I get the luck of the draw and select the German side. Peter has already studied the scenario and has preplotted his setup. It's a strange feeling confronting an empty board. I decide to make a run at mopping up the required 27 of 33 buildings without taking moer casualty VP's than the ZOB. The other option is to cause twice as many CVP's to the ZOB than I incur.
Peter has set up the ZOB in the following locations: V4 W4 W5 U5 U8 R5 T3 S4-2nd LEVEL U7 T2-2nd LEVEL W9 V9 X8 His setup is going to give me lots of building locations early on, but make the last few buildings rather tough to obtain.
I deploy my allowed 10% (FRU) of half squads, and attempt to deploy an additional 3 squads during the initial rally phase. I need as many MMC's as I can get to do the mopping up. I'm going to hit the eastern rowhouses by turn 3 and lots of 1- and 2-hex buildings. If I am not deployed, they will take forever to secure. The cost, however, Fire Power and rallying ability.
Turns 1 & 2
The Germans enter by GG5 in sequential stacks. Half squads are sent out CX'd to draw fire. The units stay on the roads at this point to gain Road Bonus. The advance splits off into three axis along the three streets that penetrate the eastern part of the Ghetto.
Turns 3 thru 5
My plan of attack is working well. The production of mopped up buildings is on schedule with 14 secured by the end of turn 5. It's obvious that Peter has setup well back in the Ghetto. The only contact I've had was minor fire from 3 ZOB squads that has been only nominally effective with the Germans loosing a half squad. What has been a killer, however, has been Close Combat. I've traded a squad for two of Peter's, but there's still 9 squads out there somewhere.
Turns 6 thru 8
These turns are almost as productive as the previous three turns. I manage to secure another 11 buildings, but at a cost. Peter's given up a leader and another squad in Close Combat, but it's tied down too much of my force digging them out of building S4. I've managed to hem the ZOB in by dividing my force and taking S4, N2, O2, Q2, W1, T2 on the South, N6 and R6 and U8 in the center, and X9, and N9 to the North. The bulk of my force in to the South so I attempt a push across the street and tie up in Close Combat with the ZOB. Peter somehow locks me in to Melee for both CC Phases of turn 8 inspite of my 3:1 and 4:1 odds. I can't mop up the needed building since it has to be declared during my Prep Fire Phase on turn 9.
Turn 9a - Hopes Dashed
My only hope at this point it to eliminate enough ZOB units. Peter has managed to capture a leader and half squad which he promptly retreated in turn 8 to his headquarters... Fortified building location which thwarts my attempt to enter and engage in Close Comabt. The net results is a ZOB Victory.
CVP: Germans Lost 14; ZOB Lost 12
Buildings mopped up: 26
Buildings controlled by the German but not Mopped Up: 4