Stand and Deliver

BOARD CONFIGURATION:

__________ ^
|      32| N (Only hexrows R-GG are playable)
|________|  {Overlays: Hd3,Wd4,Wd5,X9,&X13}
|      19|
|________|

4.5 Turns, AMERICAN Sets Up First, GERMAN Moves First

U.S. OB:
Elements of the 589th Field Artillery Battalion and support elements [ELR: 4] set up on board 19 in hexes numbered <=8 (see SSR 4): {SAN: 3}

3x7-4-7, 6x5-4-6, 1x2-2-7, 9-2, 8-0, 7-0, HMG, MMG, 60*MTR (M2), 2xBAZ 44, M4(105), M16 MGMC, 105 ART, 8x1S Foxhole

GERMAN OB: Elements of SS-Panzer Division 2 "Das Reich" [ELR: 5] set up on board 32 in hexes numbered >= 4, and/or enter on/after Turn 2 along the north/east/west edge(s) of board 32: {SAN: 2}

9x6-5-8, 8-1, 8-0, 7-0, HMG, MMG, 2xLMG, PSK, 7x ?, Pz VG, 2x Pz IVH, StuG IIIG

SPECIAL RULES:

1. Weather is Ground Snow (E3.72), with no wind at start. The stream is dry.
2. Place overlays as follows: Wd4 on 32V2-V1; Wd5 on 19V3-V4; Hd3 on 19Z7-Z6; X9 on 19oZ6, with the "1" hexside over hexside Z5-oZ6 and X13 on 19Z4-Z3. Building 19oZ4 is a single-story structure.
3. All hedges are walls (per G.9C neither exist in hex 19oZ6, although as per G.9D the two walls that run up to 19oZ6 exist at the appropriate vertices of that hex).
4. All U.S. units that set up in Concealment Terrain may set up concealed.
5. Despite the possibility of the Germans entering play from entirely offboard, the U.S. may not Bore Sight.
6. The Germans receive one module of 80+mm Battalion Mortar OBA (HE and Smoke) with Scarce Ammunition.
7. The German force is Elite (C8.2).

BARAQUE DE FRAITURE, BELGIUM, 23 December 1944: The main highway between Bastogne and Liege is crossed by the Laroche-Vielsalm highway linking the Belgian border roads. Baraque de Fraiture is the name of the height where the crossroads hamlet stood, a huddle of typical Belgian peasant homes with its one adornement a four-square, concrete road-marker. To the 106th Infantry Division it became known as Parker's Crossroads. The 589th Field Artillery Battalion had been fighting the opening moments of the Battle of the Bulge. They were down to three 105mm artillery pieces. On 19 December, the remnants of the 589th were commandeered by Col. Herbert Kruger commanding the 174th Field Artillery Group of VIII Corps Artillery, who was moving his outfits out of danger. He sent the 589th to Baraque de Fraiture to establish a roadblock and protect the passage of the 174th as enemy tanks had been reported to the south. Major Arthur Parker obeyed the orders. He emplaced his three howitzer , organized a perimeter of defense and bivouakced. Later they were joined by elements of the 87th Reconnaissance Squadron, 203rd AAA Battalion, 325th Glider Infantry and two 105mm assault guns from the 3d Armored Division. With this rag-tag group, Major Parker held off three days of German assaults. On the 23rd of December, the final German push was made from all sides.

AFTERMATH: Tanks and infantry of the 2nd SS-Panzer Division smashed the line at 1600 hours. The first two tanks were eliminated by direct fire from a howitzer. The third was missed and the GIs fell back, covering one another with their carbines as the German infantrymen began to rush through their position. The defense disintegrated and the remnants decided to shoot their way out in three groups. Some forty men escaped but now the 589th Field Artillery Battalion had no howitzers.

HANDICAPS:

• G3: Use G2, and add one _M4A1(76)W_ and one _M15A1 MGMC_ to the US OB.
• G2: Use G1, and remove one 6-5-8 and one MMG from the German OB.
• G1: The U.S. may use HIP for <= 1 squad equivalent (and any SMC/SW stacked with it).
• US1: In the U.S. OB, replace one 7-4-7 with one 5-4-6.
• US2: Use U1, and add one 3-4-8 and one _SPW 250/sMG_ to the German OB.
• U3: Use U2, and increase the game length to 5 1/2 Turns.

"!" indicates change from previous version.

Scenario design: Carl Fago. Send your comments to him.