Dinant CG (Dennis Brothers)

Den589

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Me and my brother have finally started our Dinant CG, after a slight delay due to the world losing its mind, especially with Southeast Michigan being hit so hard. Steve should be along to post pictures soon.

My first thoughts as the German was that this is going to be very difficult to get across that river. We are through turn 2, and he obviously knows my purchases, they were as follows: a Rifle company (that entered from the south), a Raft section (also entering from the south), an 81* MTR section (also from the south; they both moved up the hill into the areas of VV47 and WW50 for future smoke cover) , and a heavy armored car platoon (that entered from the northern most of the eastern entrance hexes) and I saved 2 CPP for tomorrow. Steve purchased additional OBA (80mm) and I think a FPP and probably saved 1 CPP. We went back and forth on whether this was a good buy for the French or not.

Steve has concentrated on killing boats, specifically the assault boats, although not exclusively. We seem to agree that killing the boats is the best way for the French to stop the crossing. So far his OBA has done almost nothing, but I've lost a ton of boats to 37INF, 25LL and his 81MTR's. I've also foolishly lost one of the armored cars when I left him an open, easy shot on one (the rest are now cowering in fear). Through a turn and a half, I was pretty distraught at the German position. As we have gotten into turn 2, and onto the start of turn 3, I have opened up a slight opening on the west bank, the question is if I have enough boats to pour into the "slight opening". We've only played two turns but I've already alternated between thinking I've totally botched this to maybe I'm not in too bad a shape. That's hopefully a good sign of this CG being pretty balanced if I'm alternating between these thoughts already.

We will be at it again tomorrow.

Wine consumed were a Charles Woodson Intercept Cabernet Sauvignon (California), which actually wasn't bad. Easy to drink although very mild for a cabernet and my brother provided his go to Pinot Noir; the Californian Dumol which is still one of the best Pinot's either of us have ever had (although a bit pricy for my civil servant salary.)
 

asloser

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Wine consumed were a Charles Woodson Intercept Cabernet Sauvignon (California), which actually wasn't bad. Easy to drink although very mild for a cabernet and my brother provided his go to Pinot Noir; the Californian Dumol which is still one of the best Pinot's either of us have ever had (although a bit pricy for my civil servant salary.)
I like the wine tasting notes feature.
 

Honza

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So who won the RO CG?

EDIT: just found it.
 

sdennis

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OK here are the at start pics didn't take them until 1/2 way through prep and the bombardment counter is still down, it didn't do much but some rubble.

In the South:
You can see the guys coming and causing a traffic jam and the original beached boats at start which I am now thinking is a mistake. First kill stack there by the bridge did nothing but he is still a threat, had 2 100mm OBA FFE on him and got 2 PTCs I think... could have made this very different here, lost radio contact once and than no results really... could have devastated this flank easily with better OBA, drift or results. I have some guys hiding from the bombardment back up the road which are now in town trying to push the first crossers back.

12611

OK in the middle
I don't know what that 5/8 stack is in the TT row... must have put some counters down by mistake...
This was the tail of the main effort from at start. Table is not quite big enough so that two stacks on the roads are his 6 ACs "lined" up for entry.
This kill stack has been smoked once and he just keeps sliding down the river bank and has now cleared the other side effectively... I have a stack of 3 mmgs over here that can't touch him... the mortar went to smoke him on Turn 2 again and malfunctioned... that is going to hurt.

12612

And in the North we started with this. Nothing has crossed down here and I've killed half? of the beached boats. I have 3 37* INF that can see this area.

Interesting question exhibited here. Can a unit advance into PP14 let's say and also board the beached boat all in the advance phase? Not 2 locations, only 2 MF so we've been allowing it... not sure if it's the best move but he has used it.

12614

Summary of the first few turns... I've killed like 14 boats so far. Killing beached boats are pretty easy, hit them and they die. The 37* inf SW have killed the bulk of them I think. I don't think I affected more than 1 or 2 boats in the water. I took a lot of IFT shots, low odds to be sure, but never got even one 2 or 3 to kill anything in the water. I finally just hit a guy in the water with the 25LL that popped up on the ridge and Neil through the boat at me before I showed him it was a hull hit and put him back :)

I took a risk with one of the 25LL guns and put him in LL38 right on the edge of the river and he killed multiple beached boats and maybe one in the water... but he was finally going to be marked by the kill stack so I intensive fired at a boat I had acquired and broke it... so maybe a draw there.

The question is, is it better for the French to husband his forces or kill boats? I've clearly taken the kill boats at all costs approach and now I am going to start paying for it. I didn't get anything from the Infantry on the rivers edge really and my long range stuff is about to be played out. As Neil said will he have enough to push across this scenario? Probably I think unless my OBA can come back and do something. If my OBA had affected his two kill stacks I think it could have been a stuff job without him getting across at all really... I'd still have infantry on the edge and at some points the LV goes away and I might start affecting the boats in the water.
The LV saved at least 2 or 3 boats from at least a CR result.

Buying the OBA as the French is a risk, ties up another leader (which I am starting to need) and is fickle but could have very easily turned the tide.
 

sdennis

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And for our growing wine followers the 3rd bottle of wine was a decent affordable Dave Phinney Red "CA". Nice easy drinking blend.

Dave Phinney is the guy behind Orin Swift winery which I LOVE their stuff, even though I think he's left there.

The "CA" is a very nice under $20 red.

Tonight I think I will avoid the wine during play but since Neil is on his own this weekend he and I will dine with my wife on steaks and a VERY awesome Orin Swift Mercury Head cabernet sav. is on the plate I think, goes awesomely with steak!

:)
 

The Purist

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Interesting. German attack. In our game the German concentrated all 31 squads on about a 15 hex front initially. He brought in a rifle company, a support Pz Pltn and 8 ton pontoons.

So far boat losses are moderate but infantry losses are maybe 3 - 3.5 squads. I've noted that once the French give up ?, German firepower tends to take apart the most threatening positions. What was a 12-16 FP attack against a concealed target soon becomes 24-30 (or two 12-16).

Will be interesting to compare the games in progress (we'll be slowed by need to work from home).

Cheers.
 
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Den589

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So we got through turn 4 today. I am taking horrendous losses in boats, they are pretty much the only thing that Steve shoots at, especially if they are beached. Even buying a raft section, over 3/4 of them are dead at this point. Steve's dice have been very hot and mine are horrible, that being said I am across the river in limited numbers and in the South what few boats remain (about 6-7 of them) are virtually unopposed now. I have about 5-6 squads across the river, but no leaders. The dual assault that was coming never formulated in the north because I couldn't get contact with the OBA up here and when I did, I promptly drew two red cards. At least it will come back tomorrow. So the guys in the North are just sitting there doing nothing at this point except a few are trading shots across the river.

Steve is now starting to withdraw trying to save weapons, as I am starting to establish myself on the west side of the river. He bought an additional OBA and both of his OBA's have gone off multiple times, and have been his best weapons, absolutely crushing me on multiple fronts, including killing several boats. Boat losses have been probably 50% to 37INF shots, 35% to OBA, 10% to 25LL shots and the rest to IFT rolls. The French get a lot of 37INF and these have been ridiculous to go with the OBA. He still has one squad left HIP and both HMG's, so I surmise a stack of 1 -1 leader with two half squads and HMG's is lurking somewhere. The other two HIP squads didn't do a lot for him.

When compared to all of the other CG's we have played, I will say that I have had the largest swings of emotions about my progress in the first 4 turns of this CG. I have gone from I am totally dead with zero chance to win, to "Hey this is doable", right back to I'm dead and vice versa, two or three times already. So I'll have to say that it is both fun and frustrating in almost equal measure. The boat losses are not good and have me concerned the most, if I hadn't bought a raft section, I'd be totally out of boats at this point. My two kill stacks have started to impose their will and as long as I can keep the OBA off of them, he probably can't kick me out of the west bank at this point.

Steve will post photos eventually.
 

Den589

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We have been discussing whether maybe the German should start with no boats beached? Keep them all in the buildings until, you reduce the French using your superior firepower. Thus opening an easier road for the boats around turn 3 or 4. While this forfeits the advantage of the LV on turns 1-3 (in fact it would impede the reducing of the French). The other concern with this is the French OBA, possibly killing boats before they are even in the water.

Just our first impression.
 

Den589

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Wines of the day were Steven's super expensive Mercury Head which is a very good Cabernet Sauvignon, but it better be for $125/bottle. Steve claims it is the best Cabernet he's ever had and I don't find any reason to disagree, except for the price.

I brought the much more budget minded, but still pretty decent La Vina de La Merce Crianza Rioja from Spain ($20). The Rioja was a deep purple and tasted like plums we thought.
 

Carln0130

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So we got through turn 4 today. I am taking horrendous losses in boats, they are pretty much the only thing that Steve shoots at, especially if they are beached. Even buying a raft section, over 3/4 of them are dead at this point. Steve's dice have been very hot and mine are horrible, that being said I am across the river in limited numbers and in the South what few boats remain (about 6-7 of them) are virtually unopposed now. I have about 5-6 squads across the river, but no leaders. The dual assault that was coming never formulated in the north because I couldn't get contact with the OBA up here and when I did, I promptly drew two red cards. At least it will come back tomorrow. So the guys in the North are just sitting there doing nothing at this point except a few are trading shots across the river.

Steve is now starting to withdraw trying to save weapons, as I am starting to establish myself on the west side of the river. He bought an additional OBA and both of his OBA's have gone off multiple times, and have been his best weapons, absolutely crushing me on multiple fronts, including killing several boats. Boat losses have been probably 50% to 37INF shots, 35% to OBA, 10% to 25LL shots and the rest to IFT rolls. The French get a lot of 37INF and these have been ridiculous to go with the OBA. He still has one squad left HIP and both HMG's, so I surmise a stack of 1 -1 leader with two half squads and HMG's is lurking somewhere. The other two HIP squads didn't do a lot for him.

When compared to all of the other CG's we have played, I will say that I have had the largest swings of emotions about my progress in the first 4 turns of this CG. I have gone from I am totally dead with zero chance to win, to "Hey this is doable", right back to I'm dead and vice versa, two or three times already. So I'll have to say that it is both fun and frustrating in almost equal measure. The boat losses are not good and have me concerned the most, if I hadn't bought a raft section, I'd be totally out of boats at this point. My two kill stacks have started to impose their will and as long as I can keep the OBA off of them, he probably can't kick me out of the west bank at this point.

Steve will post photos eventually.
Just curious here but how many 37* have been counted by the German observors?
 

Den589

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I think I've accounted for five of them. All the ones on the south are now suppressed, malfunctioned or dismantled and frantically running up the hill to set up a new line of resistance.
 

Carln0130

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Interesting. Thanks for sharing the progress.
 

sdennis

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Carl, one clarification, I don't see how we've done it wrong but it SEEMS wrong!

The 25LL are AP only but still if they hit a boat it dies right? Even with AP? We kept looking for an exception (ATR and HEAT are N/A) or anything that requires HE but can't...

Hitting beached boats with a ROF 3 weapon is pretty damn easy...

Both the 25LL guns that were watching the center are down, one Xed out and the other crew was killed so it's alone on the ridge but they can cause havoc.
 

Ganjulama

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Carl, one clarification, I don't see how we've done it wrong but it SEEMS wrong!

The 25LL are AP only but still if they hit a boat it dies right? Even with AP? We kept looking for an exception (ATR and HEAT are N/A) or anything that requires HE but can't...

Hitting beached boats with a ROF 3 weapon is pretty damn easy...

Both the 25LL guns that were watching the center are down, one Xed out and the other crew was killed so it's alone on the ridge but they can cause havoc.
Wouldn't you use the unarmored TK# (last line of AP TK Table)? 25LL would be TK# of 7. So, not automatic death but not bad either.
 

klasmalmstrom

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Wouldn't you use the unarmored TK# (last line of AP TK Table)? 25LL would be TK# of 7. So, not automatic death but not bad either.
E5.52:
"...If a boat is hit using the Vehicle or Infantry Target Type, it sinks ..."

No TK DR needed.

When using the ATT, E5.51:
"All non-ordnance attacks and Area Target Type hits vs boats on land/Beached are resolved on the * Vehicle line of the IFT with full FP"
 

Ganjulama

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E5.52:
"...If a boat is hit using the Vehicle or Infantry Target Type, it sinks ..."

No TK DR needed.

When using the ATT, E5.51:
"All non-ordnance attacks and Area Target Type hits vs boats on land/Beached are resolved on the * Vehicle line of the IFT with full FP"
I was thinking the question related to a beached boat.
 

sdennis

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Yeah, Klas is reciting everything we looked at multiple times... like I said it seems wrong :) hit, kill, hit, kill and the beached boats can be hit with 7 or 8 most times on the first shot...

Just wanted to double check we were doing it right...
 

Den589

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Yeah, Klas is reciting everything we looked at multiple times... like I said it seems wrong :) hit, kill, hit, kill and the beached boats can be hit with 7 or 8 most times on the first shot...

Just wanted to double check we were doing it right...
Oh how my poor boat drivers wish we were wrong!!!!!
 

klasmalmstrom

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I am thinking either an AP round or an HE round striking a rubber boat would be likely to put it out of commission. :)
 
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