Ouch! This scenario was over before it began. So much so that I checked the rules twice to make sure I did it right. (See my AAR on solo play…)

The Germans had one hour with nighttime visibility (1 hex) to get set up in the light woods (with their different spotting and direct fire stuff) and await the dawn. I'd forgotten this the first time. This allowed them to not suffer opportunity fire and still get really close. When the sun came up, they honestly rolled a 3 to one initiative bonus, which just killed the US army. First, the off-board arty got a really good roll and mostly wiped up the lone troops at the crossroads, to be finished by the troops that were sitting within 2 hexes. All of it, gone in one turn as the leader was in the truck with a load of troops.

The third init. Included just some direct fire on the small town, which began the back and forth fire that PG is known for. Mirroring this effort in the large town, both were worn down over many turns after which the assaults began, the US surrender came before the tanks showed up because the victory conditions had been more than met by the Germans. I am aware that the tanks could have come in alone and assaulted the Germans alone, but with the off-boards and both towns in control, I just didn’t see it as realistic that they would succeed in satisfying any victory conditions, having already lost the needed steps.