Fast Action Battle the Bulge AAR for turns 1 to 3.5

Played the first few turns of Fast Action Battle the Bulge on Saturday the 16th and despite messing up some rules I am finding that I like this game a LOT.  FAB:Bulge is a block game with an area movement map.  Infantry have 3mp and armor 6 while entering an area is 1 or 2 mp with a plus if it is already occupied (by either side, the Ardennes is congested).  Combat is attacker arty fires, then defender arty, then defender ground units, and finally attacker ground units.  It is possible for the attacker to call of an attack to save hits and for the defender to retreat to lessen the number of hits taken.

I think this is the situation at the start of the game.  I forgot to take a picture at the end of the German turn 1.  Those frontline US units are going to be in pretty good shape considering.

End of US Turn 1.  The US manages to create a solid front line but it is a brittle shell.

End of German turn 2, Peiper was in reserve and raced through the whole created in the allied line to take Verviers!  The US unit in are 27 (to the left near the bottom) held out against all odds though.  Throughout the rest of the map the US line is shattered.

End of US turn 2 (broke a rule - the task force currently in Bastogne should not have been allowed to retreat).  The US position is now precarious - the Germans need two more VP in order to get a sudden death win in a couple of turns and US reinforcements are slim for the next couple of turns.  The 82nd and 101 are on the way however and will have to help hold the line.

End of German turn 3.  Bastogne is attacked but holds out, partly due to that illegal asset.  The German north is looking slim and perhaps a threat there could cause a reaction.  I blew up a number of bridges to slow down the Germans at the start of the turn (both sides can use assets at the start of each player turn).  I have three vulnerable VP spaces and will need to defend two of them or retake them by the end of us Turn 4 in order to keep the Germans from winning.

Although there are few units the US gets a number of assets each turn to try and patch holes in the line, they can also be used to assist combat units so they do not take the first hit from enemy fire, to build or destroy bridges, to reinforce battles, and other functions.  The choices that need to be made are what really drive this game, few units but lots of critical choices each turn.  This one will get repeat playings.