Stemming The Tide

New years gaming got off to a cracking start today with a game set during the German Ardennes offensive, Wacht Am Rhein.

The US forces are blocking a road, the Germans are tasked with breaking through. Time is of the essence if the Americans are still holding out by turn five the Germans must take a Battle Rating counter at the start of every turn then and there after.

The Germans attack from the top of the picture with a flanking force diced for at the beginning of each turn from four and every turn afterwards.

The German foot patrol work their way through the copse to pin the American defenders ahead of the arrival of the flanking force.

A German squad moves up in support of the patrol who are coming under off table artillery fire.

In the centre the Americans endeavour to pin down the attackers while their vomrades work around the flank.

Having pinned the Germans in the copse American infantry advance supported by a M8 armoured car.

Up ahead the centre German squad is pinned by off table mortar and howitzer fire.

The Germans reply in kind destroying the M36 tank destroyer and pinning the counter attacking infantry.

More luck for the Germans the M8 hits a mine and the crew are forced to abandon it.

Turn four the flanking force arrives, well a solitary Hetzer, drat. It does however make short work of the Sherman guarding the American left flank.

Over on the other flank the Americans continue to work around the German left.

The StuH 42G is targeted and destroyed.

By turn five both sides were in the edge of exceeding their Battle Rating, luckily for the Germans the compulsory chit draw at the beginning of the turn was an air attack counter not adding to their chit total. All they needed to do was force a chit draw on the Americans and a numbered chit would more than likely secure a victory. Alas it was not to be and the Americans did better forcing the Germans to withdraw, the road was secured.

Until next time..........

TTFN & KBO