"SS Cavalry..."

Tom sounds almost too embarrassed to expound on the 19AM combat results - 7 relatively low odds attacks, to include five 2-1's and 1-1's all resulting in Firefights. The Allied field force is now fairly brittle and fast approaching a crossroads in the need for a change in strategy. Not only will this make a stiffening of the defense less of a possibility, but it will mean not being able to create a counterattack reserve with the soon to arrive U.S. 3rd Armor. Splitting up the division to throw in as a fire brigade will no doubt be its fate.

It's time to gamble with the American defense. The weight of IISS Panzer Corps is about to be unleashed. As Bob Ryan pointed out in his recent posting, the Germans need to start giving serious consideration to heading due West and quickly breaching the Ourthe River Line. This is the absolute last turn I can hang on to Eupen without giving up its defenders to a surrounded position. U.S. 9/39 will have to be backed off on its Northern flank. I am going to give Tom a 1/3 chance of surrounding Eupen and its gallant defenders, but it will take a good part of the SS armor to pull it off, armor which may be better utilized heading NW of Vielsalm and attacking toward Werbomont. If the 1/3 chance against Eupen fails, it will leave Tom behind the 8 ball on his time schedule. If he succeeds, it may very well take another turn to digest the defenders. By then, he may be looking at sundown on the 20th. I reiterate that my big ace in hand is my artillery arm. Alas, one beleaguered artillery unit is out of position near La Roche. It will take some careful manipulation over the next turn or two to extricate it. In closing, I will take the opportunity to sting a couple of lone German infantry with counterattacks, albeit of little significance at this time.

Allied 19AM combat results just rolled in and the pesky German infantry ran away on a 7-1(-1). (I hope that's not a harbinger of what's to come.) However, the bright spot is a key bridge at hex 3023 was blown. I'm anxiously waiting to see if Tom interprets Eupen as a trap or as opportunity.

It appears to be pretty close, but why has the German committed so much strength at Eupen? -- Head West Tom!