Test of Battle - Lindern 1944 scenario played

Game as scheduled on Easter Monday with the chaps at Mr Ps (always the willing host with the most) using CD:TOB but this time with his and Mr Bs excellent 10mm kit and terrain.

Scenario was Lindern from TOB book which is set in November 1944 around Geilenkirchen with US force (3 infantry and 2 tank battalions plus supports) against dug-in veteran Germans (1 PzGr Bttn plus reserves of a Pz coy and a PzGr Coy) defending a hill and two underpasses to a railway line with a couple of bunkers to assist.

To allow all the nice kit to be on table from get go we used the 'phantom stands' option (Krauts had 8) in lieu of using maps or hidden markers and this worked pretty well in fooling the Yanks as to locations of actual enemy.

Yanks commanded by Mr P, John and Le Duc whilst Mr B and I took the Krauts.

Yanks had a huge advantage in numbers but with the phantom units and the Krauts being dug-in veteran PzGr they would be no push overs.

So it proved as John sent a full Bttn of infantry against 'Toad Hill' on German right which was defended by an actual PzGr Coy with their weapons team in a bunker. The Yanks were supported by artillery and some direct tank fire but fell foul of some excellent rolls by yours truly (no too often I get to say that and it seems D10s are my friends) and recoiled.

Our left was 'defended' by a single Recon stand with the phantom stands doing sterling service confusing the Yanks under Mr P and Le Duc and making them advance cautiously  (Tanks were in tank/infantry teams so slowed to foot pace) and so allowing our reserves (under Mr B) to arrive to shore up this flank.

Overall losses to Yanks sort of broke their commanders morale and it was decided they could not progress to their objectives and time was called.

TOB worked well (practice game helped enormously) with very few rules queries. We did learn that a Tank platoon can pump out a lot of anti-infantry firepower as a PzIV in opportunity phase (+1 to ROF) was able to fire 3 HE and 4 MG dice to chagrin of a couple of US companies. Had their accompanying Shermans being able to respond in kind (no visible targets) that would have seen 14-21 anti-infantry dice in play !!

TOB covers all the required bases for a WW2 game and allows lots of options like use of various orders, flexible artillery options and indeed options on how/when to use shooting dice. 

But it can get a bit bogged down in choices and processes, none of which are complex of themselves but when all combined it gets busy/fiddly with lots of markers and stats and suchlike. Key is to limit game size to manageable proportions and not try to go too BIG (always a temptation but imho better suited to Spearhead or similar). 

A couple of sub-standard pics (my hands must have been unsteady with the adrenaline of all those high rolls !)

Check out Le Ducs blog for much better action pics and to do justice to the 10mm kit

https://warfareintheageofcynicsandamateurs.blogspot.com/2023/04/command-decision-test-of-battle-1944.html

View of German right with Toad Hill and railway line

Our left with phantom Coys on hill and central wooded area (Recon platoon has shot forward in forlorn and doomed attempt to delay oncoming wave of Yanks)

 

Yank infantry Battalion forms up to assault Toad Hill

US reserves arrive in centre but took ages to uncover Kraut ruse of phantom defenders.