This game was a PBEM game against Alan Rhodes. I hadn't ventured much into the BotB package so this came initially as a welcome visit. Unfortuntely, with most terrain negated or non-existent by special rules, and rather awful VC's, the battle ended up as something of a damp squib really

As the German, you need to really try and hurt the Americans in the first 8 turns before their reinforcements come on AND get well set in the town of Champs so as to avoid US OBA which is quite large for a small scenario. As the German, you have to try and clear a 2 hex perimeter all round the town and capture the town ... far too much IMO, where as the Americans just have to knock out 9+ steps of the enemy. Here is a short report.

The American positions around this village were set-up in a most unorthodox way. Rather than manning the town itself, the whole of company A, 502nd Parachute Regiment had been deployed to the outer flanks of Champs in order, it would seem to prevent German infiltration around the flanks. This however meant that there was a massive gap through the centre.The German attack began at 0300 hours in the dark and unsurprisingly, the Volksgrenadiers went in straight through the unmanned centre and into Champs without loss.

The hapless US Paratroopers now had to ‘recapture’ what they had just handed over to the enemy and against an enemy that now had all the cover of the town itself. Gun battles raged around the outside of Champs and the Americans were able to call on quite a bit of artillery support which did have some success around 0415 hours with a direct hit on one German platoon. That aside, it was the Germans that were able to nestle into their positions and wait for the enemy. From 0530 hours, the Paratroopers flung themselves at Champs and it was generally without finesse. In fact, it appeared that the American experience in the Pacific had led them to take on the tactic of Banzai charges. This caused the Americans to lose no less than 8 steps in a short 90 minute period of thoughtless charges against Champs defenders. However, the Germans could not really come out of the village at the enemy for fear of being pulverised by the US OBA.

At the end, the Germans were unable to clear the whole area, despite inflicting far more casualties than they received and it was only due to the appearance of an American M18 platoon that helped shore up any remaining resistance. This would count as a draw, though all honours were most definitely with the Germans after such a poorly thought out American defence and counter-attack. Step-losses were Germans 2 lost, Americans 9 steps.

The Germans were well on top but never had enough resources to push ALL the Americans out to a 3 hex radius. I look forward to hearing of the first German player who does get a win as it will need a serious amount of US mistakes by the player that runs the US Paras. A measley '2' rating from me and lucky not to get a '1'.