Panzer Grenadier Headquarters - Library: Winter Soldiers #9 - What really Happened at Les Tscheous?

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 > WiSo009

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What really Happened at Les Tscheous? Winter Soldiers #9
(Attacker) Germany	vs	United States (Defender)

Formations Involved
Germany		1st SS "Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler" Division
Germany		Kampfgruppe Peiper
United States		30th "Old Hickory" Infantry Division

	Total
Side 1	2
Draw	0
Side 2	4

Overall Rating, 6 votes
5 4 3 2 1 2.83
Scenario Rank: 818 of 940

Parent Game	Winter Soldiers
Historicity	Historical
Date	1944-12-22
Start Time	09:45
Turn Count	10
Visibility	Day
Counters	23
Net Morale	0
Net Initiative	2
Maps	2: 22, 25
Layout Dimensions	86 x 28 cm 34 x 11 in
Play Bounty	135
AAR Bounty	165
Total Plays	6
Total AARs	2

Battle Types
Urban Assault

Conditions
Off-board Artillery
Terrain Mods

Scenario Requirements & Playability
Elsenborn Ridge	Maps + Counters
Winter Soldiers	Base Game

Introduction
The Americans slowly wedged Kampfgruppe Peiper into an untenable narrow corridor. If allowed to continue, Peiper and his men would have to either surrender, die, or escape on foot. Supplies could not reach them, and the fuel situation was desperate. Using the last of his reserves, Peiper sent a small strike force to expand the perimeter by taking Les Tscheous.

Conclusion
The American unit's after action report declared that artillery fire sent the Germans reeling backwards and they never came close to entering the village. However, corps headquarters records also document that they stood up a scratch task force containing armor from one division and infantry from another to secure the village. As neither side mentions a night attack, one could conclude that Peiper's men did, in fact, take the village on this date, which then had to be recaptured.

Conclusion

The American unit's after action report declared that artillery fire sent the Germans reeling backwards and they never came close to entering the village. However, corps headquarters records also document that they stood up a scratch task force containing armor from one division and infantry from another to secure the village. As neither side mentions a night attack, one could conclude that Peiper's men did, in fact, take the village on this date, which then had to be recaptured.

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). 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

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).
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

Display Order of Battle

Germany Order of Battle

Schutzstaffel
Foot Leader Mechanized

Schutzstaffel

Foot

Leader

Mechanized

United States Order of Battle

Army
Foot Leader Motorized Towed

Army

Foot

Leader

Motorized

Towed

Display Errata (3)

3 Errata Items
	The reduced direct fire value of the SS HMG is 5-5 in Beyond Normandy and Road to Berlin. (plloyd1010 on 2015 Jul 31)
	The Units in Beyond Normandy were misprinted with a movement factor of 5. The movement factor should be 8. (rerathbun on 2012 Mar 21)
	Liberation 1944's counters are mislabeled 'PzIVF2.' The counter's ratings are correct (Armor 5, Move 8, DF 11-6, AT 6-8). (rerathbun on 2014 Feb 14)

Display AARs (2)

What really Happened at Les Tscheous?

Author	Hugmenot
Method	Solo
Victor	United States
Play Date	2012-03-17
Language	English
Scenario	WiSo009

My fifth Panzer Grenadier scenario. Played solo in about 80 minutes as I am still referring to the rules quite often.

American leader draw: 9-0-0 (MAJ), 9-1-1 (CAPT), 10-1-1 (LT). German leader draw: 10-1-1 (MAJ), 10-1-1 (CAPT), 8-0-0 (LT), 10-0-1 (LT).

American set up 1 INF, the mortar, and LT in town. To simulate hidden units, I picked 6 hexes where American units could be hidden and rolled to determine if they were fact hiding there when the Germans moved within 2 hexes. It worked well enough.

German set up the 8-0-0 LT with the two mortars on top of the hill in range of the town and the remaining units north of the road.

The first German scouting platoon was killed when it moved adjacent to 2 INF. The Germans decided to extract revenge and assaulted that hex on the second turn. The assault lasted 4 turns before the Americans were eliminated and that left very little time to take the town. Adding to the challenge was the fact the PzIV H was demoralized and never recovered.

I retreated the still hidden second stack of Americans towards the town on turn 7 as it was clear the Germans were going straight for the town.

The fight for the town started on turn 8 and the assault on turn 9. The Americans survived the assaults quite easily, killing 3 steps of Germans while losing only 1 of their own.

American victory.

One lesson learned is to take into consideration how long it will take to eliminate a defensive position before assaulting it. If I were to replay this scenario, I would have the Germans bypass the American outposts and go directly for the town.

I gave the scenario a 2 but I suspect it would rate a 3 or 4 in a ftf match.

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Hot knife through butter

Author	Poor Yorek
Method	Solo
Victor	Germany
Play Date	2012-12-17
Language	English
Scenario	WiSo009

Whilst US OF demoralized the HMG and the piss-ant 7-0-0 Hauptsturmfuhrer recently sent over to the Waffen SS from the SD (having made a cuckold of the camp commandant), a stack of 2xGren + PzIVH + 10-1-1 veteran of the Eastern Front simply were devastating in assault. The US platoons holding the heavy woods/roads were quickly overrun. A few disruptions were fairly quickly recovered. Pretty much ditto story: even with the town bonus, the SS were on the 24-col and rolled well. The last hurrah for the US was disrupting the PzIVH platoon before Les Tscheous fell.

Really wonder if one should not put 2xINF + HMG in the town and try to hold?

Very different from the previous scenario where larger stacks of US INF "unleashed hell" on approaching grenadiers.

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PG-HQ Library - Panzer Grenadier Hall > Scenarios > WiSo009

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