Toaw Scenario: Operation NordWind

France,
January 01, 1945,

German army of 93 units opposed to USA army of 78 units
for a battle of complexity 0.75 at Regiment(III) level
on a 2.5 Km/Hex map
for 20 turns of Full Day each.

by Jack Koon submited on 14-02-2003

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Briefing
Operation NordWind v1.1 The Last German Offensive on the Western Front Unit Colors Heer - Grey on Grey Volksgrenadier - Tan on Grey Waffen SS - Black on Black Luftwaffe - Red on Grey US Army - Green on Olive Army Air Force - Blue on Olive US Corps - Dk Blue on Green Special Events US Side The 36th Infantry Div. will be released from Army reserve only if the Germans advance far enough into the Low Vosges. HQ units are built with command group and support squad structure and are vulnerable. Theatre recon is reduced if a Field Artillery Observation Battalion is destroyed. Infantry units have replacement priority. Storms are possible mid-scenario. Strategic bias may improve late in scenario. German Side The 21st Panzer and 25th PanzerGrenadier will only be released from Army reserve if the assault proceeds far enough. Infantry units have replacement priority. SS units have enhanced replacement priorities. HQ units have been built with command group and support squad structure and are vulnerable. Instant victory is achieved if Petite-Pierre is occupied. Strategic bias is set to "agressive". Historical Background Once the great battle to the north in the forests of the Ardennes began to falter, the German High Command awakened to the necessity and opportunity of attacking elements of the US 7th Army in Alsace-Lorraine. They knew that 7th Army was spread thin due to Patton's 3rd Army wheeling north to attack Army Group B. This created a difficult situation for General Patch and his 7th Army troopers. They were ordered by SHAEF to fall back to defensible positions and dig in. This in itself tipped the Germans to the drastic turn of momentum. Intelligence reports and agressive patrolling confirmed that XV Corps (General Haislip) and XI Corps (General Brooks) were having to adjust their positions to now cover an area previously held by two full Armies. Army Group G developed the original plan for NordWind but Hitler reviewed it and made significant alterations. The final version called for three Korps (XIIISS, XC and LXXXIX) to launch a two pronged assault through the heart of the Low Vosges as well as down the Saar River valley. The ultimate goal was to break through the thin US lines and link up with units advancing through the Colmar pocket. If this link-up were to occur it would mean that the entire 7th Army was trapped. It would also mean the retaking of the key French city of Strasbourg, only recently liberated by the Allies. It was hoped that the fall of Strasbourg would cause the provisional French government to collapse and create the time needed to improve WestWall defenses and to bring to bear the new wonder weapons. The other major objective was to create such a panic that SHAEF would order 3rd Army to return south to stem the breach in Alsace-Lorraine. This would dramatically improve the chances that the Ardennes offensive would continue and achieve its' original objectives. A stalemate that developed into a cease-fire would give the Reich time to regroup and rearm. OKH commited six Volksgrenadier divisions (19th, 36th, 256th, 257th, 361th, 559th) the 17th SS PanzerGrenadier Divison (Gotz von Berlichingen) and the 6th SS Gebirg Divison (Division Nord). Being held in reserve should a breakthrough occur were the 21st Panzer Div. and the 25th PanzerGrenadier Div. They were positioned such that they could respond to either of the two assaults should one succeed in opening up a path to the Saverne Gap. To maintain utmost secrecy (too late, ULTRA had already identified the general plans) Army Group G ordered that only minimal patrolling occur and no artillery barrage was to support the initial assaults. 7th Army was already in the process of preparing defensive positions. It was not well received by the men who had already fought so hard and shed so much blood to now have to pull out of that same ground. They knew that in the near future more of their blood would be spent regaining that same patch of earth. Most of the "horsepower" of the 7th was situated in the Saar River valley, near Sarreguemines and Rimling. This was the sector for XV Corps and its' 44th and 100th Infantry Divsions. The far side of the Low Vosges was covered by VI Corps and its' 45th Div. In the mountainous middle, General Brooks situated an ad hoc group identified as Task Force Hudelson. It was made up of a patchwork of units mostly from the 14th Armored Division and was a regiment equivalent. It was thinly spread on mountain roads from near Bitche to Philippsbourg. It was hoped that any attack through this area could at least be slowed down until reinforcements could arrive. Thus the stage was set for a grueling battle that would bear no success for either side except in substantial combat casualties. This scenario is dedicated to the memory of: Pfc. Charles B.(Brad) Koon Battery A, 3rd FAOBSN, XV Corps !LOCAMUS!

Briefing

Operation NordWind v1.1

The Last German Offensive on the Western Front

Unit Colors

Heer - Grey on Grey

Volksgrenadier - Tan on Grey

Waffen SS - Black on Black

Luftwaffe - Red on Grey

US Army - Green on Olive

Army Air Force - Blue on Olive

US Corps - Dk Blue on Green

Special Events

US Side

The 36th Infantry Div. will be released from Army reserve only if the Germans advance far enough into the Low Vosges.

HQ units are built with command group and support squad structure and are vulnerable.

Theatre recon is reduced if a Field Artillery Observation Battalion is destroyed.

Infantry units have replacement priority.

Storms are possible mid-scenario.

Strategic bias may improve late in scenario.

German Side

The 21st Panzer and 25th PanzerGrenadier will only be released from Army reserve if the assault proceeds far enough.

Infantry units have replacement priority. SS units have enhanced replacement priorities.

HQ units have been built with command group and support squad structure and are vulnerable.

Instant victory is achieved if Petite-Pierre is occupied.

Strategic bias is set to "agressive".

Historical Background

Once the great battle to the north in the forests of the Ardennes began to falter, the German High Command awakened to the necessity and opportunity of attacking elements of the US 7th Army in Alsace-Lorraine.

They knew that 7th Army was spread thin due to Patton's 3rd Army wheeling north to attack Army Group B. This created a difficult situation for General Patch and his 7th Army troopers. They were ordered by SHAEF to fall back to defensible positions and dig in. This in itself tipped the Germans to the drastic turn of momentum. Intelligence reports and agressive patrolling confirmed that XV Corps (General Haislip) and XI Corps (General Brooks) were having to adjust their positions to now cover an area previously held by two full Armies.

Army Group G developed the original plan for NordWind but Hitler reviewed it and made significant alterations. The final version called for three Korps (XIIISS, XC and LXXXIX) to launch a two pronged assault through the heart of the Low Vosges as well as down the Saar River valley. The ultimate goal was to break through the thin US lines and link up with units advancing through the Colmar pocket. If this link-up were to occur it would mean that the entire 7th Army was trapped. It would also mean the retaking of the key French city of Strasbourg, only recently liberated by the Allies. It was hoped that the fall of Strasbourg would cause the provisional French government to collapse and create the time needed to improve WestWall defenses and to bring to bear the new wonder weapons.

The other major objective was to create such a panic that SHAEF would order 3rd Army to return south to stem the breach in Alsace-Lorraine. This would dramatically improve the chances that the Ardennes offensive would continue and achieve its' original objectives. A stalemate that developed into a cease-fire would give the Reich time to regroup and rearm.

OKH commited six Volksgrenadier divisions (19th, 36th, 256th, 257th, 361th, 559th) the 17th SS PanzerGrenadier Divison (Gotz von Berlichingen) and the 6th SS Gebirg Divison (Division Nord).

Being held in reserve should a breakthrough occur were the 21st Panzer Div. and the 25th PanzerGrenadier Div. They were positioned such that they could respond to either of the two assaults should one succeed in opening up a path to the Saverne Gap.

To maintain utmost secrecy (too late, ULTRA had already identified the general plans) Army Group G ordered that only minimal patrolling occur and no artillery barrage was to support the initial assaults.

7th Army was already in the process of preparing defensive positions. It was not well received by the men who had already fought so hard and shed so much blood to now have to pull out of that same ground. They knew that in the near future more of their blood would be spent regaining that same patch of earth.

Most of the "horsepower" of the 7th was situated in the Saar River valley, near Sarreguemines and Rimling. This was the sector for XV Corps and its' 44th and 100th Infantry Divsions. The far side of the Low Vosges was covered by VI Corps and its' 45th Div. In the mountainous middle, General Brooks situated an ad hoc group identified as Task Force Hudelson. It was made up of a patchwork of units mostly from the 14th Armored Division and was a regiment equivalent. It was thinly spread on mountain roads from near Bitche to Philippsbourg. It was hoped that any attack through this area could at least be slowed down until reinforcements could arrive.

Thus the stage was set for a grueling battle that would bear no success for either side except in substantial combat casualties.

This scenario is dedicated to the memory of:
Pfc. Charles B.(Brad) Koon
Battery A, 3rd FAOBSN, XV Corps

!LOCAMUS!