From: Sam Belcher (Exchange)
Sent: Tuesday, June 09, 1998 11:39 AM
Subject: Bridge at Chenaux CG - Scenario 2 Highlights (Longish)

Well, my "Best Enemy" Jim Johnstone and I completed the second scenario
of our "Bridge at Chenaux" Campaign Game. I have the brave American paras
and 'Jimbo' has the dastardly, cowards - otherwise known as the SS.

Welcome to another episode of "Can We Control the Bridge". You will
remember that in our last episode - I wrote:

>One of my squads sneaked behind his setup to
>capture the Delvenne Farm . ALL of his
>troops are cut off in an isolated pocket near
>Brutet's House and Gaspard's House .

>Jim still holds Brutet's House and
>Gaspard's House , but all of his on-board
>forces will have to risk shifting if he wants
>to pull them out. On the other hand, his
>forces are still fairly strong.

Jim and I were informed via comments from the ASLML that Jim's setup for
the first scenario was illegal. We were confused about which way was North
(and which way was South, East, and West too). This meant that we ignored
the SSR that limits the Germans to one MMC per hex row near the US entry
point. This as much as anything is what contributed to Jim's being
isolated. (I don't think I could have occupied Delvenne Farm if he'd setup
correctly - there would have been too many units nearby.

At any rate, we decided to continue playing. (A.2, you know) What the
heck, we play for fun - we're having fun - why should we start over?
Besides, if I lose, I can always say it was because of our errors.

Jim did not attempt to shift any of this isolated units, so he setup
strong again on the hill, and in Brutet's House and Gaspard's House
.

The fighting was heavy, but I managed to push Jim's SS out of Brutet's and
Gaspard's houses and push then off the hill.

The critical point, from my point of view, was the guys I setup in
Delvenne Farm . I could setup in the farm, and in the hexes
immediately North and South of the farm. Jim could setup his SS both East
and West of the farm and assault me from the beginning. I didn't want to
abandon the farm, but was worried that any forces I put there would be
KIA'd if the SS concentrated there.

Jim got to move first (dr in dual assault). In Jim's first movement phase,
not much happened. In retrospect, I think he should have immediately
attacked Delvenne Farm in an effort to re-capture it before my
reinforcements could arrive. (It took me four or five turns to clear out
the other two houses and push the SS off the hill.)

It often amazes me how often a scenario will turn on a couple of small
events. A Pin result, a CC DR, etc. Well, in this game Critical Moment
(CM) (Copyright, 1998) happened this way:

I had an 8-1, two squads and a HS in the building ,
all armed with MMGs. One of the squads was concealed. Jim advanced three
SS squads to initiate Close Combat. First round of CC: I leave my one
squad concealed, all attacks are at low odds, nobody dies. Second round of
CC: Jim combined all his attackers to make one large 1 to 1 attack. I
split my squads up to attack at 1-2, 1-2, and 1-1. Jim's rolls were 'no
effect', The conversation went like this:

Sam: I need a 4 to hurt you.
(4=Casualty Reduce, 3=kill)
DR: 3
(KIA one Squad)

Sam: I need a 5
DR: 4
(Casualty Reduce a squad)

Sam: I need a 4
DR: 3
(KIA one squad)

Jim: ARRRFFGGHGGHH! (I had to give him the Heimlich manuever, He was
actually choking!) FOLLOWED by 6 minutes 24 seconds of justified
>whining)

All that's left now is one SS Half Squad and my three 747's. I (foolishly)
fire into the Melee and break the SS HS. Jim reinforces the melee in his
turn and we're suddenly back to 1 to 1 odds.

Jim manages to kill two of my squads.

I reinforce the melee and manage to kill all his guys. (another
three squads).

This broke the back of his defense, and broke the poor guys morale. 8-) I
finally managed to hurt the SS.

I gotta tell ya, if you'll take a stroll thro the Delvenne Farm, you're
gonna see about 85 or 90 bodies packed in there. What a mess!

Running around in the dark: While all this was going on, my paras were
cleaning up the SS positions on the hill (around J8) and extended my setup
area to Monceau. I even took the building FF12 (Moulin Gillet), but the
squad that occupied this building ended up isolated. And, I miss-counted
the distance between two of my objective hexes (didn't discover this till
end of game) and my guys in Monceau had to withdraw. Good news is that the
SS had to withdraw too, so neither of us can setup there next turn.

I now hold about three fourths of the map. Morning is coming and I will
launch my unstoppable, killer attack. 8-) Purchases are still secret, the
SS are reading this list.

Sam Belcher