A small Skype game with Vince Hughes this afternoon/evening with quite a few interesting moves and dicerolls. To name a few, German defenders win the first initiative roll with 2 turns, 8 of 12 turns finished with FoW and 5 American OBA hits with step loses.

The scenario is a good one for FTF play as it is fairly short but has a it is balanced enough to go either way. The Germans have the setup and better morale, but the Americans have more troops, armor and ENG support. The leaders selection favored the Germans slightly. Both have OBA and mortar support.

The German setup on board 10 in the town in a hedgehog defense with HMG's and double stacks of GRENs bristling from the edges of the town. As a rule the AT/MTR/AA are setup hidden to start the game. The Americans are setup on board 9 one flanking company on the north edge of board 9/10 with the rest of the troops inline in the light woods with the mortars deep in the woods to provide full support to the attack.

Turn one start with the Germans wining the initiative with two activations before the Americans move. A German OSTFR ventures out of the town to spot for the OBA and scores disruptions and demoralization on some American units. But the American attack steps off, with the flanking company moving north to occupy the light woods and eventually threaten the northern town edge. To the south the main force, commanded by the Colonel moves through the light woods on board 10. A center force delays except for LT and INF to spot for the OBA.

The American flanking force stumbles into the German AT in the light woods to the north. OBA is called in and the gun is destroyed. To the south the Americans advance though the woods and surprisingly the turns end early with FoW. The southern force makes contact with the Germans in the and OBA hits the SS troops. The Americans soon discover the 20mm AA gun and OBA is called in to destroy it too. The German OBA is also zeroing in on the advancing Americans. The Americans continue to move around the town to find the weak spots while the Germans counter move to keep a strong front to the Americans. But the Americans have too many troops to keep up with and the Americans start to disrupt and demoralize the SS troops. The American M4 and INF get a chance to advance next to the SS in the town.

The flanking units move to the north west of the town and discover the German mortars. Units move to assault and tie them up and prevent them from firing. The other move to close on the weaker northwest town hexes. SS units shift again and this give the Americans a chance at the southern edge of town. The assaults start and the battle get bloody quickly with most casualties occurring from turn 9 to 11, 16 total steps lost in the turns.

Several key assaults see American combined armor/ENG/INF attacks on the town as well as a desperate SS charge out of the town that hits the American recover area and generates most American casualties. The Americans continued to push the town assaults and capture 2 hexes and contest 3 others, leaving the Germans 1 hex. In the end the Americans get a minor victory scoring 18 to 11.