Panzer Grenadier Battles on November 21st:
Desert Rats #16 - The Panzers Pull Back Desert Rats #19 - The Panzers Return
Desert Rats #17 - The Tomb Of Sidi Rezegh Jungle Fighting #7 - Line Of Departure
Desert Rats #18 - A Pibroch's Skirl South Africa's War #5 - Irish Eyes
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Buffalos on Crucifix Hill
Aachen 1944 #8
(Attacker) Germany vs United States (Defender)
Formations Involved
Germany 12th Infantry Division
Germany 1st Sturmpioneer Regiment
United States 1st "Big Red One" Infantry Division
United States 745th Tank Battalion
Display
Balance:



Overall balance chart for AaGI008
Total
Side 1 1
Draw 3
Side 2 0
Overall Rating, 5 votes
5
4
3
2
1
4.6
Scenario Rank: 5 of 940
Parent Game Aachen 1944
Historicity Historical
Date 1944-10-12
Start Time 13:00
Turn Count 12
Visibility Day
Counters 65
Net Morale 0
Net Initiative 0
Maps 1: 23
Layout Dimensions 43 x 28 cm
17 x 11 in
Play Bounty 145
AAR Bounty 171
Total Plays 4
Total AARs 1
Battle Types
Inflict Enemy Casualties
Rural Assault
Conditions
Entrenchments
Off-board Artillery
Reinforcements
Terrain Mods
Scenario Requirements & Playability
Aachen 1944 Base Game
Elsenborn Ridge Maps + Counters
Introduction

The hill that controlled the area north of Verlautenheide had a large crucifix at its summit, so naturally it became known as Crucifix Hill. Back on the 8th the Americans had secured the hill and occupied the entrenchments there. When their Piper Cubs were grounded it provided too good of an observation point for the Germans to allow them to keep it for long.

Conclusion

The Wild Buffaloes had been bled white since their arrival in the Aachen sector, and lacked the strength to attack Crucifix Hill on their own. Therefore, the untried 1st Sturmpioneer Regiment was assigned to spearhead the operation. Despite the grand-sounding title, the latter was just a motorized infantry unit lacking heavy weapons (and apparently even motor vehicles). Nevertheless, the Germans took the hill with what an American reporter called "bitter courage," but all the courage in the world could not stop the Big Red One from reoccupying the hill before sundown.


Display Relevant AFV Rules

AFV Rules Pertaining to this Scenario's Order of Battle
  • Vulnerable to results on the Assault Combat Chart (7.25, 7.63, ACC), and may be attacked by Anti-Tank fire (11.2, DFT). Anti-Tank fire only affects the individual unit fired upon (7.62, 11.0).
  • AFV's are activated by tank leaders (3.2, 3.3, 5.42, 6.8). They may also be activated as part of an initial activating stack, but if activated in this way would need a tank leader in order to carry out combat movement.
  • AFV's do not block Direct Fire (10.1).
  • Full-strength AFV's with "armor efficiency" may make two anti-tank (AT) fire attacks per turn (either in their action segment or during opportunity fire) if they have AT fire values of 0 or more (11.2).
  • Each unit with an AT fire value of 2 or more may fire at targets at a distance of between 100% and 150% of its printed AT range. It does so at half its AT fire value. (11.3)
  • Efficient and non-efficient AFV's may conduct two opportunity fires per turn if using direct fire (7.44, 7.64). Units with both Direct and AT Fire values may use either type of fire in the same turn as their opportunity fire, but not both (7.22, 13.0). Units which can take opportunity fire twice per turn do not have to target the same unit both times (13.0).
  • Demoralized AFV's are not required to flee from units that do not have AT fire values (14.3).
  • Place a Wreck marker when an AFV is eliminated in a bridge or town hex (16.3).
  • AFV's do not benefit from Entrenchments (16.42).
  • AFV's may Dig In (16.2).
  • Closed-top AFV's: Immune to M, M1 and M2 results on Direct and Bombardment Fire Tables. Do not take step losses from Direct or Bombardment Fire. If X or #X result on Fire Table, make M morale check instead (7.25, 7.41, 7.61, BT, DFT).
  • Closed-top AFV's: Provide the +1 modifier on the Assault Table when combined with infantry. (Modifier only applies to Germans in all scenarios; Soviet Guards in scenarios taking place after 1942; Polish, US and Commonwealth in scenarios taking place after 1943.) (ACC)
  • Tank: all are closed-top and provide the +1 Assault bonus, when applicable
  • Assault Gun: if closed-top, provide the +1 Assault bonus, when applicable

Display Order of Battle

Germany Order of Battle
Heer
  • Mechanized
  • Towed
United States Order of Battle
Army
  • Mechanized
  • Motorized
  • Towed

Display Errata (2)

2 Errata Items
Overall balance chart for 20

The reduced direct fire value of the Heer HMG became 5-5 starting with Fall of France.

(plloyd1010 on 2015 Jul 31)
Overall balance chart for 54

The movement allowance on the counters in Airborne is misprinted. It should be "3."

(rerathbun on 2012 Jan 30)

Display AARs (1)

Green troops, but they can still shoot
Author campsawyer
Method Solo
Victor Draw
Play Date 2011-03-30
Language English
Scenario AaGI008

This is a short scenario having the German Water Buffalo's attack a hill occupied by American troops. From the first look at the scenario it is fairly even, mostly infantry affair. The Americans have a slightly less morale when reduced, but they do have entrenchments. The German have the numbers plus an assault gun platoon.

What made my play unique was the leader "flip". The Germans received the best leaders and the Americans the worst. The Germans receive 5 leaders with morale of 10 and the others were 9's. All the German leaders had both morale and combat bonuses. For the Americans they received all the morale 7 leaders as well as two morale 8. All had no bonus, except the Sergeant with a combat bonus.

So what do you do for an American setup, circle the wagons and place all the entrenchments with the best terrain benefits. They were all grouped around the 40m level of the hill with dug in units holding key advances along the road. The Germans decided on a split attack from the east and the west. This would try to pinch the Americans as well as hit the reinforcements as they move on the board. Given there leadership and morale they should be able to advance on the edges of the American defense.

The attack started well enough with light American OP and OBA fire. They were able to move up to get into assault position, then the American fire started to find their marks. Dice rolls of 2,3,11 and 12 appeared for the American attacks and the German morale checks were high as well. All of a sudden the Germans had half their troops disrupted or demoralized with a step loss. The Germans were push back but the German mortars and OBA were finding their mark on the entrenchments. The American AT gun demoralized and the leaders demoralized put a strain on the defense. But the two American HMG's and some of the INF remained in good order to continue the firing.

By turn 5 American reinforcements arrived and start to position on the southern flanks of the Germans. The Germans recovered from their first assault begin to move on the entrenchments. American fire hits more German units, but on entrenchment is lock in assault. Meanwhile American tanks start to stalk the German Stug. The Stug backs off it's attack to position for a shot on the first American tank that appears. The M5 moves up on the east side of the board and the M4 positions on the west. A couple of turns past before the cat and mouse exposes the Stug to the M4. The M4 fires but misses with the thick Stug armor the next turn the M4 is destroyed. The M5 drop back to provide fire support after the M4 loss.

Meantime in the assault the Germans are not fairing well. Initial assaults have the Germans disrupting and demoralizing. The assault on the first entrenchment has mixed results some Americans are demoralized but the Germans take another step loss. It got bad for the Germans when the American mortars demoralized the attacking GREN's. Several turns of assault produced results but the losses mounted.

In the end the scenario was a draw, not one could get an advantage. The Americans held the entrenchments with had several step losses. Final count 8 points for the Germans, 11 points for the Americans.

An enjoyable scenario for a small quick fight. It was not as lopsided as I feared when I saw the leader "flip", entrenchment recovery bonus helped alot. The Germans super leaders proved to be vulnerable with high dicerolls. The extra little tanks hunt made it interesting beyond all the assaults.

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