I believe this is the first play of a scenario from Black SS. This is a small urban assault during the fighting around Normandy. SS troops are trying to retake a small town Montchamp. They have more troops, armor and OBA. The British have control over the town with plenty of troops to hold the town and slightly better morale.

Setup has the British setup in Montchamp in a hedgehog defense. The AT gun has been setup hidden to start, the only optional rule used. The 3in mortar is in the west side of town away from the German attack, the Bren was setup in the center of town so it can reinforce any weakened perimeter town hexes. RIF and WPN are setup on the perimeter. Leaders are setup to provide a maximum control over the town.

The Germans enter the board from the east. They will enter in two groups one going on the north side to take advantage of the woods and hill cover and one in the south to move into the woods to the south-east of the town. Also capture the small town to the south-west of Montchamp. After that they will provide fire on Montchamp to kept troops back from the northern attack.

18:00 The Germans move onto the board taking advantage of the cover mentioned above. Some British Op fire is ineffective. But it does blow the cover of some of the British troops. Germans artillery zero in on a HMG in the east most hex of Montchamp. The GREN and HMGs move into the woods to the north. In the south the Germans position an HMG to fire on the south east corner while the Panthers move up on the ridge to the south of Montchamp to capture the small town to the south west. German GRENs move to capture the southern road out of Montchamp. British Op fire demoralizes one of the GRENs, then they call on the 25lbrs off board and score a kill. The demoralized unit takes the loss but suffers a second demoralization. First loss for the Germans.

At 19:00 the Germans start the assault on the town, but British Op slows the advance of the Germans out of the northern woods. British mortars get into the action attacking the disrupted/demoralized units. The demoralized unit suffers a second demoralization and loses a step. During the action a mortar shell fragment instantly kills the Hpstfr stopping the attack. Shortly after that incident a Osftr gives up and runs away when attempting to recover from a disruption. Not a sign for the SS. Another Hpstfr takes over command of the assault troops and gets them into an assault on the towns perimeter. The British are not immune to fleeing leaders, a Lt abandons his post after suffering a close call with death in an assault.

By 20:00 the German engineers enter the assaults on the perimeter. They move up with a reduced GREN and an Ostfr. They are able to get a step loss on a British RIF and disrupting the remaining RIF unit. German DF from the south east begin to take a toll on the British, a step loss and another British LT is killed. In the east a lone GREN and Hpstfr look to attack the AT gun, but the Bren and a LT move up to reinforce the AT gun and keep the Germans out.

At this point the Germans only contest 3 town hexes and control 1, the small town to the southwest. They need to move up more units to assault. To the west the Panthers had taken a position to fire on the town but now take the chance to move up and assault the town with some SS GRENs in the north. They close on the town and the British watch helplessly. They the GREN's move forward. British Op fire disrupt the first GREN one hex short of the town, a second is demoralized moving up while a Hpstfr is killed outright. This leaves the tanks on their own next to the British infantry. The Major sees an opportunity for dealing a big kill on the Germans. He advancing a RIF and a reduced WPN and himself to attack the Panthers. PIAT teams load their spring launchers in ready for the assault. The Majors force gets lucky machine gunners spray the tanks to force the crews to button-up while teams with grenade bundles blowout the tank treads on three tanks. The remained demoralize, he has done it.

The German assaults begin to falter as the British will hold the majority of the town hexes of Montchamp. The final score will be 16-10 for the British a minor victory. The Germans still have a strong force but have lost 3 leaders so control is a problem. The British suffered leader loss as well, 2 leaders lost. Five leaders lost in the scenario, probably the most ever lost in a scenario I have played.

As for the scenario, very good. Balance was very good for both sides. Victory conditions were within the abilities of both sides and the scenario was in question right until the end. OBA was effective but not overwhelming. Morale levels were appropriate for the scenario. Would I play again, yes as I believe it could go either way and all plays will be different.