Set-Up Issues:

One AAR here seems to suggest that set-up in the town is allowed: my reading is that US units must set up only on Board 25 on or north of the E/W road, NOT on board 24 (the board holding the only town hexes).

The US has a choice of forward defense; flee to the large town; or some combination. I noted that a PzIVH on 0613/25 (hex/board) sees road hex 1006 on board 24 at a range of 10; likewise a PzIVH on 0705/25 can "see" road hex 1209, at a range of 8. So US units loaded on trucks would be vulnerable to AT fire unless US units were placed forward to preclude German set-up in those hexes. I felt that this would risk too much US firepower to destruction either from OF or by having unsupported units up front.

So I stacked up my ENG and lone HMG to foot it northwards with only two ENG to hold the road and the western "approach" through the woods in dug-in positions. The Germans had the paras and two PzIVH's to the west; most of their foot and SPW's on the road; and two GREN/SPWs and the PzIVH on the east. This PzIV took OF fire at the US M3's on 1006/25, but missed; then they moved back to the center to support the road advance.

US get the upper hand early with good OF rolls (a '2' on the 30 col for one thing killing an SPW/Gren-step/leader. A para step was also lost. The Germans rolled two consecutive '1's on the 30-col for assaults (albeit the US rolled a '1' also for a "fizzle" assault). By turn four, the SS had cleared the road and the other US blocking unit at the loss of a para step; two gren steps; and an SPW (four step losses to each side).

Turns 5-7 brought the German approach and US OF. A fair number of DIS/DEM to the Germans, but numbers began to overwhelm (did lose two more SPW steps). The real turning point, however, was that in two consecutive assaults, US-13col vs. Ger 18 or 24's, the US rolled 1's. The PzIV's enveloped the town to take out the M3's which were trying to dodge about.

By turn 9, US holds two town hexes with 2ENG or 1HMG + ENG-R. Germans attack/assault from other town hexes to take advantage of town DEF + recovery bonuses. 10 German steps lost; US 12.

It took until turn 13 for the Germans to clear those last two hexes and they were hurt doing so with a few more step losses and morale failures. With a few hours to recover, however, and restock, these elements of Kampgruppe Peiper would be ready for action having lost about a company of SS grenadiers; a platoon of Luftwaffe troups; and corresponding APC transport. The armored component, however, had escaped in good order.

This scenario had a bit more tension in it in this reality than might be construed from other plays and the net German victory margin. The US hit hard early with German fizzles; followed by the Germans sweeping most before them; then an increasingly tense end game as the last DF + assaults tried to clear the town.