This scenario, looked very interesting to me. Nice mix of unit types on both sides of the fence. 12 turn scenario and not too many counters, perfect for a faster game.

The German basically have to defend the town hexes on board ten and take out American steps and hope their reinforcement come in soon, as they are kind of spread thin but they do have three entrenchments, three strong-points, three minefields and units not starting in town or heavy wood hexes can start dug-in. Other than that they have an odd unit mix to defend with but the Jpz IV/70 is their best asset to slow all the American armor down, until at least a Panther platoon comes to help out in the reinforcement mix. They can also use the woods to the South as a natural barrier but still they are exposed to the flanks as they don’t have enough units to cover everything.

The American have the same objectives: take control of the town hexes on board ten and kill German steps. As the attacking force they are kind of spread thin as well and really need those reinforcements to come soon, as this has a 12 turn limit and the mud will really slow movement. On a good note they will have some air support & artillery. I finally get to use the M10 and a Sherman Jumbo counter as well. The Engineer counters, all three of them, one being a FLM unit, will be very critical. Visibility also increase as the game goes on.

The German setup most of their forces to the West and North, the two area most exposed to the American attacks and use the forest to the South as a natural barrier and the road to the East open for the promised reinforcements. The Americans come on from board 25 and decide not to take on that mini Stalingrad fortress head-on but to flank it on both sides. A big risk as with only 12 turns and mud slowing movement down and terrain to the south being very difficult but we’ll see.

The Americans proceed with their two prong flanking attack. Why face that frontal assault, on fortified areas, if I don’t have to. At first I noticed I had two too many Sherman counters on the board and pulled them off before they made a difference.

In the early turns the Americans rolled first activation a lot, sometimes three before the Germans got to react, so this help get the offense going. In the beginning the Jpz IV/70 took out a step of M10 but it was eventually overwhelmed and taken out by more Sherman’s & M10’s. Some of my American Infantry got caught out in the open by German Artillery as the Visibility increased. The worst unit in trying to figure out what to do with, was the truck loaded 57mm AT guns. I should have just left them in the rear but I thought I might be able to bring them up to block the German reinforcements but with the mud, they were too slow and the German got their reinforcement on turn two.

This early arrival of the German reinforcements has now put a lot of pressure on the Americans, as they can no longer just stroll around the flanks and the Germans can now cover a lot more area for defense. The American got their reinforcements on turn 4 but is this too late to get them across two boards in the mud with only 8 turns left? I lost a truck loaded with a 57mm AT gun. The Americans are now knocking at the door on the Southern and Northern flanks but the Germans are adjusting their force as well. To the South, the Americans were able to slip some units adjacent to a Panther unit which activate in time to take out the Sherman Platoon, both steps but not in time to avoid an assault all alone in an urban hex. Not only that but the Americans rolled for an INF AT result and rolled high, taking out a step of Panthers, followed by the assault which took out the other step. The German are now without any armor but some halftracks. They do have a small gun and one of the strong-points has a AT value, which to my surprise has a two value and rolled a 10, taking out another step of M10 TD, which only has a defensive value of 2.

The Americans were able to penetrate some of the Southern city hexes and controlled two at one time, before one ended up being contest again. Both sides lost some more infantry steps and the Americans one leader. Only the first group of American reinforcement played any part of the battle, helping to knockout one entrenchment with the help of the FLM engineer to cancel the Fire First. I also took out one Strongpoint, which turned out to be a dummy.

The finally result was not enough time for the Americans. That mud hurt, slow reinforcement and early German reinforcement sure bottled things up and changed this battlefield. For what it’s worth, the Germans had a good defensive setup. But tomorrow will look more promising!

The American lost 13 steps and one leader but controlled only one city hex on board 10 and had a second one contested in an assault, as the Germans went to reclaim it. • Total of 14 American Victory Points.

The Germans lost 12 steps but controlled four city hexes on board 10. • Total of 21 German Victory Points. • Minor German Victory according to the scenario!

A fun scenario to play and I finally got to push a Jumbo Sherman counter around!

Note: Winter (post-harvest) field rules in effect. Mud. Only 12 turns. Reinforcements for both sides contingent on a 5-6 roll beginning on Turn One.

Germans set up their three mines to the north of Hamich (B10 town); ENTs to the west and SW. SP draw was a 9-4, a 5-4, and one unoccupied. The JgdpzIV and a GREN set up north along the road.

US: INF + 2xENG attack across hill/ltwoods from the SW; HMGs + ENG + INF due east along the road; the M4’s & Jumbo support; the M10’s and 81mm are in the town on B23. With the fields harvested and no longer LT, the US armor will face a dash against the jagdpanzer or be forced to move slowly through the hills/woods and the Heer could bring the tank destroyer south along the road.

The orientation of this battle reminded me strongly of Return to Lutrebois in Winter Soldiers.

The US HMG’s + ENG take some morale hits on their approach; likewise, the Heer HMG guarding the approach to Hamich from the west is DEM’d (but does not flee due to being in an ENT). US armor takes the expected hit from the 75/L70 guns, but only single steps and one platoon saves morale and the other is only DIS’d. The M10’s then charge forward.

US INF + ENGs make their approach to attack from the SW.

The Heer get initiative and the M10’s are obliterated, but fire from the JUMBO and surviving M4 kills a step of the jagdpanzer IV, DEMing the other. The GREN moves south to reinforce the town as the US did not send INF vs. the panzerjagers.

On Turn Four, German reinforcements arrive (a full company borne on SPW’s and a Panther). US reinforcements do not arrive until Turn Eight (which means they will arrive too late to affect the battle).

With enemy reinforcements arriving and their own in doubt, the INF group surges forward hoping the hill/light woods will allow them to approach the ENT’d GRENS protecting Hamich from the South. The 12th Infantry grenadiers opportunity fire is withering (three ‘12’s in succession on 11/16 col DF attacks – and this using a home-made cardboard die roller – basically, the dice bounce down off of three alternating ledges and tumble out the bottom into a box: this avoids the “helping hand” drama). The US is left with a weakened force with serious morale problems (four platoons with black markers) and the 116th panzer grenadiers are approaching along the trail on their schutzenpanzerwagens.

This simply turns into a route as the Heer 12th INF holds Hamich and their OBA and mortars keep the HMGs, who can only move one hex/activation anyway, further slowed by Disruption; the 116th slams into the disoriented troops of the Big Red One; and the Panther prevents surviving US armor from interdicting the SPW’s (or, more to the point, when, out of desperation, they did engage, killing three of them, they were themselves destroyed).

I found this scenario flawed. US reinforcements are foot units (save for another M10 and M5). INF + FLM units have movements of ‘2’ with mud rules or, put another way, they can move three hexes along a road (3x2/3=2). It requires six-seven turns for US reinforcements simply to move to the western outskirts of Hamich much less engage in combat. Thus, if the US does not roll a 5-6 by turn 4-5, their reinforcements are essentially useless. The only US hope then is a failure of Heer reinforcements until after the US can infiltrate the town.

The other suggestion for future players might be to consider using the 2xtrucks to transport the HMG's along with the INF along the "southern route approach." Even along a road, with MUD rules an HMG platoon moves one hex at a time. The 57mm ATG's could have been useful vs. the SPWs, but not having those HMGs in action early is a major loss of US firepower.