Sample forces for early Bulge fighting

[JasonC]

I've been researching some of the early breakthrough fighting in the Bulge recently, and in the process I've developed some rough order of battle matchups to simulate the early fighting. The forces involved are based on the 26 VG and 2 Panzer on the German side, and the 110th Infantry of the US 28th infantry division on the US side. This was the target of the initial German breakthrough attempt by the right half of the middle Panzer army in the whole attack.

Part of the interest is that the scale of the fights fits CM rather well. The US forces were defending in reinforced company strongpoints with infantry and guns, in the front line. I've included some optional reinforcement groups for the US too, to show the historical arrival of small contingents of reserve armor, trying to shore up this or that company position. The OOBs are all meant to be used for German attacks against US defense in December 44. The terrain should generally be villages in heavy woods with moderate or large hills. The scale of the fights is 1250 defenders vs. 1875 attackers; they should be 30 turns long. Everyone is regulars except a few snipers, which are noted, for simplicity's sake.

First the US infantry defense groups. There are five variants, each based around an infantry company with other forces added; all are the "infantry" force type, dug in but with serious obstacles rare.

Force A -

Infantry company

4 76mm AT guns

1 105mm FO

+2 MMG

+3 zook

2 AT mine

6 AP mine

2 TRP

Force B -

Infantry company

3 105mm howitzer

3 57mm AT guns

1 105mm FO

+2 50 cal MG

+1 MMG

+3 zook

1 TRP

Force C -

Infantry company

2 Engineer platoon

3 57mm AT guns

1 81mm FO

+2 zook

Force D -

Infantry company

6 57mm AT guns

3 81mm mortar team

1 105mm FO

+1 50 cal MG

+1 MMG

+2 zook

2 TRP

Force E -

Infantry company

4th rifle platoon

3 57mm AT guns

2 40mm AA guns

1 105mm FO

+2 50 cal MG

1 TRP

If you design a full scenario and what the tide to shift, you can add a reinforcement group to any of the above, entering 1/3 to 1/2 of the way through the fight from any of the 3 originally US edges. Only use one of the following. The most common type would be the Sherman tank platoon. All of the reinforcement groups are 700 points, and as such they will redress the initial attacker force edge when they arrive - if the defenders haven't been mauled yet. If you only want a simply quick battle ignore them.

US Reinforcement groups

Force A - medium tank platoon (most common) -

2 M4A3 76(W) Sherman

3 M4A3 Sherman

Force B - light tanks (middling chance)

6 M5A1 Stuart

2 M8HMC

Force C - tank battalion reserve group (rare)

2 M4A3 (105) HVSS Sherman

1 M3A1 halftrack

3 M3 halftrack

3 81mm mortar

1 rifle platoon

1 zook

Force D - cavalry (rare)

3 M8 Greyhound

3 Sharpshooter

3 M20 scout car

3 bazooka

3 M3A1 scout car

3 60mm mortar

2 M8HMC

(note the vehicles in the last have been upgraded somewhat for CM game effectiveness, and to make this force comparable to the others in fighting ability)

That covers the Americans. What came down the pike to hit these groups? Two main force types, one a Panzer unit led by its dismounted grenadiers, and the other VG in front with armored recce behind, from the follow-on Panzer unit behind it. Each of these two comes in 3 types, which roughly correspond to the sort of units thrown at the US defenses, in waves.

First the VG forces.

VG force I - plain infantry

1 VG battalion

4 81mm mortar team

9 schrecks

3 105mm FO

VG force II - VG with assault guns

2 VG company

2 added VG rifle platoon

6 HMG team

2 81mm FOs

4 schrecks

2 Hummel (150mm SP)

6 SPW-251/9 (75mm SP)

3 150mm Rocket FO

VG force III - Recce of Pz unit in 2nd wave

1 Pz Gdr company

1 VG Fusilier SMG platoon

3 schreck

2 veteran sharpshooter

6 PSW-234/1 20mm Armored cars

2 SPW-251/16 Flame halftracks

4 SPW-251/1 MG halftracks

2 150mm FOs

Next the Panzer division's forces. Historically these attacked beside the VG waves on a neighboring part of the front. All infantry forces listed are the "motorized" type rather than the "armored".

Pz Gdr force I - mostly infantry

2 Panzergrenadier company

6 schrecks

2 veteran sharpshooters

4 SPW-251/9 75mm halftracks

3 105mm FOs

Pz Gdr force II - infantry and pioneers

1 Panzergrenadier company

2 Pz Gdr Pioneer platoon

5 schrecks

+1 Flamethrower

1 veteran sharpshooter

2 SPW-251/9 75mm halftracks

4 SPW-251/1 MG halftracks

2 105mm FO

3 150mm Rocket FO

Pz Gdr force III - first wave of tanks

1 Pz Gdr company

2 schrecks

1 veteran sharpshooter

8 Pz IV H

2 SPW-251/1 MG halftracks

2 120mm Mortar FO

Note that the infantry came first because (1) they had just crossed a shallow river in boats, and were covering construction of bridges for the armor behind, (2) they were infiltrating between the US strongpoint positions and (3) it was considered their job to secure free road routes for the armor. As they closely invested particular strongpoints and thus controlled more of the road net outside them, the vehicles were able to come up and assist.

The Americans ought to have a tough time of it, especially trying to hold off the well-armed and numerous German infantry. I think examining these fights will make clear the power sufficient artillery and infantry strength have in combined arms fighting. As another thread discussed recently, success or failure of German attacks against Americans seems to correlate very highly with having enough of those arms at the point of attack, or not.

I hope these are interesting, and I in turn would be interested in people's reports of playing some of these match-ups. Might try some of them as the US against the AI, for starters.

[ 08-24-2001: Message edited by: JasonC ]

[Pak40]

If you're interested, Osprey has a great series of books Titled: Ardennes Offensive Order of Battle. There are 6 books in all (3 for US and 3 for germans) divided into the Northern, middle, and southern sections of the bulge. They all have very detailed OOBs and very good maps, although I wish they would zoom in to a bit more detail.

Here's on of them on amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1855329131/qid=998663561/sr=1-5/ref=sc_b_5/103-8109165-0438234

[Greenman]

Jason,

Have you checked out Germanboy's 'Bulge' scenario on Der Kessel? I don't have the OOB he used handy (I'm at work). But it might be good to compare. Just a thought.

[lcm1947]

Hey thanks for the info JasonC and what I'm sure took some work and studying on your part. Sounds like you enjoy it anyway, the studying I mean , but still nice of you to think of us. I also want to add that I for one really appreciate guys like you to mention just one for your knowledge and expertise and sharing all this with us. It's really why I keep coming back to this forum - it doesn't get boring. At first I thought you guys were a pain in the behind, you all can get pretty rude at times and I for one got a little ticked off at first but the longer I stay around and the better I get to know you all the less it bothers me and am really just now being able to appreciate you all. Just thought I'd mention that. Thanks again for this extremely interesting and useful info. I am certainly going to try it against the AI. and can hardly wait as I never even thought about using the correct units, etc to duplicate an actual WWII battle but now that you've mentioned it it's really an exciting idea. I would love to have the map resemble the actual terrain but will make due. AT least I'll be able go by your remarks on terrain so that will certainly help.

[Iron Duke]

Jason...I just put together an operation baised on your forces. I have played the first battle and found it quite fun. (I defended as the Amis)

With all that Arty, the Germans should be able to wipe out the Amis quite handily. The only thing I added to the American forces was 6 barbed wires. Otherwise the game would be over in 10 mins flat.

I can send it to you if you'd like, or to anyone else for that matter. It is not a "final" build yet but is a lot of fun "the first time around".

I recommend playing it as the Allies first, even though the Ai isn't all that good in attack, the shear mass is fun to defend against.

I have named it Co.-The Bulge.

Out.

[ 08-24-2001: Message edited by: Iron Duke ]

[McAuliffe]

Okay, I suppose you're talking about the Panzer Lehr and the 27th VG crossing the Our river at Dasburg and moving to the village of Marnach on the skyline drive (Grand Duchy of Luxemburg) This village was the key to the only paved road and suitable for armor that went west. The next station was Clervaux and the road to Bastogne via Wiltz.

I made a huge, but accurate, operation map about it, but so far testing resulted in the fact that attacking AI forces get lost and were parading parallel to the allied defense forces (119th)

Anyway I digged up following forces :

initial clash at Marnach :

Co. 1 I/304 PzGr. Regt. 2. Pz. Div.

Co. 2 I/304 PzGr. Regt. 2. Pz. Div.

Co. 3 I/304 PzGr. Regt. 2. Pz. Div.

They arrived on bicycle.

some reinforcements same morning:

Co. 5 II/304 PzGr. Regt. 2. Pz. Div.

Co. 6 II/304 PzGr. Regt. 2. Pz. Div.

+

an armored inf. company :

Co. 2 I/2. PzGr. Regt. 2. Pz. Div.

During the day and the evening following forces arrived on the ridge (skyline drive) dominating the Our valley to the East and moved further west to Clervaux.

Co. 1 I/2. PzGr. Regt. 2. Pz. Div.

(arm inf.)

Co. 1 I/3 PzGr. Regt. 2. Pz. Div.

(PzIV)

Co. 7 II/3 PzGr. Regt. 2. Pz. Div.

Co. 8 II/3 PzGr. Regt. 2. Pz. Div.

(StuGIII)

Btty 1 273 FlaK Bn. 2. Pz. Div. (88 mm FlaK)

The next morning the final attack on Clervaux took place with additional following forces :

Co. 3 I/2. PzGr. Regt. 2. Pz. Div.

Co. 4 I/2. PzGr. Regt. 2. Pz. Div.

(arm. inf.)

Co. 5 II/3 PzGr. Regt. 2. Pz. Div.

Co. 6 II/3 PzGr. Regt. 2. Pz. Div.

(PzIV)

and an extra PzJag bn (probably StuG's)

Co. 1 38. PzJg Bn 2. Pz. Div.

[JasonC]

Thanks, I'd certainly be interested in seeing it. If you want to play balance them for human vs. human play, I suggest using any number needed of the following American advantages -

(1) Reduce the time to 25, or 20 minutes

(2) Make up to 2/3rds of the German infantry "green"

(3) Give the US 25% fanaticism

(4) Add 100 points of "free" fortifications to the American defenses. But not wire or bunkers - they didn't have them. Any mix of AT or AP mines, TRPs, or roadblocks.

(5) Use one of the American reinforcement groups. If you are still having problems, have them arrive sooner e.g. turn 10.

(6) Use mud ground condition.

(7) Make the German artillery observors "green". Require rockets to be fired in the first 5 minutes as a prep barrage (call immediately; if lack of LOS delays a little that is fine).

(8) Substitute VG rifle for VG SMG, and Rifle 44 for Panzergrenadier squads

(9) Use large hills and moderate woods, instead of the other way around. Longer LOS lines and less cover for the German infantry.

(10) If using an "operation" in which several waves of German forces are committed in sequence (I, II, III), give the Americans a reserve infantry company for the second of them. The US did have a reserve battalion behind the front, although historically it "backstopped" the forward positions when they fell apart (as a "second line"), rather than reinforcing them in place.

Without these advantages, they should be played with the AI as the Germans, or with a US reinforcement group arriving to help if played head to head. If you want challenging fights that is. There is of course nothing wrong with playing the Germans to get a sense of what the forces could do. That is actually part of the point. Historically, the Germans were held up until nightfall at several points, but with these odds they wiped out most of these defenders by dawn of the second day.

As for the Der Kessel "Bulge" fight, I looked at it. The terrain is great, the best part of it. Not a large fight. I'd recommend playing it as the Germans vs. the AI. The Germans seem distinctly underpowered to me, for the time and place this sort of fight occurred, the defenders, and especially the terrain. You might consider putting some of the above force mixes on that map by editing the .cmb file, and also letting the Germans only come in from two map sides, known beforehand to the Americans.

The German artillery will play a much bigger role, but the terrain is rather more defensible for a reinforced company strongpoint than a typical QB map is. For those who haven't seen it, it features a large, rugged "hogback" ridge, wooded, with clear low valleys on either side and a "skyline drive" road running along the crest. The US holds the ridge and tries to defend a small cluster of buildings in the center of it.

[JasonC]

The US 110th Infantry sector, actually. The 1st and 3rd battalions in the line along skyline drive and its villages, the 2nd in reserve along with elements of the 707 tank battalion. Which involved rather more than a fight for the one village on the paved road to Bastogne. From left to right the US positions were D and A companies (not in this fight immediately), B company plus a TD platoon and mines (the main effort of the Pz Gdr prong), C company plus the cannon company of 110th - together those are the 1st battalion position - then K company plus engineers, I company with an 81mm mortar section plus most of the antitank company of 110th (the main effort of the VG), L company next to HQ and weapons elements, and including some attacked AA - together those are the 3rd battalion position. The supports included A and B companies of the 707 tank battalion, split into platoons, and later the Stuarts of D company in an ineffectual counterattack along the skyline drive, on the US left. A cavalry troop also wound up supporting the US right side of 3rd battalion.

Five different strongpoints in the initial line were attacked, plus a couple of positions beyond the main line reached via infiltration. I believe the main forces involved were 1 panzergrenadier regiment of 2 Pz, with pioneers, and eventually supported by halftracked infantry and a few Mark IVs; and for the other "prong" elements of 2 volksgrenadier regiments, eventually supported at one attack point by the recce of Panzer Lehr. Not all of this mass of German infantry engaged the strongpoints, as many Germans were moving between those, farther into the US rear. Which might have hurt in the long run had the US strongpoints held out, but as it was reduced the infantry weight hitting them.

[Iron Duke]

Ok Jason,

I have made a few changes and am going to shoot you the OP.

I have not at this point written up any briefings, as the OP is on version 0.4, but is very playable.

As a further twist to add to the gameplay, the OP begins at 0455 hours, (effectively at night) and that should add to the confusion nicely.

The operation is 4 battles long each lasting 20 min.

I recommend you start with the units set to defualt setup's. Just remember...the first battle is at night so care is needed becasue of LOS issues.

I just noticed that your email addy is blocked...could you please email me at:

hguerrero@activision.com

I assure you that I will not give out your email to anyone.

Out.

[ 08-24-2001: Message edited by: Iron Duke ]

[Andrew H.]

I just used these forces in a QB against the AI and it was about right. In human vs. human the attacker would be too strong; converting to an assault would help somewhat, I think (in human vs. human).

I chose to defend with Force A (Inf.Coy, 6 AT guns) against an attack by VG Force II (two reinforced VG coys plus 6 75mm HTs and 2 Hummel).

I think that large hills do a better job of depicting the difficult-to-negotiate terrain of the Ardennes. I chose dusk/dawn and random weather, ending up with overcast and damp.

The map gave me a village along a road running perpendicular to the direction of attack. There were three VLs clustered just right of center (as I looked at the screen), and one, smaller VL, way off to the left.

The area on the left side of the screen was more open than the area near the center VLs.

The first thing that struck me looking at the map was that it was an awfully large area to defend with just 3 platoons.

I elected only to defend the main VLs. I put two platoons near the VLs, but in a location where the enemy units would only have LOS when they reached close range. One platoon was in the far end of a woods, the other was in some small houses behind other buildings. I put the reserve platoon on a reverse slope about 150 meters behind the platoon in the woods. The unfortunate thing about the platoon in the woods is that it was actually behind one of the VL markers. Because of the German artillery, I spread the platoon as far apart as I could and still be in command radius. I then "hid" the platoons.

There were three main wooded draws that led down to the center VLs. I put AP mines in all of them, and the two TRPs in two of them.

I spread out the MGs (I think I had a total of 5, including a .50 cal) so that I had good fields of fire to open areas across which the Germans might attack, but still somewhat protected (like a little behind a building so that the MG can shoot diagonally, but not forward).

I identified 6 clear areas where I thought the German armor might move through; I put the two AT mines I had in what I thought was the least likely areas, and covered the other areas with the 4 AT guns. I tried to keyhole the guns so that they had LOS to one or two open areas, but were otherwise covered.

On to the attack. For a couple of turns, nothing happened as the Germans moved into position. Then they moved some of their 75mm HTs up, which were pretty easily knocked out by a 76mm AT gun. Then the Germans dropped Arty on some AT guns (I think both 81mm FOs were calling Arty on the same place. Anyway, eventually all but one of the AT guns were gone (the survivor being keyholed so well he did not have LOS to anything useful), and all armor except for two 75mm HTs was knocked out (a 60mm mortar killed one Hummel, and the .50 cal killed another).

The German infantry had been delayed and taken some casualties from long range MG fire, and some HE from an AT gun, but they eventually committed to an attack through the middle wooded draw (there were some platoon sized probes in other areas, but I think more than one company attacked through one area). Unfortunately, I hadn't TRP'd the draw through which they attacked, but my FO had LOS to parts of this draw.

A 105 kill-a-thon ensued, as happens when arty hits woods. One of the remaining HTs was killed by 105 arty. However, the wooded draw through which they were attacking was pretty large, and several squads survived to make it past the flag to the back of the woods where my men were waiting in their foxholes at the back of the woods. My men killed a lot, but more and more squad fragments kept coming, and some of my squads started to take casualties and become rattled; the surviving 75mm HT firing shooting at them did not help.

I decided to try to bring up reserves and bolster this line. Mistake. Even though the Germans were badly battered, their SMGs did an efficient job of butchering my reserve squads as they moved into the woods. A random 150mm rocket hit very close to a key foxhole recently reoccupied by my reserves did not help, as it caused 4 immediate casualties and send the squad running back in panic. Although it wasn't all bad, as the attacking squad closest to the foxhole was sent running back to its rear.

It pretty much ended here. There was one German VL, one US VL, and two ? VLs. Tactical Allied victory.

I never got the last HT. The main attack took place from turns 25 to 28. Notwithstanding the one lucky rocket hit, I think the rockets caused more German than US casualties, as a couple of rockets went into the wooded draw filled with Germans.

[JasonC]

Great AAR Andrew. Just the sort of thing I was looking for. Thanks. Incidentally, I agree with the point about large hills. The moderate ones are too wimpy for this fight.

One question about the AAR details - what was the fate of the US MGs, mortar teams, and zooks? You spoke of the MG fire covering the open areas, and the 50 cal and 60mm each KOing a Hummel, but not about what happened to them in response. I imagine they were more exposed than the platoons, but also more spread. Did they take heavy losses? Lose only the ones on the main axis of German advance?

[Andreas]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by JasonC:

As for the Der Kessel "Bulge" fight, I looked at it. The terrain is great, the best part of it. Not a large fight. I'd recommend playing it as the Germans vs. the AI. The Germans seem distinctly underpowered to me, for the time and place this sort of fight occurred, the defenders, and especially the terrain. You might consider putting some of the above force mixes on that map by editing the .cmb file, and also letting the Germans only come in from two map sides, known beforehand to the Americans.

The German artillery will play a much bigger role, but the terrain is rather more defensible for a reinforced company strongpoint than a typical QB map is. For those who haven't seen it, it features a large, rugged "hogback" ridge, wooded, with clear low valleys on either side and a "skyline drive" road running along the crest. The US holds the ridge and tries to defend a small cluster of buildings in the center of it.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Hi, I should maybe say that this was really a case of me having walked through Gloucestershire one day, seeing this place, and having this urge to do a battle on it. The forces are just something you could have encountered in the Ardennes, and it is really a patrol action.

If someone plays it, please email me or post a review at Adm. Keth's scenario depot. I am not 100% certain about the German strength there.

[M. Bates]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Germanboy:

Hi, I should maybe say that this was really a case of me having walked through Gloucestershire one day, seeing this place, and having this urge to do a battle on it. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

LOL I'm sorry but I just read that comment, looked at your user name (Germanboy) and exploded with laughter!

Good luck to your boys next Saturday BTW.

[Andreas]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by M. Bates:

LOL I'm sorry but I just read that comment, looked at your user name (Germanboy) and exploded with laughter!

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I can state for the record that my grandfather never had the urge to do a battle on it.

I can do all this without a trace of self-consciousness, too...

[Andreas]

I have emailed the map only to the Der Kessel webmasters, without zones, troops, and wet instead of snow ground. Also brushed up a bit.

It is an 800x800 meter map, named Red Marley d'Abitot', like the place in Gloucestershire. should be up soon.

Enjoy.

[Andrew H.]

Jason: I think the bulge was not a good place to be part of a MG team. Here's a little more detail on what happened to the MGs.

Near the beginning of the battle, when the MGs opened up on the exposed Germans around 500 meters away, I think that the only US troops that the Germans could spot were the MGs, so they concentrated on the MGs. Long range small arms fire and MG fire were pretty ineffective against the US MGs. There may have been some sporadic mortar fire, I forget, but it was not memorable.

The biggest cause of casualties to the MGs, at least for most of the battle, was direct fire. The German AFVs seemed to move in pairs. The first thing they did when they moved out onto the slopes was target MGs (which, as I mentioned earlier, were probably the only thing they had spotted). The HTs were knocked out in short order by AT guns...but they weren't knocked out immediately, and so they got several shots off at the MGs (I'd say, two per HT) before they became aware of the AT guns. For example, on the left side of the board, two HTs appeared and took a MMG under fire. The HTs fired one shot each, mostly suppressing. The AT gun then fired at a HT, missing. The HTs don't notice the AT gun and fire at the MMG again, causing a casualty and some suppression. The AT gun fires again, knocking out a HT. The other HT spots the AT gun and turns to engage it. The AT gun fires and misses. The HT fires and does little damage. The AT gun fires and knocks out the HT. I think this AT gun was eventually knocked out by 81mm mortar fire from one or both FOs.

The .50 cal had the worst experience when two Hummels and a 75mm HT opened fire on it at a range of around 300 meters. In one turn, the .50 cal squad was reduced to 3 men and a Panicked! state. Luckily, it was also able to knock out a Hummel itself, and a 60 mm mortar round knocked out the other Hummel; there were no AT guns with LOS to these vehicles. The 75mm HT moved up later in the turn and only got off one shot. The .50 cal team ran about 1o meters away from its foxhole, which was far enough away to break LOS with the surviving HT. The .50 cal. guys came back to good order a turn or two later and moved back into their foxhole; by this time the HT had moved elsewhere, I think to shoot at another MMG.

At the end of the game, one MMG was captured (I didn't see it happen, so I don't know the details), one MMG was immobile, one MMG (in an unimportant corner) had suffered only 1 casualty, and the others had suffered between 2 and 3 casualties. The .50 cal didn't suffer any casualties beyond the 3 it suffered in the turn I described above.

The MGs didn't take too many casualties from infantry fire at all, mostly because the MMGs were not near VLs; they were in places where they could cover the open area in front of the VLs. This also meant that, with one exception, they weren't too close to the regular infantry, since I had put the infantry near the VLs, but in places with very limited LOS.

Given the AFVs propensity to target the MGs, it was probably good that the MGs were not too close to the infantry, since the infantry would probably have suffered some collateral damage. But this didn't really occur to me when I was setting up.

Zook and mortar casualties were pretty light. I set the zooks up approximately even with my front line, in ambush positions that could areas where the Germans might try to flank. Mostly these units never saw an enemy. I think the only casualties were suffered by one zook squad when an enemy VG squad happened to run into a copse of trees occupied by a zook team.

The 60mm mortars I set up with the regular infantry, except that I gave the unit in the woods the mortar that belonged to the reserve team (for a total of two). I set the mortars up so that they had their own LOS (often diagonally off to the side), but could cover a different LOS through the platoon leaders LOS. This worked okay; I'm not sure that the Germans spotted any of the 60mm mortars, or thought that they were important enough to target. I think the Hummel knocked out by the 60mm mortar was actually in the LOS of two mortars, but I'm not sure; the AI did the targeting.

[JasonC]

To Andrew - thanks for the details. About what I expected. Does sound like nearly half of them lived, though, which isn't too bad considering how well they did.

To Germanboy - two different things. First an AAR of playing your "bulge" as is, and second some recommended revisions.

I took the Germans and decided to come in all in a bunch from the south. Because of the snow, I used "move" as far as the brush in the valley floor, and only went to "run after that if fired upon - which I was. Everybody made it to the base of the main ridge, though I left one LMG in the brush to cover (trying to pin one US MG team), and lost half a dozen men making it to the safety of the trees at the base of the ridge.

By then I had spotted half a dozen positions on the south side of the slope. Two MG positions, two squads, and one platoon HQ were identified. I moved farther up the slope to deal with them, with the firing ranges averaging about 70 yards - some as close as 40, some 110 or so. Since they were in foxholes and usually in woods, and I was on the surface in scattered trees, I took heavy losses and had quite a few men pinned or shaken. I also noticed the defenders weren't breaking. Also, one M3 halftrack was prowling the crest road and firing down on my men from another angle. A schreck missed it twice, and it moved away for now. All in all a rough firefight.

I used the 75mm arty on them and that helped reduce the fire enough to get my men out of "heads down", and they cleaned up the remaining men in those positions quickly after that. SMG firepower finally told. One US squad was routed by the arty and ran toward the buildings, the rest all stayed and died in their holds. I had a few men suppressed by my own arty, but nothing bad.

All this took between 10 and 15 minutes. At that point I had my first men into the line of foxholes about halfway up the southern slope, and the rest of that side was basically cleared almost to the crest. But I had been truly ragged out in the process. One LMG had 1 man and 9 shots left, the other was OK but had used half its ammo. I had 8 schreck rounds left. The sniper was dead and the FO had used all the 75mm ammo. Two of my platoon HQs had 3 men left between them. Most of the line squads were down to 3-5 men; only a couple had as many as 7 left. And they had used between half and 3/4 of their ammo. Many of them were tired from moves up the steep slope in snow, and half were still in "shaken" and similar morale states (though only a few were broken). All told I had ~50 men.

The remaining problems were truly daunting. For one, it is very hard to hit a 'track with a schreck through 80-100 meters of scattered trees, uphill. To deal with the armor along the road, I'd need to get the schrecks closer. But fast movement by them was out of the question for ~5 minutes, as both teams were already dog-tired. i could not afford to lose either one, and needed shots with 25-50% chances for the ammo to last long enough to get both 'tracks, even if both stayed alive. I had dealt with no more than half the infantry defenders. The cover differential was not going to improve much, since I could not see additional US positions from the captured foxholes.

It would take ~5 minutes to reorganize the men, fully occupy the captured holes half way up the hill, avoid the prowling M3s and their harassing MG fire, get the men out of suppression and rest the tired ones. Then I'd have no artillery to help, no mortar or MG fire support to speak of. It would be a straight rush through scattered trees with SMG half-squads, trying to take on full strength rifle 44 squads in buildings or foxholes. Not to mention the AA gun, which I didn't know about then, and the M3s which could easily stop such an attack if the schrecks didn't kill them first.

I decided in reality the Germans simply would not make such an unsupported, rather suicidal rush, and called it a day.

Next my suggested revisions. The basic problem is the the Germans are expected to attack strong terrain in difficult ground conditions with "negative odds". The German force is 375 pts, but the FO only has 70% ammo so its real strength is more like 360. The US has about 450, not counting unarmed vehicles. So it is effectively a 4:5 odds "attack". Also, the counterbalancing factor, it seems, is supposed to be the fact that the US troops are mostly green. But the 50% fanaticism setting far more than compensates for this, and in fact makes the US troops more "diehard" than the attacking Germans. And one platoon of the Germans are green, too.

I suggest the following force revisions.

Germans get a regular VG Fusilier company with the following revisions -

remove 2 sharpshooters, leaving 4 of them

add 2 panzerschrecks.

increase the sharpshooter and company HQ qualities to "veteran", leaving the rest alone.

This produces a force with 600 points, full ammo for the 75mm FO, and with ranged fire support in the form of 2x81mm mortars, 2xHMG, and 4xVet sniper (and the rifle-heavy platoon if desired). The infantry platoons are full strength. The whole German force is 137 men.

Then on the US side, start with a green rifle company. Reduce each platoon to 2 squads, making 6 all told. Lose the 50 cal and one each of the zook and 60mm mortar teams. For attached weapons, give them 2x81mm mortars (much more likely than just one), the 40mm Bofors, and 1 M3 haltrack rather than two. These should be green too, not regular. One truck and one jeep as well (unarmed, and likewise green). That produces a force of 500 points, more like 450 if the unarmed vehicles are discounted. Thus the Germans get roughly "probe" odds, 4 vs. 3. And reduce the US fanaticism setting to 25% rather than 50%.

Last, some changes to the set up zones, the weather conditions, and some tweaks to the map to fit the changed weather. The Germans don't have anyone in the black set up zone to start, so there is no real point in having it. Give the US the whole ridge, including the eastern road. The Germans have a U shaped set up zone pretty much the same as now, around the other three edges.

Weather overcast and ground muddy. The ground wasn't snow covered until about the 20th of December, and the briefing plot is supposed to be about getting the houses before the snow hits. Ground muddy will mean the water tiles are still water, rather than ice. So add a number of fords across the southern stream (not that they will matter much, but it shouldn't be impassible). For the same reason, scatter some "marsh" tiles in the bursh areas at the base of the two valleys, in place of some of the water in the southern case. Along with the mud, that will simulate "boggy" bottoms for the valleys.

The resulting scenario ought to be more nearly balanced for head to head play, and probably possible to play as the Americans against the AI. The Germans might be strong against only an AI defender, although a good default set up could still make the attacker's job pretty hard. (E.g. the 40mm should cover the western road area from the "military crest", a ways down the hill - rather than being up at the top with limited LOS).

I've made up such a revised file, and will send it to you if you are interested. Just provide an email addie I can use. You can contact me by email at -

jasoncawley@ameritech.net

- if you prefer.

[Andreas]

Definitely, please send it to:

germanboy@derkessel.de

Thanks for taking the time, very interesting and helpful.

[JasonC]

On the way...