As WR finishes his Almonacid 1809 Peninsular war battle AAR, his Battle of the Bulge Stoumont Flames of War 3.0MRB game, played over the recent President’s Day weekend at Strategicon – OrcCon LAX, is presented for the readership. This article follows on the recent Stoumont Dec 1944 post which details the former Rapid Fire scenario and conversion to FOW 3.0MRB format. If interested, WR refers the reader for additional notes on the scenario via the provided blue link.
Americans start on the tabletop with all platoons on tabletop except for one platoon chosen for ambush deployment. Player team USA choose the Towed Tank Destroyer 3″ A/T platoon to lie in ambush, thinking their lurking threat to the German panzers will make their movement guarded. One rifle infantry platoon outpost positioned near Rouat hilltop village to satisfy the deployment restriction, otherwise the balance of the American platoons and command groups, including the ambush towed A/T platoon, start in the Stoumont half of the scenario tabletop. Germans all enter at Point A table edge marked on the map, with initial platoons and their following reserve platoons. It’s winter, so the muddy / snowy ground slows off-road team movement to rough going, basically 8″ for tanks, worse for wheeled vehicles. Germans have first movement and weather is foggy (like smoke) for the first turns then random dice roll lifting.
The scenario AAR: Quick coverage on the American chosen Stoumont deployment. There is no specific deployment positions, just a zone given per scenario notes. The 90mm heavy AA gun is sited to cover the entrance road to Stoumont (historically near the church), along with a rifle platoon in woods leading to Stoumont and the initial buildings. Second rifle platoon positioned in rear half (up road) of Stoumont with Co. HQ CinC team. Weapons platoon detaches the .50cal and LMG teams to each rifle platoon’s forward platoons in Stoumont to increase their firepower. The wepon platoon remaining M2 60mm mortars plus 57mm A/T gun joined by the single 60mm from company HQ, positioned behind hedge on road to Rouat. M4 Sherman platoon hidden in Stoumont center and behind the buildings. Lastly, a single minefield section placed across road at village entrance.
The tabletop and American deployment as mentioned in written text. Germans will enter at lower left table edge. Stoumont at top of photo and Rouat at lower right up on hill.
Center of Stoumont showing the two rifle platoons plus the M4 sherman platoon hidden behind the building. Company HQ team in foreground building.
Another view of Stoumont before the German arrival. Note the sole heavy 90mm AA gun in woods lower right. Rifle platoon in woods and first building of Stoumont covering road minefield.
Turn One: Germans enter the tabletop with their initial force consisting of Peiper’s Co. HQ platoon, panther platoon with Panzer IV, SS Pz. grenadier platoon, SS engineer platoon, and the fallschirmjagers on the right. The foggy weather (treated like smoke) prevents the Germans or Americans seeing each other on first turn (maximum 16″ visability). Panthers led the way in line abreast formation, the engineers in their Sd Kfz 251/7 H/T behind them on the road. Peiper’s HQ disembarked teams held back on table edge while the paratroopers walk into the right hand woods. For the Americans….. dozing in their cold positions.
Germans enter the tabletop from the table edge. Panthers with Pz IV leading. Engineers in their Sd Kfz 251/7 H/T on roadway. Fallschirmjagers enter woods off-road at right.
Turn Two: German advance comes into view of the American forward positions at the woods. The American heavy 90mm AA gun is spotted and draws the firepower of the Panther 75mm cannon. Two hits but the American gun crew lies hidden in their silt trench. Engineer pioneers follow in their warm Sd Kfz H/T, await orders to deploy. Fallschirmjagers hold position while their scout peek from the woods at the American platoon stationed at uphill Rouat village. The American half turn has the AA gun crew man their big cannon…. but firing at the slow lumbering tanks is a skill which the AA gunners haven’t mastered.
Panthers with the Pz IV fire at the fog shrouded 90mm gun.hits but little effect. the American reply was even worse.
Turn Three: The Panthers halt and hit the 90mm AA gun five times. Needing five successful save rolls of 5+ on every dice, the miracle roll is made. German player team frowns… American glee on their faces. Fallschirmjagers edge forward to the woods edge and fire upon the American rifle platoon dug in uphill at Rouat (no effect). On the road the SS Pz engineer platoon, in Sd Kfz 251 H/T, drives forward bypassing the Peiper command parked beside the wet road. Reserves arrive led by the 12th Co. platoon with their heavy 2x 12cm mortars with observer team.
Miracle roll needing five 5+ rolls to save the 90mm crew. Picture tells all.
German situation after three turns. Time for the American reply on their half of turn three.
Popping up from the foxholes, the Rouat uphill rifle platoon opens fire and kills one fallschirmjager team. The relieved 90mm AA gun doesn’t recover from their pinned status so their fire is somewhat infective. Still they convince the Pz IV crew to bail out after one 90mm shell came knocking.
American rifle platoon with their M1 Garands cut down one fallschirmjager team.
Still shaken from the concentrated German panzer gunnery, the 90mm AA crew manages to still dent the Pz IV and force crew to bail out.
Turn Four: Grinding forward, the panthers with the Pz IV blast apart the 90mm AA gun and a nearby rifle team. The full weight of fallschirmjager platoon fires upon the entrenched American uphill at Rouat. Bullet fly over the American helmets but no losses. German Sd Kfz H/T road column rolls forward behind their panzers, carrying their engineer pioneers. The 12cm mortar teams set up their tubes and lob several shells on the corner Stoumont building.
The German gathering force to enter Stoumont soon after removing the 90mm AA gun from play.
American reply was limited. their riflemen again opened fire on the fallschirmjager platoon, dropping another team on the blood-red snow marker.
Score another fallschirmjager in the woods at the same spot where the last team dropped dead.
Turn Five: The fog lifts per the weather die roll. Increased volume of fallschirmjager firepower forces the Americans to hide in their foxholes (pinned). Even their attached HMG team sends stream of bullets along the American held slope. Reserves arrive with another SS Pz Grenadier platoon arriving behind them, mounted in their Sd Kfz 251 H/T. At the woods edge arm movement seen, the fallschirmjagers charge from the woods and cross the uphill open ground. Seeing their peril, a rain of rifle bullets greets the startled German paratroopers. One team drops dead, then another. The butcher’s bill is high as the assault falters on the snowy ground. Five dead fallschirmjager teams lie on the white ground before the American sharpshooters cannot see any more fleeing paratroopers disappear back into the trees.
After firing to pin the Americans in their foxholes, the fallschirmjagers charge uphill into the American defense.
The butcher’s bill is paid by the fallschirmjagers. A line of fallen teams litter the hill slope. Survivors retreat back into the woods.
Over on the main roadway the German advance is a bit guarded, the German player team wondering when the American will spring their A/T ambush. But little did they know the Americans had forgotten about their hidden assets….. from their minds and physical tabletop deployment. A sort of double standoff in the unknowing German favor.
Note: The large and immobile towed 3″ A/T guns ambush can be placed anywhere, in your starting deployment zone, and outside of 16″ from nearest German team if in LOS. Otherwise they can be place within 4″ of an unobservable German team (no LOS between the teams) unless the Germans are Recee which forces the deployment out of LOS to 8″.
Testing their 12cm mortar tube deployment, the SS mortar men drop a few shells on the Stoumont outskirts. Panthers see the minefield and await the following engineers to clear.
Turn five completed overview shows the German panzer and half track column nearing Stoumont and the shattered fallschirmjager assault.
Turn Six: Not waiting for the engineers, the lumbering panther breasts crash into the woods to avoid the minefield. The retiring outposts for the rifle platoon are caught by surprise and form a hasty front line to the German steel charge. Behind their panzers, the mounted engineer pioneers approach the minefield, dodging one lone bazooka team firing from the front corner building. Back in the woods, the panthers overrun the American position, crushing one team under their tracks, then watching the riflemen flee to the rear edge of the woods. Catch up in their flight, the command team from the destroyed 90mm AA battery runs equally as fast.
The steel cats charge into the woods, knocking down young trees and clashing into the hasty American rifleman foxhole position.
The woods fight is over with fleeing riflemen. the lone bazooka team takes a pop shot at the end panther… and missed during the grinding assault. Hasty foxholes give little defense to tracks.
Back at the fallschirmjagers, they are recovering quickly in their depleted ranks, quickly joined by the arrival of another SS Panzergrenadier platoon mounted in their Sd Kfz 251 halftracks, including attached Stummel 7.5cm equipped H/T. A reserve Panther platoon arrives and drives behind the woods with their Wirbelwind 20mm quad Flak trailing while looking skyward.
A fresh SS Panzergrenadier platoons arrives joined by a Stummel 7.5cm H/T. Behind the woods the second reserve Panther platoon drives onto the tabletop, firing at Stoumont.
Hearing the German cats at play in the woods, the American M4 Sherman platoon starts their motors and shifts position to face the approaching German armor. One brave M4 Sherman, with its pop cannon, darts around the buildings and opens fire on the exposed flank presented by a panther tank. The 75mm shots miss as riflemen dart about nearby seeking any protection from the forthcoming German armored advance,
SS Panzer engineers deploy their Sd Kfz 251/7 H/T before the outskirts of Stoumout using their stormtrooper movement. A brave Sherman appears to fire upon the Panther flank… and miss.
Turn Seven: The Rouat sector battle renews with the arriving SS Panzergrenadiers performing a H/T mounted assault up the fallschirmjager marked slope. American bullet and rifle grenades burn one Sd Kfz 251D with its occupants. Still the assault goes in and overruns the forward American position, tossing grenades or crushing one foxhole with its American team occupant. The American rifle teams retire back towards Rouat village after failing their counterattack test roll.
Rouat battle heats up with a SS Panzergrenadier H/T mounted assault. One Sd Kfz is burning, its occupants frying. Still the German assault crushes one American rifle team and wins the melee.
Back in the woods the German cats again fire cannon and machine guns then assault the American woods edge defense. Seeing their rifle grenades having no effect against the German armor, the fighting is short, leaving the Americans to run into the open ground behind Stoumont. The woods belong to the Germans.
The German armor assault continues, clearing the woods after a short fighting spell. Fleeing American soldiers now running in the open snowy ground with German tankers in hot pursuit.
Across the road, the fighting on the Stoumont outskirts is heating up. The second Panther platoon arrives atop the small rise. Before them the SS engineer pioneers ride their Sd Kfz 251/7 H/T into town, faced by a lone M4 Sherman, firing at point-blank range, and buildings filled with American riflemen, a .50cal MG team, LMG teams, and stray bazooka teams. Shooting breaks out everywhere… to little effect on the engineers behind their thin armored rolling walls. Some distance away, the American weapons platoon rises up and bombards the H/T with 60mm mortar fire. The lone attached 57mm A/T gun fires, flaming one Sd Kfz H/T, and forcing its engineer occupant teams out under the mortar bombardment. Still the SS German engineers had a charmed life, making all save tests.
M4 Sherman firing point-blank. Buildings filled with American infantry, and a weapons platoon couldn’t kill any German SS engineer teams. One burning Sd Kfz 251/7 for all the firepower.
Turn Eight: Realizing that four scenario turn remain after this turn, the German player team gaming pace picks up to start the process of clearing Stoumont, one end to the other. Over on the Rouat village front lines, the recovered fallschirmjager platoon survivors advance and fire upon the American foxholes. The mounted SS Panzergrenadier platoon assaults again to clear the Rouat building with drive by grenade attacks (open top vehicles like H/T cannot assault building directly). Stummel H/T fires its 7.5cm cannon directly into the windows to cover the assault. Lucky grenade toss clears the building after the 7.5cm shell explosion. Totally shocked, the American local rifle teams bolt down the road in terror.
The brave German SS Panzergrenadiers assault with one team mounted in their Sd Kfz 251. A nearby Stummel H/T fires directly into the assaulted building.
So lucky. the Stummel shell and lucky grenade toss clears the building with deadly effect. The shocked American platoon bolts for the support down the road.
Back at the front lines of Stoumont, the German tankers see running victims to cut down with their machine guns. One team is cut down into the snowy ground under the fire and tracks as the panthers drive forward, eying the hidden M4 Sherman tank which bailed again their Pz IV friend. Americans in the near building are helpless to assist their fellow platoon comrades.
Another American team is cut down by machine guns or panther tracks. M4 Sherman tucked by building is spotted, several high velocity 75mm shells impact building corner searching for steel.
After the assault on the hapless running soldiers, the Panther Mk V vs. M4 Sherman stare down occurs. Both tank commanders order their cannon trained on the enemy….. turret grind slowly around…. the Sherman is faster and fires, only to watch the 75mm shell ricochet off the thick German armor. Time to write that letter to their representative congressman about superior American tanks.
Hapless Americans running for their very lives from the nasty Germans. The M4 Sherman tank stares down the Panther Mk V and fires…. the shell ricochet off the thick German armor.
A sound and phone ring at American Co. HQ. The HQ staff sergeant answers and finds himself talking to the newly deployed sector off-board 105mm Field Artillery battery commander. Can we be of service? Yes…. full fire mission at….. and shells soon land on the low-rise outside Stoumont. Caught under the American rain of shells, the Wirbelwind quad 20mm flak tank erupts in a ball of flame. As for the panther crews… what is that noise outside? Meanwhile, the front of Stoumont is wrapped in burning tank smoke as the M4 Sherman is blasted from the rear by a panther. Sd Kfz 251/7 H/T rake the exposed building faces with concentrated machine fire. One American rifle team pitches out the windows, falling to the snowy ground outside.
The Panther platoon, with attached Wirbelwind, are targeted by the American off-board 105mm artillery. Panthers untouched, but the open top Wirbelwind is blasted apart by 105mm HE shells.
General view of the battlefield in progress. the American barrage lands on the low-rise. SS Panzergrenadier platoon along the roadway. Rouat village battle in foreground.
View behind buildings of Stoumont. American infantry running for their lives. M4 Sherman hiding in the buildings. Grim American G.I. defend the buildings, await the next German movement.
Turn Nine: Seeing the Americans run from Rouat village, the SS Panzergrenadiers prepare to mount their assault again. Driving forward, they rake the thin American foxhole line of G.I.’s, with machine guns and their 7.5cm Stummel H/T shells. Fallschirmjagers follow slowly, their ranks grossly thinned by the failed first assault earlier.
Pushing forward, the SS Panzergrenadiers drive forward after clearing the last building of Rouat village. One victory condition fulfilled. Fallschirmjagers follow-up to support the advance.
Back at Stoumont every weapon seems to be firing….. from big tank cannon to the lowly pistol. Shells are coming from the heaven above too, German and American alike. Another M4 Sherman brews up from the high velocity 75mm panther cannon. Beside the church, the M4 Sherman commander suddenly sees smoke in his turret. His tank is also on fire. The crew and commander bail out amidst the hailstorm of bullets flying about. Seeing their commander’s tank erupt in smoke and fire, the last Sherman tank crew abandons the battlefield and flees. Cursing American rifleman shout their option of the departing armor support.
The Sherman platoon is burning, the last Sherman flees the battlefield. Engineers suffer from the American bombardment as the panthers drive forward. Every building has someone shooting.
Showing some nervous shaking (pinned status), the Rouat former G.I. garrison fire back at the approaching SS Panzergrenadiers after digging a new hasty foxhole position. The sound of bullets impacting on their half track thin armor reassure the SS troopers for the upcoming assault.
Forced from the village, the G.I.’s dig hasty foxholes again and fire upon the approaching SS Panzergrenadiers in their armored half tracks.
Opposite view of the intense firepower fighting in Stoumont. another burning SS Engineer Sd Kfz 251/7 H/T adds to the burning smoke clouds. Panzergrenadiers drive up to the minefield limits.
Turn Ten: Mortar shells from the 12cm tubes land on Stoumont buildings. The heavy shells pierce the roofs and burrow deep into the buildings before explosion. The church is target for the German artillery, directed by Pieper himself to blast the .50cal team. Nearby, with their Sd Kfz 251/7 half tracks nearby, the engineer pioneers approach and torch the central building with their flamethrower teams. Burning drab uniformed infantry flee the buildings then fall as steam clouds lying on the snowy ground. Following the flame jets, the specialist pioneers grenade blast and machine pistol their way into the buildings, chasing down the last American defenders room by room, level by floor level. Victory as two more buildings fall to the German onslaught.
After the flamethrower attack, the German pioneers assault with grenades and machine pistol. Clearing the American defenders room by room, the pioneers secure the central buildings.
At Rouat the American see the Sd Kfz 251D approach, filled with shooting SS Panzergrenadiers and their manned vehicle machine guns. Their platoon attached Stummel H/T fires the 7.5cm cannon directly at any American helmet seen. Increasing speed, the German close the distance till fighting is atop the foxholes, really just shallow pits in the snowy – muddy ground. Grenades, rifle butts, bayonets or shovels in hand, the brawling eventually leads to another American valiant counterattack from their foxholes. Another burning German half track, with two dead panzergrenadier teams inside. Counterattack or die, as there is no retreat in this frozen open ground hell. Americans dead litter the ground as the survivors try to hold against the assault. German renew their close range attack, without a second thought, another fallen American team. Too much, the Americans break off contact and, seeing their few survivors staggering away, they scatter and fail to rally. One American rifle platoon removed from play, joining the Sherman platoon as hors de combat. The eastern Rouat village outpost has fallen.
The SS Panzergrenadiers directly assault the thin American foxhole line. Defensive firepower burns one Sd Kfx H/T with its occupants inside.
With one burning H/T, the SS Panzergrenadiers grimly crush one American team with grenades, machine pistols, bayonets or shovel, as brawling overcomes the American defense. Rouat taken.
Screams heard outside the church, the Panther platoon drives over the fleeing American infantry from the woods. Several rifle or LMG teams rubbed out. Pieper’s command team enters the corner building to direct future artillery strikes. Panthers rake the open streets with machine guns while their 75mm cannon blast the nearest building in front. Building flames burning from the engineer / pioneer assault choke the town with smoke. Stop a panther with a .50cal questions the crew to their platoon commander? Behind the German front lines an isolated rifle team defends the road curve building, firing like crazy idiots at the advancing Germans. A machine gun burst, and even they fall from their fighting pulpit. The forward rifle platoon position has fallen, all too few American rifle teams are seen later, miles away after running cross-country, at the battalion – platoon rally point.
Panthers rub out fleeing American rifle teams fleeing from the woods. Burning tank and half tracks dot town roadways. The .50cal faces panther advance as pioneers overlook their position.
Surviving the American artillery bombardment, the two panthers seen approaching the weapon platoon hidden behind a low hedge. Firing at the panther’s frontal armor deemed a poor AP shot, the 57mm spots the Sd Kfz half tracks overrunning the former Rouat position rifle platoon uphill. One Sd Kfz 251D brews up from the A/T gun, more dead panzergrenadiers after their bail out finds the following 60mm mortar bombardment landing on them. Added bonus, the Fallschirmjager platoon is caught by the same 60mm mortar bombardment and lose another team, causes a morale test which they fail. Strike off the fallschirmjagers from the scenario.
The sole 57mm pick off a Sd Kfz 251D half track then the bailout occupants caught in the follow-up M2 60mm mortar bombardment fired by the hedge line weapons platoon. Panthers look on.
General view of the battlefield carnage. Turn Ten completed with the Germans controlling most of Stoumont buildings except the last two, and the village of Rouat.
Turn Eleven: Two turns to go in this scenario and the Germans need to take the last two buildings of Stoumont for victory. With the engineer platoon reduced to only three pioneer teams, their combative ability is limited for direct assaults. So the Panther platoon, with attached Pz IV tank, leads the final assaults into the final American defense. Panthers fire their 75mm cannon, blasting any window or doorway for bazooka teams or foolish Americans. The .50cal team has no choice, the panther tanks crush through the low hedge and overrun their position along with the Pz IV tank. One American rifle team destroyed, so the counterattack is led by the Co. HQ group, CinC and 2iC teams themselves. American defenders swing the .50cal like a club, pistols and hand grenades, rifle grenades… anything on hand after throwing bricks at the panthers. Suddenly one panther stops, blinded by a lucky hit in the vision ports no doubt and the crew bails out. Hand to hand fighting, crazy men vs. armored tanks. Back and forth, more rifle teams dart across the roadway to join the bitter fighting. The Pz IV rubs out the .50cal team, beating the Pz IV with their useless machine gun till the end. American infantry teams jump on the tanks, seeking any opening to the German crews inside. The old man American CinC last seen firing his pistol at the bailed out crew, his 2iC command team dead alongside the damaged panther. The smoke of battle cannot hide the drama witness by many. Panther tanks shift position as another panther drives forward joining the Pz IV. They bash into the building, bringing a wall section down on one rifle team. Finally the Americans, out of grenades, out of bullets, still have bricks but out of will, slip away and disappear from the fight except for their remanent stationed in the last corner building. Another American rifle platoon has fought its last battle, along with the entire American Co. HQ command group. The Germans, battered and carrying losses within their ranks, reorder their positions, having secured the next to last building.
Savage fighting for several assault rounds soon follows. The panthers crush the low hedge to get at the American teams. Defensive firepower such as rifle grenades have no effect.
Having seen one rifle team killed in the garden, the American Co. HQ teams sortie and counter assault the panthers. Pistols and grenades joined by nearby rifle teams. Panther Cmd. disabled.
More panzers join in. the Panzer IV crushes the .50cal team. the fighting is bitter with little quarter given. Who can surrender to panzer crews during a close combat engagement?
American call in more rifle teams but cause no damage to the panzers. Repositioned, the panthers advance and kill the American command group entirely, the CinC team last seen firing his pistol.
The other Panther platoon opens fire on the last building to pin the dazed American defenders and kill one M2 60mm mortar team behind the hedge. The engineers prep their next assault.
Finally, the American players remember they have their ambush platoon of Towed 3″ A/T cannon, three in number, deployable in their starting deployment zone. Sensing their hold on Stoumont is slipping away, the small remains of battle dazed infantry cling to the last building position. One platoon commander, one rifle team, and the last bazooka, to stop the final German assault on the last building.
The towed 3″ TD A/T platoon finally makes their appearance. Deployed, they blast away at the Panthers sitting in the open field. One panther panzer crew bails out to check their equipment.
Turn Twelve: Last scenario turn. The bailed panther crew paint the shell strike marking caused by the American A/T battery…. haha jokes WR. Re-crewing their tank, the Panther platoon drives forward to crush the token American defense in the last Stoumont building. The engineer pioneers prep themselves if needed after the Panther platoon’s building assault. Firing in defense, the bazooka team misses the looming German tanks but the nearby 57mm A/T impacts the panther flank and bails one tank again. Still one panther tank pierces the building walls, crushes one team (the bazooka), and causes final American platoon morale failure. Building secured, the pioneers stormtrooper across the gap to garrison the building. The Germans have secured all the buildings in Stoumont, and the two buildings in Rouat village, so they have a strong victory at this point.
xx
The rest of the German platoons advance down main street to control the town. Little more that they can do. Even Pieper himself changes position towards the church to hold a command conference after the battle concludes. Out on the Rouat hilltop position, the SS Panzergrenadiers advance to enter the woods besides the weapons platoon.
American turn. With the loss of the last rifle platoon the Americans must test Company morale, as they have lost four platoons out of seven on the tabletop. Three rifle platoons, the M4 Sherman platoon, and the entire Co. HQ group have been lost. Having no senior command left, the morale test is automatically failed and the scenario ends.
For fun, we played out the American turn for final firepower damage. The 3″ A/T guns destroyed another panther so the remaining SS panther crew took off. Thus the Germans lost their third platoon for the scenario. But for victory determination, the Americans had no ability, or command even, to kick the Germans from any building as the clouds of war, as light snowfall, blanket a white battlefield to cover the carnage of Stoumont.
Scenario ends with the American exiting the battlefield by failed company test. A token last shot destroyed one panther thus removing that panzer platoon from the German roster.
Scenario end: A scenario played down to the last turn. German victory given for the moment during the Battle of the Bulge. Stoumont marks the farthest advance town taken for Peiper’s column. The next day sees arrival of American reinforcement. Several days of battles around Stoumont and La Glaze ends Peiper’s advance, his men finally abandon their vehicles and walk back to German lines after Christmas.
Final views. The town of Stoumont has burning wrecks and the final positions of German and American platoons.
At Rouat the SS Panzergrenadiers prepare to threaten the weapons platoon.
Peipier’s command Sd Kfz drive forward to meet him at the church. Opposite view of Stoumont or the German view.
Thanks to all convention players playing and enjoying this tense afternoon scenario.
Cheers from the convention floor at Strategicon – OrcCon LAX. Next up should be the 28mm Almonacid 1809 Peninsular French vs. Spanish historical scenario. But first a large surprise joining WR’s WWII miniature collection should be covered.
WR
Wargamerabbit 