Möhrings Last Command - The Matrix Games version of West Front

At the opening of the Ardennes Offensive, the 60th Armored Infantry Batallion of the 9th Armored Division led by Lt. Col Kenneth Collins held positions between Wallendorf and Bollendorf along the Sauer river. Dug in on the high Sauer slopes were co. A and C, while co. B was held in reserve a short distance to the west at Batt. HQ in Beaufort. Facing them on the other side of the river were 986 and 988 Regiment of Generalmajor Kurt Möhrings 276 Volksgrenadier division. At about 6:30 in the morning the 986. Reg. started crossing the Sauer on the left flank in rubber assault boats concealed by early morning river mist. After getting on the other shore, they moved quickly towards the highground overlooking Berens, but as daylight broke in came under heavy fire from the north side of the Sauer where the 3rd Batt. of the 109th Reg. was dug in. On the right flank the 988. Regiment crossed the bridge at Dillingen and got engaged in heavy fighting with the 60th AIB. Lt. Col. Collins there upon decided to move B co. forward between A and C co. The 60th AIB's front being overstretched, the Volksgrenadiers found no difficulty in penetrating deep behind the lines, slowly cutting off the 60th AIB. On the next day Collins was forced to withdraw his headquarters from Beaufort, leaving the 60th AIB. completely surrounded. CCA commander Colonel Thomas Harold ordered a relieve operation to be carried out by Task Force Philbeck and Task Force Chamberlain, both composed of various elements from CCA. The relieve operation faltered as many tanks fell victim to Panzerfausts in the wooded countryside. There upon Collins radioed the trapped Batallion to fight it's way out, in which it succeeded. After 3 days of fighting the batallion had lost 231 men. The unfortunate Generalmajor Kurt Möhring was killed on 18 december by a burst of machinegun fire while travelling from Beaufort to Müllerthal.