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Product Review: Hell on Wheels Scenario Pack

This brief review of Bounding Fire Productions' Hell on Wheels Battle Pack is intended to give an overview of the basic contents of the pack. Since the Austin ASL Club did a lot of volunteer work to help out with the pack, including playtesting, proofreading, and even writing an article, it would not be possible to give it a completely unbiased review. That said, we all enjoyed it.

The U.S. 2nd Armored ("Hell on Wheels") Division was arguably the most powerful division to see combat in World War II. Now you can follow the exploits of this famous unit on your ASL battlefields, as it fights its way from Sicily through France to Germany. A baker's dozen scenarios, all done in a gorgeous full color format, bring the Hell on Wheelers to your tabletop. About half of the scenarios are "tourney sized" while the rest range from mid-sized to large. The accompanying magazine contains articles on the history of the 2nd Armored as well as armored warfare tactics for ASL. In addition, the pack contains a new deluxe unmounted mapboard depicting open terrain and compatible with existing deluxe mapboards, which is used in three of the scenarios. Rounding out the pack is a solitaire mission featuring a U.S. armored recon company attempting to capture a bridge and deluxe overlays for wood and stone rubble. But that's not all. There's a special bonus: a scenario for God Save the King, from Eddie Zeman's Heat of Battle staff, depicting Graebner's attempt to cross the Arnhem Bridge.

Designer Chas Smith brings a wealth of experience to his debut offering from Bounding Fire Productions. Not only is he an experienced ASL player, but also as a Captain in the 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood he has real-world experience with armor tactics. At Fort Hood, Captain Smith has had access to a great deal of excellent source material on the Hell on Wheels Division, which used to be based there.

Scenario Preview

Guns of Naro - Tourney sized. Sicily. Recon elements of 2AD run into an Italian gun position atop the board 9 hill. They must clear the road, but German aircraft is on the prowl.
Canicatti - Tourney sized. Sicily. The very next day armor and infantry of 2AD try to seize high ground to the north of Canicatti. But troops of Group Fullriede, Panzergrenadier Division 15, will have something to say about it first. They are entrenched on those heights.
Redlegs as Infantry - Tourney Sized. The action moves to France, where Operation Cobra is underway. DivArty soldiers volunteer as infantry to clear out elements of the German 353rd Infantry Division. Second line troops on each side square off in this one, where the Amis get some tank support, and Jerry has a pack howitzer battery.
Inch by Inch - 2AD's CCB attempts to breach a part of the Siegfried line. Just as CCB's tanks and infantry start reaching the high ground to cut the Geilenkirchen-Aachen highway, they are counterattacked by 7 Marders.
The Narrow Front - Five Stuarts of 2AD support the infantry of 29th Infantry Division as they attack the enemy in the streets and gardens of Wuerselen. The German defense is bolstered by a dugin Panther. Deluxe boards.
From Bad to Wuerselen - Two days later, the Germans counterattack. This time, the panzergrenadiers are supported by 4 Jagdpanthers. Deluxe boards.
Trench Warfare - XIX Corps begins its push to the Roer, 19 Nov. 1944, with 2AD leading the way. A strong combined arms force attempts to clear an AT ditch in the open country east of Puffendorf. Germans counterattack with tanks and infantry of Panzer Division 9 and are in turn hit in the flank by other elements of 2AD. This one can be quite a spectacle.
Merzenhausen Zoo - Crocodiles, Tigers, and even a Rhinocerous tangle in a wild, snarling battle of fierce creatures. Two very strong American groups composed of 30 ID soldiers supported by TF 1/66 and attached British tanks, must cross open ground and seize the town of Merzenhausen from the troops of 246th Division and LXXXI Corps. Relief is on the way for the Germans in the form of a counterattack led by two King Tigers.
A Perfect Match - 2AD's recon battalion meets 2nd Panzer's recon battalion in this bulge action pairing identical namesake units. Pumas and M8 armored cars highlight the action. Deluxe boards.
In the Bag - This is the pack's monster scenario, and what a treat it is. The board 24 village, with hills on each side, provides the setting of Celles, Belgium. This one has it all: Panthers, a Bison, Flak truck, FlakPz, OBA for each side, American air support, 40 American AFVs of various types (about half of them halftracks), and a counterattacking German armor and infantry group. If you want to let it all hang out, this scenario is for you.
Inhumaine - Infantry and tanks from CCR must seize the board 6 chateau from fanatic German defenders and get some help from a couple of Crocodiles late in the action. Tourney sized.
Lee's Charge - American tanks and infantry must fight through the Germans and deep snow in this open country, tourney sized scenario.
Hitler's Bridge - A large city action, featuring tanks and infantry from CCB attempting to secure the zone on their side of the Adolf Hitler Bridge at Uerdingen in the face of stiff resistance from troops of Parachute Division 2.
Get Me That Bridge (Solitaire Mission) - You are in command of a deceptively powerful U.S. amored recon company and must seize a bridge from determined German defenders. Now solitaire players can try something different than commanding the standard infantry company.
Bonus GSTK Scenario: Premature Evaluation - Hauptsturmfuhrer Graebner must take his Recce Bn. of 9th SS Panzer back across the bridge at Arnhem to rejoin his parent unit. But Major Munford and his British paratroopers are waiting for him.