August 2, 1944: Elements of the 23d Hussars and The Rifle brigade prepare to attack to seize Chenedolle, SW of Caen, where KG Weiss of the 9th SS Panzer Division has just established a hasty defense. Entering the map has already proved problematical as the Germans have two Tiger platoons forward.

Hour by hour reports from the field:

1430 hrs August 2, 1944: The Brits infiltrate an FO who calls in smoke to block one of the Tiger platoons which displaces to the west (north is to your right) but he fails to smoke the other Tiger platoon. The Brits move out and one section of Shermans is shot up by the tigers but one Sherman and a Firefly platoon make it into the cover of the fields. The Brit infantry, in their American half-tracks, move out. A reinforced company makes it into the fields but a traffic snafu holds up the rest of the battalion. The Tommies start out on the wrong foot.

1530 hrs August 2, 1944: The Brits press forward through the fields, dismounting the infantry to take the lead. The Tommies aggressively push towards the Tigers with Shermans and Fireflys in overwatch. Not wanting to eat PIATs and without infantry support, the Tigers pull back. But one Tiger platoon is caught in the open and destroyed by 17 pounder Armour Piercing rounds from the Fireflys. But return AT Gun fire from Chenedolle kill a section of Fireflies. The Brits liberate two towns and move up to attack positions for the assault on Chenedolle. (score right now is 17 German to 15 British)

1630 hrs 2 August 1944: With a feint on the German right flank (east) and good use of smoke, the Brits are able to collapse the German left and gain a foot hold in Chenedolle. But they took some Sherman and infantry casualties getting there but manage to shoot up many German half-tracks. Three turns left to go and the Brits have a precarious lead. A Sherman section, caught east of the town, is vulnerable to the remaining Tiger platoon, but the Brits may have the strength to wrest more of the town from the SS. This issue is not yet decided.

1715 hrs 2 August 1944: The last 45 minutes of fighting were brutal as the British troops pressed into Chenedolle taking more of the town. But in typical fashion, the SS infantry counterattacks and contests the British gains. The lone Tiger platoon maneuvers through the town and manages to kill many Shermans that scrambled to get away from the big cat's guns. The fighting (and score) goes back and forth to the bitter end withe SS eking out a victory 25 to 23.

This was one of the most exciting PG scenarios I've played. It was see-saw right down to the end with either side having a chance to win. Most of the game played like a Panzerblitz/Panzer Leader scenario where positioning and maneuver are more important than combat. This was due to the lethality and range of the Tigers and Fireflys. And the ponderous Tigers played into that too making each turn a puzzle of stay or withdraw.