Peiper at the Gates - Scenario 2 Splitting Timber

 NUTS 4th edition

I decided to give the new rules a try while playing through a Battle of the Bulge campaign

The second scenario of Peiper at the Gates involves a US static defense of a narrow forest path. My squad is led by a REP 5 leader while the 2 engineer half squad, .30cal MG team, bazooka team, medic and infantry half squad are all REP 4. The Germans (All REP 4 for ease of play) entered on the muddy road. The Germans must exit as many forces as possible off of the opposite table edge. To make matters worse there is a snowstorm in effect and all visibility is limited to 8 inches and infantry movement is halved. There is no road bonus for vehicles either. The US must prevent the Germans from exiting the board and will try to place roadblocks by felling trees and moving them into position.  

The Germans activate first and move in 2 PZIV tanks and an SD251 holding an MG 42 team. The 2 assault engineer half squads are riding the tanks. With the snowstorm masking their movement the infantry feel safe riding the tanks for now. 

The US forces deployed in the house and in the woods which was too conservative considering the slower movement and lack of visibility. The Germans are able to move freely for 2 activations. I decide to move the bazooka team and half of my squad forward to cover the rod and try to ambush the lead tank. 

The units trudge up the hill to get a good shot. The German infantry disembark and move forward.  As the column comes into view the Americans win the in sight check and open fire on the infantry killing one soldier. The Germans return fire and cause the Americans to duck back behind the hill. The Germans duck back behind the tank as they fail their man down check. When the lead tank activates the Bazooka team wins the in sight check and shoots, and misses. The Coaxial machine gun cuts him down while his loader ducks back behind the hill. 

As the lead tank carves a path the second tank and half track follow close behind. The infantry is now on foot and their progress is slow, their quick move attempts result in a partial success of 6 inches of movement. They are getting left behind, and may leave the vehicles vulnerable to assault. 

Meanwhile my squad is assisting the 2 engineer half squads. The engineers were able to drop some trees near the road and are attempting to drag the trees across the road. They may not stop the tanks but it worth a chance as the tank might bog down on the trees. While the trees are being moved into position the lead PZIV rounds the bend and fire a machine gun burst killing one engineer and causing the other to duck back. The other teams working see their comrades take fire. 

The next activation is critical, the tank cannot see the other teams working. If the US wins and can activate they can place one, possibly 2 trees in the path of the tank increasing the odds to win the scenario. If the Germans win the tank will activate and attack the squads placing the road blocks. 

The US wins the activation and the teams finish moving the fallen trees across the road but are exposed. Those that finished moving the trees last activation break for the safety of the tree line.

The teams in the road hope the roadblock offers protection. As the rest of the German column moves up they fire on an MG team that popped up. The Gunner is killed and the 2 other crew are driven out of their position. 

The infantry are bringing up the rear and engage in a firefight as the US occupy the hill once again. They drive off the US half squad causing them to Duck Back. The MG 42 is suppressing the enemy quite effectively. 

The head PZIV approaches the first felled tree and spots 2 engineers. The shot misses but the hull MG causes and OOF result. The driver is able to push the first tree by passing the driving test at a -1 to his REP. He will need to do this 2 more times in the next 3 turns. 

He is successful on the consecutive turns and the armor is able to exit on the final turn. The US infantry could only wait in the woods. 

Conclusion: I should have been more aggressive in setting up the US defenses. The Bazooka should have been set up at the roadblocks as well to get a side shot on the lead tank. The 4th edition NUTS! rules play more easily in regard to fire combat and "In Sight" checks. 

Bloodying the Nose AAR

I was reading up on Force on Force and decided to give the system a try for a WWII skirmish. Typically I use NUTS from 2 Hour Wargames to play skirmishes but I am trying to get more use out of Force on Force. I decided to run through some sscenarios from the scenario book Peiper at the Gates available from 2 Hour Wargames.I recommend the book if you want to run a skirmish campaign.

The scenario book is a campaign complee with special rules for different troops types and is written for the NUTS rules. Since FOF is also a skirmish rules set I thought the scenarios should transfer easily with little tweaking.


The first scenario is called "Bloodying the Nose"and it takes place on December 17, 1944 near Elsenborn Ridge Belgium. The scenario involves 2 US squads with some support from a Bazooka team and two .30 caliber machine gun teams against a German advance supported by armor. The US sets up by an old farm house and in the woods near the house. The Germans will enter from the board edge with most of the units coming through the woods. The scenario is unbalanced and heavily favors the Germans but it is the first day of the advance. The US is caught by  surprise so the Germans will have the initiative.

US infantry squads are located in the house, the small barn and in the woods. The bazooka team is covering the road and the MG teams are watching the flanks and set up in the woods. The Germans deploy infantry in the woods with armor advancing in a clearing. A squad of Pioneers is in the Hanomag and another assault squad trails behind the armor. Apparantly Peiper's armored columns are jammed up on the narrow roads and units are sent out to find another route. The Germans must exit the board  and the US must slow them down losing as little troops as possible. This is a solo game so I can playtest for balance and improve my understanding of the rules. I am using squads of 8-10 figures instead of smaller teams of 4-5 figures.

US defensive positions

The US has a squad in the farm house which should be a good defensive position as it give 2 extra defensive dice. The Germans are actually starting off of the board but will enter through the woods. I decided to bring the STUG and Hanomag on the board on trurn 2.

Germans start at the edge in the woods

The US infantry reacts first to the German move. The .30 cal MG team in the woods also fires but they roll poorly. They only score 1 hit on the German squad. The German morale is a D10 so they have no problem passing the morale check. They return fire with no effect. I now know that using large squads instead of smaller teams may be a mistake. I am rolling 10 dice at a time! As more German infantry arrives they win the combat round and beat the American reaction. They all but destroy the American HQ and .30 cal MG team. This is the effect of rolling lots of dice during attack as smaller teams don't stand much of a chance, even in cover.

American HQ and gun team take casualties

On the second turn the US infantry in the farm house are holding on. The Germans maintain the initiative and decide to bring in the armor before activating infantry. The tank opens fire and pins the US, even though no casualties occurred the infantry must take a morale check if fired on by an attack greater than 4 dice. The German infantry and MG teams advance and fire on the pinned unit causing more casualties.

A STUG arrives and pins the infantry

The Germans do lose a panzerscreck team and take another casualty from accurate fire from the house and MG team in the woods. The German infantry advances from the woods.

The infantry emerges from the woods.

I took away the fast move abaility for infantry and armor. The snow conditions made movement slow and treacherous. Armor could only move 10 inches and infantry 6 inches.

The open field gives no cover and the US gets an extra FP die as a result

The American bazooka team decided to take a shot. The infantry was taking heavy casualties so the tank had to be dealt with immediately. The Germans failed to react and the shot found its mark. One hit was scored and an 8 result on a D8 meant the STUG was immobilized. The attack is starting to bog down as infantry suppoerting the STUG began to take casualties. Another US squad reacted and gained the firing adavantage.

Bazooka immobilizes the STUG....very lucky!

The .30 cal MG team was counted as a gun team and gets to roll 5 dice when firing. They received the cover bonus for the woods and remained static through the game.

MG team gets extra FP dice for being a gun team

The second US squad did start to dish out casualties from the woods. They were a large squad and I think I will use smaller 4-5 man teams in the next game. 10 fire dice is just too much.

Large unit of US infantry...I may change that to teams.

The Germans were able to neutralize the farmhouse, the shed and the MG team next to the shed. The Bazooka team was also taken out by the Hanomag which also held a squad of Pioneers. The US has to pull back at this point as there was only a squad and part of an MG team left.

Farmhouse carnage

I did learn a lot about the rules. I typically play assymetric engagements and this is the first time playing regular troops for both sides. I would also use smaller teams insted of large squads. This scenario is unbalanced but it is the opening day of the Battle of the Bulge. I would also like to add armor in the next game I test. I like the rules and think they can be used at a convention. I will probabaly run a game at a future HMGS convention but limit the game to 4 players. I think 6 would be too difficult with all of the reactions.