The first objective of Operation Nordwind, Hitler's last major offensive in the west, was to secure a path through the Low Vosges mountains to the Alsatian plains. One possible path ran through Wingen-sur-Moder. Kampfgruppe Wingen was tasked to seize the village.---In "Second Thoughts" SS-Gebirgs-Jäger and a captured M8 HMC meet a tiny American infantry force defending Heidenneck outside Wingen. The Americans are ready to give up arms, but change their minds as they receive unexpected armored reinforcements, which enable them to counter-attack and retake Heidenneck and maybe even break through to the now German-held Wingen itself with the tanks.
Attacker: German (SS) (Kompanie 5, Bataillon I, SS-Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 12, SS-Gebirgs-Division 6 “Nord,” Kampfgruppe Wingen and Captured M8 HMC)
Defender: American (1271st Engineer Combat Battalion and Service Troops of 179th Infantry Regiment and Company B, 781st Tank Battalion and Company l, 276th Infantry Regiment, 70th Infantry Division, Task Force Herren)
7 turns
Players: 2 OBA: None Night: No
Unit Counts:
Squads: A:7.0 D:13.0
AFVs: A:1
M8 HMC
AFVs: D:3
M4A3 x 2 M4A3(76)W
Guns: A:0 D:0
Misc Rules:
GS. A: Infantry have WC. M8 crew is Inexperienced but suffers no use penalties
I was scared of the Germans occupying the North edge buildings on turns 1 and 2, hence getting point-blank shots at my tanks as they came on, so I positioned most of my meagre force on that side. Sure enough, the Germans moved down the south side near the river, and it then became a game of Americans counterattacking to try to clear them out. I just failed, the Germans aided by the well-known tactic of routing upstairs, hence denying me building control even though they were broken. Very close game though.
2022-02-26
(D) Eben Johnson
vs
American win
Wow. Snuck my US tanks off the south edge for the victory. It was important to stay in motion on the flank and use my sMs. German fire was murderous. I only had one healthy half squad remaining. Germans flamed one of my moving tanks with a PF at max. range with 1-1, followed by 1-3---ouch. Those flames reflected off the French snow for a kilometer in all directions.
2021-11-19
(A) Asad Rustum
vs
Christian Lindberg
American win
Supporting Fire
2021-01-13
(D) Kermit Mullins
vs
Dan Best
American win
Dan Best and I squared off in this battle of who could roll the worst. The first three turns were a frustration for us both as our rolls kept both of us in the fight, but away from achieving necessary objectives. The American armor was poorly led (by me) and I lost on Sherman out of reckless behavior and very nearly the other two tanks. Dan secured two multi-hex buildings, but then his 9-2 and 2 x 8-3-8's and a 3-3-8 were stuck there for the duration. Meanwhile his surviving forces were pummeled by the reinforcing Americans. The Americans got one Sherman off and then the German M8 came on and briefly dueled with the Firefly before being destroyed. The Firefly made a run for the exit on Turn 7 and managed to pass through panzerfaust alley unscathed for the American win.
2021-01-13
(A) Dan Best
vs
Kermit Mullins
American win
2020-01-31
(A) Vic Lauterbach
vs
JM
German (SS) win
I pushed hard to overwhelm the US infantry screen and block access to the bridges. Good shooting with PFs including a LR hit from the W4 orchard really helped. Then I was able to grab buildings and hold on. Captured M8 was surprisingly effective against infantry. This one forces both sides to maneuver and take risks. Good balance and fun for both sides - it could easily have gone the other way.
2019-01-01
(A) Jason Wert
vs
Roy Connelly
American win
Nice matchup with Roy on the Road to Berlin. I swept in as the Germans but was content to get buildings as opposed to risking troops to hurting the Americans. This proved a mistake with the surviving troops adding a weight to the attack that we couldnt turn back.
2017-02-11
(D) Steven Cummings
vs
Larry Rohlfing
German (SS) win
2016-10-23
(D) Gordon Jupp
vs
Stuart Brant
American win
VASL. Stuart wanted another crack at this one but as the Germans this time. It turned out to be another tight encounter,coming down to the last US Mph when I managed to get two of the AFV's off, running a gauntlet of PF checks and attacks, fortunatelt for me I was able to use smoke effectively and the To Hit attempts were extremely hard...Well worth a play :)
2016-02-21
(D) Gordon Jupp
vs
Nick Holmshaw
German (SS) win
Great little scenario which went down to the last CC, the Germans holding on in melee in their last building for the win - I kept the US tanks intact so that I had two opportunities to win but the Germans were too handy with their Panzerfausts!
2014-12-04
(A) X von Marwitz
vs
David Wallace
German (SS) win
I played this as the Germans. The Germans have a hard hitting infantry force that has the option to give the US at start force a tough beating, especially during the first two turns in which US ELR is 0 (to be changed to 4 afterwards). But the Germans have to make decisions: As the US will receive substantial reinforcements in the form of three tanks and a lot of infantry, the Germans will soon be on the defensive. This is one of the attractions of the scenario. As the US can win by either exiting two tanks or securing all victory buildings, the German had better guard against both conditions. This means, that he will have to rush and grab some buildings (or at least get close to them to be able to enter later unimpeded) and take precautions against the US tanks rushing off for an immediate victory. The tanks can either take the route along the road crossing a bridge and then passing unter a railroad bridge of an Elevated Railroad. They can also try to cross a Deep stream and the ELRR, chancing on Bog Check for each. My plan was to rush towards the AA and DD victory buldings with significant forces that would be tough to root out. The area around the roadblock would be taken by some part of the German OoB and a small force would guard the bridges. I was able to shove away the US from around the roadblock and establish myself in the buldings and close to the bridges as planned. All three US tanks moved towards the Roadblock area. A German Sniper took out one who was CE. All the US infantry reinforcement moved towards the roadblock as well. The US plan to lure me towards the building without attacking them in turn seemed to have worked. My holding force at the roadblock was now facing overwhelming US firepower. With a combination of skulking, selected shots, throwing a DC, some flanking fire support and - last but not least - some good die rolls, I managed to repulse the first wave of US attackers breaking 4 to 5 squads. But it was obvious, that I would not be able to hold on much longer. To deny the US an easy crossing of the stream (which is not frigid by SSR but still a PITA to cross or to move into/within), I placed two squads and the captured US vehicle within it to ensure PB shots on any enemy approaching, having already lost CX when this could happen. From the AA victory building and the CC buildings, I tried to impede the US stampede as good as possible. I learned the hard way, that Infantry fire from a stream is only Area Fire (A20.6) which blunted my defence considerably. During US Turn 7, all his infantry tried to place Smoke around the bridges. I managed to foil most attempts and the rest did not find any grenades. But one of his tanks rolled a 4 to successfully pop his sM to the vital EE hex next to the three bridges. When his tanks began to move, I had the chance to try for 4 PFs and fire with my M8 GMC from within the stream on a tank crossing. One PF shot had range 2 and a hedge to cross, the next two would have to cope with the firer being CX, and taking backblast or not, the last would need to be found by a concealed SMC yet out of LOS. The squad wanting to fire at range 2 never found a PF. After the first tank had crossed the bridge across the stream, I decided to fire ADJACENT, found one, missed but survived the Backblast unscathed. Stupid mistake, as I should have fired when the Sherman was beneath the railroad bridge not shrouded in Smoke! Well, tried for the second PF, but did not have one for being CX. At this time, I realized that in all the excitement I had forgotten to fire my M8 at the Sherman crossing the bridge over the stream (though actual chances of hitting and killing it were mediocre at best). His Sherman was next to my concealed Leader who had seen the tank for 1 MF. So I decided to risk his bounding fire by his CMG. He rolled a 3, breaking my leader and ready to waltz off with the way cleared... But 3 was my Sniper number. Rolled a 1. The Sniper selected (rather good chance for the selection) the second CE tank which had not moved yet but was required to exit. Sweet! Nice little scenario which I can recommend. My opponent agrees though cursing my Sniper that took out two of his tanks who had their crews - as it turned out - oh so carelessly exposed.
2014-07-18
(D) Andy Beaton
vs
Tom West
German (SS) win
Germans had amazing armour killing luck; after all my tanks were dead, I just couldn't get close enough to winkle the Germans out of their building in time
2014-03-05
(A) Robert Zinselmeyer
vs
Martin Snow
German (SS) win
2013-07-04
(A) Andy Beaton
vs
Jeff Wasserman
American win
Excellent scenario, but the German force is small and cannot afford to be rolling constant 10s and 11s on their morale checks while the Americans are creating heroes. I killed off the tanks, but just didn't have the men to hold any buildings.