As I was getting American leaders for my next Ivy Division campaign I was side tracked by this scenario. I had read a bit of controversy about this as people said that this is un-winnable as the Americans. Looking at the scenario I thought I should have a go at the scenario to find out if it is really that bad.

With the initial German setup, the forty mines is a little daunting for the Americans, but with the SSR of removal of four after setup makes it a little better for the Americans so that at least they can get to the river. The Germans have a small force but in positions that can control all all of the river and the Gustav Line, if positioned properly. Given the SSR to be able to see units in the Gustav Line by the Germans gives them the greatest advantage. They can fire on the Americans without them being able to return it. But I found that I setup most German units near the river. This gives them the added bonus of adjacent fire if the Americans ventured that close as well as being able to fire down the Gustav Line.

But this is only good for the opening setup, once the Americans make there choice for the crossing the Germans will flock to that location with all guns to fire on it and particularly the ENG's. German OBA and mortars can also provide the topping to double-demoralize any remaining units.

For the Americans they will just have to suck it up and try to cross. For my crossing the Americans received average leaders. There were a couple with morale bonus, which helped, but the low morale made it hard. I decided to keep the attack together and go for one spot, the edge by San Angelo for one crossing and the other about a kilometer up river at the bend. Both spots could be attacked by the Germans from two hexes but not directly. This also provided the ability to move as a group and if one crossing site was destroyed the other was just nearby.

So the Americans moved up in the foggy night. The ENG's moved into the Gustav Line river hexes and started to dig in. The Germans reacted with OP fire, OBA and mortars with little effect. They also began shifting the troops defending the northern part of the river south. American infantry positioned behind the ENG's to go as soon as they could.

In the next turn German fire gets it first kill on a ENG. Reducing and demoralizing it, it runs for the nearby woods. The other near San Angelo successfully digs in and INF's move in. The Germans hit them with mortars but with no effect. Next turn they two units cross but one is killed by German OP fire from INF's and a machinegun strongpoint. With one over the river the Americans call in OBA disrupting one German INF. Fire from another HMG/INF unit demoralizes the Americans, but they have crossed and have a toe hold on the west side.

The Germans look to reduce this quickly. They go for an assault on the American position and destroy the demoralized platoon. With the units flocking to this site the other American reduced ENG recovers and begins to ferry troops across. The Germans shift other reserves to this site to try to stop them. Once again the American units are demoralized and are destroyed in the assault. By now it is turn 10 and the game is in the Germans hands. Failing to cross the Americans pull back to recover.

In reading some of the real AAR's for this battle, the one that strikes me the most is what the German commander said. He was not concerned with attack over the river once it began as he knew exactly where to concentrate his counter-attack. He said that he was more concerned before the assault as to where it would come from and if it was supporting the British assault several miles down river. Once it began and he knew the scale he was then free to deploy the rest of his troops to the British attack. He also stated if the Americans had just stayed on the other side and demonstrate possibly attacks he would have had to hold his troops watching the Americans rather than helping to stop the British.

I though this a good lesson for the battle. Sometimes it is not the attack you make but the one you threaten to make that can win it for you.