This was a tough scenario to both play and finish. I stretched 52 turns out over 6 days time, sometimes finishing less than 10 turns in a day. For me, playing solitaire, this was one of the most difficult, trying to equally play both sides evenly and it did require a lot of patience. There were a lot of units involved, especially for the Americans and little space with a lot of unforgiving terrain. It ended with a German victory though the Americans had superior morale, leaders and numbers.

The American advance was slow to begin but early on they were inflicting greater numbers of enemy step losses until they made it midway to the objective; the town/bridge hex at 0412. The German reinforcements show up immediately at 09:00/turn 3 and this may have played a huge factor in the turn of events that followed. As soon as a decently fortified postion fell a new postion was taken up not far behind it with sufficient time to dig-in; slowing down the American descent. The panzers and SPW 251 quickly occupied the objective hex with plenty of foot units around on the flanks to reinforce and defend it. The American M4s and M5s attempted to threaten the German armored units but the PZIVF2s easily wiped out the Shermans with two volleys. The M5s went for the softer target of the German APCs and were successful in eliminating them but were easily wiped out by the panzer's return fire. So the only armored engagement was brief and decisive in favor of the Germans. The American Jeep unit was able to transport one of the 57mm AT guns within range of the panzers but German OBA quickly took care of that threat before the AT guns could fire. So it was left up to the American foot units and unpredictably available OBA to finish the job.

About midway through the battle it really seemed as if the Americans could and would take the bridge. German losses were very heavy but with what few units they had left they made the most of. Soon it seemed inevitable that the bridge would fall into American control but there was one very stubborn German roadblock in the way and once it was assaulted the dug-in defenders repeatedly held the advantage. One German ENG alone in that hex was able to inflict at least 3 PARA step losses if not more. An assault was also made on the east flank of the bridge hex but after it was cleared the remaining American units got hammered and were left in poor morale and leaderless. Eventually the one stubborn roadblock was cleared but with only 3 to 4 turns remaining to assault and control the bridge. The PzIVF2 unit in the town was reinforced with reduced GREN and HMG units and a capable leader, giving the defenders a 18 column defense on the assault table. A final American assault is made with the one PARA ENG unit but though one step of the panzers do get eliminated by the end of the battle through compound demoralization one disrupted German GREN remained and retained control after the panzers fled. So the Germans hold out in the end with just a handful of units left. The Americans could not complain about not having enough time to get the job done; 52 turns was plenty. Their luck and possibly steam just ran out when it was needed the most.

Casualties were severe on both sides; the Germans lost an incredible amount of leaders that were either captured or eliminated to the tune of: 1x LT-COL, 2x Major, 1x Captain and.... 5x Lieutenants!

German step losses were: 22 INF, 2 ENG, 2 MTC, 5 HMG, 1x81mm, 1x75mm IG,1x SPW 251 and 1 step of PzIVF2: 36 total (tanks counting double)

American losses: 21 PARA, 4 PARA HMG, 1x 57mm, 2x M5 and 2x M4: 34 total (tanks counting double)

So losses were almost equal.

I suppose there are a few things I could of done differently with the American forces. One was to have waited until much later on to attempt to use the Shermans and M5s, just prior to the final assault and I probably should of sent a detachment of PARAs southeast to assist the units that were held back at the lock. Had the units by the lock broken out sooner and been reinforced then a lot more pressure could have been put on the south end of objective hex and possibly have made a difference. As far as the Germans go, I wouldn't of changed anything with the defense strategy; especially since it worked! However, the German reinforcements did arrive right away, which surely helped and I believe I dispersed them correctly. Overall I found this scenario tiresome at times but can find no faults with it so I give it an even '3'. I believe play balance is fair enough, even if the German reinforcements show up right away.