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
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Prelude to Disaster
Panzer Lehr #19
(Defender) Germany vs United States (Attacker)
Formations Involved
Germany 130th "Lehr" Panzer Division
Germany 14th Fallschirmjäger Regiment
United States 634th Tank Destroyer Battalion
United States 70th Tank Battalion
United States 8th "Fighting Eagles" Infantry Regiment
Display
Balance:



Overall balance chart for PaLe019
Total
Side 1 2
Draw 0
Side 2 0
Overall Rating, 2 votes
5
4
3
2
1
3.5
Scenario Rank: --- of 940
Parent Game Panzer Lehr
Historicity Historical
Date 1944-07-27
Start Time 12:30
Turn Count 14
Visibility Day
Counters 89
Net Morale 0
Net Initiative 0
Maps 1: 33
Layout Dimensions 43 x 28 cm
17 x 11 in
Play Bounty 159
AAR Bounty 171
Total Plays 2
Total AARs 1
Battle Types
Exit the Battle Area
Hill Control
Road Control
Conditions
Hidden Units
Off-board Artillery
Randomly-drawn Aircraft
Smoke
Scenario Requirements & Playability
Elsenborn Ridge Counters
Fall of France 1 Maps
Panzer Lehr Base Game
Introduction

The Ivy Division stepped forward as the driving force in Operation Cobra by shredding the defenses opposing them in only two days. Headquarters expected them to push southward at maximum speed again today. Panzer Lehr, stretched too thin to cover the front assigned to them, organized their defenses as best they could. Assigned to plug the gaps, the 5th Fallschirmjagers were proving of little help, validating Lieutenant Colonel von der Heydte's scathing assessment of them.

Conclusion

Enjoying another banner day, the Ivy Division pushed another two miles south shattering the German defenses. This created a textbook oportunity for the American armor to exploit. With the defense in shambles the Germans searched frantically for a solution before dsaster came calling. They never did find one, and the near-encirclement at Falaise resulted.

Additional Notes

Americans have spotter aircraft for OBA.


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
  • Tank Destroyer: do not provide the +1 Assault bonus, even if closed-top (SB)
  • Self-Propelled Artillery: 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).
  • Prime Movers: Transports which only transport towed units and/or leaders (May not carry personnel units). May or may not be armored (armored models are open-top). All are mechanized. (SB)

Display Order of Battle

Germany Order of Battle
130th "Lehr" Panzer Division
  • Mechanized
Heer
  • Mechanized
Luftwaffe
  • Towed
United States Order of Battle
Army
  • Motorized
  • Towed

Display Errata (4)

4 Errata Items
Overall balance chart for 1230

Counter is mislabeled, this is actually a 75/41.

(rerathbun on 2013 Mar 06)
Overall balance chart for 63

The morale and combat modifiers of German Sergeant #1614 should be "0", not "8".

(Shad on 2010 Dec 15)
Overall balance chart for 47

All SPW 251s have an armor value of 0.

(Shad on 2010 Dec 15)
Overall balance chart for 25

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)

Prelude to Disaster
Author Dean_P
Method Solo
Victor Germany
Play Date 2012-11-24
Language English
Scenario PaLe019

The US forces start on the north edge of the lone map, and have to take all the hills, clear the north/south road and try to exit units off the south end of the map. The mix of Fallshirmjaeger and Lehr troops, badly out numbered but with superior armor technology, hold one hill and the woods to the south. The gameplan for the US is to clear the last hill before moving south. Time is not on the Allied side, however.

The US pushed their light and medium tanks forward, only to have them decimated by the Panther and JgPzIV. One after one they turn into heaps of twisted steel. Even so, their reckless attack covered the advance of the infantry which was able to move up and engage the outnumbered German forces. Eventually they whittled down teh resistance on the hill and started south.

The southern force watched their brethren sacrifice themselves for time. They sat in the woods and waited patiently. Soon the US army came into range and the forces clashed. The Germans were still outnumbered, but the US only had 75 minutes to clear the road. And while the US disposed of all but about 10 total steps of the enemy, they could not clear the road in time. The actions of the Lehr and the 14th Regiment, 5th Fallschirmjager Division were written with pride into their unit histories!

This was a fun, tense little battle. The time pressures are serious, and the US cannot let the German armor take on their counterparts as they will destroy it - a lesson learned the hard way.

German Minor Victory - Lost the hills, but kept the road and no US troops exited the south edge.

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