I'm not sure whether that "A Game Of Two Halves" is a common saying in the US seeing as most of the sports are played in quarters (bar Baseball), but it refers to a 'match' where one team reigns supreme for the 1st half and then the other team fightback and gain parity in the second half. Well that is what happened in this scenario from Airborne IE which was played over Skype in one session against the nefarious Wayne Baumber. IMO, this is also the best of the 7 or 8 scenarios I have played from that box-set so far (even withstanding the errata that is necessary pertaining to the 'faux' German reinforcement entry area).

The scenario depicts a high-moraled (8/8) US Para force needing to capture two town hexes at town 0803 and town 0604 by the end of 22 turns. For the German part, they need to a) Stop the capture of at least one of these towns and b) Control a town hex at the other end of the play area which is Montebourg station itself. Also thrown in for good measure is that if either side eliminate 9 enemy steps they can claim a win too. Both sides pick roughly equal leaders with perhaps the US edging it with a 10-1-1 LT COL and LT. US OBA can mount a 55col attack against a German 30col attack each turn, plus the US have a 1 in 6 chance of an extra 21col OBA module each turn. Other than that, the forces are quite equal in numbers with 8/8 morale versus 8/7 and the Germans also get a few reinforcements from turn 3 onward dependent on rolling 10's for each individual unit each turn to get them to enter.

So on to battle. The Germans deployed 2 x full-strength units in each town and rail-station going against my usual mantra of not dispersing forces to defend everything. However, with the VC's, there was little choice here. I also used their few extra reduced units to buffer up on the flanks of key points and deploy their two mortars in seperate hexes behind distant hedgerows and out of sight of potential US OBA. The US Para's enter the board edge and their main route of attack appeared to be taking them towards town 0803. For the first turn, the Germans were blessed with an absence of US OBA. I say blessed as what was to follow over the next 13 turns proved to be utter torture and severe agitation !

From turns 2-13 the tough US Paras pressured town 0803 and also sent some troops towards Montebourg station knowing that the Germans needed to keep in mind that they had to hold the station for any chance of a win. These aggressive moves were very handily backed up by their OBA. It accounted for no less than 8 X hits over these 12 turns, mashing up German troops, including those in the buffer positions around towns and depleting German morale and initiative. It seemed that wherever the Germans tried to make a stand they were simply being churned into mince-meat. Town 0803 also suffered during these attacks, losing one whole platoon to the bombardments over time with the remaining platoon and leader hunkering down before the expected Para assault came in. The Paras also threw in some well-timed assaults after some direct-fire on demoralised sections of German's adding to the casualty count. By the end of turn 13, the Americans were fighting in and around town 0803 and a Major was also leading a strong looking probe at Montebourg station too. German casualties had reached 11 by this stage and the Paras were already in a winning position (had achieved the 9 required) if they could either take towns 0803 & 0604 or simply clear Montebourg station to prevent a German victory condition.

With all this chaos, death and desruction there was nothing for the Germans to lose now. The German captain gathered the good order troops he could cobble together with a general order to take an attack to the Paras and defend the final objectives with all that they had left. Initially, there attack attempt on the major and the Paras making for Montebourg station received casualties from OBA and small arms fire. One platoon was in fact destroyed. But the survivors held their nerve and stayed in good order. A green chute of change and a small victory was scored when the first US loss in the battle occurred through a Para double demoralisation. This was soon doubled up when a German OBA attack removed a step as well. These casualties disrupted and demoralised the US Paras heading toward Montebourg and stalled their advance. The two German mortar platoons were also playing havoc with accurate fire causing disorder and in one case, destroying the US on-board artillery. Also, the Leutnant and GREN in town 0803 were holding out and giving more than they were getting against assualting ENG, PARA and HMG unit. The counter-attack order had seeemingly begun to show reward. The Paras were now forced to re-deploy some units if they were to wrest control of the towns and station from the Germans. As this movement was made German fire cut down a step of Americans and disrupted them as well. In town 0803, the Paras succesfully inflicted a step-loss on the remaining German platoon and disrupted those, but in turn, the Germans knocked a US step off and managed to demoralise the ENG unit and one other.

With 18 turns now gone and only 4 left, there seemed little or no hope of the the previously unstoppable Paras taking control of the objectives from the Germans. The captain's counter-attack went down in battalion folklore as a battle-fable of daring-do that help save the position. Both sides were able to claim victory. The US through inflicting 13 step losses on the Germans (9 needed) and the Germans by controlling town 0604 and Montebourg station as well as contesting town 0803 for good measure. A quite exciting and nail-biting draw.

I give this a '3' rating. Usually I deduct one for broken errata, which in this case was the wrong and unintelligible entry point for German reinforcements (we decided to have them come on at 0411 on the road). However, as it was exciting and the best Airborne so far, it still gets that '3' credit from me. On a personal note, this game, as far as I am concerned was lost by turn 11. Having already bled the 9 casualties, US OBA scoring an X in 8 of 13 shots and the Paras looking lie individual Captain Americas, my ardour for the remaining fight seemed lacking! But once I decided to be bullish with what remained, and I say bullish, not suicidal by any means, things suddenly turned and from almost certain defeat an improbable draw was salvaged. Certainly "A Game of Two Halves".

LOSSES: German 12 GREN, 1 HMG, 0 Officers. American 4 PARA, 1 75mm, 0 Officers.