Task Force Brown:
The Approach to Germany

A Battalions in Crisis Scenario

American Situation

by LTC John Gordon

It is 15 November, 1944. Your unit is Task Force Brown from the 4th Armored Division. Over the past week your unit has slowly advanced toward the German border against increasing German resistance. Last night your Combat Command commander briefed you that your mission will be to attack and seize two small villages, Rambouillet and Danville, as well as a ridge to the east that dominates the villages. Intelligence reports indicate that the Germans to your front are elements of the 25th Panzer Grenadier Division. The 25th Panzergrenadier is a vetemn of the Russian Front, but has taken very heavy casualties during the past two weeks in its fights with various elements of the U.S. Third Army. Best estimates are that the two villages are held by a very much understrength Panzergrenadier Battalion (100-200 men), possibly with some supporting armor.

Mission:

You will advance to seize both villages and the ridge that dominates them to the east. Following your seizure of this area, the Combat Command Commander plans to immediately exploit your penetration by passing the rest of the Combat Command through your unit for a quick advance to the German border, another 10 miles to the east.

Organization:

Company A, 37th Tank Battalion:

    2 105 mm. Shermans (Company Cdr, Company XO)
    12 M-4A1 (three platoons of four each)

Company A, 52nd Armored Infantry Battalion (less one platoon):

    Company HQ-2 officers, 2 NCOs w/SMG, 6 riflemen, 1 FO w/radio, 1 M-3 halftrack
    Two rifle Platoons, each with:
      Platoon HQ-1 Lt, 1 NCO w/SMG, 2-man bazooka team, 3-man .30 cal MG team, 1 radioman, 1 M-3 halftrack
      3 Rifle Squads-1 NCO w/SMG, 2 EM w/SMG, 6 riflemen, 1 BAR, 1 M-3 halftrack

    One Weapons Platoon: 57 mm AT gun, 1 NCO w/SMG, 6 riflemen, 1 M-3 halftrack M-4 halftrack w/81 mm mortar, 1 NCO w/SMG, 6 riflemen NCO w/SMG, 2.50 cal HMG, 8 crew, 1 M-3 halftrack

4th Armored Recon Battalion-One Platoon:

    2 M-5 Stuart
    1 M-8 75 mm Stuart support tank

4th Tank Destroyer Battalion-One Section:

    2 M-10 Wolverine tank destroyers

Two Engineer Squads:

    NCO w/SMG, 7 riflemen, 2-man flamethrower team M-3 halftrack (Equipment includes six 20-lb sachel charges, one mine detector, four Bangalore torpedoes, one spare flamethrower tank)

Fire Support: One four-gun battery of M-7 105mm howitzers-off board. The ONLY sources of calls for fire for the battery are:

    Tank Company Cdr
    Tank Company XO
    FO with the Armored Infantry Company Cdr

Air Support:
One Jeep with a Tac Air Control Party (one officer, two riflemen)

Notes:

On turn one, roll a six sided die. That is the turn that two P-47 fighter bombers arrive. Each P-47 is armed with two 500-lb bombs, plus machine guns. When the aircraft arrive, they can remain on station for six turns. The P-47s can either search the board for targets of opportunity, or they can be directed to a specific target by the Tac Air Control Party.


Task Force Brown: The Approach to Germany A Battalions in Crisis Scenario

Task Force Brown Scenario Write-Up


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