Another small scenario with all armor units! It is Night with special rule Visibility of two hexes instead of one but it still makes this a difficult scenario to play. I guess another chest-match.

I am not sure with the Germans if I should try to go around the edges or hit it straight on?!

Well the results are now in, as an American victory!

The Germans exited zero units, lost 9 steps and had one step of demoralized armor unit left on the board when I called the game. For the American victory, it cost 4 steps of Sherman tanks of both types; 75's & 76's. A clear victory! Being Night, causes a lot of movement. Interesting play but difficult for the Germans.

Americans set up on 40m hills on eastern board but won the first turn initiative and raced two platoons of M4/76's to the crossroads on the western board. The Germans surrounded the Shermans but the other two M4/76 platoons moved westward as well to flank the German Hetzers and PzIV while the M4's stayed on the eastern board. The Germans won the first two activations for turn two and eliminated all four M4/76 platoons. After that the Germans had a large initiative advantage and used it to eliminate the final two M4 platoons to easily win the game. A fun scenario that could go either way. I'll replay it to see how different it turns out.

Tried replaying this one to see how different it would turn out. Americans set up on 40m hills on eastern board and won the turn one initiative but passed and let the Germans advance east on the road. The M4/76's then set up flanking shots on the lead three German platoons of Hetzers and the PzIV. The US won the initiative for turn two and were able to eliminate the two Hetzer platoons. The Germans then eliminated an M4/76 platoon. By virtue of eliminating the two German platoons, the Americans gained the initiative advantage and used it to eliminate the STGs. In the end the PzIV platoon was alone and moved east to take on the M4's, but the Shermans rolled well on consecutive attacks to eliminate the final German unit. This scenario can be won by either side and can be heavily dependent on who gains the initiative in the first few turns.

The Germans are allocated 5 platoons of AFV's made of Hetzers, Panzer IV's and my Little Kittens, StGIII's and these advanced from the west towards the a US force of 6 M4 platoons. In a move designed to outflank the Americans, the German commander left a platoon of Hetzers to front the strong Sherman line arrayed on the higher ground before them. It was hoped these Hetzers would hold up, as well as destroy some of the enemy whilst the main German force slipped round the side of the Americans and onwards to their objective. But quick US reactions destroyed this plan very quickly.

The American M4's came down in force covered by the night sky and were, before long able to wipe out the Hetzers positioned to hold off these M4's. They also cleared up two other German platoons composed of StG's and more Hetzers. The Germans were in big trouble now. As this surprising check went on, the remaining German armour attempted to continue their drive east. Once more, numerically superior US forces headed them off and now appeared to be positioned to eliminate the remainder of the much damaged German force.

Miraculously,one platoon of M4's missed an almost point blank chance to inflict damage and this small sniff of fortune was enough to stir-up a German back-lash. Suddenly, the 75mm guns of the remaining German tanks roared out and within just 30 minutes, 5 platoons of the original American 6 platoons had been knocked out of the battle meaning that the balance had been utterly shifted the other way. A game of Cat & Mouse ensued with the 2.5 remaining German platoons trying to hunt down the last American tank platoon for victory. But the M4's managed to slip in an accurate salvo and this meant yet more StG's 'copping it', and with that the remaining Germans lipped away into the night. The battle had proven equally damaging to both sides and on this evening, nobody would be claiming victory around Rittershofen.

US set up included the M4's and four M4/76 at the 40m crossroads of the West board (the road allowing sufficient N/S movement to head-off any German swing to the board edge. Another two platoons of M4/76s were on the 40m small hill just to the south of the main E/W road. As it turns out, this was likely a mistake.

The Germans advanced with a no nonsense inverted keil (a triangle of adjacent hexes with two forward, one back (the PzIVH). This concentration meant that any US attempt at a cross-fire bonus, given the limited 2-hex visibility, was liable itself to either possible envelopment or the fire of one "side" of the keil (or four AT shots).

After the first turn (getting just to the east of the large town on the western board), the Germans slowed down to simple cross-country movement along the road. The US had to watch for a German "end around" (Germans could win by avoiding combat and simply exiting the east edge) so 2xM4/76 shifted to the north; the 2xM4 held the road; and the 2xM4/76 on the small 40-m hill moved a bit to maintain its higher elevation advantage.

The German major commanding these elements of 25th Panzer Grenadier Division had earned his braided shoulder boards the hard way - after two years on the Russian front. Schwerpunkt! Ordering his forces south off the road, he concentrated all his force vs. the Shermans's on the hill to his East. The remaining US forces closed in for the kill.

The first five-ten minutes did not go well. The US lieutenant commanding the company of M4/76's selected the low-profiled Hexters as his preferred targets. In short order, three steps of German tank destroyers were no more. "Like shoot'n squirrel back in Kentucky, lieutenant," remarked his gunner.

Amazingly, the remaining German formation rapidly (i.e. won initiative) erupted with accurate return fire, rather than turning tail. Even with the disadvantage of shooting against the cover of higher terrain, the 75/L48 guns from the STuGs, PzIVH, ripped the US tanks. Perhaps the surviving US crews understood what the British seamen aboard HMS Prince of Wales felt as their elation turned to horror as HMS Hood was gone in a matter of moments.

After another turn, the US tanks remaining were is disarray (read demoralized). The half-step of Hetzers likewise was demoralized. The three good-order German platoons shot up one of the US units remaining, then raced eastwards off board. A US M4/76 recovered morale, caught up with the Hetzers and finished them off.

Germans: exit 6 steps, killing 10. Americas: kill 4 steps (all Hetzers)

The heck with sight lines etc. It is night and the visibility range is 2 hexes. There are only a few places on the board where hiding is possible so this one comes down to maneuver and then a risk on the initiative roll as both sides outgun the other's armor protection. The Germans have a slightly better prospect with 4 and 5 armor against 5 and 6 AT factors for the Americans as opposed to the American's 3 armor factor against primarily 6 AT factors for the Germans. However there are more Americans and cross fire is much easier for them as they are more mobile.

In my play the Germans decided to close the range, as they almost always will since they need to move across the board and the Americans merely need to stop them. Unfortunately for them the Americans won the ensuing initiative and proceeded to rip the Germans apart. The Pz IV did get in a coupld shots before succumbing but too many vehicles were lost in the first barrage to give them a chance later on.

A bloody affair but a very, very good introduction to armored play. I don't think that the scenario itself is that gripping as it will inevitably come down to the initiative roll once the range is closed and the ensuing AT fire but as an intro to tank warfare there is little better.

This is an interesting and fast playing little scenario. It is not a bad one with which to brush up on armor rules and tactics. The US set up a defense to block a dash down the road and be able to react to any north-south movement. The Germans tried to used the Hetzers and Mk IV to threaten the center and fix the Americans on the road while the Stugs tried to boogie around the north end. Once the Stugs made contact they got bloodied so the Hetzers reinforces with the Mk IV staying to threaten the road. The US hemmed in the Hetzers and Stugs and destroyed all but one step, but took some casualties in the M4A1 platoons doing so. One remaining Stug step and the Mk IV platoon still had a chance of getting a draw and closed with the Americans but got hammered in doing so. Game over , American win with 5 steps losses to the Americans and 9 to the Germans with no Germans getting off the board.

I think this will take some very clever play for the Germans to win.