Played double-blind, with fast mech, random events, and infantry antitank.

The Osweiler and Dickweiler scenario is a little better balanced than the preceding scenario at Lauterborn. It is still unbalanced, but this time not as extreme, and it is in favor of the Americans. The primary victory conditions are absolute town control, but the Americans have an out of killing 8 German steps. It is a very long game for German to not lose 8 steps.

The Americans are deployed with a company in each town. The company in Dickweiler has a 57 mm antitank gun, while Osweiler gets an 81mm mortar. The towns well outside of mutual supporting distance. The battle opens with the 2/320th Grenadier Regiment moving against Dickweiler.

The German battalion hastily consolidates itself and rushes the town. This is a blunder which probably costs the Germans their victory. The Americans are driven from the town, but remain in fairly good order. They have inflicted 7 steps of losses on the Germans by the time they leave. I then commit a blunder in trying to get the survivors to Osweiler.

German artillery extracts a heavy price on the Americans as they retreat. The Americans have lost 5 steps in the Dickweiler fight and retreat. As the 2/320th advances toward Osweiler, the Americans inflict the magical 8th step. Now the Germans are fighting for a draw.

A couple fortuitous random events occur for the Americans. First is a thunderstorm which slows the German pursuit, but most importantly, obscures artillery observation. Then as the Americans are trying to consolidate in Osweiler, German artillery runs out of ammunition. Joe Peckerwood’s tank platoon arrive and the Germans move to envelope the Osweiler.

The southern arm of the German pincer has difficulty, while the northern does better and enters through the back door. German loses have been accumulating at about twice the rate of the Americans. Attempting to stop the hemorrhaging, the Germans assault the tank-infantry fire team in the back of the town.

Capt. Henry, with his urban assault skill, stops the German attack cold. He then calls in the M2’s and launches a counter attack. The next round of assault combat is decisive, and quite lucky for the Americans. The Germans get 2 of their grenadier platoons in position for panzerfaust attacks, and decide to use them both. The panzerfausts miss badly, and the Americans inflict 3 more steps on the Germans. At this point the body count is 17 for the Germans and only 7 for the Americans.

The Americans successfully drive the Germans from the town, inflicting more step losses. The 1/320th battalion then arrives to reinvigorate the attack. This time the Germans have more success. Pushing into the middle of the town, they overrun overrun an infantry block. The Americans plan to leave the town, collect infantry companies, which are soon to arrive, and wait for night.

My opponent concedes at this point. Even with a messy retreat from Osweiler, there is little he can do to prevent my contesting a couple town hexes at the end of the game. It has been a good game with good play and luck on both sides.