At turn one the German player rolled 1x6 and 2x5 for three Gren units. When the units entered the map they immediately advanced to the fields on map 10. Again three Gren units entered the map at turn two, and also advanced to the fields to support the other Grenadiers. At the third turn the German player finally managed to get the HMG on the map. At turn four all German units where on the map. And the first four Gren units reached the outskirts of Bocholz. At turn five the M16 fires at two Gren units and scores a "X", and demoralizes the lieutenant. At the beginning of turn six the German player scores 3 activations. And moves two Gren units adjacent to the 105mm. As reaction the American M16 moves adjacent to the 2 Gren units with the demoralized lieutenant. At turn seven the two Gren units with the demoralized lieutenant attack the M16 with the reduced INF and score "-". Then the two other Gren units adjacent to the town attack the 105mm and score "X" eliminating the 105mm. At turn eight the demoralized German lieutenant recovers to disrupted. After that the M16 and the reduced INF attack the German Captain with the Gren and the HMG units and scores "M" with no effect. At turn nine the German player activates the Captain which activates the lieutenants, and assaults the M16 with the Captain two Gren and one HMG. German player scores: "M2" American player scores: "M1" The German units are fine, and the American lieutenant and INF are demoralized while the M16 is disrupted.

Game ends, and the German player has destroyed the 105mm (his objective), and the American player does not control all town hexes. So the German player wins.

Played solo (as usual..) Played within an hour.

Great short and small sized scenario. The Germans are fighting against time, a M16 and the entry odds. In setting up I totally forgot the hill an the south side of the board, so I put the 105mm (and leader) in the southeastern part of town to cover the road (and what I thought at the time, also the southeast of the board. Boy was I mistaken. I put the halftrack in the middle of the town, the infantry (with leader) up north in town and the trucks savely in the back but close enough to tow away the gun just in case. On turn 1 only one German unit with a Lt managed to get on the board, on turn 2 however, 3 more appeared. I decided to let them all enter on the south edge of the board, so I could make use of the LOS blocking hill. With the 4 units/2 leaders already on board in turn 3, with 2 more entering, I hurried towards the west staying out of sight. The Americans could not move, so seeing the errors of my ways, I couldn't tow away or support the vulnerable artillery pieces. Moreover, they were positioned adjacent to the hill and (assuming that the hill contour hex is also at +20) wouldn't be able to see the Germans until they were adjacent and even then I had positioned the other Allied so badly, that they couldn't even cover that with opportunity fire. Oh boy, oh boy..

What I feared happened indeed. The one front German unit was on top of the 105mm in no time. Due to the higher init (getting 2 impulses), the M16 could not react immediately. The assault however was too weak to take any effect. Moreover, to compensate for the sloppy Allied setup, I didn´t use my best leader (a 1-10-1 Lieutenant). He was with the second group of units and too far away to influence right now.. Now it was the M16's time to react and it entered the assault hex from adjacent. With a whopping 24 DF, it reduced the lonely Grenadier unit, but the other step did not break..

Turn 6 was for the Germans again with 3 impulses they could move all units before the Americans. The Germans immediately reinforced the assault hex with 2 extra Grenadier units initiating a second assault with 15 DF. Did I hear the halftrack commander say: Nuts!? Anyway the defenders seemed invulnerable to any fire. Their defense roll however was devastating. The Germans lost another 2 steps, with the leader demoralised and the other units disupted. The top German leader mentioned above, in the meantime occupied a town hex and captured a truck in doing so.

To be short, although the Germans supported the main assault hex in the following turns, the 105mm was never really threatened. Both sides lost 4 steps of infantry, the Americans were denied their victory conditions, but the Germans couldn't silence the gun. A Draw was the result.

Great learning scenario in which good tactics can make the day..

Well, this is PG as it should be! The Germans made a strong entrance, with all but one Grenadier platoon entering within the first two turns. Although the American M16 caused severe carnage, the Germans were able to press in close and engage the artillery battery by fire, eliminating its infantry cover and transport in short order. Attempts to destroy the battery itself by fire also failed, and it was down to the last activation of the last turn to decide the result. Although the Americans won the initiative, the M16 was unable to drive the Germans off, and a desperate infantry assault wiped the howitzers out, handing victory to the Volksgrenadiers, albeit with a hefty butchers bill.

The Germans were helped by lashings of luck, with most of the troops getting on-board early and the Americans doing some awful shooting. Definitely a very good scenario, and one worth a replay and/or F2F play

I gave this a high rating because it was a quick and fun scenario. The Germans slowly trickled onto the battle field not allowing all of them enough time to storm the town. The few platoons that did arrive in time came under heavy machine gun and artillery fire the whole way to the town. One platoon reached the center of town sneaking passed the Americans in an undefended corridor and one platoon reached the edge of town while two others got just in range. Through the individual firings of each platoon they managed to demoralize the artillery crew, but it was too little too late.

Ok, so this one I'll keep short. I've played this scenario before, but always played it like a normal PG game (the players know I am there and know I am the enemy). This time, I played the Germans as the history suggests; that the Germans did NOT know it was the enemy and walked right into it. I played the US as not being able to move until they spot the Germans, but I just held them there, waving the Germans on until they were exactly 2 hexes away, then opened fire. Needless to say, the first stack of 2 units was cut in half and demoralized instantly. In addition, I chose that time to being bombarding the other units on the road (I had a double initiative due to a horrible roll by the Germans). The Germans instanly scrambled to the woods on either side of the road, and what followed was a series of moves by them to round the town using the woods. The problem was, the M16 would move them as soon as they entered the clearings, and by the time they were able to assault the town, they were mostly gone already. It was an absolute, quick, decisive victory. US lost nothing at all, just some disruptions. Fun game all around, and it was enlightening to see how sad I was for the Germans walking into this, even though I typically "try" to beat them...

The terrain favors the defender. The US was set up in the town and had a good field of fire for both the halftracks and the 105s. The Germans also just could not get high rolls to get units on the board. This hindered them in a huge way. When they finally got enough u it’s together to try and attack, the 105s and halftracks disrupted and demoralized the forward German u it’s to the point they could not take out the 105s. US victory.

Shad's Note: I'm dumping in a bunch of my old BGG AARs. If you've followed my "work" on BGG then you've read these before...

Idiotic initial placement by the Americans (me) resulted in Germans quickly closing on the guns. A head-on assault managed to demoralize the artillery, but the American M16 APCs were able to clear the area. More Germans then poured into the assault hex and the American commander made a critical blunder - he tried to rally his tired forces. The demoralized artillery unit failed to rally and was forced to flee. Artillery units cannot flee - they are eliminated instead! The Germans had their victory due to American cowardice!

This is another short scenario that is great for learning. In the scenario the Germans must destroy the American 105mm gun. The problem it will be defended by a nasty self-propelled AA gun and the Germans don't have anything to deal with it. (Later note, if infantry AT rules are added this tips the balance heavily in favor of the Germans)

The Americans setup in the town to give maximum defensive advantage, the Germans must units on a roll of 5 or 6, meaning they will enter piecemeal. With only 9 turns, the Germans must move fast so it was hard to coordinate an attack. The M16 is just deadly with 24 factors for direct or Op fire. In my play, it was Op fire that ruled. Several step losses and demoralizations as soon as the German infantry got into range. Putting them in hex 0808 and they will rule the day. Only bad dice rolls can hurt the Americans. By turn 5 it was over 5 step losses for the Germans with one leader, the only one with a morale bonus, gave the Americans a decisive victory. The Germans were not going to be able to recover and mount any more attacks.

This was an early learning scenario so I have have not known the best tactics for the Germans, but a subsequent play after infantry AT rules were added in RtB, this made a big difference. I was able to get one German unit into an assault and us the AT on the M16. From that point on the Germans had the game.

This is a very quick scenario. 9 turns and only a handful of units. In my playthrough, the Germans approached along the hill, and the Americans basically did nothing for about 5 turns until the Germans began the assault on the town. The M16 quickly killed 1 step with opportunity fire, but was not able to cause casualties on its second. On Turn 6 the Germans assaulted the M16 with little success, but pinning it freed units to move in on the 105mm. The M16 decided to withdraw from the assault to reinforce the 105mm, but lost a step and, worse, was demoralized for its troubles.

The M16 had disrupted a German LT, which made it hard to organize an assault on the 105mm, especially since the German captain and last GREN platoon didn't enter until turn 7. However, a weaker assault was arranged on turn 8 which disrupted the US infantry, but didn't kill anything. The M16 failed to rally and fled the assault, leading to a final, stronger assault on turn 9. Unfortunately, both sides rolled terribly and the 105mm survived. However, the Germans occupied most of the town, so the Americans didn't achieve their goal, either. leading to a draw.

Overall, I think the German victory conditions are easier to achieve than the American ones, and I also think that this will most often be a draw.

Ever since I first saw the M16's 24-7 DF I have been itching to use it to good effect. Unfortunately, up til now I only had it in offensive situations where the defender had some nasty AT capabilities so my M16s generally dotted the landscape as visions of fire scarred performance art. In this scenario, the M16s are in a defensive role and the attacker doesn't have any AT capability. Finally a chance to see what can happen.

One platoon of M16s, some artillery and a few infantrymen are defending a town against two companies of grenadiers with some HMG support. The town is six hexes large and the defenders cannot defend it all so success in "holding" the town depends on stopping the grenadiers before they get to the town, in this the 7 hex range of the M16s will come in handy. The Germans enter along the road and the first unit get destroyed upon entry (certainly a lucky "2" roll on the 22 column, but it forces the rest of the Germans to take a more leisurely stroll through the woods.

As the Germans approach the town the artillery performs its role beautifully disrupting some of the Germans while the M16 continues to chew them up. One platoon of Grenadiers finally gets to an assaulting position on the artillery but is demoralized and pushed away by the handful of infantry in the town. This incursion, however, causes one hex of the town to remain German "controlled" as the Germans were in good order when they passed through even though they are no longer in good order. The M16 could not recover the location as it would require an assault and they were pinned in place by the remainder of the German force.

Therefore the scenario was a draw even though the Germans lost fully 1/2 their force and the Americans took no casualties whatsoever. This is an interesting little situation but once set up there is very little for the American player to do but to roll the dice. Still, it is fun enough to rank a "3" even without a lot of maneuver.

After trying to work my way through the scenarios in order, I finally decided to look for the shorter ones and work my way through simpler scenarios then go back after having a better understanding. Scenario 3 seemed to be a good, one-board scenario with few units but new types with the M-16 and 105 howitzer elements.

The game started out slowly as the Germans only managed to get a single platoon on the board on turn 1. Although the edge of the table is in range of the 105, and a single hex move puts units in range of the M-16, assuming you start them on the east side of town the way I did, my US troops held fire on turn 1 allowing the Germans to close the range and see what the next turn brought in. On turn 2, the German Captain with 1 platoon, a Lieutenant with another platoon, and another single platoon enter, staying along the edge of the wood to north and south of the road, allowing the lead platoon to act as a scout element to draw out any enemy fire from the town. As the scouting platoon moved forward, it did indeed draw fire from the M-16 disrupting that platoon. On turn 3, the disrupted German platoon moved back to the edge of the northern woods, putting it near the Captain and the platoon he was leading. Another German platoon joins the encounter entering the table and heading along the edge of the woods to the north of the road. The LT with a platoon to the south of the road advance and trigger op fire from the M-16, disrupting the LT. The German Captain moves forward with the idea of joining the disrupted scout element and triggers the second op fire from the M-16 to no effect. The Captain succeeds in getting to the hex with the disrupted German scout element. As the Germans advance carefully to north and south of the road, the crews of the US 105 battery decide to join in, to little effect outside of showing their position. At this point, the Germans decide that advancing along the woods isn't nearly as safe as going along the ridge where they cant be seen from the town. The scouting German squad stays in the edge of the north woods to try to keep the US gunners occupied, the German Captain tries his luck and makes a dash across the road and open ground hoping to guide the attack across the ridge but his luck runs out, exposing him and the units he's leading to fire from the 105s, causing his disruption, one step loss and demoralizing of the 2 platoons. The M-16 takes another shot at the scout element in the north woods to no effect.

As the German HMG element joins in the attack, moving from the board edge to the south side of the south woods and towards the edge of the ridge, while the others on the south side of the road start their way along the ridge. As initiative passed back and forth, the Germans managed on turn 8 to be in place to assault two town hexes on turn 9, hoping to clear the hexes for a win at the last moment. The US infantry platoon with an LT moved through the town to occupy one of the two town hexes that were in danger. Turn 9 gave the Germans the initiative with 2 activations before a US reaction could take place, but the two assaults only managed a single step loss for the US infantry platoon, while the other assault between a German platoon with LT against the M-16 came out with both sides missing each other.

End results - two town hexes are contested, preventing the US from having complete control of 5 hexes, but the US 105 is still intact. I rate that a draw.

Having the hindsight of the game now, I know to focus a German entry more along the south side of the road, probably still keeping one or two platoons on the road or to the north of it to give the US troops something to shoot at and expose themselves to. I think having occupied the 3 eastern town hexes with the infantry platoon, the 105 and the M-16 from north to south, with the trucks taking up 2 of the 3 western hexes, was still the correct setup for that side. I look forward to doing this scenario face to face with another player in the future.

One question did come up that I couldn't sort out. I had an understanding that a reduced platoon that was already demoralized and took another demoralization would reduce to nothing, but when I looked through the rules, I couldn't find the words that gave me that impression. I chose to leave the demoralized unit in play as it didn't have much impact on the rest of the game at the moment.

The US placed the M16 platoon so it would have a clear field of fire from the town. The 105mm platoon was positioned in the west end of town to make it a little more difficult to get to. The Germans needed to get those guns, so their strategy was to get into town quickly and have surviving units assault the 105mm position.

Despite the presence of the M16 and artillery fire, the Germans were surprisingly successful (lucky) to get most of their platoons to Bocholz. They got into position and assaulted the gun position during the final two turns. However, during that 30 minute period of time, luck was on the US side, as the artillery platoon survived the assaults. This encountered ended as a draw.

The Germans rolled well for reinforcements and had all bodies on the Map on turn 3. To take the town, they have to outmaneuver the Americans, which isnt that difficult due to the Americans only having 2 direct fire units. The Germans split into 3 groups, one going up each flank, and one up the center. Those who ran up the center cut cut up by the M16 fairly well, and the 105 kept the southern group at bay. The north walked into town, overpowering the half step INF unit there. Game ended in a draw, as the Germans were unable to take out the 105 in time, but occupied the town.

This was excellent little game. Played in more or less two sessions. It appeared the Germans had blown it at one point, but they were able to turn it around. US should have high-tailed it with 105s when they had a chance and at least forced a draw. Corrected a few more errors this time and getting a bit more used to the way the rules are written (with some help from the excellent FB group.)

Turn 1

• US player sat and watched situation from town hexes. M16/leader in 808, Truck/leader in 809, reduced inf in 0709, and 105mm with truck in 0716 (ready to withdraw down road if need be.)

• Germans brought on 3 inf and 1 HMG with 1 leader. These moved unspotted through into NE woods.

Turn 2

• Germans bring on 3 more infantry into woods

• Again, US watch and wait

Turn 3

• Germans win 3 initiative moves and used them to move onboard units to near the edge of NE woods but still in cover HMG (0905), 2 inf with Leader (1005), and 3 inf w/leader (1106)

• Last Ger inf and leader do not make it onto board

• US continue to sit tight and let situation develop

Turn 4

• Germans move 1 inf with leader up to 1006. MI6 opens up with opp fire. 1st round Germans lose 1 step. Ger inf/ leader continues to 0906 and is again fired upon by M16. Takes and passes morale check.

• German infantry leader in 1106 makes move towards right finger of southern woods in the hope it can make it to cover in 1208 with just 105mm now available for opportunity fire.

• First unit takes an M2 (in 1206) and is disrupted. Continues to move into (1207). 105mm fires again. Inf takes a M1 check and passes. Continues it move into woods.

• Other two infantry in 1106 and leader move into woods to 1208 on US right flank. US has no one in range who can still use opp fire.

• US moves infantry into 0808 with M16 so it is at least in better range of enemy

Turn 5

• US win initiative (2 actions). M16 and infantry fire at the reduced step German infantry. No effect.

• US pass (saving 105mm for opp fire)

• Last German infantry plus leader enter board, moving into NE wood.

Turn 6

• Germans win initiative (3 actions.) Infantry group in Southern woods begin move around to outflank town. Infantry platoon and leader who arrived last turn move up to edge of NE wood in cover. HHG moves to meet them. Reduced and full-strength infantry platoon and leader move to 1106 as potential jump off point to south woods.

• Deciding the time to be a bit more proactive has come, the US moves a leader and the M16 to the 1111 in the S woods (having seen the Germany infantry move into that wood in what they assuming to be a flanking move) where the leader calls in arty on the German Infantry. Two more German units are disrupted, meaning the group now contains 3 disrupted infantry platoons and a good order leader.

Turn 7

• Germans win initiative (with a formidable 4 actions). The disrupted Germans in the S Woods fire on the M16 and leader adjacent to them. They get an M1 result which the US troops pass.

• Taking another risk, the German HHG in the NE woods moves to the edge of the trees and take up position to deliver fire on the town.

• The infantry in these woods make a bold charge towards the town and stop adjacent to 808 and the understrength US inf platoon there.

• The Germans have used all the actions they can, and initiative passes to the US. The MI6 and leader heads back into town to the 0808 hex.

• The understrength US infantry there use opportunity fire again the Germans adjacent to them, realizing they have little hope of achieving anything significant. They get a five which is no effect.

• The leader in 0808 calls in opportunity BF on the Germans in 0807. The Germans pass.

Turn 8

• Germans barely win initiative (one action). Their HMG team opens up on the MI6 group and disrupts the infantry and the MI6.

• The infantry and MI6 fire (at half power as disrupted) at the German infantry adjacent who take and pass morale checks.

• The Germans who were just attacked now swing around the towards the west of the town.

• The US leader in 0709 call in opportunity fire from the 105mm in the hex behind him. This forces a morale check which one of the full-strength German infantry units fail, becoming disrupted.

• The Germans continue their move to 0609 (the disrupted unit stopping in 0609 (as they can only move one hex now as disrupted.) The Germans are now in two town hexes with units adjacent to the 105mms.

• The US pass as they have no viable actions left.

• The Germans in the Southern wood now move to 0910 threating the town and the 105s

Turn 9

• Critically, the Germans win initiative with 2 actions.

• The Germans to the east of town fire on the 105mm and truck to no effect

• The Germans adjacent to the 105mm launch an assault. They inflict a step loss on the 105mm (destroying it if I am understanding the rules correctly), along with a US. The 105 inflicts an M2 test which the Germans pass.

• The Germans have now destroyed the 105mm and control 3 town hexes.

US pass on next turn as the battle is lost and I am tired... A solid three (more like a 3.5)

Americans hold out to keep the Germans from winning another one.