I pulled out counters and puzzled over the German set-up for J183 "A Real Barn Burner," getting ready for an upcoming game with a friend. So many options for the Germans that it's a bit daunting... I'm thinking about the MMG in a foxhole in 43H8 - this will give a nice long firelane along the road and the MG can also support an assault against the fanatic stronghold. I haven't figured out the best use of the PaK yet, and I am still weighing how to balance the Germans between attacking the stronghold and preventing the reinforcements from arriving. I feel like I will probably leave a fairly small delaying force in the island of woods and then push hard to capture the Bois-Du-Seuil Farm (relying a bit on what I think is a slightly cautious tendency of my opponent). Hoping that I can make a final defensive stand in the farm to hold off the relief force. (Though those fanatics in the farm are not to be taken lightly - I worry that I'll bleed myself white trying to take the farm and then not have enough strength to hold off the final push of the relief force.) So many things to consider... I'm really looking forward to giving this unusual scenario a play!
I played this scenario as the Germans some months ago, and followed a similar train of thought. If you can eliminate the farm's defenders before the relief force arrives, you're in an excellent position.
For the assault, you have two possible strengths: CC (Fanatics don't fight better in CC), and the fact that, being surrounded, the Fanatics typically have nowhere to rout to (except up) if they ever break. So all it takes is a little bad luck on the French part.
In my playing it went extremely well for me - the relief force got seriously delayed, and the defenders did suffer from bad luck, so I got most of my force into the farm well in advance. But this was more due to luck than expert play on my part.