We’re doing this one a bit smaller than usual in the hopes we can finish it in two days instead of three. The map is 5x4 with the 106th set up around the edge of the Ardennes, and the 101st in three cities (for game play purposes it was decided three main cities evenly spread across the map would serves as objectives). US Reinforcements arrive on turn 5.
The SS-Kampfgruppen begins at their edge of the Ardennes. The SS-Kommandos set up last as paratroopers (it was decided no jeeps). German reinforcements arrive at the same time as the US ones.
German SS-Kampfgruppen
1 SS Panther Platoon
1 SS King Tiger Platoon
1 Flakpanzer Attachment
2 Sturm Company
1 Assault Gun Company
1 Assault Gun Section
1 SS-Panzergrenadier Battalion (Full Strength)
German Kommandos
1 Otto Skorzeny
5 SS-Kommandos
German Reinforcments
1 SS Panzer Platoon
1 Jagdpanther Platoon
US Defending Forces
2 Companies (106th)
1 Battalion (101st)
2 Anti-Tank Gun Batteries (101st)
US Air Force
1 Squadron P-51D Mustang
1 Squadron P-38G Lightning
US Reinforcements
1 Tank Company (Includes HQ)
1 Assault Gun Platoon
1 Tank Destroyer Battery
1 Light Tank Platoon
1 Self-Propelled Artillery Battery
1 Armoured Company
Special Rules
Bad Weather:
At the beginning of each air phase the allies roll 2D6 and add the turn number. If the result is 12 or more the weather has clear for this turn only and they may place planes.
Winter Rules
-1 to all movement rolls.
Ignore the High Gear SA, and vehicles do not get the bonus road movement.
Additionally, the first hex that a vehicle moves that is not along a road costs +1 movement.
Non-artillery Soldiers may treat water hexes as clear.
Long-range attacks give the target +1 cover.
looks very interesting… I cant wait until I have enough units to try such large scale battles! Dont forget to post the pics!
Yea I saw this scenario at the wizards forum. Seems cool. I like that you changed the rules so that it matched the real Battle of the Bulge, with US paratroopers already deployed and the bad weather. Tell us what happens, and as always show pictures!! :-P
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The US Paratroopers are already deployed and there is bad weather.
@Der:
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The US Paratroopers are already deployed and there is bad weather.
This is your thread right?
http://boards.avalonhill.com/showthread.php?t=14272
:?
Yes, that’s mine. It’s a smaller version of what we’re doing thursday.
@Der:
Yes, that’s mine. It’s a smaller version of what we’re doing thursday.
Ohhh……okay. I like the bigger version better. :-D
Me too, but it’s easier to playtest the smaller one and apply it to the big one ;)
The amount of half-tracks on each side is impressive. I’m trying to get a pic of the map done up; there’s one city on the edge of the Ardenne… I predict the fighting will be pretty brutal there.
Here’s the map:
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I like the maps. Are they custom made, or are they the maps that come with the starter set?
It’s a mix of Able, Baker, Charle, Dog, and Fox maps along with a few custom ones (3rd column, 2nd-5th rows).
I don’t recall who did the custom maps, as it was quite some time ago that we printed them off; he’s a member of HHR last I recall.
Unfortunately no Camera this week; hoping for next one. For once I wasn’t the Germans, playing the Southern American forces.
The 106th made a valiant stand, but were overrun. A pocket is still holding out near the centre of the Ardennes, tying down the Flakpanzer, a Brummbar, and the Jagdtiger (which seems unlikely to see combat now).
The King Tigers have penetrated through the North and a large force of SS-Panzergrenadiers are moving in close by. The Northern City (marked A) has taken little fire so far - only one ATG has been disrupted (amazingly it rolled 10/10 successes two turns in a row against a Brummbar, which only managed to disrupt it in return!)
The Germans seemed to be focusing on the Northern and Southern cities, leaving the centre alone though some of the remaining Sturmpanzer units seem to be heading that way. However several SS-Kommando units have been uncovered in the vicinity, but not before they sowed their seeds of disinformation. Otto Skorzeny is still at large.
The Southern city has been threatened, with a Brummbar approaching within 300m, but has so far avoided combat - US forces rushed out to meet the attackers, bottling them up along the one road and causing some damage - a SE Paratrooper sacrificed himself to take out the Brummbar, and a few StuGs were destroyed as well.
There were some heroic efforts on the part of the 106th - one squad survived being attacked POINT BLANK by an MG 42, a StuG, and two Panthers without being wounded, ran back into the trees, surviving more attacks, to finally come out and close assault a Panther (6/7 successes) before finally going down.
One Concealed Spotter shot a surprised Oberleutnant hitching a ride on a StuG (5/6 successes) though he was killed in retaliation.
Another Spotter held out four turns, calling in fire from four mortar positions on the SS-Panzergrenadiers surrounding him. He went down in a blaze of glory, shooting up an SS-HSF’s command vehicle, forcing him to dismount then be shredded by mortars. Unfortunately the SS-HSF shot the spotter dead before being blown apart.
Bad weather has prevented any air support thus far.
Next turn both sides will be receiving reinforcements - the Northern Routes are blocked, and five pristine King Tigers are waiting for them. I’m glad I’m in the south.
~DL
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Unfortunately again, no pics. Been a little busy and completely forgot to borrow a camera :(
The detailed battle map ;) Arrows are major thrusts, circles are the relative areas of the force.
German forces pressed on throwing everything they had at us. They shifted a fair portion of each of the forces towards the centre where I had deployed my M36s. The King Tigers practically just say there and blasted stuff every turn - for the most part they were invincible - with the Jagdpanthers covering them we couldn’t bring enough firepower down on them. However one Easy Eight managed to score 9/12 successes with AP rounds… unfortunately just missing destroying the King Tiger… however my M36 was able to follow up and destroy it.
The Northern town at one point looked to be overrun; Half-tracks and infantry all over it, King Tigers outside it, etc. But my Ally managed to hold out and repel them.
The centre town was never close to being taken, but did come under some heavy fire. Many American tanks were destroyed there, but were readily replaced - the town was in too strategic of a position to lose it. My armoured infantry actually ran into the middle of the enemy force there, linking up with some Quads and managed to do some damage.
My southern city was taking a beating - I’d lost my assault guns, SP artillery, and most of my sherman platoon defending it from Panthers, StuGs, and then the next wave of Panzers. However the infantry were holding out well; concentrated mortar fire had destroy all of that force’s infantry - a Panzerfaust and an MG42. Not a single SS made it to within 200m of the city.
At the point we had to end it (midnight) the Germans had tank superiority and a few assault guns to support them, while the US was badly beaten but holding; it would be very difficult to dig out all the Paratroopers.
The USAF finally came out on turn 5 - by turn 7 they were down to one plane. The Mustangs were fairly ineffective (damaged a StuG), but the Lightnings stafe took out 3 MG 42s, a Panzerfaust, and an SS-PG.
Finally Otto Skorzeny and his Kommandos ran amock - their misinformation wasn’t too much of a problem, but they did draw off forces to deal with them. Otto himself took two turns with Paratroopers and 6 Mortars targetting him before he was taken out.
The Germans had a lot of difficulty breaking through the Ardennes - there were only a few major lanes where one soldier or bazooka could hold up an entire column. By the time they were truly breaking through the US reinforcements were already on their way to reinforcing the towns.
The two biggest influences on the battle were the King Tigers - the US had nothing that could effectively deal with a platoon of them and support weapons bearing down on the city, and the US Mortars which with their improved indirect were able to decimate the incoming SS Soldiers before they even broke through the Ardennes.
The Jagdpanthers did surprisingly well, and the Jagdtiger FINALLY on turn 9 entered the battle - firing a shot and destroyed an M36.
Definately some changes to do if we play this one again. However, next battle will be in the Pacific.
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nice! so whats the next big one? Anyone like to do a big 1940 France campain or 1941 race to Moscow? I like the earlier campains… less die rolling, i dont wanna get carple tunel too early! lol
The next few battles we’re doing, in order, are:
Pacific Island Battle
Battle of France
Stalingrad
cool… im trying to organize a big (not sure on da size yet) Operation Barbarossa Campain/Scenario…
Were I play though we r short on T-34s :-P Im also hunting for some T-20s and possibly will use the new early soviet armor in the upcomming set…
HUH? no Kursk? Market Garden? El Alamein?
@Imperious:
HUH? no Kursk? Market Garden? El Alamein?
I prefer early scenarios… although I love Krusk, but I lack a number of tanks to make it interesting… panzer III & IV’s r relativly cheep to get so I can build in mass :lol: Der Leiter has done a gaint Krusk battle… very nice pics too! My playing group lacks enough T-34s (but im working on that!) I will defently run this campain when I have enough units!
As for El Alamein… well thats true I dont see many campains on this one, but we are missing some British tanks nessary. I want some Mitilda tanks!
Market Gardens is a wizards scenario…
@Imperious:
HUH? no Kursk? Market Garden? El Alamein?
Already did Kursk and El Alamein.
Market Garden is further down the road, though definately one to be done. It’s just deciding how to impliment that one…
Kursk was great fun, but a little lopsided; the Tiger Company seems to be to blame. If I were to every do it again I’d cut it down to a Platoon and add more Panthers (Especially the new ones coming out).
Right now we’re all a little tired of Europe, hence the move to the Pacific.
However, I’m looking forward more to the Battle of France coming after it - I just really like those early war france scenarios.
DL, how do you factor in Otto Skorzeny and his SS Kommandos? Are they just units that you guys made for this battle personally?
