Historical Background:
After a month of heavy fighting, the Germans finally lost Hill 192 the previous night (See “Attack on Hill 192”, scenario WF14 on p. 30 of the Memoir '44 Air Pack). For the first time since June they no longer dominate the road to Saint-Lô. Should US High Command be able to deploy the 5th Corps into a large-scale armored offensive, the city will finally be within reach.
But the German elite Parachute units have taken advantage of darkness to pull back onto Hill 101 in the vicinity of the Bayeux Highway near la Boulaye, as well as onto Hill 147 on Martinville’s Ridge northeast of Saint-Lô. Reinforced by elements of the Panzer Lehr, they have set up a line of defense in the endless cover of fields, woods and streams.
Their airpower grounded by poor weather and their tanks mired in unforgiving “bocage” country, the Allies must place the burden of the attack on the shoulders of their infantry yet again. What awaits the weary US troops will forever be known as “Hedgerow Hell”…
The stage is set, the battle lines are drawn, and you are in command. The rest is history.
Briefing:
Axis Player
[Germany]
Take 10 Command cards.
Allied Player
[United States]
Take 8 Command cards.
You move first.
Conditions of Victory:
13 Medals.
The five road hexes with an Exit marker on the Axis player’s baseline are Exit hexes for the Allied forces.
The towns of la Boulaye, Martinville and Bourg-d’Enfer are Temporary Medal Objectives for either camp. When unoccupied, each town’s medal goes to the Axis player.
Special Rules:
Place a badge on German elite Parachute Regiments infantry units (Troops 2 - Specialized Units).
Re-supply rules (Actions 24 - Re-supply) are in effect for all Allied Supply Trucks (Troops 17 - Supply Trucks).
All streams are fordable (Terrain 41 - Fords & Fordable Rivers).
Air Rules are not in effect. The Air Sortie cards are set aside and not used in this mission.
Scenario link
Setup Photo:
In the first game, I played as the Axis general, while my opponent took on the role of the Allied general. The Allies started strong, advancing on all fronts, but they lost three units the next turn due to a combination of lucky dice rolls and the arrival of Axis armor. The Allies attempted to break through on their flanks, but they were pushed back with heavy losses.
The Axis armor then launched a counterattack on Martinville Ridge, wiping out all resistance without suffering any casualties. The Allies tried to reach their right flank exits, but once again, they lost many units to Axis armor and more favorable dice rolls.
Desperate, the Allies launched an infantry assault on their right, but their infantry was wiped out from a distance by Axis tanks. In the end, the Allies were defeated, with a final score of 13-0.
End Photo:
Before the second game began, we switched sides, and the battle continued.
The Allies advanced along these roads: and quickly cleared out the single infantry unit that was defending them.
The German armor near the bridge left to counterattack the Allies advancing on Martinville Ridge. With the Axis armor gone, three Allied units managed to exit the battlefield, earning 3 medals and giving the Allies a 6-5 lead.
Meanwhile, the Axis armor continued its push on Martinville Ridge, but Allied armor and infantry, though suffering several casualties, held their ground and eventually forced the Axis forces to retreat.
On the right flank, the Allies broke through near the town of Bourg-d’Enfer. Supported by a few Allied armor units from a distance, they captured the village. However, the Allies were left with just two infantry units and one armor unit crossing the bridge in that section, with their main forces still far behind. Despite being outnumbered, these units held their ground, destroyed the Axis armor and nearby infantry, but lost one of their own infantry units. The surviving infantry and armor units were reduced to just one figure each.
Meanwhile, Axis armored units launched an attack along the Bayeux Highway, scoring a few medals. But they were too close to Allied infantry and artillery, which quickly picked them off one by one. After this, the Axis armor withdrew, and the Allies’ artillery scored the final medal, ending the game with a score of 13-9 in favor of the Allies.
End Photo:
Conclusion: It was a brutal scenario for the Allies. They needed to exit some units to secure a win, but they had to be cautious of the Axis armor, which was always ready to counterattack. The Allies’ success depended on careful strategy and timing, while the Axis forces remained a constant threat on the battlefield.
If you played this scenario fell free to comment your experience here.