Great little 10-turn scenario. US needs to push the SS out of town and away from the north-south road, hoping the SS armor takes it's time arriving. While the US kept the initiative most of the game, the German armor arrived on turn 2, dispatching the US Sherman platoon quickly and making it difficult for the US troops. A stack of US infantry in halftracks assaulted successfully at first then luck turned against them, losing one halftrack, a platoon of troops and a good Lieutenant. As it came down to turn 8 and the Germans still held the town and 2 road hexes, it was time for the US to advance and try to push them out at bayonet point. Or at least I thought it was time. Probably waited a turn too long, and watched several stacks of US troops on the verge of assaulting get shot up. Both sides had lost enough that initiative was straight die rolls by turn 8, and the Germans won, giving the Panzer first shot, and stalling completely the one stack that had a better than fair chance of assaulting the town. An exchange of mortar fire and a bombardment from the US guns didn't help anything (in fact on turn 5 and 6, I suffered more friendly fire casualties than I inflicted on the Germans with those guns). Interesting scenario in a great module.

The short scenario seemed to fit in my desire to play something appropriate to the anniversary of the Bulge date but something that fit into my lunch hour. US troops are set up mid-board in the town hexes there (treated as woods for this scenario). Germans hold the southern town and may be dug in anywhere south of the xx12 line. I set up one infantry and the HMG in town with the SS commander and placed an infantry and a mortar to either flank, 2 hexes away in the light woods dug in. A Pz IVH may join the fray anytime during the game. The US troops jumped the gun and 3 platoons and the captain moved out in halftracks to prepare an assault on the town hex after the Germans failed to get the tank reinforcements for the turn. The US Sherman followed down the road behind the halftracks to avoid the deep snow restrictions if mech forces move off the road. In jumping the gun, they failed to wait a turn or two for US artillery to soften things up out of concern for the possible reinforcements. After the US troops dismounted at 2 hexes range from the town, the arty struck and had no effect, leaving the US troops exposed and very vulnerable in the snow. German fire from all 3 German stacks disrupted and demoralized the troops. The US Captain was able to reform and get 2 platoons and their halftracks ready for an assault as the Shermans left the road and drove up next to them, ready to join in an assault, but again, the German fire disabled half of the assault force in the adjacent hex. Another force of US infantry lead by the better of the two LTs moved on foot attempting to flank the German left, but during the course of the next few turns, the exchange of point blank fire resulted in more US casualties and little damage to the dug in Germans. Finally the Captain managed to get into assault with 2 halftracks and the Shermans, only to have the Germans take out one halftrack and one step of Shermans to no losses for the SS troops. Next turn, the shermans and the remaining halftracks were eliminated and the captain was forced to fall back on his own back into the hex just north of town with the disrupted survivors of the earlier attempts to build up for the assault. German fire continued to hack away until everything was destroyed as the US Major bravely lead a last effort to assault the town, which coincided with the German Panzers moving in from the south. The US made the assault and lost big, as even the Major died to leader loss dice roll. At the end of turn 7, with no armor at all and less than half of the starting infantry force, their commander gone, the Captain demoralized and the LT on the German left barely managing to hold on, the US decided to call a halt to the attempt. There simply wasn't enough left to keep making an attempt. Great game, and one that quickly shows errors made early on.

This looked to be a quick and interesting scenario for a solo game. The fight is very small with the American Task Force looking to clear a town and road from the German SS troops. The Germans are a little hamstrung by having only a company of troops, no OBA and must wait for there armor. The Americans have two companies plus armor support and OBA. The leaders for both sides were unimpressive, with the Germans having a 10-1-1 HPSTFR being the best unit on the board. The Americans have a 9-1-0 Capt and 9-0-1 LT but the rest are all X-0-0s. The VC's have the Americans taking the town AND clearing the road, which was a tall order for the Americans.

The setup has the Germans around the town at 914 as well as positioning their mortars in the woods behind them to provide support fire. All units are dugin except the HMG in the town. The Americans setup just north of the east-west road in groups of INF and M3s or INFs and HMG/M4s. The American mortar is in the field. All units are dugin except of the units in the town.

So turn 1 turns on the Americans on the very first roll. The Germans win the initiative and get two activations followed by the roll for the PzIVH. A 5, it appears on the first turn and the Americans need to rethink the advance of the INF and armor combinations. The German mortars open fire and disrupt an American INF even before they can get going, while the tank moves to position on the hill to the southeast. The Americans shuffle their troops during the advance with the infantry taking the lead and the tanks pulling back to the town seeing as the PzIVH now commands the field before their advance. American OBA does show one bright point by disrupting a German GREN dugin in front of the town.

Turns 2 and 3 have the Americans advancing toward the town while the Germans OP fire on them. The Germans are able to get disruptions on some of the units and slows the advance. By turn 4 the Americans are ready to advance toward the dugin Germans that cannot seem to recover. The Americans are able to get 2 INF's in position but not before German OP fire kills one INF step. But the Americans are cloassaultingalting the first German defender.

Turn 5 has the Americans getting into the dugin Germans and demoralizing them. They are force to flee when they fail to recover an are eliminated. German fire is weak and the Americpositionedositoned to attack the town. MeanwhAmericansmercains to the right approach the PzIVH exposed on the hill and force it back under assault assualt. German OP continues to be weak.

Turn 6 has the Americans firing on the town with the German HPSTFR and GREN/HMG defending. The German stack is disruptedalonghis alongs the Americans to try to get more troops next to the town. German OP continue to miss or get mild morale checks. By this point the American armoopportunitypporutinty to try to dash forward and take out the mortars and suassaultse assualts. They move down the road and around the town after the German PzIVH is forced to OP fire on the advancing American INF's.

Turn 7 has the Americans assaulting the town. They make it in with a good group to possibly get a kill. But it doesn't happen on this turn, they have to settle for M2 that demoralized the Germans. It seems it won't be long for them. The American tanks continue into the woods and threaten the German mortars. The PzIVH is force to move back to counter this more and it heads down the road for the back side of the town. This will force the American to either shoot or run.

Turn 8 has the Americans going first, the M4 fires on the PzIVH and rolls a 12, step loss, but the Germans survive the morale check. Return fire misses and the M4 surassaultIn the assualt the Americans have a 24 column attack, but rolls a 1. The Germans are able to survive for another turn. The HPSTFR attempts to rally the demoralized troops and succeeds. This is a not bad sign for the American attack.

Turn 9 has the Americansassaultuing the assualt but again no German losses and the American troops become disrupted. The tank battle continue with both the M4 and PzIVH missing with there shots. Time is running out and the Germans still have the town and units by the road.

Turn 10 the assaults continues in the town, but fails to score any losses. This leaves the town contested and enough to prevent an American win.

Leader Draw:

US: Maj(10-1-0); Cpt(10-0-1); LTs(8-0-0; 9-1-0) GER: HptStfr (10-1-1); Ostfrs(10-1-0; 9-1-1)

Germans roll 5 on turn 1 so the PzIV-H unit comes on board on turn 1. US won initiative on all but turn 6.

The PzIV-H moved into light woods limiting terrain (turn 1) and shot up two steps of M3's (turn 2); but, lose a step each on turns 2 & 3 to good firing from Shermans.

German OF was quickly overcome by US morale recoveries. Assault on the town of Les Tscheous however went well for the Waffen SS (read = a pair of '6' rolls) with corresponding low rolls for US (including a '1').

US took the town on turn 9, but could not dislodge a 1.5 Gren + ldr unit adjacent to the round in the woods south of town. Thus German victory.

Total step loses (to):

US: 8 including 1 step of M4 during assault on Les Tscheous. GER: 7 including both PzIV-H and two mortars. Two steps were lost on the last turn due to a '2' roll on the 30-col bombardment table by US OBA (killed the SS survivors of the town assault).

This game played over skype with Wayne Baumber in one sitting. Picked out as a random 'small' scenario. On looking at it, I was surprised to see a 4 out of 4 German win ratio as they looked so puny. Pressure was on not to lose here :-(

At 0930 hours (T1) the GI’s supported by a platoon of M4’s and a company of M3’s kicked off their advance from the east-west road as they started heading towards Les Tschous. The SS had placed a solitary MG platoon in the village and behind that, dug-in were their 3 x plns of grenadiers in the light woods. To the rear were their 2 x mortar units and they awaited the arrival of a friendly tank unit.

0945 (T2) Heavy American fire cuts down half the MG platoon defending the village. These are then reinforced with one of the grenadier platoons so that Les Tscheous can hold out a while.

1000 (T3) No casualties to report for either side, but the GI’s continue to close around the town forming fire-groups where possible. German fire, though not deadly is enough, in cahoots with their mortars to disrupt and demoralize a couple of American units.

1015 (T4). A US artillery spotter gets behind German lines and brings OBA down on the supporting German mortars. This eradicates half of them. Around Les Tscheous, the gun-battle heats up, with yet more American infantry from the 119th becoming demoralized. However, the attackers that continue the fray are right on top of the village now. One important US officer is lost in the shoot-out.

1030 (T6) US fire into Les Tscheous finishes off the enemy MG’s though the SS grenadier platoon still hold onto it for now. Flanking grenadier companies remain firm. Still no sign of the promised tank support for the SS Leibstandarte of Kampfgruppe Peiper ….. Where are they !!

1045-1100 (T7 & T8) The Americans force their way into the village now and are pretty ruthless, pulverising half the defenders in there. US losses are negligible. The Germans try to reinforce the town outskirts, but these too take casualties from the US OBA. In the town, the remaining defenders are cleared out and their Haupsturmfuhrer killed, paralyzing German command. Hoorah ! The German tank platoon arrives from the south just in time to take up a position in the woods alongside the road.

1115 (T9) The Americans now surge out of the village in a desperate effort to clear the remaining parts of the north-south road. A furious assault by those that just left Les Tscheous smashes into the depleted SS grenadier platoon outside the village, but they hold off the American attack by simply clinging onto their ground. This makes any further chance of assaulting the last desperate German defenders comprising of a tank unit and a mortar platoon impossible.

1130 (T10) Closing turn, Americans remove one final German grenadier platoon, but the PzIV’s and mortars remain adjacent to the road. They have held out for a close win. Casualties : Germans 8 steps, 1 officer. Americans 1 officer.

Well the Germans clung on for the win without knocking off a enemy step. The balance in fortune was strange really. The Americans regularly removed German steps and despite that, German morale kept holding. The Germans 3 x leaders were also ALL morale 10 which proved useful as well as fortunate. The Americans on the other hand, kept cracking far easier just when they were needed to form strong fire-groups. In the end, this may have made the difference because as the last turns ticked by, there was just not enough strength to decisively punch through. That said, the German tank reinforcements failed to arrive till turn 8 !! Had they got there earlier, this would have dampened the participation of the M4's and M3's in the US battle-group. I know Wayne didn't enjoy this one but I did (perhaps winning helped). I'll give it a steady 3 as I still think the US can win this one ? All I need to do is try and remove an enemy step which I have failed to do in my last 2 scenarios !

This is a nice, small scenario well-suited to introductory play. I've been doing a lot of that lately. This time I showed PG to Dieter, a guy I met at open gaming at the local game shop.

Dieter set up his HMG in the town and his grenadiers behind in the light woods. The mortars were in the heavier woods behind the town, well out of sight. I tried to flank him on the right with two rifle platoons and my HMG platoon transported by the halftracks, while approaching the town itself directly with the Shermans and the rest of my rifle platoons. He pinned down my flanking move first by disrupting and soon after demoralizing the lead U.S. platoon. While still trying to recover the Pz IVs showed up, which he sent to this part of the action.

Meanwhile, my direct approach also got bogged down as he got some lucky shots on the leaders. They finally recovered around turn 8. It looked like I would force a big assault in Les Tscheous in the last couple of turns, but as I approached he once again disrupted my top-ranking leader. This bought him time to bring the Pz IVs to defend the town. As things wound down it was clear I was not going to bring enough to bear on Les Tscheous. We called itfor the Germans around turn 11.

Vince has written an excellent AAR about this one, so I will just give my own views on this one. With 5 plays and 5 German wins it would be safe to say this one may be a little unbalanced,a rarity with one of Mr Perryman's scenarios as he is IMHO an excellent scenario designer, the US units have too little time, the Germans have terrain and the weather in their favour to make anything but a German win the most likely outcome. Our game though was almost surreal in the way it played. My units demoralized far too easily and Vince could not hit the proverbial barn door. It was strange to hear Vince moaning, and boy did he moan, about his shooting at the same time I was crying over the way my INF kept breaking. To be fair to Vince he had lots of 11,16,22 and I think a couple of 30 shots with not an X in sight, my shooting was far better though not good enough to win the game. The VCs have the US trying to capture the town and clear a north south road, this can not be done if the German does a decent set up with defense in depth. Before the game I had set up the Germans the way I would do if playing the SS, Vince's set up when playing the game was almost identical, I had two units in the town he opted for one, indicating to me that the initial German set up is fairly simple and should ensure a victory. Just a 2 rating for this one, way too one sided for me. Follower's of Vince and myself games would prehaps like to note over 4 sessions, 18 hours, 100 plus turns and 2 games where I was the attacker Vince has failed to inflict a single step loss. Is this a record?

While I have my Winter Elsenborn maps out, I figured it was time for a couple of Winter Soldiers scenarios. First is a small, short one from December 23, 1944: If at First You Don't Succeed. In this one, elements of Task Force McGeorge are looking to clear the one-hex town of Les Tscheous, and the road nearby, of a small contingent from Kampfgruppe Peiper.

The Germans set up 1 INF and one GREN in town, with two GREN dug in adjacent to both town and road, and the two 81mm platoons behind the heavy woods. There was nothing for it but for the US to charge ahead over open terrain, hampered by the deep snow. The Germans lucked out by having their armor support (a platoon of PZ-IVH) show up on Turn 1, though the Americans had a bit of luck of their own when their Sherman platoon immediately took out a step of the panzers. Meanwhile, the GI's were able to close on the defenders with no damage and only a modest amount of morale setbacks - very shortly the three M3 halftrack platoons and some infantry Assaulted the dug-in units, and after surviving some point-blank fire unscathed, other US troops jumped into town after US artillery had Demoralized all 3 units (HMG, GREN and leader.) Meanwhile, a third US combat group infiltrated past the main defenses and locked the rear-area mortars in Assault.

Of the three assaults, only the one on the dug-in units outside of town went well, and it took much of the game to succeed. In the first round one of the M3 platoons was eliminated; the other two soon fell prey to the PZ-IV, which first had destroyed the Sherman platoon. Eventually, though, one GREN was wiped out and the other demoralized and sent packing. But the town assault saw the attackers eventually whittled down, especially when the PZ-IV moved in to aid the defenders (who themselves had rallied after suffering just one step loss, on the HMG unit.) The third assault, though it sent one of the mortar platoons fleeing, never succeeded in eliminating any of the weak defenders.

Losses were - German: 1 PZ-IV, 1 HMG, 2 GREN, 0 leaders. US: 2 M4, 3 M3, 5 INF, 0 leaders. But losses don't matter for VP in this one; the only requirement is to clear the Germans from town and road, and in this Task Force McGeorge failed.