This game from the WestWall was played over Skype in 2 sessions with Tony Langston and was my 6th play from this set 10 scenario pack.

The German 12th Wild Buffalo Panzer Grenadier troops from the 89th Infantrie Regt decided to forsake the 5 x forward town hexes facing the American advance and instead set up exclusively in and around Hucheln town (note spelling, scenario is in error) with an entrenchment on each flank of Hucheln. Their AT capability, a 50mm, 75mm and 1 x strongpoint with a 37mm capability also formed up to the edge of the town. All cover for any attacker was at least 600m from the town and this would give the defenders from Schwerin 2 x free vollies at any enemy advance. The entrenchments had been laced with the Germans HMG's and the grenadiers positioned themselves in Hucheln's streets and buildings. In essence, Hucheln would be a very prickly prospect to advance upon. It had to be, as the Germans would need to inflict heavy losses on the Americans to make up for lost VP's on the town hexes left undefended.

The Americans, starting at 0915 hours, advanced freely enough towards Hucheln, but for some German OBA called in by a forward observer. This proved more or less ineffectual, and even he was disposed of pretty quickly by the Americans thus allowing a very much unimpeded march along the road and through the muddy environs. Around 1000 hours, Hucheln came into sight of a recon group of M5 Stuarts. The glimpse proved short for some as AT fire from the town knocked out a step. In response, the Americans pushed forward their whole force. During this advance, some recklessness by the Americans had an M3 platoon carrying their sole engineer support wiped out as it moved across the towns front by yet more AT fire. American OBA was proving generally inaccurate as it failed to zero in properly on targets in Hucheln. Over the next 30 minutes, the Americans began 'dashing' their armour towards the rear of Hucheln and the M5's had to absorb yet more losses. This US move would completely detach his armour from the PBI and was probably a mitigating factor in the impending doom. Infantry too suffered against the German OBA and also some German infantry fire. The first German losses were not registered till 1130 hours and that was an unoccupied strongpoint that was spotted by the Americans. However, soon after, US OBA finally scored a hit, crushing the 50mm AT battery.

By turn 12 or midday, US losses were at 16 step-equivalents to 2 German. The Jerries held all of Hucheln whilst the Amis had 5 other scattered town hexes. Behind in the count, COL Richardson's American force would need to advance and take parts of Hucheln. Immediately, HMG fire and OBA sliced down 3 steps of GI's, then, as American Shermans pushed to the town, a surprise counter-attack was launched against them by waiting grenadiers. Three platoons of them jumped on the hapless tanks, knocking out 2 steps with grenades and the like, and another with panzerfausts. In return, grenadier losses were negligible. On the other side of town, an M4 platoon was disruped as it advanced against HMG's in the trenches there. As the tanks sacrificed themselves, the American infantry lurched forward.

Initially, there was some success as two platoons of Fireflys wiped a platoon of grenadiers out with direct fire at point blank range in the entrenchments, but this proved a facade. The infantry attacks were mowed down by the steadfast Wild Buffaloes and a concerted attack on one of the entrenchments piled up 5 US step-losses over two turns. Added to this, the remaining German 75mm and 37mm strongpoint relentlessly holed up M3 halftracks for fun. The 75mm had probably the most success of any AT crew I've seen. It must have taken out 4 tank steps, 1 Priest step, 4 M3's including the Engineer carrying one and it refused to succumb to US OBA ! All in all, it was an unmitigated massacre for the Ami attackers and by 1245 hours the Yanks had absorbed a total of 43 step-equivalents (33 actual steps) against just 5 of the Buffaloes. Richardson called off the attack and conceded to a very heavy defeat.

To be fair, I was probably able to take advantage of Tony's hesitancy in attacks and his division of forces. I guess his inexperience also allowed my troops in the trenches to cause his men no end of problems in the attack. That said, he made me suffer last time when I showed any form of clemency so this was well-deserved payback GRRRRrrrrr !! :-) Certainly fun and I'm sure Tony will take things from the game as we now line up for SotM in the desert.