A Rude Awakening - The Matrix Games version of West Front

Le Desert, 12km NW of St. Lo, France: [Best played as Axis] With the German defenses west of St. Lo and the Vire River reinforced by the arrival of the Panzer Lehr Division, Rommel immediately began planning a counterattack to strike the advancing US XIX Corps a serious blow and throw the Americans on the defensive. Thinking that sounds of increased German activities through the night of the 10th were merely covering preparations for another withdrawal, the staff of the US 9th Infantry Division continued with their own reorganization and planning to continue the attack. However, the Germans were not leaving and early the next morning General Bayerlein's columns struck! Near le Desert and la Caplainerie, northwest of St. Lo, the sleepy GIs of the 39th and 47th Infantry Regiments were jarred awake by a brief artillery barrage followed by firing from tanks advancing with the 901st Panzergrenadier Regiment. That the enemy was far from beaten was a rude awakening for many American commanders and just the beginning of a long day of desperate fighting for the German troops attempting to smash through into XIX Corps rear areas.