After the 1st Battalion was rebuffed by the Vichy French 16th Tunisian Infantry Regiment in the town of St. Cloud on the morning of November 8, 1942, the 2nd Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment of the 1st Infantry Division renewed the attack at 1530 hours that afternoon. In the interim, the French forces had been reinforced and added units from the Service d’Ordre Legionnaire to help repel the invaders. The French set up with strength in St. Cloud and infantry positioned on the hills SE and south of the town. Mortar platoons and artillery were also located on the hill south of town. The US attacked with infantry from the east just north of the road, with HMG and mortar platoons on the hill south of the French position on the closest hill to town in that direction, and held two groups of infantry/engineer platoons behind the west edge of the far south hill waiting for an open field to advance. By 1600, the US forces had secured the hill north of the city, but fierce fighting ensued on the hill to the south. By 1630, both French wagons had left the hill without their corresponding artillery, and the French infantry platoons were being challenged. Major Cunningham’s USA group of Infantry assaulted the French artillery positon, and one of the gun crews abandoned their weapon. However, Capitane LaForge bravely held his ground with the other 75 mm gun until an assault by the Major’s group finally forced him from the hill at 1645. As the sun fell, visibility allowed the US troops to close on St. Cloud, and the brave Capitane and his remaining troops fell at 1745. By 1800, the US had the town surrounded, and assaults were underway in the NW sector of the town. Both the Major and Lt. Colonel Gates were present with the troops, and the Lt. Colonel and the French Commandant faced off to a draw in one of the final assaults. By 1845, the US had engaged the town’s defenders in all three sectors, but the invaders were unable to clear the town completely in any of the three sectors.

By scoring standards, this appeared to be an easy major victory for the Americans, as the objectives involved the respective step counts of the nations, and control of the three hexes of St. Cloud. Since all three hexes of the town were under assault, there were no VP’s for the town. The French had lost 21 steps to the Americans 4 leaving a differential of 17, and a clear major victory for the USA. This outcome was somewhat similar to the actual historical outcome since the USA never was able to take the town of St. Cloud on the first day of battle. General Terry de la Mesa Allen finally decided to forego capture of the town rather than bombard it after the first two attacks, and the 1st Infantry Division just moved around the town towards Oran. The scenario seems difficult for the French to hang on against overwhelming odds in terms of unit quantity; while their morale is slightly better, the US had a Lt. Colonel with a 2-point morale modifier that really helped to rally the American troops. The USA also gained initiative on 12 of the 14 turns giving a decided advantage; in one case, they had four action segments before the French could respond! Once nightfall occurs, the US has the advantage of movement to within three hexes of town without detection, making it difficult for the French to prevent US entry into town and the subsequent loss of control. This creates a victory condition based on steps lost, and the US advantage in both firepower and OBA are tough for the French to match.