This is the last of the 502ed Regt. scenarios honoring the late John Hanlon commander of the 1st Bn of the 502ed. Alert players will notice that I skipped a couple of scenarios featuring the 502d. This is because of the size of the scenarios. Frankly they are not playable in an adult human lifetime. And suprisingly there are other thing I like to do.

The setup is restricted. The Axis enters the West edge. They move foward and attempt to overwhelm the Allied left. They get up to the village in good order surviving opportunity fire. The Allied off board artillery (OBA) hammer the Axis flanking company disrupting and demoralizing the whole stack. Despite this the Axis were able to occupy village hex 0609 with a platoon and a half and a 9-0-1 Lt. It turned into a wild gunfight until the Allies Co. B was released. Both sides had suffered a number of disruptions and demoralizations but the Axis suffered worse, losing 2 HMG steps in addition. the Allied OBA was making the difference. Despite having village hex 0608 surrounded on 5 sides the Axis could not advance. By 0500 the Allies were ready to counter attack withe B Co. + their Armor platoon. By 0515 the attack had bogged down. The initial Allied assault into town hex 0609 was still ongoing. The Axis had reenforced the the assault hex with a Gren platoon and a Lt. They were holding well against the Allied combined arms assault. Mean while the Allies OBA and on board morters were keeping the rest of the Axis force outside of town. The Axis were busy with recovering and were prevented from mounting another assault into town. By 0645 the Axis realized that despite holding their own at their single hex toe hold on the town they were on the fast track to a draw or Allied win. By now the Axis had 5 step losses and were getting pounded by the Allied artillery and mortars. At this point the Axis did have three full strengh gren platoons and a 9-0-1 Major (the C.O.) to assault into another town hex 0608. They went in causing a Allies step loss but no other damage, not even a disruption. The Axis plan now was to try to fight it out in the town reducing the effect of Allied artillery. The Axis also were trying to mount another assault into a town hex supported by their own artillery. This gamble was the only way the Axis could win at this point, although a draw was very possible. The Axis decided to go for the win. By 0730 it was all over. The once promising Axis assault was repulsed suffering 4 step losses to one for the Allies. In addition the Axis were kicked out of their initial toe hold and now posessed no town hexes. They have also now lost 9 steps. Allied win. Without the massive artillery support the Allies most likely would have been overwelmed early on. Victory conditions are tough for the Axis but a draw is almost assured if the Axis don't press it too much once established in the village. The Allies must use their artillery wisely. Kill the thing that is killing you, regardless of column shifts. Then once in a stable condition go for the most exposed enemy units that can be spotted, and fire for effect!

Fun scenario played FTF over two sittings with PG's own Mike Perryman. Not a great scenario, but a good one worthy of your tabletop. Just about impossible victory conditions for the Germans. I came out of the town to ASSAULT the M18's; had a broadside (+4) on a few of the tank destroyers and MISSED! Got all but one town hex and lost 9+ steps. Once it got rolling, scenario moves quickly.

This game was a PBEM game against Alan Rhodes. I hadn't ventured much into the BotB package so this came initially as a welcome visit. Unfortuntely, with most terrain negated or non-existent by special rules, and rather awful VC's, the battle ended up as something of a damp squib really

As the German, you need to really try and hurt the Americans in the first 8 turns before their reinforcements come on AND get well set in the town of Champs so as to avoid US OBA which is quite large for a small scenario. As the German, you have to try and clear a 2 hex perimeter all round the town and capture the town ... far too much IMO, where as the Americans just have to knock out 9+ steps of the enemy. Here is a short report.

The American positions around this village were set-up in a most unorthodox way. Rather than manning the town itself, the whole of company A, 502nd Parachute Regiment had been deployed to the outer flanks of Champs in order, it would seem to prevent German infiltration around the flanks. This however meant that there was a massive gap through the centre.The German attack began at 0300 hours in the dark and unsurprisingly, the Volksgrenadiers went in straight through the unmanned centre and into Champs without loss.

The hapless US Paratroopers now had to ‘recapture’ what they had just handed over to the enemy and against an enemy that now had all the cover of the town itself. Gun battles raged around the outside of Champs and the Americans were able to call on quite a bit of artillery support which did have some success around 0415 hours with a direct hit on one German platoon. That aside, it was the Germans that were able to nestle into their positions and wait for the enemy. From 0530 hours, the Paratroopers flung themselves at Champs and it was generally without finesse. In fact, it appeared that the American experience in the Pacific had led them to take on the tactic of Banzai charges. This caused the Americans to lose no less than 8 steps in a short 90 minute period of thoughtless charges against Champs defenders. However, the Germans could not really come out of the village at the enemy for fear of being pulverised by the US OBA.

At the end, the Germans were unable to clear the whole area, despite inflicting far more casualties than they received and it was only due to the appearance of an American M18 platoon that helped shore up any remaining resistance. This would count as a draw, though all honours were most definitely with the Germans after such a poorly thought out American defence and counter-attack. Step-losses were Germans 2 lost, Americans 9 steps.

The Germans were well on top but never had enough resources to push ALL the Americans out to a 3 hex radius. I look forward to hearing of the first German player who does get a win as it will need a serious amount of US mistakes by the player that runs the US Paras. A measley '2' rating from me and lucky not to get a '1'.

The Germans attempted to flank the town form the north and although they had superiority and disrupted the Paratrooper in the assault hexes, they made no headway in the town. The game pretty much devolved into a tedious exercise of rolling for assaults turn after turn. The Americans kept whittling away at the Germans and at daybreak achieved the 9 step elimination VC. There was one glimmer of hope when the US tried an assault that went bad and almost lost a hex, but the Germans could not capitalize on that minor success. Unfortunately, this scenario shows the futility of trying to oust high morale troops in towns. The assault mechanic is the weakest part of PG.