Battle of the Vosges, France, November 14th-30th 1944 Story : The quick and brilliant victories of Provence are replaced by a deadly and brutal frontal fight in the Fall of 1944. The 1st Free French Army incorporates thousands of new young inexperienced volunteers to replace the colonial tirailleurs, veterans of several campaigns. The French offensives through the dense forests of the Vosges allow the Germans to hold them back and to maintain a front. It is a prelude to what will happen to the French in Alsace.

French units : 1ère Armée : • •

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Quartier Général 1 M10 + 1 Génie 9ème Division d’Infanterie Coloniale 3 Goumiers + 4 Fantassins + 2 Recrues 1 M5 Stuart + 1 M10 Wolverine + 1 105mm Howitzer + 1 155mm Canon 1 60mm Mortier + 1 81mm Mortier + 1 MG Crew 2ème Division d’Infanterie Marocaine 1 Commandos + 4 Fantassins + 2 Recrues 1 M5 Stuart + 1 M10 Wolverine + 1 105mm Howitzer 1 60mm Mortier + 1 MG Crew 1ère Division Française Libre 3 Goumiers + 1 Vétérans + 2 Fantassins + 1 Recrues 1 Jeep + 1 M10 Wolverine + 2 105mm Howitzer 1 60mm Mortier + 1 81mm Mortier + 1 MG Crew 1ère Division Blindée 4 M4 Sherman + 1 M7 Priest + 2 Fantassins 5ème Division Blindée 4 M4 Sherman + 1 M7 Priest + 2 Fantassins er 1 Régiment de Tirailleurs Marocains 1 Goumiers

German units : 19. Armee : • • • • • • • • •

338. Volkgrenadier Division 1 Veteran + 2 Rifles 189. Infanterie Division 3 Rifles 30. SS Division 2 Rifles 159. Infanterie Division 3 Veterans 198. Infanterie Division 3 Veterans 269. Infanterie Division - 469. Bd: 1 Gebirgsjägers + 1 Veterans - 490. Bd: 1 Gebirgsjägers 1198. Heer Motor Abteilung 1 Hetzer 654. Panzer Jäger Abteilung 1 Jagdpanther 280 Stug brigade 1 Stug III G

• • • • • • • • • •

2. SS Ersatz 1 Rifles 106. Panzer Brigade 1 Panther + 1 Panzergrenadiers Ohren Bd 1 Green Infantry SS MG 808 1 Veterans 34 Fus/335 Gr 1 Rifles Kampfgruppe Diemer 1 Veterans Kampfgruppe Reutlingen 1 Veterans Kampfgruppe Renschling 1 Veterans Aufklarung 30 1 P-178 1000. Aufklarung 1 P-178

Scenario rules : Use the optional rule Mortars as support weapon. The battlefield consists of LW (light woods), HW (Heavy woods), CL (Clear), CI (City), TO (Town), VI (Village), MO (Mountain).

LW01 HW07 MO13 MO19 MO25

19. Armee Headquarters VI02 LW03 LW04 TO05 LW08 CI09 LW10 CL11 VI14 LW15 TO16 HW17 MO20 CI21 CI22 CI23 MO26 MO27 LW28 HW29 1ère Armée Headquarters

VI02 – Chalampé TO05 – Huningue MO19 – Ballon d’Alsace

LW06 HW12 HW18 MO24 HW30

CI09 – Mulhouse

CI21 – Belfort

1.

Turns 10 Turns. Each turn represents approximatively 2 days.

2.

Supply The French player receives 20 points at start and 4 supply dices per turn. The German player receives 16 points at start and 4 supply dices per turn. Supply points remain hidden during the game.

3.

Special cards Each player has a 32 special cards deck (2 identical cards max.). He must choose them according to the deck restrictions of annex 1. Each player draws 1 free card each turn with the possibility of buying only one other card at the cost of 6 points. Each player takes randomly 5 cards from this deck before the game begins.

4.

Winterstellung It represents the prepared defense line to where the Germans retreated after the fall of Belfort. Place 2 Fortified buildings, 1 Antitank ditch, 2 Barbed wires, 2 AP Minefields in the following zones: MO13, VI14, LW15, TO16, HW17, HW18. 2 Obstacles maximum are allowed per zone.

5.

Headquarters The 19. Armee Headquarters is north of the LW01-LW06 line. The 1ère Armée Headquarters is south of the MO25-HW30 line. Each HQ has no stacking limit. A unit that is not connected to its HQ by friendly units controlling a zone attacks with a doubled cost in supply points and can not refit.

6.

SS units The 2. SS Ersatz and the SS MG 808 units have +1 Inf, +1 Def.

7.

Traffic jam The German player must include a Traffic Jam special card in his deck.

8.

Ukrainian Desertions At the beginning of each turn, roll a die for each unit of the 30. SS Division. On a 6, the unit deserts (it is discarded). Stop these rolls after the 2nd desertion.

9.

Others Only assaults and refits need supply points, reinforcements are free and come in play as indicated below.

Set up and reinforcement : Turn 1 : START. The French player begins the game. German: The 338. Volkgrenadier Division deploys in the CI23, MO24, HW17, HW18 The 189. Infanterie Division in LW15, TO16, CI21, CI22 The 159. Infanterie Division in VI14, MO20 The 269. Infanterie Division-469. Bd in MO19, MO13 The following units can not move until turn 2: The Ohren Bd in the CI21 The SS MG 808 in HW18 The 34 Fus/335 Gr in CI09 The 1000. Aufklarung in LW15 French: The 9ème DIC in HW29, HW30 and in the 1ère Armée HQ The 2ème DIM in MO27, LW28 and in the 1ère Armée HQ The 1ère DFL in MO25, MO26 and in the 1ère Armée HQ Turn 2 : French: The 5ème Division Blindée in the 1ère Armée HQ Turn 3: German: The 30. SS Division in the 19. Armee HQ The 198. Infanterie Division in the 19. Armee HQ The 269. Infanterie Division-490. Bd in the 19. Armee HQ The Aufklarung 30 in the 19. Armee HQ Turn 4: German: The 654. Panzer Jäger Abteilung in the 19. Armee HQ The 280 Stug brigade in the 19. Armee HQ The 2. SS Ersatz in the 19. Armee HQ The 106. Panzer Brigade in the 19. Armee HQ The Kampfgruppe Diemer in the 19. Armee HQ The Kampfgruppe Reutlingen in the 19. Armee HQ French: The Quartier Général units in the 1ère Armée HQ The 1ère Division Blindée in the 1ère Armée HQ Turn 7: German: The 1198. Heer Motor Abteilung in the 19. Armee HQ The Kampfgruppe Renschling in the 19. Armee HQ

French: The 1er Régiment de Tirailleurs Marocains in the 1ère Armée HQ Turn 10: END (at the end of the turn)

Victory : Both sides receive victory points equal to the value of enemy troops destroyed plus the value of objectives held at the end of the game. • 5 points for CI23 (Sochaux/Monbéliard) • 10 points for CI21 (Belfort), CI09 (Mulhouse) • 15 points for VI02 and TO05 (the Rhine major bridges) The side with the highest point total wins.

Historical reference points : Turn 4: Turn 6: Turn 9:

The 1ère Armée takes Belfort although all resistance will only cease 4 days later. Mulhouse is reached. The 63. Korps (with the 30. SS Division) is encircled.

Annex 1 : Below are written the special cards that players can not use in their deck. FRENCH Weather related cards Cards with the word Hitler written on it Obstacle related cards Armorer’s miracle Assault boats Bazooka team Conscripts desert Critical sector Divisional reserve Espionage Flamethrower MG Crew Partisan activity Pontoon bridge Railhead Reinforcements Russian offensive Supplies Supply cache Traffic jam Troop convoy

GERMAN Weather related cards Cards with the word Hitler written on it Obstacle related cards Fortification related cards Baseplate Blow dam Channel storm Demolition Divisional reserve Erwin Rommel Espionage Monty throws a fit Overextended Railhead Reinforcements Supply strike Pontoon bridge Waffen SS Ferry Flamethrower MG Crew Panzerfaust V2-Strike Wurfrahmen 40 Armorer’s miracle Critical sector Luftwaffe purge Supplies Supply cache Traffic jam

Credits : The Battle of the Vosges 1944 for The Last Crusade was created by Florent Coupeau.