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 0613 group has the worst Lieutenant ever (6-0-0) and sets up in 0612, Dug-in. I will try to get them to the lock to defend it, if they can activate. Unfortunately, without the leader, they won’t be able to move closer to the Americans after the first turn or so. In any case, from 0612 they can cover the lock with weak fire. The1015 group has an 8-0-1 Lieutenant and digs in at 1014, behind hedgerows and adjacent to the bridge, which should be a strong defensive position. The 0313 group sets up in the town and prepares to defend it. They have the best Lieutenant at 9-1-1.

The Americans split into two groups, each with 1 full strength PARA and one reduced strength PARA. The group with a 10-1-1 Colonel sets up in 0605 and the one with a 9-0-1 Lieutenant sets up in 0805. Both will head for the lock to secure it, leave a garrison and then the initial plan is to head to 0413 with the reinforcements, take that, then swing over to 1013.

Turns 1 -3

The Americans head towards the German positions, hoping to take the lock with minimal problems. The Germans in 0612 move to 0712, except for the 6-0-0 Lieutenant, who is having troubles buttoning his shirt. As the paratroopers close, they are spotted by the Germans who promptly dig in.

Turns 4 - 6

The 1st Lieutenant and troops occupy the lock. The reduced grenadiers open fire and even with only 2 firepower points, they are shifted 3 columns to the right on the 11 column and disrupt the advancing paratroopers. Soon, thought, the paratroopers have regrouped and assault the grenadiers. The 6-0-0 lieutenant amazingly stands firm, however the grenadiers get demoralized. They recover to disrupted status and then on turn 6 the Germans grab the initiative and recover to good status. The Americans reinforce the assault and again demoralize the grenadiers and are unable to eliminate them. And it won’t get any easier on the Germans as more US troops are approaching.

Turns 7 - 9

For another half an hour the courageous grenadiers hold off five times their number of paratroopers, however they are eventually overwhelmed, and the lieutenant immediately surrenders. With this nuisance removed, 1 ½ platoons of paratroopers stay behind to defend the lock while the rest advance towards the town at 0413. The Germans don’t open fire, wanting to keep alive the threat of opportunity fire.

Turns 10 - 12

As the Americans approach the town, they come under heavy fire, demoralizing one platoon. However, there are more Americans than the Germans can stop, and the paratroopers close on the town. One half platoon of paratroopers is cut down approaching the town, however most make it through successfully and assault the Germans, and another ½ platoon is eliminated. A lull occurs in turn 12 as both sides reform their troops.

Turns 13-15

The Americans reinforce the assault with another full platoon and slowly their numbers begin to take their toll as the grenadiers lose a step and the wagon is eliminated. The Germans are close to collapse, until the Lieutenant rallies them. Even the demoralized HMG unit recovers to ready status. German reinforcements are nearing, and while the Americans seem to be winning the battle for 0413, they town is still half held by the Germans and the American troops are in disarray.

Turns 16-18

The German reinforcements appear on 16, which is early, given that there is only a 1/6 chance each turn and the first roll wasn’t until turn 15. This is not good news for the paratroopers. Most of the force heads towards 0413, with a few units heading towards the lock. Even with most of the troops disrupted, the Americans continue the assault and eliminate the grenadiers in the town, leaving only the HMG to defend. However, on turn 18 the final attempt to clear the town before reinforcements arrive fails. 2 grenadier platoons join the HMG and together they counterattack the paratroopers. However the attack is a disaster, and a grenadier step is lost and the Americans mostly stay steady.

Meanwhile, the Germans in 1014 leave their foxholes and head towards the lock along with a reinforcing platoon of grenadiers.

Turns 19-21

The Americans have a big initiative bonus and the troops in town rally and off-board artillery opens up on the infantry gun and misses. The disrupted grenadier in the town pulls out while the HMG rallies and a full strength platoon of HMGs enters the hex to reinforce the other Germans. On turn 20 the Germans renew the assault, only to run right into American rifle fire and disaster, as 2 steps fall, causing the elimination of the HMG, while their own fire does nothing to the Americans. In addition, the German Captain is killed leading his troops. On turn 21, the troops at the lock open fire on the now adjacent grenadiers and eliminate a step, while in the town the remaining German machine guns are eliminated in an American counterattack. The remaining step of grenadiers attempts to flee the town, only to be cut down by the paratroopers and have their lieutenant killed. From a seemingly hopeless situation, the Americans now control the town!

Turns 22-25

With the town clear and not many Germans nearby, one platoon stays as a garrison while the other 2 platoons head towards the lock. The disrupted grenadiers near the lock amazingly manage to disrupt both paratrooper platoons. The troops at the lock fire at the other approaching Germans, disrupting the Lieutenant, which prevents the troops from assaulting the lock. Instead, the Germans can only fire at the dug in Americans and manage to disrupt some and demoralize the infantry lieutenant.

The 2 platoons in the swamp rally and then the infantry lieutenant panics and runs from the lock, taking away the off board artillery (not that its had much effect on anything). The ½ platoon rallies back to good status, however it’s a temporary reprieve, as on turn 24 the 2 full strength paratrooper platoons assault it and eliminate it. The dug in troops keep the Germans in disarray, preventing any sort of assault. By turn 25, the lock has been reinforced and the Germans are short on troops. Recognizing that there is no way to clear the lock and the town by the end of the game, the Germans concede victory to the Americans.

Final Thoughts

This was the biggest of the five scenarios to date, and also the most exciting. Frankly, when the German reinforcements entered on turn 16, I was pretty sure the Americans were in big trouble and might not even be able to salvage a draw, let alone a victory. The victory conditions put pressure on the Germans to attack, as they have to hold both towns and the lock. With the Americans still in 0413, they had to attack, and the attack was a disaster, with many Germans killed. In PG, trying to eject troops from a town, especially well led troops, is not easy and can be very bloody. In retrospect, I think I should have sent all of the reinforcements towards 0413 and just poured as much fire into town as I could for several turns in hopes of demoralizing or disrupting most of the paratroopers before assaulting, and I got overconfident. It was great to see the way the tide turned in this one and the effect of superior leadership and morale for the Americans, except the cowardly army lieutenant who took away the OBA at a time it could really have helped.