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 set up hidden, sometimes tough in a solo scenario, and in this case, they are all clustered in a seven hex area including 2 towns, and I set them up as the Germans and played the US as if they didn’t know what was there, including keeping units off board as long as they were hidden. The Germans put the mortar in the far town (0803), a full strength and reduced GREN and a LT in the objective town (0604), the CAPT in the clear hex between, and a dug-in GREN and reduced HMG in 0705 to cover the approaches.

For the US, I decided to send one platoon around to secure 1101 and then move on the towns from the rear, figuring 0604 would be heavily defended. I sent another ½ platoon to circle around the other way, and the other platoon and full strength PARA was going to head to the woods to scope out the situation.

Turns 1 -3

The Americans advance under the cover of darkness, as planned one platoon swings off to the east and a half platoon swings off to the west. The Americans enter the small woods and when they reach the edge of the hedgerows spot the dug in HMG and GREN in the early morning light and open fire. The Germans return fire ineffectually. The mortar also gives up its hidden status to fire to no avail.

Turns 4 - 6

The Americans continue their advance, using the thick hedgerows for cover. Seeing the Americans moving off to the east, the dug in GREN and HMG abandon their position in 0705 and move to 0804, giving them the protection of hedgerows on all sides and giving them the ability to provide better cover to the mortar…not that the mortar has done squat so far. As 6:45 AM rolls around, the forces find themselves in close proximity and exchange fire. The only casualty is an American Captain who soils himself a bit. Meanwhile, the easternmost PARA platoon has moved through 1101 to fulfill that part of the victory conditions and is now coming back to the main force.

Turns 7 - 9

For the next half hour, the full PARA platoon and Engineers exchange fire GREN and HMG before they can dig in. The Americans begin to lose cohesion under the HMG fire, but the Lt. Colonel rallies them and the come at the Germans full force. Meanwhile, the easternmost PARA platoon has moved through 1101 to fulfill that part of the victory conditions and is now coming back to the main force. In reaction, a previously hidden half-platoon of GREN emerges from 0604 to help defend the mortars in 0803. On Turn 8 (0715) the half platoon and 2nd Lieutenant that have been circling around the rear of the Germans approaches the town in 0803. The reduced GREN platoon opens fire and rolls a 2(!), which annihilates the PARA, leaving the 2nd Lieutenant standing amid the dead and wounded. The other platoon of PARA move on the town surviving the first opportunity fire, but when they pull adjacent in 0904, accurate German fire costs them a step. Turn 8 is a disaster, with 2 American steps eliminated. However, the paratroopers have a mission and on turn 9 all the surviving American troops assault 0804. The Captain and full strength PARA are disrupted as they cross the hedges and the Americans are unable to affect the Germans. The Germans assault back and eliminate yet another step of paratroopers. Things are not looking good for the Americans.

Turns 10 - 12

On turn 10 the Germans grab the initiative and assault, and the Americans hold…barely. The Americans rally on their impulse to get ready for another assault. With all the Americans committed here, the ½ platoon in 0803 joins the forces in 0804. Turn 11 sees the fighting become more vicious, with the Americans demoralizing the HMG and ½ platoon while the Germans disrupt the engineers. Meanwhile, another ½ platoon of paratroopers is coming to the aid of the outnumbered initial group. Luck favors the Americans on turn 12, as the assault of the paratroopers demoralizes the full platoon and when it tries to recover it fails and flees to 0803 (note: I deemed this a safe hex even though it was adjacent to the Americans, as all the Americans were in the assault and therefore could not harm the unit). Although it has been bloody, the Americans are gaining the upper hand in 0804.

Turns 13-15

The Germans know that their forces in 0804 will not be able to hold without the full strength GREN, and the reduced GREN covers the retreat of the HMG from the assault hex over to 0604. Over the next 45 minutes the paratroopers hunt down the few Germans left defending the hex and soon control it. Meanwhile, the American reinforcements are close and will aid in the assault on the towns. The GREN finally gets back to full morale by the end of turn 15.

Turns 16-18

The Americans regroup under fire, and on turn 17 the assault on 0804 begins. Neither side is able to inflict serious damage on the other. The Germans send the HMG to reinforce the defenders of 0804.

Turns 19-22

The assault continues, and with the addition of the HMG, the Germans begin to gain the upper hand. The Americans eliminate the German mortar, and are unable to do any more harm to the Germans past some disruptions. Finally, on turn 22 the Germans take out another ½ platoon of paratroopers. Outnumbered, with neither town cleared, the Americans concede after turn 22.

Final Thoughts

This was actually a pretty exciting scenario, which I think could have gone either way. The Germans had a couple of lucky shots which took out some desperately needed American troops. In retrospect, while I think sending troops to 1101 was the right move, I should have only sent ½ platoon and should have kept the main force together and done an assault with the 2 full strength platoons. Amazingly, the GREN in 0604 never had to fire and remained hidden the entire game. While in game terms this was a solid German victory, it seems to have mirrored the historical results.