Advance to the Moselle - The Matrix Games version of West Front

Arnaville, 17km SW of Metz, France: [Best played as Allied] This scenario portrays a variation of the initial advance by the US XX Corps to the Moselle River near Arnaville and Dornot. The US 11th Infantry Regiment, 5th Infantry Division slipped one infantry battalion (3/11th Infantry) through a forest between strongly held German strongpoints and forts to the river at Dornot and La Chene. They also infiltrated a second battalion (1/11th Infantry) and elements of the 31st Tank Battalion, 7th Armored Division further south over a forest-fringed ridge to Arnaville. The third infantry battalion (2/11th Infantry) captured Gorze to open the line of communications to the forward battalions. The operation was successful with a bridgehead established shortly afterwards at Arnaville. The Germans responded with a counterattack composed of infantry and tanks of the 17th SS Panzergrenadier Division that forced a US withdrawal from the Arnaville bridgehead. Historically, the Germans were slow to respond to the Allied threat. This scenario explores what might have occured if the Axis response had been quicker.