FOW Mission critical; Champs 1944

Champs 25^th December 1944

Design notes;

Adapted to FOW from the Rapid Fire Battle of the Bugle expansion.

Introduction;

Desperate to break the Bastogne salient before in can be relieved the 26^th Volksgrenadiers regiment has been reinforced by the depleted 115^th panzer grenadier 1^st battalion and kampfgruppe Maucke and ordered to attack Bastogne from the west. Opposing them is elements from the 101^st airborne paratroop and glider regiments.

Terrain; 

The battle is set-up as per the map.

The woods are impassable to vehicles but infantry treat them as open terrain.

Open ground and hills are difficult terrain to vehicles but infantry treat them as open terrain.

Roads are open terrain for all units.

Battle of champs map

Deployment;

The American forces deploy first. The parachute rifle company must deploy within unit coherence of Champs.  The glider rifle platoon must be deployed within unit coherence of Hemroulle.  The command section must be deployed within Unit coherence of Chateau Rolley. All remaining American platoons must deploy east of the Champ/Hemroulle road. All the platoons can opted to dig in before the start of the game.  The Sherman in delayed reserves arrives on the southern road.

The 26^th Volksgrenadier moves on from the western table edge on turn one.  The 115^th Panzer Grenadier battalion and Kampfgruppe Maucke enter from of the western road.

 

Glider platoon sets-up defending Hemroulle.

The forces

Defender; 101^st Airborne

Company HQ with one attached bazooka

Parachute rifle platoon with three squads

Glider rifle platoon with three squads

Parachute Machine-gun platoon with two sections

Parachute mortar platoon with two sections

Parachute field artillery battery with two sections

Glider field artillery (105s) with one section

Tank destroyer platoon with one section (two M18s)

 

The defenders of Hemrouille were hard pressed by marauding Hetzers 

 The Hetzers breached the defences but timely arrival of the Sherman platoon clears the village

Delayed reserves

Sherman platoon with four shermans

Attacker; 26^th Volksgrenadiers*

Company HQ with attached anti-tank section

Grenadier platoon with three sections and command SMG/panzerfaust

Grenadier platoon with three sections and command SMG/panzerfaust

Grenadier platoon with three sections and command SMG/panzerfaust

Grenadier infantry gun platoon with two sections

Grenadier mortar platoon with three sections

Grenadier mortar platoon (120mm) with two sections

Grenadier machine gun platoon with two sections

Veteran tank hunter platoon (Two hetzers)

Reserves

115^th Panzer Grenadier battalion/Kampfgruppe Maucke

Panzer platoon with two PiV

Panzer platoon with two Stug III

Grenadier platoon with three teams, command SMG/panzerfaust and attached panzershreik

Grenadier platoon with three teams, command SMG/panzerfaust and attached panzershreiks

Each grenadier platoon arrives riding on one of the tank platoons. Roll for each tank platoon as normal if they arrive then so does their attached grenadier platoon.

 

At Champs Volksgrenadiers infiltrated through the woods towards the village.

Special rules;

The platoons in the 26^th Volksgrenadiers company count as trained.

The battle starts before dawn; starting from turn two onwards roll for day break as if it was a unit in reserve.

The US artillery is very low on ammunition and can only make one attempt to range in. Mortars platoon can still re-roll their first attempt as normal.

The tank destroyers were lost going toe to toe against newly arrived PiVs

With Hemorulle secured, the glider platoon pushed on to hill 106 to clear it of artillery observers who were becoming a pain in the ass. 

Victory conditions;

The Germans win if they capture Champs and there are no American units contesting the Champs/Hemroulle road. Or if the the American company breaks before the end of the game.  The Americans win if hold Champs and there are no German units contesting the Champs/Hemroulle road by the end of the game or if the 26^th Volksgrenadiers break before the end of the game.  The game last for 18 turns.

The defenders of Champs were reduced to a single section before the Sherman's came to the rescue