After reading both Joshua's and Genesteeler's AARs on their play of this 18 turn scenario, I decided to try something different. It ended up being very bloody and very costly for the Airborne troops.

German Set-up: Lt. 9-1-0/Grenadier are positioned in the woods at 0707. The 105 I positioned dug-in right behind them at 0706. The Capt., a very good one, 10-1-1/Grenadier/1/2 strength HMG are 0704 for a quick response team. The other Lt., a 9-1-0, is positioned with the Mortar and dug-in at 0804. Wagon is at 0703 for a quick pullout of the 105.

American Set-up: An excellent Capt. (P)10-2-1/Para landed at 0709 with the remaining Capt.(P)9-1-1/2nd Lt.(P)8-1-1/Para landing at 0709.

Obejectives: Silence the 105, control towns at 0604 and 0803 and lose fewer than 3 steps.

Reinforcements: Paratroopers get 3 waves of reinforcements on turns 5, 9 & 15.

Turn 1 has the West Point Capt.(P) 10-1-1 leading his Para's east to 0708. The German Lt. 9-1-0 and his Grenadiers open up with opportunity fire #1, getting an M result and disrupting the Para's. The other group of Para's with their Capt. and 2nd Lt. move to 0607 and duck under the 2nd opportunity fire. Mortar and 105 are ineffective. German Capt. 10-1-1 gets his Grenadiers and HMG and moves to 0606. Wagon moves to 105. (I decided to leave the towns undefended at this time to have the maximum amount of troops in the field to try and stop the Airborne invasion before they could consolidate their forces.

Turn 2 and both 105 and mortar are ineffective. Para unit recovers while the German Capt. fires on the Para's and their two officers. Under the massive fire the Para's lose a platoon and disrupts their Capt. The Capt. recovers while the 2nd Lt. and the 1/2 strength Para's fire back, getting an M result but achieving no result.

Turns 3 - 7 has heavy fire fights in the woods with another 2 step losses to the Para's and the Grenadiers suffering their first after the West Point Capt. assaults into 0707. 105 has limbered/loaded and moved to 0904 where it set-up beside the mortar and their Lt. 9-1-1 for a combined fire value of 24. The Para-less officers pass their Lone Leader rolls and move to 0608. The West Point Capt. also suffered a demoralization as do the now 1/2 strength Grenadiers, which failed their recovery and started to head for town before recovering to disrupted once they were away from the fighting. German Capt. was also disrupted but recovered rapidly. (As the fighting in the woods continued, the first reinforcements landed in hex 0510 and are able to march boldly down the road and capture the defenseless northern town at 0604. The Mortar/105 combine to fire on town, getting an M1 result, which all Para units pass.

Turn 8 has the West Point Capt. becoming demoralized again after losing another 1/2 a platoon, but is able to pass his Lone Leader roll. The unfired upon Para's and their two officers take the Southern town from behind and are in an ideal position to silence both the 105 and mortar.

Turn 9 has the 2nd wave of Para reinforcements dropping down in Hex 0510. The 105/Mortar fire on the Southern Town-Demoralizing the Capt. and Disrupting the 1st Lt. The 105 receives fire from the Para's but passes the M result.

Turns 10-11 has major bombardment damage to the Para's in the Southern Town and morale checks for everyone. An assault occurs in 0706 with 1st Lt. 10-1-1 and the 2nd wave Para unit attack the German Lt. 9-1-0 and the HMG with no results. The Para's are soon to be overwhelmed when the German Capt. 10-1-1 and a full strength and the recovered 1/2 strength Grenadiers join in.

Turns 12-14 has assault going back and forth with morale checks, disruptions, demoralization and recoveries for both sides until the West Point Capt. takes over command and manages to get another Para unit eliminated. Glory Hound! Para's are finally able to assault the 105 with both Para units and both officers, both sides receiving an Morale check. Para's pass while the 105 suffers a demoralization. Mortar unit fires on that assault hex thinking the 105 will soon be lost anyway. 105 passes morale check. Capt. Bad Luck assaults for the final time and gets his remaining Para unit wiped out, but of course passes his Lone Leader check. (I misplayed the mortar attack on the 105 Hex, giving a +3 column shift for both sides instead of +2 only for the Para's)

Turn 15 has a major U.S. Army reinforcement coming up from the beach. The victorious German Capt. and the 1/2 strength Grenadier race back to the Northern Town while the Disrupted Grenadiers recover on their own. 105 finally falls into American hands. American off-board artillery makes some noise for the first time and fires on Lt. 9-1-0 and his HMG, demoralizing the Lt.

Turn 16 has the fully recovered Grenadiers sneaking back into the now undefended Southern Town with the HMG reinforcing the Northern Town. Mortar fires into the former 105 Hex and gets a disruption on the 2nd Lt. Capt (P)9-1-1 and Para's assault into the Southern Town - getting another Para step lost and demoralizing the Capt., who missed death by 1.

Turns 17-18 has Americans assaulting into both towns but only getting disruptions and demoralizing the 1/2 strength HMG, which had to flee on turn 18. (Also forgot to use off-board artillery on turn 17)

Conclusion: A major win with the Germans coming out way on top with only 2 step losses to 7 and retaining control of both towns. I think by having the Germans go out and meet the Troopers head-on created more opportunities for assaults and step losses, rather than have them stay in static positions, which of course could have went either way.