This scenario was interesting as it has lone American tanks trying to move around a roadblock of German troops. The problem is that the Germans have the setup and AT guns that can wipe out the M5 Stuarts. The Germans setup in the town on board 11. This gives them many advantages. First the town itself -2 Direct fire plus -1 for hill, so even if the Americans can manage a positive shift that will be wiped out. Second, the Germans can cover all approaches to the town with AT fire. The American tactics, run like hell around the town. So here we go.

Turn 1-3 The Americans move down for the north, taking advantage of the road until the get into the range of the 75mm in 11/0708, then thy take to the country. They split with two M5 platoons going east and 2 going west. This will try to split the German defensive fire.

Turn 4-5 The Americans move into the woods to the northwest and use the woods on the east as cover. The Germans look to shift the 75mm in 11/0708 to try to get some flank shots.

Turn 6-8 On the west of town the Americans reach the edge of the woods and wait to dash across while the Germans setup their 75mm in 11/0609 giving them a chance to kill the tanks as they pass. To the east the American start a dash for past the town. The German Stug IIIB tries Op fire on the fire M5, but misses with both attempts. German infantry move out from the town to try to get close for an assault.

Turn 9-10 The Americans in the west move out from the woods German Op fire from the 75mm hit and kill one American step. The German 50mm misses. The remaining American M5 half platoon is disrupted. In the east the American dash continues and the German StugIIIB scores a hit on the M5 half platoon. The Americans are in trouble, one more step and the dash is over and they will have to fight for the town.

Turn 11-end The Germans win the initiative and kill another M5 step and the American dash is over a fight for the town is the only hope. This is ended on the next German activation with another kill for the StugIIIB. Germans win.

This own was interesting but lacking for the American side. They have a very one dimensional force and the Germans have units and the setup to stop them. Historically, this is accurate but from a game perspective the Americans need more for balance.

The American light tank company doesnt really have a shot of exiting the board in this one unless the Germans make a mistake. They set up their 50 guarding the road into the southern town, and their 75 protecting the right flank. The Stug set up in the woods on the left, but continually counter moved the advancing M5s that attempted to skirt around them.

The game really develops into the stuarts moving towards a flank, and the Stug moving to stop them, over and over and over again. Ultimately with time pressing up against the limit, the Americans made a last ditch attempt to get a crossfire shot on the Stug by winning initiative by 2 activations. They did not, but had nothing to lose. Germans win.

If the scenario had more maps available, or the Germans one less AT gun, this could be very interesting, but this might tilt it into the Americans favor too much. Ultimately, the tanks were destroyed historically though, so meh.

Despite being completely one sided, even with heavy maneuvering, this scenario is ultimately very different than the rest, and is a refreshing change of pace from staggered German forces crossing board 9 and invading the outnumbered Americans on board 10 : )

Kind of an interesting fast playing game, low unit count as well. I have had one German victory and one American victory so far. Both times I have tried to exit my M5's off the South side of the board. I need to play a third game to break this tie, 1/1. German setup is important in this scenario, as you don't know if the Americans will go for the exit or the towns for the victory! Well let me know how you guys did? I thought it was fun to play, for a fast game, when you don't have a lot of time. I think the only reason I have a one/one victory record on this one, is that the first time I setup my German units out position. I never tried to take the town hexes, only run for the exit with my M5's both times. I figured the StugIII can't cover the whole board. This scenario will most likely always favor the Germans.

Introduction: Company D, 707th Tank Battalion tries to get to the battle, but runs into its own little party.

Victory Conditions: American - Exit at least 5 steps German - Kill at least 4 steps of American tankers. Anything else is a draw.

Pre-game German setup and Turn 1 07:15 - The Germans setup takes advantage of an "infantry speed bump" in the forest to slow the oncoming M5s. Once the direction of attack is determined, then the StGIII comes up to lend opportunity fire support. The two AT guns are placed on opposite sides of the hilltop city to cover the exit corridor in case any tanks make it through.

At the end of turn one, the Americans drive almost to the German defensive positions, but remain in covering terrain to prevent any fire. The plan is to "run for the border" and hopefully not get their tacos fried too badly. I decided to do this after analyzing attacking the StGIII. The armor of the SPG combined with the low penetrating guns of the M5 would make any attack a blood bath, while conversely, the StGIII could plink away 1 to 2 steps a turn with ease.

Turn 2 07:30 - The Americans gain the initiative and drive past the speed bump formed in the center of the north/south road. As the M5s come up to the road, the StG lets loose and in consecutive hexes smoke a step off of the full steps driving past. The full strength and reduced M5 units to the east are left alone and they progress south with no problem. All of the long range ATG fire is ineffective.

Turn 3 07:45 - The Germans get a small jump on the Americans and the sturmgeschutz fires on the eastern full strength M5 and smokes yet another step. As the eastern M5 group makes it way to the city, the 50mm ATG finally gets a hit and destroys yet another step, which denies the Americans the ability for a victory. The Americans then ride toward the town right down the road, with all AT fire ineffective. Note that in the picture, there is a wreck shown. I realized after the picture that the AT fire was ineffective due to the Op. Fire DRM.

Turn 4 08:00 - The Americans manage to wrestle back the initiative from the Germans and continue the drive down the road, exiting the two reduced M5s off the south edge. The eastern group manages to skitter down the edge of the board and takes no more losses. However, the StGIII zips down to the road to help prevent the Americans from exiting

Turn 5 and Finish 08:15 - The Germans get an initiative break, but it's too late to help. The StGIII and one of the trucks make it to the southern edge of the board, but they can only watch the last reduced M5 exit off of the board. Germans win by destroying four steps.

Analysis: I have played this scenario a total of five times today and the Americans have usually been totally eliminated. During the fourth run through, a random event on turn two changed the Germans VC to 6 steps destroyed. I thought that this would be the time the Americans could finally win, but the ATGs in the city managed to kill off all of the armor before it could exit. Because of what I perceive as balance strongly favoring the Germans, I would not recommend playing this scenario unless you want a historical perspective on how bad it was for Company D, 707th Tank Battalion.

Played ftf with Wayne Baumber on a day we completed one main game and had time for 2 x Mini games.

I think we can safely say that this scenario is probably a 'little' unbalanced as the redoubtable Wayne Baumber became the 12th US commander out of 12 to register a loss with this one.

The Americans have three and half M5 platoons that they have to race down 2 x boards with, and then exit no less than 5 of the 7 available steps. Failing that, they also have an option to control all town hexes on board 11 (highly highly unlikely).

The M5's are speedy, but light gunned and thin skinned when having to face a slow StGIII and a 50mm + 75mm AT Gun. As the Geman, I set up the 2 x AT guns on each flank just on the edge of board 11. This gives them a free shot each at any M5 that emerges from board 10 (should they get that far). The rest of the Germans, StG, 2 x GREN and leaders set off down the road to block this avenue.

In the end, over the 13 turns of this scenario, it is nigh on impossible for the Americans to get through and the only way that is going to happen is if the German player seriously fluffs his movements. Or of course, rolls dreadful dice all through the game.

In our game, a lone reduced M5 was hunted down by ground troops and squished. The other 3 x M5's tried hiding in the woods, waiting for a chance to bolt, but were again seeked out by ground troops, and then once in assault and spotted, they were blasted away by the StG.

Not a vvery exciting game in the least, but I shall give it a 2 as at least the VC's were cogent (unlike our Airborne # 16 we played before this) and it was a quick simple push around of counters. I don't imagine a fuming Wayne will be as generous !

Easy German win, if not very satisfying.

This scenario has been played 12 times and has had 12 German victories. Chosen by random selection this scenario has caused me to think about stopping playing PG. (Well for at least a few mins) Vince and I both agree that no scenario should be called unwinable by any one side but I can not think of any strategy by which the US can win this one. Of course die rolls and a poor German set up and commander could see a US win but that would be a fluke. Another scenario to avoid.

I played this scenario through three times and if the American Commander doesn't want to waste the time taking the town, he blows by the defenders and heads out to whatever awaits him in the South.