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SPECIAL SCENARIO PACK ANNOUNCEMENT: Rendevous with Destiny


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Hey everyone..I've been head in the sand finishing up a batch of extremely

tedious and historically detailed (I hope) scenarios for you all, designed for

single player play, and in honor of that certain group of soldiers soon to be

further immortalized on HBO, the 101st Airborne Division. The First Scenario

(and there are many in the pack) should set the tone -- here is the briefing:

RENDEVOUS WITH DESTINY-01

COLE'S CHARGE -- THE MORNING FIGHT AT BRIDGE #4

Location: 1000 Yards northwest of Carentan

Date: June 11, 1944

Time: Dawn (approximately 4:55 a.m.)

You are Lieutenant Colonel Robert G. Cole, commanding 3rd Battalion, 502nd

Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division. Your objective is to

advance along Azimuth 195, and cross-country to Hill 30, near La Billonnerie,

where the battalion is to stop any German retreat from Carentan. You have

identified two Phase lines, A and B, you must reach. Your men have a narrow

bridgehead just to the south of Bridge #4, the last bridge to Carentan. You

must advance aggressively to reach your objectives. The Germans are also

expected to counterattack and seize the bridge.

Your Forces consist of assorted elements of 3rd Battalion. Company G is

commanded by Captain Clements, and has 60 men. It is deployed in a support

position behind Headquarters Company. Company H is commanded by Captain

Simmons, and is down to about 84 men. It is deployed to the right (west) of the

road, oriented towards a large farmhouse, which appears to dominate the

immediate vicinity. Headquarters Company has 121 men, and is deployed to the

left (east) of the road. I Company is still on the north side of the bridge. They

were mostly shot to pieces yesterday, while strung out along the causeway.

There are only thirty or so effectives, and most of the Company's officers are

dead or wounded. You may be able to get them across if they rally.

You attempted to call artillery during the evening, but your fire control direction

center stated that the guns were unable to fire at night. Therefore, you have

had no artillery preparation. However, now that it is nearing daylight, you

should be supported by substantial artillery fire. Although it lost all but one of

its original 75mm field pieces in the jump, the 377th Field Artillery Battalion has

since captured two pieces from the Germans, and is at your disposal. Further,

the 65th Armored Field Artillery Battalion is ashore and tasked to support us.

Captain Rosemond is your artillery liaison officer.

Primary Source:

Rendevous with Destiny: A History of the 101stAirborne Division, by Leonard

Rapport and Arthur Northwood, Jr. This includes an 80 page or so account of this

battle, several maps, and four outstanding photographs of the terrain, from all

angles: truly a treasure trove for a scenario designer. This "official history" is

remarkably candid, unlike so many of such books, which are little more than

cheerleading yearbooks one might have received in high school.

Design Notes:

1. All historic persons marked with an asterisk (*)

2. This scenario is Meant to be played as single player, US side. There is no

German briefing. Use German default setup.

3. All the RD scenarios are optimized for FTC play. A copy of the latest addition

of the latest edition of the FTC rules are contained in the zip file.

4. Lt. Colonel Cole (you), won the Medal of Honor in this action. Do you wish to

know how he won it? Well, I can't tell you, because that would be a major

spoiler. If you want to know, you will have to play the next scenario. Cole was

later killed in Holland by a sniper's bullet.

5. Captain Clements was wounded soon after the battle began.

*********

Now, there are several scenarios in the pack, but I'm just showing the briefing

for the first one, to get you interested, and to solicit you WEBSITES OUT THERE

who may be interested in hosting it...please let me know. The sooner a site

agrees to host it, the sooner they will be available.

***********

"The 101st Airborne Division, which was activated on August 16, 1942, at Camp

Claiborne, Louisiana, has no history..but it has a rendezvous with destiny"

-- Major Gen. William C. Lee in General Orders #5, Headquarters 101st Airborne Division, August 19, 1942

ENJOY!

Franko

[ 08-28-2001: Message edited by: Franko ]

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Okay, here's the second scenario's briefing...

RENDEVOUS WITH DESTINY-02

Cassidy's Crisis: The Afternoon Fight at Bridge #4

Location: 1000 Yards northwest of Carentan

Date: June 11, 1944

Time: Day (approximately 4:00 p.m.)

You are Colonel Cassidy, commanding 1st Battalion, 502ndParachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division. Your battalion has been committed to the relief of Colonel Cole's battalion, which has been in a nasty fight all morning to hold the its hard-won ground south of Bridge #4. (See scenario RD-01).

As the history states, "[Your] job is to build up on the ground where the 3d Battalion has exhausted itself."

Earlier in the afternoon, just after your battalion arrived, there was an eerie truce called so that both sides could clear up there dead. You are sure that the Germans used the opportunity to infiltrate closer to your lines.

C Company (thirty men) is deployed along the front of a large cabbage patch to the west of the Carentan road. A Company (also about thirty men) is set in a blocking position just to their north, along the Culvert. B Company is a little stronger, and also has about a dozen men from Company H. It is located to the southwest of the Farmhouse, defending the crossroads. The remnants of 3rd Battalion are clustered in and around the Farmhouse. You have significant artillery support (see RD-01 briefing), and your men are dug in with interlocking fields of fire. The Germans are most likely paratroopers themselves, and are extremely aggressive in the attack.

Primary Source: See scenario RD-01.

Design Notes:

1. All historic persons marked with an asterisk (*)

2. This scenario is Meant to be played as single player, US side. There is no German briefing. It is also meant to be played AFTER RD-01, Cole's Charge.

3. All the RD scenarios are optimized for FTC play. A copy of the latest addition of the latest edition of the FTC rules are contained in the zip file.

4. Historically, Captain Rosemond's successful begging and pleading of the artillery CP, Captain Aldrich, saved the day.

5. At 2000, Colonel Cole called roll call. Only 120 men reported in.

6. The causeway was renamed "Purple Heart Lane". A song by the same name is sung by the 101st:

We drink to the men so bronzed and tan,

Who marched down the road to Carentan.

The were the ones who so long had to train,

To fight this battle of Purple Heart Lane.

Yes, this is that road stretched ‘cross the plain,

This piece of macadam called Purple Hart Lane.

The long battle over, we trudged up the hill,

There we paused to look back at our comrades so still.

We think of the boys, who died not in vain.

Our pals, yes, the heroes of Purple Heart Lane.

— R.D. Cread and R.H. Bryant, 502nd PIR.

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As always, i'd be willing to host any stuff that you do Franko.

I'm just getting back to updating the site after taking a break from CM for the past month or so. I can get it posted later today if you send it in.

Cheers!

p.s - i have also replied with this to the same thread you started on the main board.

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I've been in touch with Franko and he said he would send it to me asap. He's still got a few finishing touches he needs to make to the scenario and i know he's very busy at the moment with one thing or another. Hopefully it won't be long.

[ 09-03-2001: Message edited by: Manx ]

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

I've been in touch with Franko and he said he would send it to me asap. He's still got a few finishing touches he needs to make to the scenario and i know he's very busy at the moment with one thing or another. Hopefully it won't be long.

[ 09-03-2001: Message edited by: Manx ]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Thanks for the update Manx

;)

SS Peiper

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