Ardennes 1944 - Preliminary game tests winter historical rules.

Three games of 12 turns each. The first against the crossing before St Vith and the second and then the third ( table rotated through 90 degrees) near Malemedy. Heavy Weather rules in effect with fog, snow and real action. The zz under Peiper FV took on RT RV  and then CT American forces. In many cased the Germans had points superiority but it was the historical ideas and game play that made these sets magic.

The Germans failed to penetrate the bridge head before St Vith but swung along the river looking for another bridge and caught the US artillery deploying before Malemy where there was also an aid staition and cooks and wounded having chow. German mountain troops skied to victory but then the 2nd armoured arrived with Stuarts but the Germans found the regimental supply dump.

In fog and snow the battle ebbed and flowed with very heavy infantry casualties  with the Germans winning the last two games outside Malemdy on the last turns. It was brilliant fun and the US troops fought ever so well in desperate circumstance even evacuating the civilians.

The zz were merciless and the aid station was shelled and over run. The Americans lost all their command teams over 24 turns and hung onto Malemedy by their fingertips. The king tiger was assaulted 8 times and the fuel dump a charnel house but in the end Peiper had a bridge and fuel and now moves against St Vith again from the flank...more action to follow but in the meantime for your delight some photos including Fury which did little whilst the king tiger dominated.

A great colour montage from HCT and if that doesn't want you to explore the history I don't rightly know folks. Here is our homage.....ENJOY