GenCon Battle Report: Bitter Cold Bastogne

Chaos reigned on the battlefield during a late night simulation of the German attack on Bastogne in the Battle of the Bulge.

Game designer and decorated veteran Peter Panzeri Jr. briefs players on the basic elements of his custom-made Rommel Rules.

Pete is an award-winning game designer and combat veteran. He won the Bronze Star and was awarded the combat infantry badge during Operation Desert Storm in 1991. After enlisting in 1977, Pete rose to the rank of captain, serving variously as drill instructor, platoon and company commander as well as battalion executive officer. Pete has an MA in military history from Ohio State University and also serves as president of the Historic Miniatures Gaming Society.

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Bitter Cold Bastogne: WWII Ice Wars was an ambitious undertaking and involved more than a dozen players, 100 tanks and hundreds of infantry figures. The massive battle was spread out on a large tabletop 3-D terrain mat, including rivers, bridges, hills and forests. The players were divided into three forces, with the 101st Airborne defending Bastogne on the east flank and elements of Patton’s 3rd Army attacking from the west. A large group of German tanks were caught in the middle, with orders to seize the bridges leading to Bastogne.

I was given command of a Sherman platoon on the right flank of Patton’s 3rd Army. Our force included recon tanks and armored cars, M4 medium tanks, infantry mounted in half-tracks and a battery of 105mm howitzers. The 101st Screaming Eagles included infantry and artillery.

A mixed force of Pz IV medium tanks, Tiger and King Tiger heavy tanks made up the main body of the German kampfgruppe, along with horse-drawn artillery and some panzer grenadiers. The deadly 8.8 cm KwK 43 L/71 of the King Tiger had a range of up to six feet!

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