This is the first "5" I have ever given as a scenario rating, and when I set up the game, I never thought it could happen. Surely the Germans should win with their Panthers, Mk IV's and armored cars, even with the Brits having a few minefields and some OBA. Then the game started, and that pesky low fuel/mire rule reared its ugly head, and the Germans stumbled from the start, and when that happens, the unit sits there for at least 3 turns. Combined with a tie initiative roll on turn one allowed for opening fire at greater distances, and the British managed to take full advantage, eliminating a couple of armor steps, including a Panther! Eventually, the greater German armor firepower reached viable positions, and began to whittle down the Shermans and make forward progress when the APC carrying their engineers was destroyed by OBA, and the engineers were eliminated later in the turn. So much for clearing the mines, making the exit victory condition difficult at best. The resulting battle for the 22 hexes of the hill/ridge on the west side of board 24, which was not decided until the next to the last turn, is why this scenario got a "5", with the Germans driving the last British units off the hill.

This is a very exciting scenario and one of the best PG scenarios I have yet played.

Played solo with Fog-of-War and Smoke.

The Brits decided to defend the main town on Board 24 while placing an outpost in the small town on the ridge. They decided not to defend any towns on Board 23 but had two Sherman platoons blocking the road coming up from Board 25 and with orders to fall back just out of view from the mist to delay the German advance if they come that way.

The Germans decided to roll up into Board 23, push back the screen, grab all the town hexes and assault the ridge on Board24. But the plan fell apart right away, expectantly, from the fuel shortages. The panzergrenadiers moved up for a turn, abandoned their halftracks and set out on foot towards the ridge. What tanks that started did push back the British screen and the armored cars did get to take the Bd 23 towns. The brits moved another platoon to the ridge with an officer. They dug in and were supported by a Sherman and Firefly platoon. Another pair of Shermans came forward to screen the center then fall back to the ridge. Once the panzers refueled and moved forward, there was brief tank fire exchange at the ridge which killed some Shermans including half of the fireflies. the brits puled the tanks back and eft the poor bloody infantry to hold the ridge.

The two infantry platoons held out for quite a while shrugging off MG fire and tank fire. Finally, the position blocking the road fell, but the Germans could not take the town, only contest it. This the ridge objective was not gained. The German tanks lunged at the large town, hoping to gain a hex or tow and maybe gain the town objective. They did kill a Sherman platoon and had an opening, but the panthers ran out of gas and the Mk IV platoon was killed by the last step of the Firefly firing from the flank. This one wen to the last turn with the Germans having a modicum of a chance to win.

The fuel special rules made for this one to be a very interesting and fun scenario.

Author	treadasaurusrex (Britain)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	Draw
Participants	CavDo
Play Date	2023-01-03
Language	English
Scenario	BBoB001

As others have reported, this is a dynamic, relatively balanced and fun-to-play scenario. We completed this one is 4 Yuletide sessions, in which I led the defending British side, while the relentless, CavDo played the German Commander. We ignored the FOW, but used the excess initiative, smoke, consolidation and extended assault optional rules in this extended play-through. Both sides drew poor leaders, and we threw a combined 21 combat 7-die rolls in the 18 allotted turns. All the urban and road control hex close assault efforts were characterized by lengthy die-rolling contests. At the beginning, the German side has all the luck available from the PG fates. During the last two sessions, the PG fates abandoned the Germans and favored the remaining, though heavily-battered, British troops.

I refer the reader to Blackcloud6's concise AAR relating to this scenario, as our encounter played out in a very similar fashion - although we ended in a drawn game. The Axis fuel shortages significantly affected the German operations and reduced their mobility at crucial times. However, their Landsers did the job and initially took town hexes by close assault. These were later contested by counter attacking Brits, and this battle was fiercely contested to the very last turn, ending in a semi-frustrating, but very engaging, draw for both sides.

I give this arresting and fun scenario a 4 - only because we were not able to secure a win for either side. We heartily recommend it for shared play.

The Germans, in a hurry, had to throw out the British and exit off the West end of board 24. The British, deciding to forgo the other boards, chose to fight it out on board 24 and set their defenses accordingly. The South end of the hill on 24 as well as in the town on 24. Holding firm in those positions would stop the Germans from accomplishing their objectives. Unfortunately, the town got flanked by armor in the North and the Germans got off enough steps to make it a Minor Victor.