I am glad to present already ninth scenario in my and Dave plan to play whole base game of the Combat Commander Europe. As each set-up is completely different and allows for various approaches, ideas and tactics you never got bored with this title! Especially with such an exciting battle as we recently put to the digital table!

Other Combat Commander scenarios in our camping with Dave:
#1 Fat Lipki
#2 Hedgroves and Hand Grenades
#3 Bonfire of the NKVD
#4 Closed for Renovation
#5 Cold Front
#6 Paralyzed from the West Down
#7 Bessarabian Nights
#8 Breakout dance

So what we played this time? #9 Rush to Contact – a scenario which first and foremost is huge – both sides have multiple reinforcement groups, tons of machine guns and artillery. As the new units enter gradually, the game dynamics change enormously – just look at some of the initial pictures below, what happens at the beginning of second turn of the game!

It is already April 1945 and the war in Europe is nearing its end. The 504th Parachute Regiment (Michal, Attacker posture) just crossed the Rhine and is met by fierce resistance from 62nd Volksgrenadier Division (Dave, Defender posture). As both sides reports contact, immediate reinforcements start to appear.

This is a long game, starting at position 2 of turn track and leading up to 12 (so there is no uncertainty when scenario ends). Still, it starts in very peculiar way, with one stack of German units and some US troops. It really can end within first turn…

You can click on every image and enlarge it for better visibility.

Our set-up of Scenario 9 – really, very few units to start, with possibility for a quick win for US (killing all Germans) or Wehrmacht (exiting the map).
The first three turns were such an action-packed piece of excellent and thrilling game. I was doing whatever possible to close on Dave’s stack and kill it in melee. He was desperately defending, using often his artillery to attack both his and my units (but Germans were in Foxhole so it was easier for them to survive!)
In the end I did not get the Advance in time and most of the reinforcements entered the map. Just after this – as seen above – I managed to destroy that forward outpost of German army in melee. A turn or two too late…
In my reinforcements I got a Medium MG and placed it on the hill – it was great vantage point against German units in the valley. But a true turning point was when Dave rolled double on the fire roll, using Sustained Fire. German MG42 (HMG) destroyed!
Well, Dave did not give up! I got some more units & artillery, tried to outflank the Germans entrenched on the hill but my opponent has an eye to taking advantage of my actions. Above 5 of my units broken simultaneously!
Another crazy turn of events. First, I recovered all my troops and started to exit my units, with Volksgrenadiers just watching. Secondly, Dave got a great event and HMG was back!
So I again changed my strategy; my artillery started to fire with smoke to obscure the HMG Line of Sight. But then Germans got Mortar which proved to be pretty accurate from time to time! The other part of my strategy was advancing in the melee on all Volksgrenadier units on Germans left. They will be eliminated pone by one…
Just as mentioned above – I decided to neutralize the German strong-point on left with smoke and attack in melee on right, simultaneously exiting my units.
Last turns were not so exciting as beginning. Some mop-up operations from my side, more units exiting and constant smoke curtain on the Hill..
Final situation at the game end – Dave got Hero, we were exchanging some fire – between Hill and Valley, and my units on the other side of the map were unopposed in exiting and scoring VPs..
Causalities and destroyed weapons on both sides. They were really high for Germans but also noticeable for US troops.

Summary

That was a game to remember – or, actually, couple of very interesting episodes, each unlike the others. First, the phase without reinforcements and “dance of death” with my trying to advance and artillery called by Dave on his encircled troops, pounding Germans and US soldiers alike. Then the middle part, with German HMG wrecking havoc on my units. And last stage, once HMG was neutralized, when Americans finally prevailed.

Quite a refreshing set-up but I think Dave has enough of defending, and in next scenario (#10 Commando School) we will switch sides. Stay tuned!