NOTE: For a long time, I played the morale rules wrong, with units just needing to roll their morale or less to recover, not less than their morale. This is reflected in some of the commentaries.

Deployment

The Germans have two strongpoints. One turned out to be a 3-4, one turned out to be unoccupied. I put the 3-4 in hex 0613 and the unoccupied one in 0412, figuring that the other troops could help defend that, and that the 3-4 could slow up the American advance. I started the Captain (8-0-0), the HMG and the GERN in 0409 and the 2 LTs (9-1-1 and 9-0-0), the ENG and the 81mm in 0509. My basic plan was to defend the town strongly with 2 the ENG and HMG and to send the GREN to get behind some hedges and cause trouble. The mortar would add some extra fire where possible.

For the Americans, I put the 1st LT (9-1-0) and a full strength PARA in 1014 and the CAPT (10-0-1) and the other 3 steps of PARA in 1015. My general idea was to have the 1014 units sneak through the swamps and take out the 1st strongpoint and then move through the hedges to 0412, with the other units heading down the road to approach the town through the hedges to the east.

Turn 1

With these few units, initiative isn’t critical, and its still nice to go first. On turn 1, the Americans had a 2 initiative advantage, so they moved all 3 units first. The solo unit climbed the railroad embankment, the other 2 units rushed to 0716 where the hedgerows would block LOS from the town at 0412.

As planned, 2 German units head for the town, and the GREN goes to 0413, heading for the cover of the hedgerows. I decide not to take a 3 hex pot shot with the strongpoint and reveal its strength.

Turn 2

The American reinforcement does not arrive.

The Americans get the first move (just 1) and the PARA on the embankment disappears into the swamp. The Germans move the GREN to 0314 for hedgerow protection.

The Americans rush towards 0516 and the HMG opens up with opportunity fire at 3 hex range. Against the reduced strength unit a 2 gets rolled, eliminating it. The Americans only had 3 units to start, and now they have 2! The other unit makes it safely to 0316 and the turn ends.

Turn 3

The American reinforcement does not arrive.

Again the Americans have the initiative and can move all units. The 1st LT and PARA move to 0714 and the strongpoint opens up, getting an M result which the units shrug off. The other PARA fires at 0314 to no avail.

The GREN returns fire, again getting an M, however both units pass the test. The 81mm also fires and has no effect.

Turn 4

The American reinforcement does not arrive.

The Germans actually get the initiative, and start off with the strongpoint firing on the PARA with an M result. Both units pass and assault the strongpoint. The strongpoint gets first fire and another M, and both the 1st LT and PARA pass again. Their return fire also produces an M and the stronpoint passes.

The GREN then opens fire on the other PARA to no effect, and the PARA crosses the hedges to prepare for an assault. The Germans attack them with the mortar, which misses.

Turn 5

The American reinforcement does not arrive.

The Americans get 2 activations, and that leads to 2 assaults. The first against the strongpoint continues the stalemate. Against the GREN in the hedges, both sides miss. I decide not to reinforce from the town, making the Americans come after the objective and up against the HMG.

Turn 6

The American reinforcement does not arrive.

The Americans have the first activation and continue the assault on the GREN, getting an M2, and both the LT and the GREN pass. The Germans miss their shot, but then promptly assault back, getting an M2 while the Americans miss. However, the Americans pass the M2 and there is still a stalemate. Over at the strongpoint, neither side hurts the other.

Turn 7

The American reinforcement does not arrive.

The Germans grab the initiative, and the Grenadiers assault the PARA. Both sides get M1 results. The GREN rolls a 12 and gets demoralized, a tough blow. The PARA passes and assault back against the demoralized GREN, which misses while the Americans roll a 6, reducing the GREN. In a bit of desperation, the 81mm attacks the assault hex, however it inflicts no damage on either side. Over at the strongpoint, things remain status quo.

Turn 8

The American reinforcement does not arrive. 7 rolls, no 6 yet.

The Americans have initiative and launch another assault on the GREN, eliminating it and chasing the leader from the hex to 0313. The 81mm fires ineffectively at the PARA. Meanwhile, it’s the same old, same old at the strongpoint.

Turn 9

Still no sign of reinforcements.

Again, the Americans have the initiative. The PARA assaulting the strongpoint leaves the hex, giving the strongpoint a parting shot which misses. They move next to the town, triggering opportunity fire on the 22 column which produces an M2 result, which disrupts the 1st LT and doesn’t slow down the PARA. The strongpoint uses a regular activation to fire ineffectually. The other PARA advances next to the town, and again displaces the German leader to 0412. Without the protection of the hedgerows, the HMG and ENG fire at it on the 30 column, getting an M1, and the PARAs survive. The mortars fire at the PARA and disrupted 1st LT to no effect.

Turn 10

And with one final failed roll, the 3rd PARA platoon never shows up.

The Americans have the initiative, and all the units go for one desperate assault to 0412. The Germans are on the 24 column while the Americans are on the 5, not a good sign. The Americans miss and the Germans get an M1 disrupting on PARA. They then assault back, now on the 13 column, and the Americans are on the same column, and both units end up missing.

Final Thoughts

The game ended up a draw. The Germans retained control of at least part of the town, but only killed 1 American step. The Americans neither controlled the town nor killed 5 steps.

Overall, the Americans had an uphill battle. They lost a step early, and the extra unit never showed up. Had it shown up, I’m not sure it would have changed things. The Germans can pretty much hole up in the town, and had I put the 3-4 strongpoint there, it would have been an even tougher nut to crack. The only real chance I see for the Americans is to get the reinforcements early, and to have weak (or unoccupied) strongpoints. With 3 of the 6 strongpoints being unoccupied, there is a 20% chance of this happening). The Germans can just sit back and make the Americans rush the HMG and assaulting the ENG in the town is tough. A nice introductory scenario, it plays very quickly, and a tough one, too.