For thirteen of the Allied soldiers involved in THC’s 2025/26 play-by-comment Combat Mission marathon, there will be no joyful homecoming, no grey hairs or grandchildren. Thirty-four others will carry physical mementos of the Battle of Nottingheim until the day they die. Bearing in mind the German casualty figures (40 dead and 106 injured) and the considerable challenges the Anglo-American force needed to overcome in order to gain victory, Allied losses were, I feel, remarkably light.

Assuming that suspiciously huge woodpile by the station isn’t a Tiger about to shed an inspired disguise, or that weird waspish whine audible over the dwindling rattle of battle isn’t the sound of a Staffel of bomb-laden Stormvogels bearing down on Nottingheim at 500+ mph, the final turn of 2025/26’s play-by-comment CM marathon should be plain sailing for the Bogen bouncers.

The Comment Commanders’ confidence in the abilities of their artillery spotter and off-map 25-pounder battery is a tad scary. With the finish line of this eight month-long co-op Combat Mission: Beyond Overlord marathon a mere two turns/minutes away, and victory seemingly assured, they choose to launch four rounds of British-made 88mm HE into the midst of a dinky German hamlet alive with Allied vehicles and men!

Apart from a couple of bursts of sketchy MP 40 fire in the first ten seconds of the turn, the flow of violence is all one way in Bounce the Bogen’s thirty-third instalment. As British and American forces surge towards the village, the handful of enemy units that haven’t surrendered or ceased to exist, scamper for the eastern map edge.

When the clock froze at the end of Turn 31, Captain Hood was in deep trouble. Alone, short of ammo, and battling – at close range – a remarkably feisty/deadly two-man platoon HQ, his chances of surviving Turn 32 seemed slim. Read on to find out if Robin perishes among the pine needles, or is saved by a frantic pincer attack mounted by Sergeant Venison and Corporal Moorehead.

If the Bogen bouncers finish this 35-turn scenario in possession of the castle, the village, and the bridges, then they will have ample reason to celebrate. However, if the situation in the woods south-east of the castle doesn’t improve PDQ, those celebrations may be somewhat muted.