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UP844, Now I know you are freakin modest because my playtesting has demonstrated a "just about right" length. [:-]

As I previously discussed with Big Ivan in his AAR about "Czerniakow Bridgehead", we old ASL grognards have some deep-rooted instincts that (unfortunately) are no more valid when playing against the AI. First among these is "never move or stand in open terrain when you are in the LOS of enemy units", which in ToTH becomes "never move or stand in open terrain when you are in the LOS and normal range of enemy units".

In the game described in the AAR, the AI only fired a dozen times, namely it fired:
- a couple times with the MMG in the lower building at my scouting squads in the first turn;
- three or four times with the LMGs in the upper building at my squads below the lower building;
- a single time with all the units in the corner of the lower building, before I entered CC
- two times with squad FP, when I inadvertently entered their normal range.

I fired the same number of times (or more) in any single Defensive Fire Segment, with much greater firepower.

As long as the enemy does not fire back, it's not that difficult to achieve a string of quick Major Victories.

Coming soon: German side AAR

BLUEPRINT FOR A MASSACRE

German Set-up

My primary objective is to stop the Americans as they move across open terrain (the double road in the upper part of the map, the wide area right of the lower building). Should the AI attack from the lower part of the map, it could make use of some cover, but the approaches are anyway covered by fire from the German defenders.

I could have deployed my units in more advanced positions, but I do not want to expose them to the American First Fire and to fight the AI at very close ranges. This way, I will have two Fire Phases (Movement/Defensive and Fire) to hurt them before they can reply with significant amounts of fire. The wooden building marked with a magenta "X", in particular, would be an ideal location to place the B** leader and the two MGs, but is too exposed to possible American fire on the first turn.

I am not especially worried by the M18s: being open-topped vehicles, they should be fairly easy to stop with small arms fire.

A = D* + FJ/LMG + 2 2nd Line: covers the upper approaches

B = C + FJ/LMG + FJ/Psk: reserve, ready to fire point-blank at any US forces that manages to cross the double road, or to move to deal with any M18s daring (and lucky) enough to penetrate beyond the main road.

C = B** + FJ/HMG + 1st line: this stack covers the most direct approach to the VP hexes. With a -2 leader, it should be deadly.

D = FJ/MMG + 1st line: similar to the D stack, but with no leader, this one covers the lower approaches.

E = c* + + FJ/LMG + FJ/Psk + FJ: this stack should provide additional fire covering the fields of fire of the C & D MG stacks.

50 PaK = I think the other unit are more than enough to stop the Americans, so I placed it in the upper building, to use it against any American unit that manages to come close to the VP hexes.

81mm Mtr = I love mortars: this one is positioned to cover both the lower approaches and a large part of the double road.

Note: when I played the scenario with the Americans, I never saw the German mortar [&:].

TURN 1
Turn 1 - American

Movement Segment

The AI does not understand the "Schwerpunkt" concept and appears to prefer a broad front advance.

The M18s rush forward and stop just a few hexes away (in Psk range and within the FJ normal range).
Some US squads appear far away in the upper corner: the HMG fires at them while they move across a road but, despite a -4 DRM, only manages to pin one of them [:@].
An American HMG-armed stack moves along the lowest road: the 81 mm mortar fires and breaks the HMG-carrying squad, keeps its ROF and fires again as the remaining units continue moving forward, wounding the leader and breaking another squad and retains its ROF again [:D].

Defensive Fire Segment
The 81mm mortar fires 3 times on the American stack caught in the open and kills everyone in the hex [X(].
The "E" stack fires both its Psk and its FP to a M18 with no effect [:(].
The "D" stack (MMG) fires at the other M18 and STUNs it. Scratch a Hellcat.

Advancing Fire Segment
The remaining M18 fires at the "E" stack using its MA and AAMG, with no effect.

Advance Segment
A couple squads appear in the upper section of the map.