Battle of Rimling
9/1/45
v2 - completely revised
The Battle of Rimling (or Rimlingen as the Germans call it) was the last gasp of the Germans Nordwind offensive in the 17SS Panzer Grenadier's sector. The town of Rimling had bee fought over by the 17SS and the US 100th Infantry Division for a week but the US forces had managed to repel the attackers. Late on the 8/1/45 the Germans managed to get a toe-hold in Rimling a success they were determined to build upon the next day
The scenario represent the Germans last attack on the 9/1/45. It was one of the very few occasions that Jägdtiger were used in combat in large enough numbers to warrant a model on CD scale.
US Deployment
US forces are deployed as indicated on the map in the deployment areas delineated by the dashed lines. 2/397th Infantry must be deployed within 3" of the BUA's making up Rimling, but not within the area allocated to 3Kp 17SS Pz AA.
The US RHQ and cannon company can be deployed anywhere within 6" of the south table edge
All US forces, except for vehicles, are dug in (-3 cover)
1st Battalion 398th Infantry is a reinforcement. Start rolling for its arrival end of turn 3 (for arrival during the movement phase of turn 4) - it arrives on a 6 (d6). next turn it arrives on a 4-6. Turn after (5 for arrival in turn 6) it automatically arrives. It can arrive anywhere between points A and C. It may not arrive within LOS & 12" of an un-demoralised German stand. If no arrival is possible on the turn rolled it may arrive anywhere on the south table edge on the next turn
German Deployment
German forces are deployed as indicated on the map in the deployment areas delineated by the dashed lines.
3/653 PzJgr Abt enters the table turn 1 along road E
Terrain
The map shows a 4ft by 6ft table assuming 1" = 50m
Red lines are roads.
Thin blue lines are streams. Tracked vehicles and personnel are unaffected, wheeled vehicles and man-handled guns require a BMA to cross. The banks offer limited cover (-2) for personal (not guns) however in the middle of January the water will be bloody freezing!
The thick blue line is a river and for the most part un-crossable. However personnel stands can cross using 2xBMA
The brown dotted ridge lines are ridge lines. For the most part no LOS can be traced across the ridge lines. Ridge lines offer vehicles hull down positions (-2). Dark brown ridges are higher than the sandy coloured ones. Any stand touching a dark brown ridge line can see over the sandy coloured ones. Units touching the sandy ridge line will not be hull down to those touching the dark brown ridges. No ridges can see over the woods and buildings
Light green areas are open woods
The 4"x4" BUAs are stone (-3 cover). The simple town fighting rules are in effect. The 2"x2" BUA is stone (-3 cover) it can be occupied by a single personnel stand.
The green doted lines are rows of trees. They break LOS and give -1 cover. Any unit on a road with a tree line adjacent is assumed to be next to the tree line (this can be seen). Rivers and streams with trees alongside are one obstacle - a stand adjacent to the trees or water on table is assumed to be adjacent to both.
Special Rules
The game starts at 08:00 and lasts 10 turns Weather is overcast but visibility is OK. The ground is covered in snow.
The Jägdtiger represents only 3 vehicles. When the Jägdtiger mover the gun and sights tended to go out of alignment. For this reason the crew of the Jägdtiger are rated as trained in CD terms
Victory Conditions
The victory locations are: Rimling, Point 372 (where the three ridgelines meet), Points B & F and Bridge D.
Each location is worth a victory point with the exception of Point F which is worth two.
The side with the most points at the end of the last turn (after morale) wins
To hold bridge D one side has to have the only stands in good morale touching the bridge. The side uniquely touching the bridge gains the point. If both sides have stands in good morale touching neither side gets the point, if neither side has a stand touching neither gets the point.
To hold points 372, B or C one side has to have the only stands in good morale within 3" of the centre of the point. The side uniquely occupying the area gains the point. If both sides have stands in good morale within the area neither side gets the point If neither side has a stand in good morale within. The AMERICANS get the point.
To hold the Rimling one side has to have the only stands in good morale wholly within the BUAs. The side within gains the point. If the BUA's are partially occupied or occupied by a stand not in good morale neither side gets the point. If both sides have stands within in good morale neither side gets the point. If its empty of stands in good morale the GERMANS get the point
References
44th Infantry Division (100th Infantry Division's neighbours): http://efour4ever.com/44thdivision/nordwind.html
776th Tank Destroyer Battalion: http://www.100thww2.org/support/776combat.html
American Stubbornness at Rimling: http://www.militaryhistoryonline.com/wwii/articles/rimling.aspx
Geoportail (for the map) http://www.geoportail.fr/visu2D.do?ter=metropole
Gotz von Belichingen Vol 2, JC Perrigault
Jagdtiger - Operational History, A. Devey