327 Counterattack on Schmidt

Details: Written by: Ron Roberts; Category: Western Front; Published: 30 March 2023; Last Updated: 22 September 2023; Hits: 268

Victory Results:

0 %

0 %

The German counterattack rolled out of the pre dawn mist on Nov 4th 1944. The intent was to drive the US forces out of the towns of Schmidt and Kommerscheidi, and back into the woods of the Hurtgen forest.

“During the first attack, we lost about 200 men within an hour. The losses on the American side weren't any less. Bodies were lying eveywhere, infact I never saw that many dead soldiers befime". Mathias Hutmacher - German StuG crewman during the counterattack on Schmidt (Mr. Hutmacher was born and raised in the town of Schmidt)

	American	German
Division 1	US 112th INF Reg (3rd Battalion) 5 Squad Bases - 9 Regular Infantry - 5 Elite Infantry - 2 Officer - 2 Machine Gun Crew 1 M3A1 HalfTrack 1x Medic 3x AntiTank 3x Concealed	1055th INF Reg 7 Squad Bases - 14 Regular Infantry - 5 Elite Infantry - 3 Officer - 2 Mortar Crew - 1 Machine Gun Crew 2 Panzer IV Tank 2 SdKfz 251 Half Track 1x Medic 1x Flamethrower 2x Engineer
Division 2	US 112th INF Reg (1st Battalion) 7 Squad Bases - 13 Regular Infantry - 7 Elite Infantry - 2 Officer - 2 Mortar Crew - 1 Machine Gun Crew 4 Sherman Tanks 1 M3A1 HalfTrack 2x Medic 1x AntiTank 1x Engineer	16th PzR 6 Squad bases - 13 Regular Infantry - 7 Elite Infantry - 2 Officer - 1 Machine Gun Crew 3 Panzer IV Tank 2 Tiger I 4 SdKfz 251 Half Track 1x Medic 1x Flamethrower 2x Engineer
Strategy Decks	Artillery 1 Morale 1	Artillery 2 German Reinforcements 1 Ground Support 1 (Remove 2x Anti-Air Support)
Starting Strategy Cards	2	3
Initial Commands	-	5
Operations Cards	014 No surrender 009 Tank Ace	006 Merciless Assualt 016 Clear Tank Traps 052 Lay Smoke
Deployment Zone	Div.1: any building / entrenchment / victory hex on 3A, 11A or 1A. Div.2: any green shaded hex on 7B, 9B or 6A.	Div.1: any gray hex on maps 4B or 10A Div.2: any gray hex on maps 50 or 4B
Starting Initiative
Objective	Prevent the Germans fulfilling their objective by the end of Round 8.	The Germans must TAKE and HOLD the two victory hex's by the end of turn 8.
Rounds	8
Actions per turn	3	3
Reinforcements	*Round 6 - Status Phase* 2 Squad Bases - 4 Regular Infantry - 3 Elite Infantry - 1 Officer 1x AntiTank	-
Special Rules	Stream is Deep. Ground is muddy, VEHICLE movement off the road is +1 to all movement costs per hex. Example: Clear terrain cost 2 movement points per hex instead of the normal 1. When drawing strategy cards, both sides draw 2.
Terrain Features	-

Discuss this article in the forums (3 replies).

Posts in discussion: 327 Counterattack on Schmidt

Rockn replied the topic:

#1007

1 year 1 month ago

I'll have to dig the original stuff up that I have at the house somewhere. But if I remember correctly it was originally 10 rounds. From what I remember, the current scenario map and units have been adjusted some from the original.

The double movement cost off the roads was a little much we decided, maybe minus 1 to infantry movement and minus 2 to vehicle movement would have been better for the wet and muddy terrain.

The original was done before the first expansion so there were no rules or equipment traits for AT guns. The original scenario had a US AT gun in the pillbox on the road, which should be changed around a bit with the current rules.

I'll see what I can find..

alecrespi replied the topic:

#1006

1 year 1 month ago

Hi Ron,
I've found this "hidden scenario" included in the Tabletop Simulator version of Tide of Iron.
steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2251584204

Here you can find the PDF version (extracted from the TTS game module)
www.commandsandcolors.net/tideofiron/dow...arios.html?start=260

I have yet to test it, but at first glance the Germans with the Mud Terrain rule and the enormous number of vehicle traps and minefields, have very little chance of reaching the second objective point in the map edge within 8 rounds (unless the Americans decide not to open fire and to let them march freely for 8 rounds!).

I'm always curious to hear feedback directly from the author.

Rockn replied the topic:

#1005

1 year 1 month ago

Wow, where did you find it? I made this scenario quite awhile ago. Looks like someone made some tweeks, it needed it. Also the forces were balanced a little bit, it need that too (there were no tigers in the first iteration). Still think the allied anti tank gun should be there. Thanks for digging it up. Played it once with, with unbalanced forces, the Germans rolled the map.

Discuss this article

Maps with similar TAGs