
The 36th "Texas" Division and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team (Japanese American) attack into the Vosges Mountains and into the new Volksgrenadier Divisions defending the doorstep to the Fatherland. The odds, ground, weather, and supply all favor the Germans this time, and no army in history ever successfully attacked through the Vosges Mtns.  In the 7-miles from Bruyeres to la Houssiere the 442nd's men will earn 5 of their 7 Presidential Unit Citations and 6 of their 21 Medals of Honor.  The price of winning more combat decorations than any Army or Marine Regiment in WW2 is high--some 250% casualties. "Go For Broke" was more than a motto for the 442nd.  At a special ceremony honoring them, seeing only a few hundred men present, the 36th Div. Commander asked why the whole regiment was not assembled.  Colonel Pence, the 442nd's CO, just said, "Sir, this is the entire regiment."

Four US Regimental Combat Teams attack a similar size German force in hills, forest, and fortified towns; through drizzle and fog. Enjoy yourself.

The Map:
The map is accurate, as much as hexes allow.  Elevations are in proportion but not as high, steep, or heavily forested as in reality.  The road east from Belmont along the ridge was constructed during the battle in a major feat by the 111th Engineers following a forestry trail. The game map is 42x66 hexes. The map is oriented with up as east, so you can attack up the map. The important objectives are not the towns and roads but the hills and ridges that dominate them.  

The Setup:
The actual battle area spanned the US 36th "Texas" (Texas-Oklahoma National Guard) & 45th "Thunderbird" (Oklahoma-Colorado National Guard) Divisions and the German LXXXIX & XLIV Corps.  I shifted the 141st Inf north in place of the 179th Inf of the 45th Div and the Ger LXXXIX Corps south, so that the 36th Inf and 16th VG Divisions would line up and avoid split commands and lots of HQs. The 141st did move north to Belmont during the battle and attacked eastward from there. The German 223rd & 736th VG Rgts are accurately placed to start. Other German units are close to where they appeared. The 106th Pzr Bde was in reserve to counter attack the US VI Corps' offensive, called "Operation Dogface." The 36th's org is very accurate, and I believe the 442nd's is exact.  In place of company leaders, I tried to name Medal of Honor winners and put them in their correct companies.  If there were too many (One company, G/442nd, had four Medal of Honor winners!), I spread them around--interesting problem having too many Medal of Honor winners.  

The Units:
Allied: There are 14 US maneuver battalions (12-Inf, 1-Tank, and 1-Tank Destroyer).  All are veteran units with superior leadership. There are many US special units, such as the 443rd AAA Automatic Weapons Bn specifically trained to provide direct infantry support.  You'll find that quad-50s will sweep away anyone in the open and 37mm auto-cannons really demoralize infantry. Also, keep in mind that 155mm SP Guns make great sniper rifles.  

Axis: The Germans are a hodge-podge of some 17 patched together battalions; but they are well lead, fighting on the borders of their homeland, and very well supplied with ammunition and automatic weapons.  The best German units are the 993. Volksgrenadiers, the Alpenjeagers (Mountain units), and the zbV "For Special Employment" penal battalions.  The Volksgrenadiers are short on man power, but their battalions have lots of mortars & machineguns.  The zbV battalions are composed of men, who can only redeem themselves by superior combat performance.  At the other end of the German scale are the 360. Cossack Rgt, which is a long way from Russia without hope or a future, and the 19. SS Polizei Bn of MPs and their prisoners: stragglers, deserters, and criminals arrested along the way.  

Operation Dogface, The Actual Plan:
The Germans expected the US to attack the important road and rail junction of Bruyeres from the south using the highway and the more open ground.  Maj Gen Dahlquist of the 36th ID used the thick forest to the west to conceal his concentration of the 442nd northwest of Bruyeres and the 143nd just above Fays.  He planned an enveloping attack to cut the Germans off.  The 141st and 142nd were spread to the south as a screen and to support the 143rd's attack with fire.  The 179th Inf/45th ID concentrated on the left, north of the 442nd.

The 179th attacked and took Brouvelieures and Domfaing, then drove up the St Die Highway.  The 442nd took the hills north and east of Bruyeres, then continued over Boremont Ridge to take Biffontaine.   The 143rd attacked through Fays to take Laval and Champ-le-Duc, then swung up to capture Bruyeres.  The 141st moved up to Belmont behind Task Force Felder (753rd Tank Bn) and attacked eastward along the forest ridge toward la Houssiere.  A counter-attack by the 993. Volksgrenadiers, the 201. & 202. Alpine Bns, and some panzers cut off the 1/141st at the east end of the ridge, and the 442nd was committed again to rescue the "lost battalion" and seize the high ground above la Houssiere.  The 142nd attacked on the right to support the right flank of the 442nd and clear the Neune River Valley.