Played with anonymous leaders and random events. We also have 2 characters each in the battle. Otherwise pretty much standard 4th edition rules. Double-blind due to all the open area.

Firstly, don't expect the Americans to “win”. The victory conditions require that the Germans control no town hexes on board 10. The Germans outgun the GI's by 3:1, that assumes the U.S. reinforcement tank and company have arrived in the town before the Volksgrenadiers are seriously attacking. Oh, the game runs for 40 turns. That considered, I go for a moral victory of killing a dozen or so German steps.

To make matters a little worse, in the superfluous town to the north (probably Echternach), the American company (commanded by Capt. Ken) is facing a 2:1 deficiency. Should the Germans decide to, the defenders will be isolated in about 2 turns. I think I saw this in a movie once. Though the odds are against success, I decide to make a run for Lauterborn. At least if someone gets through, they can help at Lauterborn.

I get caught in the open about half way down the road, by a single grenadier platoon. I decide to try and blow it way, and get an absolutely abysmal roll. Now I am stuck. The company manages to inflict 2 steps on the Germans as it is surrounded and devoured. Generally a bad result. On the positive side, the lion used all his strength to kill the mouse. The Germans are at least 2 turns from Lauterborn and it is turn 8. Oh yeah, my reinforcements did not arrive yet. It has started raining, I’m not sure that helps.

We have has random event of rain begin with the annihilation of my forward company. It keeps the Germans away, but also prevents my meager artillery from being used. The rain lifts, but my reinforcements are still AWOL. German artillery starts falling on my HMG positions. The western side fails its morale checks and is forced to fall back. The Germans also move to cut the east road. Yeah, there really are that many of them.

Finally, flanked from the west, assaulted from the north, Germans 2 hexes from the east road, my reinforcements arrive. The tank races to the town, but the infantry will not make it. My relieving infantry tries to slow the German envelopment by fire. Not much effect. The Germans are assaulting in 3 places. While my holdouts battle to the inevitable end, I make an “Alamo” position in the south-west corner. Unfortunately my opponent simply surrounds the position and starts blasting. I do a little damage too, but the withering fire is taking its toll.

We call the game after 16 turns. I have 2 INF and an HMG left alive. One of my characters has done fairly well, the other is down by 3. Do you really need to ask who won?