SPOILER ALERT:Don't read the following if you want to try this scenario without knowing where the German reinforcements come in and what their strength is when German reinforcements are turned on.You should at least have read at least one of the other AARs of this scenario or played it yourself to best appreciate this AAR.
The very bad and weak German starting disposition, fatigue at the start and lack of heavy artillery is such that almost any competent Allied strategy will work. Other AARs show 3 different strategies for the Allies: 1) Chad's classical attack oriented towards gaining objectives with a reserve that is committed when German strengths (at least front-line units) are known; 2) my own maneuver warfare approach where German lines are first probed, and emphasis is put on neutralizing the German forces as opposed to destroying them, and emphasis on linking up with Patton by exiting units; 3) the all-out lucky knockout punch by SpelkZero where a strong force is sent down the river side and overruns the German supply units, forcing the Germans to surrender due to lack of supplies. Other strategies are possible, but these three pretty much cover the spectrum.
Playing as the Allies with German reinforcements on changes almost nothing, because by the time the first German reinforcements arrive on Day 3, the battle is essentially over, and the best that the arriving Germans can do is harrass the Allied units trying to get to the exit point.All three approaches described above will easily win against the German AI with reinforcements because of the late arrival of the German reinforcements.So what can the Germans do to change this outcome when played by a human?
In my own game with the Germans without reinforcements, I managed to get a marginal defeat by using a flexible defence with delay tactics, which I think is the best result that that the Germans can expect without reinforcements.This strategy involves early abandonment of the Beffe objective where the strongest German units are located, and which is not on the roads that the Allies need to get to the exit objective.These units are instead sent to Devantave, where they will carry out a delaying retreat to Laidprangeleux to the South, the last objective before the exit objective. The units on Hill 400 will carry out a delaying retreat to Devantave, where they will try to hold out as long as possible.The units at Amonimes along the river will hold out as long as possible, to give time to the units at Dochamps to move up to the crossroads halfway up the road to carry out delaying tactics along the road to Dochamps.
So can the German use their reinforcements to improve their result and even win the scenario? The German AI of course will try to defend the objectives, and as mentioned above, this strategy cannot buy enough time for the arrival of German reinforcements to make a significant difference.
The German reinforcements are one Panzergrenadier battalion with 12 tanks arriving at the exit point after 0730 on Day 3, and another similar one arriving in the afternoon of Day 3. It should be clear from the above that the German's only chance is to DELAY the Allies sufficiently for the reinforcements to make a difference.This means that at least Laidprangeleux and Dochamps should be contested when the reinforcements arrive.
So I used the same delaying tactics as described above, and the presence of the former German defenders of Beffe on the Devantave road prevented the Allies from easily breaking through to Laidprangeleux and the exit objective. The first German reinforcement arrived late at 0930 on Day 3, just as the Allies were about to break through the worn out German defenders who had fought their way back to Laidprangeleux. The fresh Panzergrenadiers were sent up the road to Laidprangeleux with attack orders, and pushed back the very tired Allied attackers and captured Laidprangeleux, despite the fact that the Allies were three times as numerous. Along the riverside at Dochamps, a battle raged all day between the outnumbered and battered German defenders who had delayed all along the road and a strong but tired Allied force of some three battalions.
In late afternoon the second Panzergrenadier battalion appeared at Dochamps, just in time to preent the annihilation of the defenders; the fresh Germans pushed the tired Allies out of Dochamps, but went on the defensive during the night, because their role was not to try to beat the Americans but to prevent them from reaching the exit point and if possible to keep them from controlling Dochamps.
Sporadic fighting continued during the night as both sides adjusted their positions.The Allies rested a bit during the night and launched all-out attacks when morning broke, but during the night the German positions had hardened, and there were only a couple of hours of daylight before the end of the scenario.
The scenario ended with the Germans still in control of Laidprangeleux and a marginal victory. It was an expensive victory in terms of casualties, but none of the Allies had reached the exit objective. The Allied force had failed to link up with Patton and had prevented the formation of a pocket.
Henri
