User Guide

Arracourt
The American capture of the important industrial and communications center of
Nancy brought a quick German response. While the German army which faced the
Allies had essentially disintegrated during the retreat across France, new armored
formations had been raised and some old ones re-equipped with new panzers.
These new and refitted panzer units struck the Americans at Arracourt, just
east of Nancy. Though outnumbered, the GIs, with leadership from future chief
of staff Creighton Abrams, stopped the German attack and launched a devas-
tating counterattack.
The PANZER GENERAL II scenario begins the action some days before the actual
tank battle, making the American player take Nancy first.
Metz
Metz is only slightly to the north of the Arracourt battlefield, a fortress city
that had been an American target during the First World War. French leaders
had convinced the US commanders to switch to another objective, which
American generals believed to have been a serious error, and one studied
closely between the wars. When Metz again figured in American plans, the
American leaders were determined not to make the same mistake.
The city’s fortifications dated back to the late 19th century, but the Germans
had modernized many of them. The defenders included the usual motley assort-
ment of over- and underage draftees. However, Metz also contained training
schools for officers and NCOs, where the best and brightest soldiers from the
ranks went for further military education. From Metz’s classrooms, the local
commandant was able to raise several regiments of these men. Though these
units had been quickly organized, every man in them had been decorated for
bravery, and they fought furiously to hold Metz.
Dessau
As the war in Europe drew to a close, the shape of post-war Europe became a
concern, especially the disposition and possession of advanced technology
taken from the Germans. When orders came to attack toward Dessau and cap-
ture the experimental airfield there, the division leading the assault, the Third
Armored Division, swept into the area before German engineers could touch
their secret files and experimental models. New technology in rockets and jets
fell intact into American hands.
CAMPAIGN DESIGN NOTES: Crusade in Europe 74
The air attack caused incredible devastation. The bomb craters overlapped, and
most of the front-line German troops simply disappeared. American troops
found tanks flipped completely over and a handful of dazed survivors. The US
units moved through the bomb zone, and handily defeated the German reserves
rushing to fill the gap.
Caen
British commander Bernard Montgomery promised the Allied command that his
troops would capture the old city of Caen on the first day of the Normandy
landings. However, the Germans were able to pour in reinforcements because
the slow, methodical British tactics allowed the Axis to move their troops prac-
tically at will. Weeks of hard, bloody fighting passed before Montgomery made
good on his promise.
73 CAMPAIGN DESIGN NOTES: Crusade in Europe