This is a fairly interesting scenario, yet another fight over 0604 and 0803, although the Germans also have to hold onto 0509 to win. The Germans have 7 full platoons and 4 reduced ones and a couple of 81mms and an 50mm AT to hold off 6 full strength PARA units, 2 reduced, a PARA HMG, a PARA ENG, a couple of artillery pieces and a bunch of OBA. There are a few problems with the scenario. The 75mm can only move onto one hex before its transport, a jeep, is hemmed in by hedgerows. The scenario says not to use certain parts of the board, yet the German reinforcements (2 GREN, an HMG and an armored car) enter in the prohibited area. I basically just had them get out of the prohibited area as soon as possible.

The Germans defended 0803 with a smaller force, figuring that they could afford to give up one town and win. They did support it with a couple of dug in GREN units. 0509 also didn't have a huge force, since it wasn't a main American objective. The bulk of the Germans were in 0706-0708 to give maximum flexibility.

For their part, the US decided to do a feint towards 0509 with a small force, while concentrating the main force on 0803. From the beginning, things went wrong. Although the hedgerows and swamp provided some cover for the advancing PARAs, where they could be seen, the German artillery would hit them, disrupting a couple and slowing up the tempo of the advance. Meanwhile, the American OBA was not able to put any real hurt on the Germans. The southern attack stalled quickly, and as the US approached, a 12 on the 30 column wiped out a PARA and demoralized the PARA HMG, which fled to safety. With the Americans a bit shaken, the Germans actually moved to the attack in the center. This was a back and forth affair centering on 0908, with both sides taking casualties and reinforcing. Many turns, though, the units just missed each other or rested. This wasn't decided until turn 16, when the Germans finally left the scene, and not before taking out 1 1/2 platoons of Americans. Up north, the US worked their way around the town to avoid most of the German fire and assaulted the Germans there. However, even with engineers, they were unable to dislodge them, and this settled down into an hours long struggle.

Starting around turn 10, Fog of War had a major impact, with turns 10, 12, 13, 15, 16 and 17 all ending after anywhere from 4-6 impulses (per side) had occurred. On turn 11, the German OBA caught a couple of fleeing PARAs in the open, and with a 2 on the 32 took out another 2 steps. By turn 14, the US had 8 casualties to the Germans 1, with 9 being a victory condition. Now, this reversed over the next 2 turns as the Americans scored 4 unanswered casualties.

The US knew it was in big trouble. The losses were too high to really win the scenario. However, they mustered what they could to get to 0604 to try to assault. US OBA finally scored, causing the HMG and GREN in the town to flee, leaving only the armored car and a LT to defend the town. Unfortunately, they weren't able to triumph in the first round, and the Germans counter assaulted, wiping out the US unit in the town. The US was now at 10 step losses, the Germans at 6. On turn 21, the US OBA proved its worth again, catching 2 reduced Germans in the open and wiping them out, making the casualty count at the end of the turn 11-8. The US had no hope of taking both towns, however if they could inflict a 9th casualty, they could salvage a draw. There was still a demoralized GREN near the Americans, and they sent their only available unit, a reduced PARA to see if it could inflict a morale result on it and kill it through compound demoralization. Alas, this last hope failed, and the Germans came away with the victory.

2 things really killed the US here. The early casualties (6 steps lost by turn 11) and an early arrival of German reinforcements (all entered by turn 7) which gave the Germans, who outnumbered the PARAs, flexibility to try to counter attack. Even so, the Americans almost pulled off a draw, albeit using a gamey tactic. This one is a tough one for the Americans, although hardly unwinnable.