Wacht am Rhein: To Save Bastogne -- Breaking through the Bois de Haie Dille

Wacht am Rhein

To Save Bastogne Scenario
7/4/22

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This was a wild game! Based on my last post breaking down the strategies for the Germans, I did my best to execute it according to plan. This is really a tough one to win as the Germans, but a real dilemma for the Americans on how to stop the Germans. 

I'd always do well to remember one of Frederick the Great's best known maxims: he who defends everything, defends nothing. 

Dec 18 AM & PM: the Americans set up roadblocks to keep the Germans from charging too far west. They concentrate their forces as well to prevent the piecemeal destruction of the armor. 

3 German Kampfgruppen (KG) arrive. 9th Armor (Combat Command R) defends trails east of the Bastogne-Houffalize Road. 10th Armor (Combat Command B) guards the routes into Bastogne. 

KG Coch cuts of Task Force Rose north of Troine. The Task Force is bloodied but manages to make it to Houffalize under the cover of darkness.

Dec 18 Night: The Americans form a defensive perimeter east of the Bastogne-Houffalize Rd. 

Pz Lehr strikes CCB at Longvilly and breaks through. CCB is evicted from its positions with heavily losses, pursued by KG von Fallois. Luckily, the rest of CCB maneuvers to halt the movement of KG Haus. 

KG Coch strikes supporting, ad hoc forces north east of Noville. The Panthers break through & annihilate the Allied position. KG Coch exploits the breakthrough.

Dec 18 ENA: The Germans opt for extended night activity, but the die rolls favor the Americans. The Americans move first, and most manage to fall back and stem the tide of the German breakthrough. The Germans decide to capitalize on the Allied move, by declining to advance, meaning only the Americans are now fatigued.

Dec 19 AM: The 101st Airborne arrives in Bastogne. 

KGs Holt and von Porsche arrive. The 26th Volksgrenadiers and KG von Fallois position themselves to block the 101st. This allows KG Coch & Haus to make a run for the exit. 

KG Coch hits the bulk of CCR at the crossroads on the Bertogne-Houffalize Rd. The American tankers luckily give the German panthers a bloody nose and fall back on Compagne. 

Dec 19 PM: The 101st moves into position. The 501st parachute infantry regiment (PIR) races to Bertogne. The 502nd and 506th form a perimeter around Bastogne. The glider infantry head east and the tankers and engineers trapped in Bourcy fall back.

Dec 19 Night: The Germans get hit by counter-attacks outside of Bastogne and in the Bois de Haie Dille. 

Both American attacks are sent back and the Germans make counter strokes in & around Bertogne. The Americans are thrown back and on the cusp of losing Bois de Haie Dille.

Dec 20 AM: The Americans try to position so that they can halt the German exit and protect Bastogne. 

The Germans in their next push manage to capture Luzery and nearly the 502 PIR. 

The 705 TD battalion is destroyed in Hernival & KG Coch moves on Ortho (the victory exit in reach). The 3/501 is thrown out of Bertogne and as KG Holt moves into the town, the 1st battalion 501 as well as part of CCR is surrounded. The bulk of Pz Lehr attacks and liquidizes the pocket.

Elements of the 5th Fallschirmjaegers break through to the south of Bastogne, putting pressure on the American position from the rear.

Dec 20 PM: The Germans make one final attack on Bastogne and capture the north side of the town. They also open a corridor from Bertogne to Ortho, and the German armor begins to exit.

Dec 20 Night: The US have lost. They cannot budge the Germans and KGs Haus, Holt, von Porsche, and Coch exit through Ortho. 

The Germans Win! 12 VPs (German) vs 4 VPs (American)