AAR - Red Devils - 215

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I took a break from sewing my MAHGA hats (Make Austria-Hungary Great Again) to play some ASL. Walt wanted to play Red Devils, as part of his ongoing obsession with the occult and all things Satanic. I was the Godless Communists; Walt had the Red Devils.
8022

Field artillery, in the form of C Battery
8019
are spread out across two boards. To simulate their real fire support mission, the Chinese get a VP each time one fires at an onboard unit. So your dreams of blasting away with 30 FP six times a fire phase will be unrealized.

For support, they have Headquarters Battery
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and Perimeter Force, which is 2 HTs and 4 HSs with 2 MMGs and 2 .50 cals. Only Perimeter Force can do anything on turn 1.

The Godless Communists have Infiltrators

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that can set up on the edge of boards 19 and 44. The rest of the Horde comes in from offboard. Included are 8 - 4(1)7s, which are basically People With Pointy Sticks.
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Chinese have multiple ways of getting VPs, but for simplicity, it's take one hex, kill M41s, make the M41s move or fire at you, or make them abandon the M41s. My goal was to take out the three M41s on board 19.

Walt had his HTs in the woods on both flanks. Two MGs were on the left, and I assumed that one was a .50 cal. The other .50 cal looked to be in the center, with one more MG on the right. My left board 44 infiltrators could get right up to the one halftrack. I was more conservative with the infiltrators on the right, but they advanced adjacent to the HT. Everyone else came charging up towards board 19. I didn't like all the open ground, but it looked like I would only have to deal with one .50 cal.

'course, I was wrong, and the other .50 was the lone MG on the right. Walt only had a little defensive fire, and it didn't do much. I took out the left HT in CC. Communist Chinese don't have to take PAATCs. Which is awesome. If you are the Chinese.

My MMG and HMG got set up on Level 1 on board 2 to harass his gun crews. The Pointy Sticks were on the left side of board 19, while everyone else was on the right side of 19.

One .50 cal broke an 8-0 and broke and reduced some stickmen. The infiltrators on the right got striped.

My turn 2, the infiltrators on the right stunned the HT. My MGs on the hill stunned a M41. My 8-0, who rallied under DM, wished he hadn't, as he and several stickmen were killed when the .50 cal went on a tear. My infiltrating 8-0 on the left broke, and I lost a HS, but I killed one MMG HS in CC. I took out the stunned HT on the right in CC.

Walt's turn 2, and his shooting was bad. I stun another M41 crew and break the .50 cal HS on the right.

My turn 3. A third M41 gets stunned by MG fire. I charge like a proper horde, just swarming two M41s and the remaining .50 cal. It goes on a tear, and takes out three stick squads, but one gets adjacent to him outside his CA. Walt fires two M41s out of desperation, mangling a couple squads, and a 1 FP residual takes out my 9-1 and a squad. Advancing Fire, Walt rolls a 12 on a MC with one M41 crew, leaving it abandoned. My one remaining stickman squad takes out the 9-1 and HS in CC. My board 44 infiltrators break the remaining MMG HS. Two M41s are destroyed in CC, and I have the 10 VPs I need for the win.

I took the one HS prisoner. Had the game continued, I would have been able to pick up a MMG and two .50 cals. I had units at least threatening three other M41s.

And what of Headquarters Battery through all this??? They aren't allowed to do anything on turn 1. Turn 2, Walt moved the crews into the hexes with the abandoned HTs. His turn 3, he would have been able to reoccupy them. The monster stack was ineffective shooting, and two squads that ran over to board 19 were only a little helpful, mostly in laying down the killer 1 residual.

Putting the Perimeter HTs in the woods was a mistake. And while the idea of protecting the woods on the board edges with the MGs is a good one, in reality HSs are just going to get swamped by stealthy Chinese.

Walt was wondering if he might have been better off running away with the board 19 M41s. It's a thought - I would get 2 points for each one moved, instead of 4 for killing each. But they can't do anything on turn 1, and would have to unlimber before moving. One was Pinned by a sniper one turn, and three were stunned, so the timing may not have been there to move two of them anyway.

Pics from the end of Chinese 2 and Chinese 3.


8024

8025
 

Ric of The LBC

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I took a break from sewing my MAHGA hats (Make Austria-Hungary Great Again) to play some ASL. Walt wanted to play Red Devils, as part of his ongoing obsession with the occult and all things Satanic. I was the Godless Communists; Walt had the Red Devils.
View attachment 8022

Field artillery, in the form of C Battery
View attachment 8019
are spread out across two boards. To simulate their real fire support mission, the Chinese get a VP each time one fires at an onboard unit. So your dreams of blasting away with 30 FP six times a fire phase will be unrealized.

For support, they have Headquarters Battery

View attachment 8020

and Perimeter Force, which is 2 HTs and 4 HSs with 2 MMGs and 2 .50 cals. Only Perimeter Force can do anything on turn 1.

The Godless Communists have Infiltrators

View attachment 8021
that can set up on the edge of boards 19 and 44. The rest of the Horde comes in from offboard. Included are 8 - 4(1)7s, which are basically People With Pointy Sticks.
View attachment 8023

Chinese have multiple ways of getting VPs, but for simplicity, it's take one hex, kill M41s, make the M41s move or fire at you, or make them abandon the M41s. My goal was to take out the three M41s on board 19.

Walt had his HTs in the woods on both flanks. Two MGs were on the left, and I assumed that one was a .50 cal. The other .50 cal looked to be in the center, with one more MG on the right. My left board 44 infiltrators could get right up to the one halftrack. I was more conservative with the infiltrators on the right, but they advanced adjacent to the HT. Everyone else came charging up towards board 19. I didn't like all the open ground, but it looked like I would only have to deal with one .50 cal.

'course, I was wrong, and the other .50 was the lone MG on the right. Walt only had a little defensive fire, and it didn't do much. I took out the left HT in CC. Communist Chinese don't have to take PAATCs. Which is awesome. If you are the Chinese.

My MMG and HMG got set up on Level 1 on board 2 to harass his gun crews. The Pointy Sticks were on the left side of board 19, while everyone else was on the right side of 19.

One .50 cal broke an 8-0 and broke and reduced some stickmen. The infiltrators on the right got striped.

My turn 2, the infiltrators on the right stunned the HT. My MGs on the hill stunned a M41. My 8-0, who rallied under DM, wished he hadn't, as he and several stickmen were killed when the .50 cal went on a tear. My infiltrating 8-0 on the left broke, and I lost a HS, but I killed one MMG HS in CC. I took out the stunned HT on the right in CC.

Walt's turn 2, and his shooting was bad. I stun another M41 crew and break the .50 cal HS on the right.

My turn 3. A third M41 gets stunned by MG fire. I charge like a proper horde, just swarming two M41s and the remaining .50 cal. It goes on a tear, and takes out three stick squads, but one gets adjacent to him outside his CA. Walt fires two M41s out of desperation, mangling a couple squads, and a 1 FP residual takes out my 9-1 and a squad. Advancing Fire, Walt rolls a 12 on a MC with one M41 crew, leaving it abandoned. My one remaining stickman squad takes out the 9-1 and HS in CC. My board 44 infiltrators break the remaining MMG HS. Two M41s are destroyed in CC, and I have the 10 VPs I need for the win.

I took the one HS prisoner. Had the game continued, I would have been able to pick up a MMG and two .50 cals. I had units at least threatening three other M41s.

And what of Headquarters Battery through all this??? They aren't allowed to do anything on turn 1. Turn 2, Walt moved the crews into the hexes with the abandoned HTs. His turn 3, he would have been able to reoccupy them. The monster stack was ineffective shooting, and two squads that ran over to board 19 were only a little helpful, mostly in laying down the killer 1 residual.

Putting the Perimeter HTs in the woods was a mistake. And while the idea of protecting the woods on the board edges with the MGs is a good one, in reality HSs are just going to get swamped by stealthy Chinese.

Walt was wondering if he might have been better off running away with the board 19 M41s. It's a thought - I would get 2 points for each one moved, instead of 4 for killing each. But they can't do anything on turn 1, and would have to unlimber before moving. One was Pinned by a sniper one turn, and three were stunned, so the timing may not have been there to move two of them anyway.

Pics from the end of Chinese 2 and Chinese 3.


View attachment 8024

View attachment 8025
Great AAR. Thanks for sharing
 

jrv

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The AFVs in the American Headquarters Battery must set up abandoned per SSR3, which are a M3 and a M3 (MMG) halftrack. The American OB includes two 1-2-6 crews and six 6-6-6 squads. Do those two 1-2-6 crews and one of the 6-6-6 squads printed on the scenario card represent the crews and inherent passenger of the abandoned two halftracks, or is the American OB augmented by an additional pair of 1-2-6 crews and a 6-6-6 squad gained from abandoning the vehicles?

JR
 

Major Issues

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The AFVs in the American Headquarters Battery must set up abandoned per SSR3, which are a M3 and a M3 (MMG) halftrack. The American OB includes two 1-2-6 crews and six 6-6-6 squads. Do those two 1-2-6 crews and one of the 6-6-6 squads printed on the scenario card represent the crews and inherent passenger of the abandoned two halftracks, or is the American OB augmented by an additional pair of 1-2-6 crews and a 6-6-6 squad gained from abandoning the vehicles?

JR
We played it with the halftracks as empty and hollow as my moral principles, with no additional crews/ squads beyond what is shown on the scenario card.
 

jrv

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We played it with the halftracks as empty and hollow as my moral principles, with no additional crews/ squads beyond what is shown on the scenario card.
I think that is what I would do too, but I would spend the whole game wondering if that was right if I played the Americans. As the CPVA I would have no doubt as to the rectitude of the choice. It is, after all, printed right there on page 37 of Mao's lesser Known but Equally Important Little Orange Book.

JR
 
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Justiciar

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They are the crews and the 666. I have played it against the designer at WO the year FW came out. I also believe this question maybe been asked and answered before on GS (but not by me.)
 

Justiciar

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And what of Headquarters Battery through all this??? They aren't allowed to do anything on turn 1. Turn 2, Walt moved the crews into the hexes with the abandoned HTs. His turn 3, he would have been able to reoccupy them. The monster stack was ineffective shooting, and two squads that ran over to board 19 were only a little helpful, mostly in laying down the killer 1 residual.
I believe the 126 should set up underneath the abandoned vehicles that way on Turn 2 they can occupy them...firing in ad fire.

Also his MGs should have been positioned for FL, there are many intersecting FL options to form "^" that force the CPVA to move throw a lane.

If opportunity and risk permit there is the chance (small) that you can abandon some of the other HT to get their .50 for another FL.

Also the far left SPAA should probably just displace ASAP giving the CPVA the points but striking the US perimeter defense needs area into better shape for such FL. The American right has an ideal place on it right flank with a deep offset, for of near that brush overlay in your pix. A similar spot exists on the left but is vulnerable so will need some help.

I have played this 2 times since PT days, and several times in PT times.
 

jrv

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This scenario actually raises the "is a hex adjacent to itself" question. The Infiltrators set up "on/north-of hexrow 19FF/44B, not adjacent to American units." Can they set up in a hex with American units?

JR
 

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SSR3 "Headquarters Battery Personnel may not set up in the same hex as a vehicle."
My bad memory. I did not get the card out. Just going from what I thought I did.
Now having got the card out, and my old set sheet I see I the ht were alone.
 

Major Issues

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This scenario actually raises the "is a hex adjacent to itself" question. The Infiltrators set up "on/north-of hexrow 19FF/44B, not adjacent to American units." Can they set up in a hex with American units?

JR
It didn't matter in this case, as the closest American unit was a HT in hexrow 44D. While it is possible for the American Perimeter force to set up farther north, if they do they gonna die.

Since the Battery peeps can't possibly move their vehicles until American turn 3, additional crews would not have made a difference, since the game was over by then.

The left and right MG positions were fighting for their lives from the beginning, pressured by guys in the woods. So they didn't put down any firelanes. I believe Walt considered using one with his center .50 cal, but didn't because he would then give up the potential of using the 3 ROF. With a lot of the fire against the Chinese hindered by orchard or woods, it wouldn't have affected a lot of my moves.
 

jrv

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It didn't matter in this case, as the closest American unit was a HT in hexrow 44D. While it is possible for the American Perimeter force to set up farther north, if they do they gonna die.
I believe Andy's plan is to set up troops further south. A .50 cal in 44K3 can put down a firelane to 2AA1. A .50 cal in 19U3 can put down a firelane to 15CC10. These neatly intersect, forcing the chinese to charge through one or the other. Andy's point about moving the 19x4 M41 is to clear the hard hindrance in the firelane from somewhere like 19U3. Those are not your only options but I they are akin to what Andy is suggesting.

JR
 
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jrv

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As a potential sleaze, although the Battery Headquarters may not set up with an AFV, the perimeter defense force may. Perhaps one could re-man the M3(MMG) during turn 1. This would allow a squad to enter as passengers on turn two, giving the M3(HMG) back its twelve FP and potentially a movement capability. Just a thought.

JR
 

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19Y4 and 19Z5 are also two potential positions on the American left. Z5 can firelane through 2AA6 or to 19DD0, depending on where the attack comes. Y4 can firelane to 2EE2 or 19DD1.

JR
 

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This scenario actually raises the "is a hex adjacent to itself" question. The Infiltrators set up "on/north-of hexrow 19FF/44B, not adjacent to American units." Can they set up in a hex with American units?

JR
That is one for Klas...
 

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19Y4 and 19Z5 are also two potential positions on the American left. Z5 can firelane through 2AA6 or to 19DD0, depending on where the attack comes. Y4 can firelane to 2EE2 or 19DD1.

JR
Some options are:

19Y8 346 MMG in 1 Fox...FL: 19Y1, 19DD0, 15FF7
19T8 9-1, 346. 50 cal in 1 Fox ...FL 2DD10, 19DD0

44 G9 346 MMG FL G1 (fall back to I10 foxhole pre-positioned), and M3A1 in same hex G9).
44 M2 346. 50 cal in 1 Fox FL 15BB10, M3A1 in same hex....7-0 from HQ setting up in N2 will move into foxhole to help No Cower.

There are other versions of this kind of thing...
 

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Do the M41s have 155mm Canister? If not they should.

JR
 
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Major Issues

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I think that is what I would do too, but I would spend the whole game wondering if that was right if I played the Americans. As the CPVA I would have no doubt as to the rectitude of the choice. It is, after all, printed right there on page 37 of Mao's lesser Known but Equally Important Little Orange Book.

JR
8028
 

jrv

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An interesting variant on re-manning the M3(MMG): use the perimeter force 9-1 to become temporary crew on American turn one. You get a four FP MG with ROF 2, you don't lose the services of one of the halfsquads (although obviously you lose the leadership DRM and the ability to prevent cowering) and you can have the squad enter as Passengers on turn two for the full twelve FP. It's hard to move as the halftrack has to BU first, but if you aren't planning on moving you're good.

JR
 
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