This game was played in one session over Skype and Hamete dice roller against Hugmenot and was my 10th play from this 35 scenario supplement book. The scenario is a meeting engagement with both sides entering upon a single board. It involves infantry forces of relatively equal numbers and ability. Forces from the German SS Leibstandarte Division pit themselves against troops from the 4th US ‘Ivy’ Division. The Germans have a 10-9 INF platoon advantage but face a 3-2 deficit in platoons in both HMG and MTR departments. Also, the Americans are able to mass OBA to fire on the 30col v 16col that the SS can muster. The Germans are asked to make sure by game end that they have either of one of the single town hexes or a road hex under control. The US can suffer this fate but still win if they get a non-demoralised unit east of the aforementioned road and have eliminated more SS steps than they have suffered.

A perusal of the terrain reveals the following. The northern half of the board is open terrain and good for movement. The southern half, albeit showing a huge area of light woods, is for this scenario now all wheat fields. I therefore decided to send the SS out in a fanned formation of one platoon per hex (to avoid big OBA problems if hit) in the open ground to protect any obvious incursion that would surely come that way. The initial plan was for the SS troops to capture the northern and southern towns as they were nearer to the German start point than the American and to set up a firing line 200m ahead of the road linking the towns in the clear part of the board. The idea being that US forces would then have to breach the line, probably take high casualties to get beyond it for any victory chance. The road behind my troops would also mean that I could move my own troops up and down the line faster if need be. This would include the ability to get into the wheat-fields quick if the Americans tried to divert a thrust through there. However, I discounted the Americans coming through the fields as there were only ten turns and it would take too much time to reach German lines.

At beginning of turn one as both sides readied for entry, the Germans were very surprised to see the Ivy Division troops enter opposite the fields. Surely this was folly? Little known to the German commander though, the US Major was known to enjoy a drink or two. On this important day, it had affected his map reading skills and instead of the fields that he had now placed his force in front of, he had expected an area of light woods that his troops could have gone through briskly. The effect of this was that for the first turn, the US troops spent their time marching north and around the field area losing some precious time. It also gave the Germans extra time to get their defensive fire line set up. One casualty was taken too. The US OBA OP, a captain, was blown up by German 16col OBA as he was the only target present.

Turn 2 proved bloodless. The US was now pushing toward their objective whilst the SS hurriedly began setting up a line. The SS had also placed their 2 x HMG platoons behind the line next to each other to set up a 22col Opp.Fire base for use against anybody that dared tried to advance on their infantry platoons front. This took an early toll as in turn 3 one advancing US platoon suffered a step-loss from that fire. US OBA had so far been light in its effect despite German fears, but in turn 4 it took out a whole GREN platoon that had failed to complete digging-in. However, in that turn, German fire from their infantry front-line was taking heavy toll on the American advance. No less than 3 US INF steps fell in turn 4 to the German small-arms fire.

In turn 5, the fearsome US OBA cut another German GREN platoon in half and was becoming a worrying concern for the Germans. By now, the battle was in the throes of its full fury. The Ivy Division troops were bravely pushing forward, perhaps here and there a little too gung-ho (which I had been pre-warned of). Fire from the tough Leibstandarte vets would pour in on any olive green clad men that tried to close to the German line and many of these GI’s would have to go to ground gripping the earth, or in other cases, simply run backwards to escape. A few made it close to the enemy line, and one such platoon engaged a dug-in German platoon immediately south of the northern town in assault. Even here, the Americans were out-battled. The defenders got the better of the American platoon and demoralized them. In response, the Germans then sent out one of the two platoons in the town hex as a counter-attack on the demoralized outfit and here, half of the US platoon became casualties and the other half either captured or fugitive. The platoon had disappeared. All in all, there were 4 US INF steps lost in turn 5.

The Americans still had all their HMG’s in tact, although their morale had been variable in the battle so far.One had disrupted and another had demoralised, but they were still there and had recovered. This was the last US hope as their infantry were fast disappearing. The HMG’s tried to gain a fire base and also, get in close to support their remaining attacking infantry comrades. But it proved forlorn. In turn 6, another 2 US steps were lost and the whole attacking force consisted now of just two good order units. All the others were either dead, disrupted or demoralised. With the time remaining, they would still be forced to spend two turns advancing, then assault and then try to push past the road. It couldn’t be done and from that point, the American attack was called off having taken quite a severe battering. Overall losses had been 11 steps for the US plus a leader. Most of this had come from German small-arms fire, but some from HMG fire and a few double demoralisations. The Germans lost 3 steps, all from the 30col US OBA and this had been expected.

I would normally rate this game a ‘3’. But Hugmenot found one here that would be an absolute brilliant game for a player (or 2 people) new to the system. It is an infantry battle with on-board mortars, HMG’s and useful firepower for both sides. I also believe both sides can win this. Therefore, I up it an extra point to a ‘4’. I guess a winning feel-good factor aids that too? The piece on the inebriated US Major comes from the fact that before set-up, Hugs confessed to sharing a couple of July 4th cocktails with his Mrs beforehand. The joke being that the Major on the board was under the influence and therefore completely misread his map seeing light woods instead of fields. In reality, Hugmenot had completely missed the SSR stating that all woods for this scenario were fields. This in turn led him to set his force up in front of what he thought would be 1MP light woods but turned out to be slowing 2MP fields. He had also warned me of the bloody battles he and Matt partake in. The effect of that probably showed in the casualty exchange today. I certainly had fun with this and I hope Hugmenot did too. I have asked him to scratch around for another play so that we can lock horns again soon!