozco: "Nothing to do now but keep running. Is that the Captain running towards us"?

20:15 - Sgt. Orozco: "That is the Captain! Oh Hell no! That Sgt. and his Platoon of Grenadiers just caught him. CRAP! That Sgt. sent another Platoon of Grenadiers to take us out. Keep running guys. Guys? Guys? Don't shoot! I surrender. Step losses 19/7

GERMAN COMMUNICAE: General Major Rodt Division Commander 15th Panzer Grenadier

Germans Win

Conclusion: Well, the end result was the same, naturally. The Germans probably could have gained a victory a few turns earlier if they had sealed off that temporary escape route beforehand and forcing the remaining Americans back the other way. The Stug was not needed, which was 4 turns away from entering. Twenty turns for this original scenario does seem a little excessive when used with the combined optional rules of Tactical Assault Combat and Force Cohesion. With the Americans down to a 6/5 Morale after Turn 5, it got very, very bad for them. Using the Force Cohesion and Tactical Assault Combat optional rules just reiterates how important Morale is (even more so when you don't have much of it) and, once you gain the upper hand in an assault, don't ever let up. I'm giving this a 3 1/2 out of 5. I was really hoping the Americans would have held out just a little bit longer, but by the Germans going straight to assault after the first few flares, they quickly gained the upper hand.