Panzer Grenadier Headquarters - Library: Battle of the Bulge #48

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

PG-HQ Library - Panzer Grenadier Hall > Scenarios > BaBu048

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Hard Shell Battle of the Bulge #48
(Attacker) Germany	vs	United States (Defender)

Formations Involved
Germany		103th Panzer Reconnaissance Battalion
Germany		130th "Lehr" Panzer Regiment
Germany		901st "Lehr" Panzergrenadier Regiment
Germany		902nd "Lehr" Panzergrenadier Regiment
United States		10th "Tiger" Armored Division
United States		158th Engineer Battalion
United States		501st Parachute Infantry Regiment
United States		705th Tank Destroyer Battalion
United States		Army

	Total
Side 1	1
Draw	0
Side 2	4

Overall Rating, 5 votes
5 4 3 2 1 4
Scenario Rank: 94 of 940

Parent Game	Battle of the Bulge
Historicity	Historical
Date	1944-12-19
Start Time	15:30
Turn Count	26
Visibility	Day
Counters	185
Net Morale	0
Net Initiative	0
Maps	2: 11, 12
Layout Dimensions	56 x 43 cm 22 x 17 in
Play Bounty	128
AAR Bounty	171
Total Plays	5
Total AARs	1

Battle Types
Urban Assault

Conditions
Off-board Artillery
Reinforcements
Terrain Mods

Scenario Requirements & Playability
Battle of the Bulge	Base Game

Introduction
Bursting with energy and recognizing the dire nature of the crisis, Ewell and his men were not content to send out a lone battalion and asked for full employment. Told to occupy positions to the east, the 3rd Battalion joined Team O'Hara and those elements of Team Cherry that had not been cut off to defend the southeastern portion of the Bastogne perimeter. They did not have long to wait as Panzer Lehr was at the moment preparing to attack.

Introduction

Bursting with energy and recognizing the dire nature of the crisis, Ewell and his men were not content to send out a lone battalion and asked for full employment. Told to occupy positions to the east, the 3rd Battalion joined Team O'Hara and those elements of Team Cherry that had not been cut off to defend the southeastern portion of the Bastogne perimeter. They did not have long to wait as Panzer Lehr was at the moment preparing to attack.

Conclusion
The German attack drove the American right flank in as Panzer Lehr attempted to reach Bastogne, but could not move the paratroopers despite a night attack by two battalions of the 902nd Panzer Grenadier Regiment. The presence of M18 tank destroyers of the 705th Tank Destroyer Battalion prevented the German tanks from supporting the panzer grenadiers. The stiff resistance convinced the Lehr commander, General Bayerlein, that Bastogne should be taken by something other than a direct assault.

Conclusion

The German attack drove the American right flank in as Panzer Lehr attempted to reach Bastogne, but could not move the paratroopers despite a night attack by two battalions of the 902nd Panzer Grenadier Regiment. The presence of M18 tank destroyers of the 705th Tank Destroyer Battalion prevented the German tanks from supporting the panzer grenadiers. The stiff resistance convinced the Lehr commander, General Bayerlein, that Bastogne should be taken by something other than a direct assault.

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). Open-top AFV's: Immune to M, M1 and M2 results on Direct and Bombardment Fire Tables, but DO take step losses from X and #X results (7.25, 7.41, 7.61, BT, DFT). If a "2X" or "3X" result is rolled, at least one of the step losses must be taken by an open-top AFV if present. 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 Tank Destroyer: do not provide the +1 Assault bonus, even if closed-top (SB) APC – Armored Personnel Carrier: These are Combat Units, but stack like Transports. They can transport personnel units or towed units. They are not counted as combat units for the +1 stacking modifier on the Direct Fire and Bombardment Tables (4.4). They may be activated by regular leaders and tank leaders (1.2, 3.34, 4.3, 5.43). They do not provide the +1 Assault bonus (ACC). Armored Cars: These are Combat Units. They are motorized instead of mechanized. All have their own armored car leaders, who can only activate armored cars (6.85). Do not provide the +1 Assault bonus (ACC). Reconnaissance Vehicle: 8.23 Special Spotting Powers Both foot and vehicle mounted recce units (1.2) possess two special spotting abilities. The first ability is that they can spot enemy in limiting terrain at one hex further than the TEC specifies for other units and leaders. For example, an enemy unit in town can normally be spotted at three hexes or less, but a recce unit can spot them at four hexes.Their second ability is that they can place a Spotted marker on any one enemy unit they can spot per turn, just as if the enemy unit had "blown its cover" by firing. Such Spotted markers are removed as described earlier.

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).
Open-top AFV's: Immune to M, M1 and M2 results on Direct and Bombardment Fire Tables, but DO take step losses from X and #X results (7.25, 7.41, 7.61, BT, DFT). If a "2X" or "3X" result is rolled, at least one of the step losses must be taken by an open-top AFV if present.
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
Tank Destroyer: do not provide the +1 Assault bonus, even if closed-top (SB)
APC – Armored Personnel Carrier: These are Combat Units, but stack like Transports. They can transport personnel units or towed units. They are not counted as combat units for the +1 stacking modifier on the Direct Fire and Bombardment Tables (4.4). They may be activated by regular leaders and tank leaders (1.2, 3.34, 4.3, 5.43). They do not provide the +1 Assault bonus (ACC).
Armored Cars: These are Combat Units. They are motorized instead of mechanized. All have their own armored car leaders, who can only activate armored cars (6.85). Do not provide the +1 Assault bonus (ACC).
Reconnaissance Vehicle: 8.23 Special Spotting Powers Both foot and vehicle mounted recce units (1.2) possess two special spotting abilities. The first ability is that they can spot enemy in limiting terrain at one hex further than the TEC specifies for other units and leaders. For example, an enemy unit in town can normally be spotted at three hexes or less, but a recce unit can spot them at four hexes.Their second ability is that they can place a Spotted marker on any one enemy unit they can spot per turn, just as if the enemy unit had "blown its cover" by firing. Such Spotted markers are removed as described earlier.

Display Order of Battle

Germany Order of Battle

Heer
Foot Leader Mechanized Motorized Towed

Heer

Foot

Leader

Mechanized

Motorized

Towed

United States Order of Battle

Airborne
Foot

Army
Foot Leader Mechanized Motorized Towed

Army

Foot

Leader

Mechanized

Motorized

Towed

Display Errata (7)

7 Errata Items
Scen 48	Turn/time indicator for the Turn 16 German reinforcements are out of sync. (triangular_cube on 2021 May 12)
Scen 48	Countermix does not have enough Heer officers to fully support this scenario. I used the included Luft leaders to fill in the gaps. (triangular_cube on 2021 May 12)
	The reduced direct fire value of the Heer HMG became 5-5 starting with Fall of France. (plloyd1010 on 2015 Jul 31)
	All SS PzIVH tanks should have a movement of 8. (Shad on 2010 Dec 15)
	The morale and combat modifiers of German Sergeant #1614 should be "0", not "8". (Shad on 2010 Dec 15)
	All SPW 251s have an armor value of 0. (Shad on 2010 Dec 15)
	The M18 has a special rule in Battle of the Bulge but it applies globally: "A two-step M18 unit can fire one anti-tank shot and move half its movement allowance (retain fractions) in a single impulse. The order in which it does these two actions is the player's choice." (Shad on 2010 Dec 15)

Display AARs (1)

Cracked, But Not Broken

Author	Retiredgrunt17
Method	Solo
Victor	United States
Play Date	2017-12-19
Language	English
Scenario	BaBu048

The US moved to fortify both towns ahead of the Germans. This succeeded as the Germans had terrible rolls for the number of units entering. The southern town was heavily engaged, and did eventually fall. The northern town managed to hold out as the Germans were too involved in the south to be able to get enough assets north in time for victory. Even if they had, the Germans suffered very heavy casualties reducing the southern town. Losses were also suffered in making a preliminary (rash) attack on the northern town before enough was massed to push through. A great scenario and a tough, tough, fight. US victory.

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