What scenario are Jagdpanthers in for Normandy?

[Strela]

Bluecoat is a good scenario, but it does require a certain understanding of how some of the Normandy mechanics work in order for it to be enjoyable for both sides. Specifically: Tanks firing through hedgerows at units in bunkers or units in difficult terrain will cause little to no damage, so keeping the tanks on higher ground for a while is essential. Infantry firing from those bunkers through the hedgerows at the tanks can knock out Allied tanks.

Though I've only started a Bluecoat which ended up being dropped after a few turns, another thing that was becoming clear was that the initial German defenders would have to stage a very careful withdrawal or die. They faced the same difficulties as some of the Guards in the Kursk scenarios: having through retreat through difficult terrain, whilst needing to preserve the strength to man the second line.

The short nights make it difficult for both sides to recover fatigue, but this will usually end up hurting the Germans more as they have fewer units and can't cycle units from combat to rest.

Also: in the original version, off-map artillery couldn't use defensive opportunity fire. Currently, they can, which makes scenarios with numerous off-map artillery units more difficult for (usually) the Germans. This has a greater influence on the smaller scenarios based on Bluecoat, as I believe most of the Commonwealth and US artillery will at some point arrive on the map in the full scenario.

The initial German defenders took extremely heavy losses. The game is reflecting history there. That is the reason both the 21st Panzer and subsequently the SS were thrown in to close the gap the 326 Infanterie Division left after being destroyed.

The British tankers specifically called out using the heights to see over the bocage which at ground level was very hard to fight over. They start in a solid position in the centre at the top of the map, but once they started to move forward things become harder . This is what made the second line of hills so important. Again I have no issue with the difficulties, it tends to explain why the various historical objectives were set the way they were.

As I and Chris said, this is a very good scenario. Once you understand the actual history of what happened it plays out with many of the challenges the local commanders had. The 326th was put into an unenviable position of deciding when to hold and when to run. They were also very new to the sector and had little time to settle in. Please note that quite a range of back-up positions are provided as was the case historically - so it is possible to withdraw. The area the Germans have to be most careful, is on the left flank where Gren Regt 752 is stationed.  The British can isolate the whole front line if they head down the highway south west to La Lande-sur-Drome and the Germans have to be ready to respond quickly.

It's worth persevering despite the hard time the Germans have at the beginning as the cavalry definitely arrives.

This is probably one of my most fun large scale Panzer Battles scenario and great with a couple of players on both sides - just be ready for an ebb and flow...

David