Bottom Line: Draw. Excellent balance, extremely difficult for either side to obtain a Major Victory. My game ended with the general historical outcome. The Germans successfully isolated 1 x US Company and overran the northern hill, but could not break the main defensive entrenchments. The game saw one of the most amazing events in my war gaming experience when a HMG PLT in entrenchment endured 15 of 16 turns of enemy contact, and 8 turns of continuous assault and successfully repulsed 2 x German companies (6 x Gren squads and 3 x leaders), this included three rounds of calling down mortars onto his position.

Casualties: US: 13 steps, 3 leaders (55% combat effective, 69% disrupted/demoralized at end) German: 14 steps (58% combat effectiveness, 76% disrupted/demoralized at end)

US Situation: Elements, 99th INF DIV (1 x US INF BN) defend to retain the East-west road west of hexes xx006.

Setup: The US BN established a defensive line from the hill base at 0907 to the hilltop at 0506. The center strongpoint was entrenchments at 0907, 0807 (BN CP), and 0808 (Mortar pit/fallback entrenchment). 1. The defensive line was anchored in the south at 0907 with 1 HMG PLT, 1 3-in AT Gun PLT, and 1 LT (9-0-0). Tactical task was to retain to deny enemy access to road. 2. The center consisted of the 1 x IN CO, BN CP (MAJ, 10-1-0) in 0807 and 0808 and the BN Mortars in 0808 and 0807 (w 1LT 9-1-0). Tactical task was to retain to deny enemy access to road. 3. The north was 1 x IN CO dug in, 0707 (CPT 10-0-1), 0606, (LT 9-1-0), 0505 (SGT, 8-0-1). The northern most hex anchored the flank with an HMG. Tactical task was to retain to disrupt enemy access to the road.

German Situation: Regiment of the 277 Volksgrenadier Division attack to defeat US forces vicinity of the east-west road in order to allow freedom of movement to follow-on forces.

Plan; Conduct frontal assault to Penetrate Enemy defensive lines and seize US positions at 0907, 0807, 0707, 0606, 0505. Use road movement to get high quality leaders and HMGs forward to take advantage of early OBA and establish base of fire for reinforcing assault element.

Sequence of events:

Turns 1-8 (0600-0745) Shaping Operations The German Leader draw included a studly SGT (9-2-2) who led the advance force down the road quickly to get eyes on for the opening barrage. The opening OBA on Hex 0907 destroyed the AT platoon, and disrupted the leader, but the HMG held on. The rest of the German Battalion followed suit, but accurate US Opportunity Fire from the Northern HMG successfully disrupted 2 x German HMGs from getting forward. It would take them an extra hour to recovery and get in place.

The initial German support by fire positions were established, but weak without heavy weapons. Under heavy US HMG and OBA from hex 0907, the Germans could not get their IG gun in place and it abandoned its guns, along with the supporting infantry. By 0745, the reinforcing German BN came on board, while the German LT COL was busy collecting and recovering both his HMGs and fleeing infantry. However, the US had lost 3 steps, and the Germans 4, and German forces were able to push assault forces into hexes 1006, 0906, 0806, 0605, 0505 and were in position for the Decisive Operation.

Turns 9-13 (0800-0900) The US successfully kept the German SGT and his platoons out of the initial fight with OBA. At 0800 the “mad minute” ensued and the US successfully repulsed the first attempt to take hex 0906. However, a company made it onto 0505 when the US SGT fled his position. The melee ensued and would continue there for the rest of the game. At 0815, a second attempt for hex 0906 occurred. This time the position was contested with 3 x German platoons and 2 LDRs vs. 1x HMG PLT, and a US LT (who would eventually flee). The Germans switched their main effort when 0906 became embroiled in melee, and sent the recovered SGT and platoons to the fight in the forest of hex 0606. Here over the next 45 minutes, they successfully defeated US forces there. Supported by fire and OBA onto Hex 0707, the Germans broke the US northern positions. However, The US SGT rallied and returned to Hex 0506 where he and his platoon successfully pinned down 5 German platoons for the rest of the game, but with no hope of rescue themselves.

0830 saw the high water mark for the Germans. They penetrated the US lines in the north, and inflicted 7 steps vs. 6 on themselves. They were in a position to withdraw with a minor victory, but decided to press their luck, as withdrawal might incur more German casualties with little payoff.

The melee on the southern position left the lone HMG fighting off 3x German platoons. He took advantage of being in entrenchments and having high density enemy and called for mortars on his position. This successfully demoralized the entire German assault. However, 1 German platoon rallied with snake eyes, which allowed the company to retreat without giving a free shot to the HMG.

By 0900 the German assault in the south had failed. The HMG forced the remaining German platoon west of the road to retreat. US reinforcements were now on the board and digging in at 0810 to deny the Germans any hope of a major victory.

Turns 14-16 Recovery/Attrition (0915-0945) Culmination

The remaining turns of the game saw repeated attempts by the Germans to recover their demoralized forces for a final push onto the road and into the entrenchments, but it never materialized. There was no hope of opening the road all the way to hex 0810, so the US and Germans were content to attempt to blast US casualties for the remaining hour, and try to resolve the fate of the lost outpost in hex 0506.

US direct fire and OBA successfully disrupted German attempts to reestablish a base of fire in the wood line, as well as disrupted the German SGT and assault element from contemplating exposure any closure to the line. Also, abysmal German recovery attempts told the tale that the Germans had culminated. With excellent dice rolls, the Germans destroyed the US Mortars, but could not dislodge the US SGT and his HMG and INF platoons from their dug in positions on the northern hill(0506).

Conclusion: Historical outcome. The US reestablished its defensive line on the south side of the road from 0907, 0807-0810. The isolated company in 0506 would either be forced to exfiltrate under pressure or eventually surrender. The east-west road between the US and German lines would become a no-man’s land until follow-on forces could try again.

Heroes of the Game: US 1. Unit: US HMG PLT in Hex 0907 withstood 15 consecutive turns of combat, never becoming demoralized. They called artillery onto their position three times. Repulsed 6 assaulting platoons and racked up 1/3 of all German step losses.

1. Leader: US SGT in Hex 0506. Though he fled in the initial assault, he accepted his fate and rallied to return to save his boys. He reentered the hex and successfully rallied disrupted units throughout the rest of the game and held off another 6 German platoons (inflicting ¼ of all German Step losses).

German:

1. Unit: The unsung platoon who rallied with snake eyes that allowed two demoralized leaders and 2 platoons to flee from 0907 to avoid getting shredded to pieces with an HMG free shot. The platoon then withdrew, but lost a step in the process.

2. Leader: German 9-2-2 SGT who achieved and held the deepest penetration of the US lines. His efforts defeated 4 US steps and 1 US LT (1/3 of all US casualties).

Lessons: 1. Remember that woods do not protect you from bombardment. 2. Digging in offers better protection than woods if you will be facing bombardment or assault. 3. Don’t get greedy, if you can win with a minor victory, you might be better off breaking contact early.