Christmas Visitors*
*
Date: December 25, 1944*
*
Battle Type: German Assault vs US Defend*
*
Design: Dick (Boomer) Burleigh*
*
*
Christmas Eve, December 24, 1944 was a day of relative quiet around the besieged town of Bastogne, Belgium.  Bastogne had become a thorn in the side of the German Ardennes Offensive.  For six days, every attempt to wrench control of the city and it's key crossroads from the grip of the 101st Airborne "Screaming Eagle" Division had failed.  The eastward advance of the entire Seventh Army was being delayed and the German high command was becoming alarmed.*
*
To better assess that frustrating situation, German General Hasso-Eccard Manteuffel, Commanding General of the Fifth Panzer Army paid a personal visit to the HQ of Major General Heinz Kokott, Commander of the 26th Volksgrenadier Division.  After discussing 
Kokott's responsibilities and plans to gain control of the city, General Manteuffel assigned the 15th Panzergrenadier Division to General Kokott and added "Bastogne must be taken at all costs".*
*
This time General Kokott would attack from the Northwest through the towns of Champs, Rolle and Hemroulle only two miles from the edge of Bastogne.  The attack is scheduled to jump off at 0300 hours when the Americans will not be able to flaunt their air superiority.  He plans to be in Bastogne by 0800 hours and is depending on you to lead his forces this Christmas morning.*
*
As the armor and Panzergrenadiers of the 115th Panzergrenadier Regiment arrive from Mande St Etienne move them eastward and gain control of the ridge road from Champs to Hemroulle.  The spearhead battalions of 77th Panzergrenadier are assembling in Rouette.  Use them to attack through Champs and proceed south towards Hemroulle.  Destroy the American parachute regiment believed to be headquartered around Rolle and when your two forces meet, we march south through Hemroulle to visit the Americans in Bastogne.*
*
Designer notes:*
*
US unit leader names followed by a + are actual names.*
*
This scenario is designed to be played as the Germans, but can be played as the Americans or as a PBEM.*

     