#49 The Closer

JoeArthur

Elder Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2016
Messages
1,108
Reaction score
1,067
Location
Broadstairs
Country
llUnited Kingdom
Good to see I am not the only person who made the mistake of thinking that Sherman was 75* - it is indeed an asterisk which points you to the back of the counter.

That mistake ruined scenario FrF97 for me playing Magnus.

The good thing is once you make that mistake, you never do it again.

My money is on Tuomo to win the final :)

Many thanks for another episode.
 

lightspeed

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 14, 2008
Messages
485
Reaction score
440
Location
Calgary
Country
llCanada
Martin and Dave,

Thanks for another thoroughly enjoyable episode. I am a little sad that my fellow Canadian
lost a semi. Having said that, I'm looking forward to the final.

I believe one can be HD behind bocage. B9.5 says bocage is like a wall (with an exception
for HEAT).

The upfront defence is certainly tempting. I suspect one would have to use it to delay, then
play a fighting withdrawal. Otherwise, once the dam breaks, the Germans will just pour through
(the Bluenami is what I would call that).

Again, congrats to T and T. I'm sure the final will be worth the wait! Also, I'm looking forward
to the livestream match. I will keep my eyes on scenario archive for the announcement.

indy
 

Tuomo

Keeper of the Funk
Joined
Feb 10, 2003
Messages
4,652
Reaction score
5,537
Location
Rock Bottom
Country
llUnited States
The Closer was a nail-biter to engage with. The VCs are just so odd, somehow, that I had trouble adjusting. German casualties count against them, which means they can't be nearly as aggressive with their infantry as they want to be - especially on the first two turns, when some bad luck could cause a lot of Failure to Rout amongst the landsers who barely have time to get onto the board before they're shagging bullets from the Canadians. I'd normally want to stretch the defense and attack from both flanks, but without enough strength on both sides, you run the risk of one flank getting crushed and captured for too many CVP.

Thus, the goal of the first two turns was to not lose the game. Maybe grab the bridge up front on the eastern side if they could, but mainly to avoid racking up CVP losses that we just couldn't overcome later. David fortunately gacked his Scenario Card Reading TC and set up the Canadian armor too far back to really influence much; he was expecting the German armor to come in on turn 1 and so he gave room for that. I ain't proud, I'll take it.

Also helps when the 10-2 boxcars and dies on his first MC. Highly recommended.
 

TopT

Elder Member
Joined
May 2, 2004
Messages
2,603
Reaction score
1,398
Location
PA
Country
llUnited States
Good video, i enjoyed this one alot. More of the critical moments stuff (in future videos that is).
 

Gordon

Forum Guru
Joined
Apr 6, 2017
Messages
2,488
Reaction score
2,940
Country
llUnited States
Also helps when the 10-2 boxcars and dies on his first MC. Highly recommended.
What's highly recommended, the scenario? Having your opponent's 10-2 boxcar and die? Or both?
 

Tuomo

Keeper of the Funk
Joined
Feb 10, 2003
Messages
4,652
Reaction score
5,537
Location
Rock Bottom
Country
llUnited States
The latter, for sure. I'd like to try the scenario again.
 

VonHutier

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2021
Messages
587
Reaction score
430
Country
llUnited Kingdom
Great episode as usual, looking forward to the final !
 

asloser

The Head Tuomo of the Finnish ASL Community
Joined
Jan 29, 2003
Messages
1,047
Reaction score
1,593
Location
Klaukkala-Finland
Country
llFinland
If I were to play the Canadian, I'd mass the Shermans and Close that one gap the German can move through using the bridge and gaps in the Bocage to avoid Bog rolls. The 10-2 needs to go with a PIAT, it is more important to hit the Puma / PZIVs in than fire some pesky LMG at the landsers.

If you can delay/engage/kill the German Armor you are doing good. The infantry fight is a secondary thing.

I liked this one.
 

bendizoid

Official ***** Dickweed
Joined
Sep 11, 2006
Messages
4,630
Reaction score
3,244
Location
Viet Nam
Country
llUnited States
If I were to play the Canadian, I'd mass the Shermans and Close that one gap the German can move through using the bridge and gaps in the Bocage to avoid Bog rolls. The 10-2 needs to go with a PIAT, it is more important to hit the Puma / PZIVs in than fire some pesky LMG at the landsers.

If you can delay/engage/kill the German Armor you are doing good. The infantry fight is a secondary thing.

I liked this one.
Concur, the Canadians should set up front as best they can and delay. The German infantry won’t have time if they are held up a few turns. Take the shermans and line up in the woods and shoot like crazy.
 

Tuomo

Keeper of the Funk
Joined
Feb 10, 2003
Messages
4,652
Reaction score
5,537
Location
Rock Bottom
Country
llUnited States
... Take the shermans and line up in the woods and shoot like crazy.
From 3 hexes away, if you can. Seems good to avoid those PFs. Even if all you do is force the Germans to stay huddled in the Gully, that would seem like a win. Course, a single Sherman diving into the end of the Gully on turn 1 makes even that a tough proposition.
 

bendizoid

Official ***** Dickweed
Joined
Sep 11, 2006
Messages
4,630
Reaction score
3,244
Location
Viet Nam
Country
llUnited States
From 3 hexes away, if you can. Seems good to avoid those PFs. Even if all you do is force the Germans to stay huddled in the Gully, that would seem like a win. Course, a single Sherman diving into the end of the Gully on turn 1 makes even that a tough proposition.
C17 & C18 each get a Sherman tank. They shoot HE and then maybe prepfire smoke/WP, anybody moving into the stream get raked over, the 10-2/squad/lmg lurk across the street in C15, nasty. The C18 tank starts with TCA side facing, watching the board edge. Remember multiple hits every time ‘doubles’ is rolled and don’t be afraid to intensive fire.
I’ve played it a few times and the best German move was to enter in the advance phase concealed and spread out, effectively losing a turn of movement and they’re still across the gully with their backs to the wall and nowhere to run.
 
Last edited:

Tuomo

Keeper of the Funk
Joined
Feb 10, 2003
Messages
4,652
Reaction score
5,537
Location
Rock Bottom
Country
llUnited States
I’ve played it a few times and the best German move was to enter in the advance phase concealed and spread out, effectively losing a turn of movement and they’re still across the gully with their backs to the wall and nowhere to run.
Against a defense like that, I'd be tempted to enter elsewhere. Don't lose the game before the German armor comes on. But yeah, ultimately, entering concealed in the APh loses a turn but not the game.
 

Jazz

Inactive
Joined
Feb 3, 2003
Messages
12,188
Reaction score
2,739
Location
The Empty Quarter
Country
llLithuania
A question: Does a squad at ground level and HS in the steeple count as a single stack for purposes of set up restrictions?
 

Stewart

Elder Member
Joined
Jun 20, 2006
Messages
3,382
Reaction score
625
Location
Russia
Country
llRussia
Against a defense like that, I'd be tempted to enter elsewhere. Don't lose the game before the German armor comes on. But yeah, ultimately, entering concealed in the APh loses a turn but not the game.
Correct,
I think the Canadians need to crush the German INF ASAP.
Also, you can, as the Canadians lose 2for1 armor and still have a good chance of winning. As your Armor is only 2VP and his Panthers are 7VP I think. So 3 Shermans for 2 Panthers is 9VP in the bank.
Whereever, the first wave comes on the second wave will likely have to follow. If they don't the first wave will be destroyed and captured losing instantly. Thus, holding off any Allied troop to block the retreat is pointless. Just kill the easy tanks and hopefully get a big ONE....then go for capturing if possible.
Just initial thoughts.

Also, I didn't see any Tank smoke rounds....dropping those on the entire front would allow the Piats to close in
 

AdrianE

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2003
Messages
913
Reaction score
268
Location
Ottawa, Ontario
Country
llCanada
Finally a scenario I've actually played.
IIRC I put the firefly in F13 and covered it with enough infantry to make the bridge unpleasant. The Germans went elsewhere.
I recall a HD sherman in D2 shredding the German advance on the flank. Several PFs were hull hits.

Underbelly hits and wrecks in a narrow streets are rules the defender needs to keep in mind.
 
Last edited:
Top