To summarize generally regarding the Rommel counter.
Rommel upon arriving on morning inspections came upon a first crossing attempt that had been largely repulsed. Only a shot up company had made it across the Meuse and there was no impetus for a second try. He sent back for two 105's and armor support and used that for suppressing fire on the far bank. He ordered a second crossing, which under the suppressing fire and the targeted burning of buildings to generate an impromptu smoke screen, worked. Rommel did not have any smoke generating apparatus for a crossing, a fact he lamented in letters home to his wife, and so had to improvise. Also, for reasons we were unable to directly ascertain, he did not utilize the equivalent of OBA Smoke or even any noted instances of direct fire smoke screens. He also crossed to the far bank that morning on at least two occasions.
Also during that busy morning he directly changed the building of an 8 ton Pontoon Bridge to a 16 ton Pontoon Bridge in mid-construction. He knew he could get heavier armor across a 16 ton Pontoon and no doubt drew curses behind his back from the impacted Assault Engineers. He and his chief adjutant were strafed by a friendly aircraft, almost ending his career right there. Once satisfied with the second crossing he ran up to Hou briefly to see if the crossing of the 5th Panzer, which was attached to him at this time, was going well. It was.
He then headed back to Dinant, crossed to the far bank again and remained there. The next day, he was almost killed while looking at French defenses outside of Onhaye through the periscope of one of the rare MKIII's in 7th Panzer. The tank was struck by French ATG fire and in game terms, wrecked. He sustained cuts on his face from the periscope glass being blown back into his face and one of his subordinates in the tank lost an arm. The MkIII's driver hit the gas and drove into a ditch where the vehicle fell on it's side. After popping smoke dischargers, the occupants, including Rommel scrambled out. Rommel was stitched up in the same Inn that Dan Dolan, the chief designer of Dinant, would visit a couple of years ago. The inn keeper showed him family photos (His father owned the Inn at the time of the crossing) of Rommel being attended to and of the crossing. Sadly, we have been unable to obtain those photos to date. With the Inn Keepers permission, we might be able to share them for a future article.
To get back to our design conclusions regarding Rommel. He was definitely a source of impetus to the German assault in this sector and showed considerable improvisation and physical courage. Indications are that his men loved him for it. He was however, operating at an overseeing project manager level. Assessing the situation and determining what was needed where, to keep things moving. For this reason, while he raises morale level within 2 hexes of his position, and aids in the completion of engineering tasks such as Ferry, Pontoon Bridge and Pulley construction, (simulating his aides overseeing his instructions for same) he does not have the ability to direct fire and so forth, as that simply was below the level of what he was doing.
If Rommel dies/is captured during the CG, the Germans lose 10 CPP from the next CG date and 5 thereafter to simulate the loss of impetus to the assault in general. The German high command was not entirely enamored of the new approach of deep penetrations with exposed flanks and very likely would have throttled back any replacement of Rommel's. Also, German ELR drops by one permanently. Lastly, all personnel within 2 have a LLMC to take. Live by the Rommel, die by the Rommel.