AAR - Belgian Blitzkreig - J182

Major Issues

Elder Member
Joined
Apr 27, 2018
Messages
325
Reaction score
1,102
Location
Secane, PA
First name
Vince
Country
llUnited States
I was recently furloughed from work, partly due to corona virus, and partly due to what my supervisor called “an extremely negative attitude.”
12727

Having the kids home all the time was a challenge at first, but with some minor lifestyle changes, we are adapting. We keep them locked in the basement. Also, disciplinary measures are administered as needed.

12728


The need to work from home has lead to me starting my dream job – ASL Psychic Advisor:

12729

“Call Major Psycho for the answers to all of Life’s questions. Or at least, the ASL ones...”

“Do I have enough Plano boxes?”


“Will I do something stupid in my next game?"

“Will we ever see another Pete Shelling scenario?”



Walt wanted to play Belgian Blitzkreig Bop. He wanted the Belgian Waffles.

Prior to the scenario start, a major crime has been committed. The Esso station has gone up in flames, and most of the cathedral has been rubbled. Part of this fell into the street. Who, WHO was responsible for these barbaric acts???

12730
“I say to you, it was Colonel Mustard, in the library, with a bayonet!”

Germans win by either controlling Snootie Manor by the end of turn 2, or by controlling two multi-hex stone buildings by the end of the game. Up to 5 squads from the initial OB can enter as flanking reinforcements on turn 3. Instead of the usual 1940 buncha light tanks and armored cars, the Germans get two 37 mm AT guns towed by trucks entering on turn 2.

The Belgians get reinforcements on turn 5, in the form of two tanks and a handful of infantry. On Schwinns.

I came up with my setup before ever seeing Walt’s. I figured that since Snootie Manor was so important, it would be heavily defended. I figured 4 squads, the AT gun, and the MMG would be there. So, I decided to ignore it. Completely. 8 squads would try to rush past down the flanks. The two Level 1 locations of Snootie Manor might be a problem, as they could see over the hedges and fields of Cheerios, but I thought that I could deal with them in DFF. The AT guns would come in, immediately unload, then get pushed to where they could block the Snootie inhabitants from running back to town.

Well, Walt didn’t have as much upfront as I predicted, and there was only one concealed counter upstairs. G1, he chose to hold his fire and remain concealed. B1, I stripped concealment off one squad, and Encircled it. He did the Belgian Shuffle to get out of that, which left the squad CX, and no one upstairs. His guys in town, the other end of board 71, realize that they have to leave the safety of their stone buildings to stop the Teutonic Horde, and form up at the edge of the tree line.

G2, it’s off to the races! My AT guns can come in and unload unscathed. Those to the Manor born have no shots as I charge down the flanks, then advance into firing positions in woods or behind hedges.

B2, I lose a HS to his kill stack – 9-1, MMG and two squads. But my return fire breaks all of them and reduces one squad. They run away, leaving the MMG behind. His MTR squad on the south edge, facing the prospect of being CC'ed by concealed units, pulls back to town.

G3, the AT guns get pushed into their blocking positions. My reinforcements (5 squad equivalents) enter, mostly on the north edge. Off to the races in the center of the board. A hedge protects me from fire from the Belgians on the northern edge. I get in the face of a squad and a half in the stone building. Good shooting by Walt, including a couple FPFs, break some of my squads and pin two leaders and a squad. But one FPF too many breaks and ELRs his squad, and his HS voluntarily breaks instead of being swallowed up in CC.

B3, the broken Belgian 9-1 and his men rally, and decide to pull back, leaving me in sole possession of one victory building. Thus far, it has been a game of maneuver, with only a HS lost by each side.

G4, a turn of movement in the center. A HS with a dm MTR trying to sneak down the north edge is surprised to find a 47mm AT gun 7 meters away. It fires, but the puny shells just bounce off the coal bucket helmets, and the HS continues to move along as planned. A 248 rushes the AT gun. The 2-2 residual does nothing, an IF shot hits, but also bounces off a helmet. Another squad leaps in, and the crew is eliminated, along with the gun. I do lose a HS, smacked down by entrenching tools.

B4, the squad and a half that had broke in the stone building now come back. The village on Board 71 is pretty tight, and I have been unable to get into spots to DM any broken Belgians.

G5, I push forward in the center and northern edge. Much firing, including FPF, by a Belgian 248 kills 1-1/2 squads. There are residual fire counters everywhere. The only Belgian casualty is the heroic HS, and only because the German sniper broke them and they were forced to surrender.

B5, the Belgian reinforcements arrive!!!

12731
Le Peu Wee

G6, I do get a toehold in one victory building, and the Belgians lose a tank to a LMG.

B6, Walt pulls back to just one hex in one victory building. He has defenders in both church hexes, but is forced to keep flankers on both sides of the map to protect against A Cheeseball Last Minute Victory By Running A HS Into An Empty Victory Building. Because some sleazeball players may try to do something like that.

G7, I attempt A Cheeseball Last Minute Victory By Running A HS Into An Empty Victory Building up the middle, but my HS is gunned down in the street by his HS. I then attempt ACLMVBRAHIAEVB on the northern edge, but the HS is broken.

In the southern victory building, where Walt controls only one hex, I AM a 468 adjacent. They get pinned. Two squads and an 8-1 run upstairs and through the hallways to end up above the defenders. SFF breaks the 8-1, and both squads pin. So I’m not clearing that one.

In the northern victory building, my squad guarding prisoners is broken. A sniper Wounds the Belgian 9-1. I jump into the hex, and eliminate the wounded 9-1 and a squad, leaving a Melee with a German 9-1 and two squads vs a Belgian 247. A Squad vs. Squad CC against his 458 flanker reduces both squads.

With my guarding squad broken, Walt’s prisoners have a chance to kill their guards, escape, and take a back a building for the win, but they decide that they would rather spend the next 5 years digging trenches.

B7, Walt attempts ACLMVBRAHIAEVB to take back the one victory building that I have (some would say foolishly) left empty. But the HS is broken, and the squad pins. His remaining tank is Stunned by a LMG as it starts up.

In the one CC, the two HSs continue to glare at each other, while, in the only CC that counts, I eliminate the HS in the second victory building with a 4:1. German win!

Meanwhile, back at Snootie Manor, cocktails are being served, while the string quartet plays.

Close, fun game. I think most German players would try to take Snootie Manor, even if they couldn’t get it in two turns. But most Belgians would defend it heavier. Walt had only one squad and three HSs in the area. With a MMG and a couple full squads, it would play out differently than our game.

Pro-German on ROAR. But the balance is to take away the German 8-1, which I think would push it too far the other way. I would play it as is.

Pic from the end of the game below. Germans controlled the empty victory building on the right. Bicycles have been removed, as has the Stun counter off of the tank and the Melee counter at the top left. Not shown – the German AT guns, Snootie Manor, and the burning Esso station.


12732


Next post – instructions for making your own homemade mask!

12733

 
Top