Having recently acquired the first edition of Airborne, (now I have three) I wanted to christen it. It took it on a business trip and the first scenario is one that I have played in Airborn-IE but, if you've got three Airbornes you gotta play 'em right?

In this one the Airborne units have to capture two town hexes and eliminate a 105 battery and its supporting Grenadier company. The Germans can't move until they see you and substantial reinformcing units come on for the Americans several times in the game. I kept my paratroopers hidden until the first reinforcements came on the board and then quickly closed for assault combat.

The Americans had some initial success but then the assaults bogged down as the Germans made morale roll after morale roll. One town hex was captured but the second held out until the Shermans made it to the scene and they rolled through the town. On the very last turn the paratroopers caused the last step loss to the German Grenadiers supporting the battery but the battery made its M2 check and therefore a draw was the result.

A typical Airborne scenario with a lot of assaulting on low columns to hope to get some compound morale failures. The ability of the Germans (with an 8/7 morale) to withstand this made the draw possible. It was nearly an American win. I give it a "3". Fun enough but small and uncomplicated. A good starting scenario.