Digit
Member
- Joined
- Dec 14, 2003
- Messages
- 68
- Reaction score
- 1
- Location
- State College, PA
- First name
- Steve
- Country
-
Played this one on VASL last week with Dave Rosner. I played the Germans, so this AAR
focuses on the defense. Dave is off enjoying West Coast Melee so I may be missing some of his
insights into the Russian's offense.
My defensive plan was to slow him down and contest his advance so as to hold the 23Y7 factory
for about five turns. I intended to move a platoon into reserve north of the canal to hold the other
two VC buildings, and thought with the Panther, AA Gun and halftrack I would be able to contest
the bridge crossing with enough strength the last two turns to keep him from gaining control of
either of those buildings.
My setup: I put the AA Gun in 23W2. The halftrack was in 23X4, the PzIV in 23X8, and the
Panther with the 9-2 armor leader in 23BB6. Three SS squads with MMG, LMG, and a 9-1 were
clustered with the halftrack around the western bridge. Two squads with a leader set up behind
the wall around the factory, in 23Y9 and 23AA8. A HS with PSK set up in 23EE5, another one in
23FF9. The remaining four squads and one dummy stack(in the far west) set up concealed in the
woods and stone building on the Bd 23/22 boundary. I felt it was a fairly balanced set-up with no
obvious gaps, and I hoped he would spend some time probing for weak spots. The plan was to
fall back to the factory and the 23CC7 building once any pressure was exerted.
The action, in brief:
Russian Turn 1: A slow advance by the Russians. A couple HS’s move up the Russian left
probing; two large concealed stacks move up the center and center-right of the Russian line. 2 T-
34’s move in the center; one T-34 moves to the extreme right of the Russian line, vic. 22A9.
German Turn 1: The withdrawal north of the canal is successful. 3 German squads occupy
23AA3; the halftrack parks in 23Y2, the Panther in 23CC4.
Russian Turn 2: Russian advance continues, slowly in center. On Russian left, two squads
advance into CC with SS squad in 23T10. No ambush, no luck for the Russians: one squad is
eliminated. Melee ensues.
German Turn 2: No significant activities. Forward German units begin withdrawal towards
factory/23CC7. Pz-IV moves to 23Y9. Melee continues without any further casualties.
Russian Turn 3: Russian reinforcements enter from west edge. One IS-2m w/ 3 squads enters at
23R7. Squads occupy wooden buildings on west; tank crawls forward to 23V5. Second IS-2m
enters with remaining infantry at 23R9., and advance to vic. T9/U9. Russians advance two large
stacks and two T-34’s into range of factory/wall. Russians reinforce but Melee continues.
German Turn 3: AA Gun reveals itself, and burns IS-2m with side shot. A German hero created
during Rally phase in factory goes IS-2m hunting. German sqd in melee is finally eliminated,
freeing 2.5 Russian sqds for next turn’s moves.
Russian Turn 4: Russians advance more aggressively, into the factory and into Bldg CC7. Hero
is INF OVR twice, but still is in position for a PF shot vs. IS-2m when it moves – but misses! He’s
killed during Melee. The IS-2m and 2 T-34’s move into LOS of the Panther, but have no luck with
BFF. Last T-34 kills PzIV. During DFF, Panther kills both T-34’s using IF.
German Turn 4: Panther malf’s MA during IF at IS-2m, but German squad in the factory ‘fausts it
and it burns in 23BB8. Germans have successful PFPh during Russians in factory, and advance
into Melee with only remaining GO Russian sqd.
Russian Turn 5: Russians put two more platoons into factory, reinforcing melee. Takes control of
Bldg CC7, sets up two kill stacks to start prepping against German platoon north of the canal.
Melee continues.
German Turn 5: Panther is recalled after disabling MA during repair attempt. Russian sniper
finally grows a magic partisan north of the canal (the first two ended up on Bd 22). Melee in
factory ends when German sqd is eliminated.
Russian Turn 6: Russian finally seize control of factory. Partisan HS north of the canal engages
AA crew in melee. Remaining T-34 moves into position to fire on German’s north of canal.
German Turn 6: Halftrack moves behind Bldg AA3 to BB4 (bridge exit hex), where it is burned by
a MG TK during DFPh. Leader and LMG squad in AA3 are broken by T-34, leaving one GO sqd
in each of the VC buildings. Crew eliminates Partisans in melee.
Russian Turn 7: AA crew is broken during PFPh by kill stack in CC7. Floodgates open, and six
sqds with 1 DC, 1 FT, 1hero w/ PSK, and T-34 move adjacent to GO sqd in Z2. During DFPh, I
roll a KIA vs FT, K/3 vs other two sqds in Y2. PSK is X’d, and Thrown DC is ineffective.
Germans win by Vol Routing upstairs, retaining control of building.
A great scenario, went down to the last roll of the dice. I feel my strategy was basically sound,
but if Russians had moved more aggressively during first two turns they may have had the upper
hand.
focuses on the defense. Dave is off enjoying West Coast Melee so I may be missing some of his
insights into the Russian's offense.
My defensive plan was to slow him down and contest his advance so as to hold the 23Y7 factory
for about five turns. I intended to move a platoon into reserve north of the canal to hold the other
two VC buildings, and thought with the Panther, AA Gun and halftrack I would be able to contest
the bridge crossing with enough strength the last two turns to keep him from gaining control of
either of those buildings.
My setup: I put the AA Gun in 23W2. The halftrack was in 23X4, the PzIV in 23X8, and the
Panther with the 9-2 armor leader in 23BB6. Three SS squads with MMG, LMG, and a 9-1 were
clustered with the halftrack around the western bridge. Two squads with a leader set up behind
the wall around the factory, in 23Y9 and 23AA8. A HS with PSK set up in 23EE5, another one in
23FF9. The remaining four squads and one dummy stack(in the far west) set up concealed in the
woods and stone building on the Bd 23/22 boundary. I felt it was a fairly balanced set-up with no
obvious gaps, and I hoped he would spend some time probing for weak spots. The plan was to
fall back to the factory and the 23CC7 building once any pressure was exerted.
The action, in brief:
Russian Turn 1: A slow advance by the Russians. A couple HS’s move up the Russian left
probing; two large concealed stacks move up the center and center-right of the Russian line. 2 T-
34’s move in the center; one T-34 moves to the extreme right of the Russian line, vic. 22A9.
German Turn 1: The withdrawal north of the canal is successful. 3 German squads occupy
23AA3; the halftrack parks in 23Y2, the Panther in 23CC4.
Russian Turn 2: Russian advance continues, slowly in center. On Russian left, two squads
advance into CC with SS squad in 23T10. No ambush, no luck for the Russians: one squad is
eliminated. Melee ensues.
German Turn 2: No significant activities. Forward German units begin withdrawal towards
factory/23CC7. Pz-IV moves to 23Y9. Melee continues without any further casualties.
Russian Turn 3: Russian reinforcements enter from west edge. One IS-2m w/ 3 squads enters at
23R7. Squads occupy wooden buildings on west; tank crawls forward to 23V5. Second IS-2m
enters with remaining infantry at 23R9., and advance to vic. T9/U9. Russians advance two large
stacks and two T-34’s into range of factory/wall. Russians reinforce but Melee continues.
German Turn 3: AA Gun reveals itself, and burns IS-2m with side shot. A German hero created
during Rally phase in factory goes IS-2m hunting. German sqd in melee is finally eliminated,
freeing 2.5 Russian sqds for next turn’s moves.
Russian Turn 4: Russians advance more aggressively, into the factory and into Bldg CC7. Hero
is INF OVR twice, but still is in position for a PF shot vs. IS-2m when it moves – but misses! He’s
killed during Melee. The IS-2m and 2 T-34’s move into LOS of the Panther, but have no luck with
BFF. Last T-34 kills PzIV. During DFF, Panther kills both T-34’s using IF.
German Turn 4: Panther malf’s MA during IF at IS-2m, but German squad in the factory ‘fausts it
and it burns in 23BB8. Germans have successful PFPh during Russians in factory, and advance
into Melee with only remaining GO Russian sqd.
Russian Turn 5: Russians put two more platoons into factory, reinforcing melee. Takes control of
Bldg CC7, sets up two kill stacks to start prepping against German platoon north of the canal.
Melee continues.
German Turn 5: Panther is recalled after disabling MA during repair attempt. Russian sniper
finally grows a magic partisan north of the canal (the first two ended up on Bd 22). Melee in
factory ends when German sqd is eliminated.
Russian Turn 6: Russian finally seize control of factory. Partisan HS north of the canal engages
AA crew in melee. Remaining T-34 moves into position to fire on German’s north of canal.
German Turn 6: Halftrack moves behind Bldg AA3 to BB4 (bridge exit hex), where it is burned by
a MG TK during DFPh. Leader and LMG squad in AA3 are broken by T-34, leaving one GO sqd
in each of the VC buildings. Crew eliminates Partisans in melee.
Russian Turn 7: AA crew is broken during PFPh by kill stack in CC7. Floodgates open, and six
sqds with 1 DC, 1 FT, 1hero w/ PSK, and T-34 move adjacent to GO sqd in Z2. During DFPh, I
roll a KIA vs FT, K/3 vs other two sqds in Y2. PSK is X’d, and Thrown DC is ineffective.
Germans win by Vol Routing upstairs, retaining control of building.
A great scenario, went down to the last roll of the dice. I feel my strategy was basically sound,
but if Russians had moved more aggressively during first two turns they may have had the upper
hand.