Date : Dec 20, 1944
Weather : Day, thick fog, Visibility max. 250 m
Ground condition : Dry
Map size : 3.040 m x 1.600 m
Number of turns : 45
Forces : Allied 8.088 pts / Axis 9.317 pts
Type : Combined forces : US paratroopers, regular infantery and armor against Waffen SS Pz Grenadiers and armor (2nd. SS Pz Division)
Situation :
The German Ardennes offensive has entered its 4th. day.
Actually, the three German divisions moving toward Bastogne were not all maneuvering to attack the city. Lauchert's 2d Panzer Division had other fish to fry. Its objective was the Meuse bridges-and when daylight came on the 19th the division advance guard was working its way to bypass Bastogne in the north. The 2d Panzer's end run, across country and on miserable third-class roads, collided with Maj. William R. Desobry's task force from CCB at Noville (four miles north of Bastogne)
A company of medium tanks, reinforced with a pln of TD's were able to beat off the first attempt by the Germans to seize the village of Noville. The reinforcements reaching Desobry consisted of a platoon from the 705th Tank Destroyer Battalion and the 1st Battalion (Lt. Col. James L. LaPrade) of the 506th Parachute Infantry. During the evening, every half hour a gust of enemy artillery fire shook the town; one shell crashed near the American command post, killing LaPrade and wounding Desobry.
Maj. Robert F. Harwick, a paratrooper, assumed overall command, while Maj. Charles L. Hustead replaced Desobry as the armored team commander. (Desobry, with an agonizing head wound, was placed in an ambulance headed for Bastogne, but the ambulance was captured en route.) Through the night the panzers prowled on the edge of the village and the German grenadiers came out of their foxholes in abortive forays to reach the streets. But the paratroopers held the enemy at arm's length.
Hustead could not know that Noville was the focus of the entire 2d Panzer maneuver, but he did ask for permission to withdraw.
Designer notes :
Sources : The First Eight Days by Colonel S. L. A. MARSHALL and the online version of Battle of the Bulge
Map design based on Topographical map IGNB 60/7-8 1/25.000
The actual map orientation is not conform to default set-up. i.o.w. You should situate Noville to the north (instead of east) and Foy to the south (instead of west)
In order to stimulate a more dynamic movement by the Axis forces directed by the AI,
an exit zone was provided. However, none of the Axis units are eligible for exit points.
All axis units are set at 50 % fanaticism. Terrain conditons are set dry (let's assume frozen ground). Actually the terrain was very poor for armor. Anyway, the map is crossed by several brooks and creeks which will force you to keep your armor on the roads.
Playability
Against AI : best played as Allied against Axis (AI) - default set-up
PBEM or TCP/IP : Allthough historical set-up, the balance of the forces, distances to cover and initial occupations of the VF should result in a fair battle.
"McAuliffe"
