The battle of Bergstein part 1

boersma8 · **boersma8**

Introduction:

On 5 December 1944 the American 5th Armored CCR launched an attack against the German village of Bergstein. After this village (and the critically important hill 400 just to the South-East of it, from which the Germans could detect virtually any enemy movement in the vicinity and therefore direct highly accurate mortar and artillery fire from this position) had been captured a fairly easy route would be opened towards the Roer river and a crossing could be made. It was essential for the German high command at this point that this did not happen, since beyond the Roer lay the Cologne plain in which Hitler was assembling his troops to launch the Ardennes offensive (Wacht am Rhein/ or Battle of the Bulge as it came to be known later) scheduled to begin on December 16. For this offensive to have any chance of success it was essential that the Americans did not find out about it. A crossing of the Roer to the East of Bergstein would give Hitler's plan away and would force him to commit his troops prematurely, thereby losing the strategic surprise element the whole offensive depended upon. This mini-campaign covers the initial American attack on the village and the main German counter-attack.

Historical aftermath:

The Americans took the village, but suffered such heavy losses in the combined battles that the remaining forces were unable to press on. The Germans suffered very heavy casualties as well, but the crossing of the Roer did not take place until several months later. Hitler could therefore continue preparations for his ill-fated Ardennes offensive.

Source: " Victory was beyond their grasp" with the 272nd Volksgrenadier division from the Hurtgen forest to the heart of the Reich, pages 82-99- Douglas E. Nash

Maps:

maps: 1 and 13. Both maps are placed horizontally; map 13 at the bottom and map 1 to the North of it. On map 1 the number designation should be in the South-East corner and on map 13 in the South-East corner (= hill in the South-East) as well. On map 1 the lake hex and the single hill hex should be treated as forest terrain (place overlay tiles either from the combat zone kits or from e.g. " memoir 44" or " Tide of Iron" if you own these games). Hex C37A is considered to be a town hex ( since the centre dot is in " clear" terrain, one might argue it's officially clear terrain)

Victory conditions:

Place objective markers in the following hexes:

* One on each of the hexes making up hill 400
* Final village hex in the South of Bergstein (along the road leading out of the town)
*Westernmost village hex
*Hex with the larger building in it
*second village hex from the Eastern map edge ( to the North of the shadowed hex north of the hill)
*First Northern hex of Bergstein that the road from Brandenberg leads into.

Victory is determined after 6 rounds of play. The degree of victory is determined by the objective hexes held by the Americans at the end of turn 6 An objective is considered controlled when there are no opposing units in the same hex.

all 8 objective hexes: decisive victory; there's no need to play part 2 of this battle. The Americans have swept aside the German defenses and the road to the Roer river lies wide open. Hitler's plans to launch the Ardennes offensive fall apart.

6 or 7 objective hexes: major victory; the Americans receive ten points

5 objective hexes: minor victory: The Americans receive 5 points

4 or fewer objective hexes: German victory. The Germans receive ten points.

Note that for part 2 of this battle, the Americans will not receive any reinforcements. This means that the surviving troops of this battle will have to fend off the German counter attack, just as it happened historically. So, attractive as it may be to rush in all your troops as the American player, do keep in mind that you might sorely need them in part 2 of this mini-campaign! Any damaged vehicles may be used again for that part of the battle, though they remain damaged. Any disruption markers are ignored and removed prior to the start of part 2 of the battle.

Set up:
The Americans set up in the last four rows of hexes on map 1. The Germans set up in any village hex of Bergstein and/or hill 400. The Germans set up first.

German forces:

1x heavy bunker (pillbox piece)
3x minefield
2x Wehrmacht expert sniper
1x wehrmacht oberleutnant
1x SS Haupsturmfuehrer
1x Sandbagged machine gun
1x MG 42
5x Volksgrenadier ( SS stormtrooper proxies, see special rules)
2x panzerfaust
1x panzerschreck
3x PAK 40
1x Hetzer
1x Jagdpanzer IV 70
2x Luftwaffe infantry
1x PAK 38
1x Lel
1x 80 mm mortar

American forces:

1x M12 GMC
1x heavy mortar
1x M8 75 mm
1x Resourceful hero
7x Sherman
1x Sherman Commander
1x Sherman 105
1x M10 tank destroyer
1x Hellcat
2x M36 tank destroyer
4x truck
2x MG team
1x BAR gunner
2x Untested recruit
2x Forward observer (use British one; but rather than " camouflaged use " concealed" ))
6x Garand riflemen
2x engineer
3x flamethrower
1x Thompson gunner
2x Red devil Captain
5x Half-track

Scenario special rules:

* Hand to hand combat: All soldier units (including artillery units) have the SA: hand to hand 8: when attacking a soldier unit in the same hex this unit has an attack value of 8. This attack ignores cover. Note that a unit does not have to use this hand to hand attack. It may use its regular attack values instead.

* Hill 400: Units on any of the 3 hexes making up hill 400 (Castle hill), do not have their line of sight blocked by the village hexes of Bergstein. Other terrain blocks LOS normally (including any other hill hexes of hill 400).

* When using the expanded rules; the Germans may place up to 4 units in Overwatch mode prior to game start. During later turns this number is limited to two units (for both sides).

* On turn one the Americans automatically gain the initiative

* Piggy-Back: Sherman and Sherman variants (Commander and 105) gain the exposed transport SA for this scenario. These tanks may transport one soldier non-artillery unit. It may board or dismount the vehicle instead of moving during the movement phase. It may be attacked separately.

* Prepared defenses: Units in Bergstein and on hill 400 gain +1 on cover rolls.( The bunker cannot roll for cover nor can units inside it)

* Heavy (westwall) bunker: During set up the German player places a pillbox piece on one of the hexes of hill 400. This heavy bunker is attacked as if it were a vehicle and has the following stats and SA's:

defense: 9/4
Move:-
attack values: -/-/-
heavy fortification: This unit can hold up to two soldier units. These may not be attacked directly while in the bunker. If this unit is destroyed, any units inside it are destroyed as well. Any such units are not affected when the bunker is lightly or heavily damaged (Lightly damaged = when a unit would normally receive a disrupted counter, the heavy bunker receives a damaged counter. This lowers the bunker's defense by 1/1 permanently. When a unit would normally become damaged, a heavy bunker receives two (i.e. an additional) damaged counters. In this case its defense is lowered by 2/2.Mortar units and or non anti-tank artillery units may not fire from a heavy bunker.
Limited arc of fire: Units in this unit may only attack units in front of it.

* Minefields: The 3 minefields the German player receives, must be placed before game start.

* Pre-battle artillery bombardment: The American player rolls a die for each German unit -except any such units in the heavy bunker- before the start of the first turn after all units have been set up. On a roll of 5-6 the unit rolled for receives a face-UP disrupted counter. On any other roll it is unaffected. Note that face-up disrupted units cannot make defensive fire/ overwatch attacks.Also note that there's no point in rolling for the SS Hauptsturmfuehrer (actually a Volksgrenadier officer here), as this unit ignores face-up disrupted counters.

* Open top: US tank destroyers (M10, M36 and hellcat) receive the open top SA: Soldier artillery units may use their anti-soldier attack values against these units (including shrapnel and inaccurate). When doing so the rear defense of the vehicle applies (= top armour)

* Volksgrenadiere: The SS stormtrooper minis represent Volksgrenadiers (not to be confused with Volksturm!). These are equipped with the MP44 (Sturmgewehr); the first modern assault rifle. They have the following stats:

Defense: 4/4
Move:1
AS attack: 10/6
AV attack: 2/-/-
Close assault: 6

Note: Even though this weapon had about half the effective range of a Mauser (400 metres as opposed to 800 metres; I still chose not to give the unit " Limited range" as the SS stormtrooper ,armed with the same weapon, has, because in the battle reports and literature I read that the open ground that had to be crossed by the Americans was about 400 to 500 metres, so it would actually have been within range of these weapons.

Further balancing the scenario:

Germans: German tank destroyers receive the strike and fade 1 SA: This unit may move at speed 1 after attacking.

Americans: Ignore the special rule regarding tank destroyer crews.

Optional Rules:

* Close quarters combat: Artillery units may not fire at hexes containing friendly units.

* When using the expanded rules, Any two units per side may be put on Overwatch at any given time either against vehicles or soldier units.(However, vehicles without the " Overlapping fire SA" still can't make DF/ Overwatch attacks against soldiers)

* Rather than only being allowed to put units into overwatch in a straight line, draw an imaginary line between the unit in overwatch and the furthest hex that can be targeted in a certain direction. A moving unit is eligible to be fired upon if it enters a hex this imaginary line touches. (unless LOS is blocked by terrain). Indicate in which direction overwatch applies!

Pasalades · **Pasalades**

This scenario looks like it will be easy to set up and play through and the special rules add a nice twist and add a great deal of character. My list of scenarios I want to play is getting high, but I will definitely fit your campaign in there!
_________________
Powerful men are well advised not to use violence,
For violence has a habit of returning;
Thorns and weeds grow wherever an army goes,
And lean years follow a great war.
-Lao Zi

boersma8 · **boersma8**

general Hoth · **general Hoth**

Set up completed!

a few questions:

1/if the bunker gets disrupted i assume all units in there are disrupted too?

2/The bunker's LOS stops at the first forest/ village hexes on the US map? Or can it see further?

Looks to me like there's gonna be a tremendous first turn! Cool

Also; last question the pre-bombardement also affects the bunker or units in there?
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boersma8 · **boersma8**

general Hoth · **general Hoth**

thanks.

AAR and pics soon. Cool

i'll have to proxie a few units but never mind.
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general Hoth · **general Hoth**

Upon setting up the first thing that struck me was that the german defences didnt look as formidable as one might think from the line up. once set up the US force looks mighty indeed! Cool

The germans have an awefull lot to defend and not that much infantry-soldiers to go round.
On the other hand the US player has to keep in mind he doesnt get reinforcements for part II. Carefull use of its key units is important!

the first turn saw wave after wave of shermans go ahead loaded with garands, engineers and a red devil while the (loaded) trucks and halftracks were kept in reserve.

Fire from hill 400 was sporadic has no line of sight was really achieved for the germans. Nevertheless a tank and AT tank gun battle started leaving the command sherman in flames another 2 disrupted and one damaged.
The german lost its only two tank hunters in exchange. This was a tragic loss to their defence.

After this first engagement the US infantry assault started as soon as enough german PAKs were silenced. It was the german right flank that gave in first.
The US infantry casualties started to rise once it started to enter Bergstein. A massive infantry battle followed and panzerfausts fired at halftracks.

The city itself had almost fallen to the americans by turn 4 thanks to lucky flamers roll. The loaded halftracks then tried to approach hill 400.
Up there the germans still had the untouched bunker, one sniper, one lel, one luftwaffe infantry, one mortar, one ss leader and and mg 42 (the other one having been burnt in the city by US flamers).

then the last shermans (the damaged ones i retreated for next round) showed up after outflanking Bergstein from both sides, and joined the fight for hill 400.

By turn 6, the US held the town and one hex of hill 400.

A minor US victory here. Very Happy

In this game the US losses were:

sherman commander
sherman
halftrack x3
red devil
garand x4
observer
thompson
flamer x2
untested

plus damaged:

sherman x3
halftrack
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boersma8 · **boersma8**

Hope you enjoyed it. A minor American victory is actually the desired and more or less historical outcome. They took (and later held) the village of Bergstein, but their forces were all but wiped out in the course of both battles....

general Hoth · **general Hoth**

Yes.

I've also taken a few pics, i'll post them along those from part two this week.
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boersma8 · **boersma8**

general Hoth · **general Hoth**

Hello Boersma. Cool

I didnt get a chance to play part 2 as i'm busy with my 1st US Army mini campaign, I'd like to have it done by the end of July so i can get a well deserved August break playing other wargames (panzer grenadiers -battle of the bulge, WAS with the new expansion and little big horn a vintage game i bought on e bay).

Nevertheless i still have your units ready on a special tray marked Bergstein.

The pictures from part one, i'll try to post this week but its getting busy at the restaurant (summer season kicking in) so i'll do my best.

Also since i met Angel of Death for D Day, maybe we could meet this winter for a couple of days playing AAM together? My Wife (the boss) says she wouldnt mind me going to Holland to play my favourite game with dutchmen...(after all i'm half dutch myself Very Happy

)
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general Hoth · **general Hoth**

Here they are! Cool

http://s668.photobucket.com/album...eralhoth/Battle%20of%20Bergstein/
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