Author	t1M0t8yk (United States)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	Germany
Participants	unknown
Play Date	2015-09-08
Language	English
Scenario	WiSo030

This is a solid scenario that could potentially earn a higher rating from me. It depends if my initial impression is mistaken. At this point I think the U.S. is over-matched. I don't mind unbalanced scenarios if you can adjust the victory conditions simply by requiring one side to complete its task in fewer turns. This scenario seems to require changes to the order of battle, too.

Mike and I played using the Efficient Move & Fire optional rule, which I really like. I expect that impacts play balance, although I haven't decided if it's pro-U.S. or pro-German. Mike advanced slowly, since the snow slowed him down. My VT-fused artillery was quite effective against infantry advancing in the open, but I was unable to solve the German armor advantage. I "skulked" a bit before he closed range (i.e., Fire & Move to recover Limiting Terrain concealment). However, this is both one shot instead of two per unit, and with a -1. So I didn't really start firing (two shots per unit) until the German armor closed range.

Unfortunately, I had landed only one shot. Then the remaining German armor opened up and it was a shooting gallery for Mike. Soon the American armor was decimated. Mike advanced into the town and it was no longer interesting so I conceded.

A sign of a good game is that afterwards I'm thinking about alternate strategies. I may have pulled the trigger on my armor a little too late. Certainly I left my halftracks too vulnerable - I set them up Dug In in front of the town with no Limiting Terrain, and the German armored cars picked them off one-by-one. Perhaps using the American OBA to target German tanks would help. While generally ineffective, if you take enough OBA shots you will eventually disrupt a tank brigade or two. That might be just enough to give the American tanks a chance.

I'll definitely revisit this scenario some other time, but my expectation is the Germans will retain the advantage even when my play is much more polished.