Together with the French 2e Division Blindee, the newly-arrived and inexperienced American 4th Armored Division was converging on Alençon in an attempt to close the Falaise Gap from the south. In their way stood fresh but outnumbered elements of Panzer-Division 9. Upon learning that the Allies had established a bridgehead on the Orne Saônoise river, an immediate counterattack was launched with tanks accompanied by armored pioneers. Attacking from two different directions, the Germans surprised the Americans and soon hit them hard.
Attacker: German (Panzer-Pionier-Kompanie 3 and Panzer-Kompanie 2, Kampfgruppe Streit, Panzer-Division 9)
Defender: American (Company C, 46th Armored Infantry Battalion and Company C, 34th Tank Battalion, Task Force Burton, 4th Armored Division)
5.5 turns
Players: 2 OBA: None Night: No
Unit Counts:
Squads: A:9.5 D:11.0
AFVs: A:8
PzKpfw IVJ x 5 SPW 251/10 SPW 251/1 x 2
AFVs: D:8
M4 x 5 M3A1 ht M3 ht x 2
Guns: A:0 D:0
M2 60mm Mortar
Misc Rules:
Bocage. Stream is Deep; Hexes 72A8 and 72GG5 are stream hexes.
The Attacking Germans have very good troop quality but in our playing you never felt they had the necessary quantity as they are outnumbered by the defending American squads 11-9.5. Hence the German AFVs have to make the difference but this exposes them to fire and in the final push for victory tank KOs and loses in CC led to an American win on the CVP cap
2024-06-24
(D) Eric Partizan Eric
vs
Alessandro Zin
American win
2024-06-21
(D) g db
vs
German win
2024-06-21
(A) Paolo Cariolato
vs
Daniele Pagliuca
German win
2024-06-21
(A) fabrizio da pra
vs
Jonas Bjorkqvist
German win
We used a 10VP Balance for the German
2024-06-06
(A) Eric Partizan Eric
vs
Michel Bongiovanni
American win
2024-05-15
(A) Ian Morris
vs
Ian Ainsworth
American win
Lost on the CVP cap. Enjoyable scenario for both sides.
2024-03-07
(D) Michael Rodgers
vs
Neil Brunger
German win
2024-03-02
(A) Asad Rustum
vs
Bjørnar Arstad
American win
2024-01-22
(A) Andy Bagley
vs
Josh Kalman
German win
Third playing of this scenario, and another exciting game. This time the Americans opted for a 'core defence' centred on the village, which meant that I was able to swing my main force round to the west with little opposition, and attack from that direction. This worked well, including a couple of halftracks managing to cross the deep stream and approach from the American rear. I also got a couple of good shots setting American tanks ablaze, and the smoke hindered the defenders more than it did my Assault Engineers. so that by Turn 4 a combination of losses and buildings already taken led my opponent to concede.
2024-01-14
(D) g db
vs
German win
2023-10-03
(A) Larry Rohlfing
vs
Tom Repetti
German win
2023-06-20
(A) Paolo Cariolato
vs
Federico Corso
German win
Great Scenario, lot of options for defender and attacker alike.
in our game Federico lost 3 sherman to the same squad (2 for a PSK and 1 to PF) a 4th was killed by a PzIV.
Even with these losses it was a close game.
Both sides needs to understand and play a good bocage game, if it's not your piece of cake leave it on the shelves.
I had great fun. will play it again.
2023-03-25
(A) David Garvin
vs
Rob Loper
American win
For Nor Easter
2023-03-01
(A) Jim Bishop
vs
Øyvind Jacobsen Bjørkås
German win
Øyvind sets an up-front defense which initially was a little tough to crack. I made good use of the terrain and managed to create local opportunities of overwhelm the defenders capturing a few of the central buildings. I found a long hidden LOS on turn 1 to eliminate one Sherman on the German right. I eliminated the immobilized Sherman with a PF shot on turn 1.
Øyvind abandoned his hts where possible but I eliminated them for a point. I was able to track down all but one of his Shermans. The game was settled when I parked a MkIV on the bridge to gain control of that. I was over the necessary VP and gaining ground so Øyvind conceded.
It was tight for a long while but then started to snowball. I think this might be slighter pro German in the long run.
2023-03-01
(A) Andy Bagley
vs
Matt Ellis
German win
Second playing of this scenario, just managed to pull off a win as the Germans. I committed everything to a big push on the right (west) flank, avoiding much of the bocage. With a few fortunate shots I managed to eliminated all of his M4's, but the Americans fell back to a defence line along hexrows R/P and it looked for a while as though I wouldn't be able to get the last building I needed for the win. The Americans were perhaps a little too passive in defending building R1 (skulking when they should have prep fired?) and I managed to take it for the narrowest of wins.
2023-03-01
(D) Øyvind Jacobsen Bjørkås
vs
Jim B
German win
2023-02-13
(A) g db
vs
Mario ACETO
American win
2023-02-06
(A) Eric Partizan Eric
vs
American win
2023-02-04
(D) walter mcwilliams
vs
Al Salzman
American win
A nail biter for sure. My Americans managed to pull of a win. Al failed to kill the final Sherman nor take the 2 final buildings he needed in CC. Lots to do for the defender as you fallback and consolidate on th VC area.
2023-01-29
(A) Jonathan Kapleau
vs
Duenskie, Ron
American win
2023-01-27
(D) Andy Bagley
vs
Mike Grogan
American win
Great scenario, really exciting game, and couldn't have been closer. Germans needed 12 VPs to win and by the end of the game had managed 11.5!
Tough decisions for both sides. The Germans have a choice of attack routes and some powerful weapons, but can't be too aggressive or they may breach the CV cap. The Americans have to decide how quickly to fall back, where they will attempt to hold, and whether to commit their tanks to defence or hold them back to avoid losing them (which costs VPs).
Our game started badly for the Germans, with one tank knocked out early and two others malf'ing their main guns (one later repaired). I felt fairly confident early on, but the luck then swung in the Germans' favour, with several low rolls devastating the American defenders. Then right at the end, two 8-morale German squads tried to rush the last building they needed for victory. Both were broken by defensive fire, the building held and so did the Americans to win. Certainly a scenario I'd play again.
