Type : Allied Attack, French Army against German Army
Date : 7th january 1945
Location : Gambsheim, 17 km NE of Strasbourg, Alsace, France
Weather : Overcast, Light snow
Length : 50 turns
Size : Huge

-Description-

    Seeing that the operations in the Ardennes Forest were turning into a stalemate, Hitler decided to launch Operation NORDWIND which would allow the Germans to reach the Vosges Mountains, taking back Strasbourg in the process. This Operation would also force General Patton's Third Army to relieve pressure on Bastogne.
    On December, 31st, 1944, Operation Nordwind was launch in the Vosges northern area in the vicinity of the old Maginot line in the Rohrbach sector (XIII SS Korps) and in the Bitche sector (LXXXIX Korps). General Eisenhower ordered the US 7th Army and the French 1st Army to withdraw towards the Vosges Mountains. This withdrawal would leave Strasbourg in German hands, a decision that was not politicaly acceptable for General De Gaulle.  He ordered General De Lattre to defend Strasbourg at all costs. On January 3rd 1945, De Gaulle and Churchill convinced General Eisenhower to defend Strasbourg. The US 7th Army would only withdraw to the Maginot line and the French 3rd DIA would relieve the American forces north of Strasbourg along the Rhine. Early on January 5th, German elements crossed the Rhine by surprise between Gamsbsheim and Drusemheim. The first attempts by Task Force Linden to take back the little towns were not successfull. An attack by the leading elements of 3rd DIA (with elements of the French 5th Armored Division) was ordered for January, 7th.on the south side of the German bridgehead. At the same time, the Americans would launch another attack  against the northern side of the German bridgehead. The reduction of the German pocket would relieve pressure on Strasbourg only 10 km away from Gambsheim.

-Bibliography-

The original idea of this scenario came from the french wargaming magazine Vae Victis n°5.
Operation NORDWIND - janvier 1945 - Alsace du Nord, Perny P. et al., editions HEIMDAL
Bischwiller-Brumath IGN map 3815 E  (1/25000)

-Designer's Notes-

The railway provides cover from either side due to its embankment. It can only be crossed by tanks at certain points.
This scenario is designed to be played with the French first with the German computer sticked to scenario default !