AAR MP2 KURTAIN KALL from the SoCalASL folks

Markdv5208

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Played this scenario with Jeff DY. It uses the NG map, with a firepower heavy but morale power US force trying to take the level 2 hexes away from 2nd line and conscriptoid German infantry.


Jeff has graciously allowed me to post his part of the AAR, so, I'll do his first.

Jeff DeYoung AAR

Ahem.

BARK, meow, puke, blah, this !@#$%^&* scenario sucks eggs, and I'd rather play candyland instead!

That's Jeffs opinion, and you're entitled to it.



Ok, here's the real deal..

Jeff had the Germans. He bought mines, wire, trenches, HIPs...pretty standard stuff, right? Then he figured that the 150mm OBA would be nailing the level 4 victory hex locations, so, what does he do? He sets up with the OBA observer and the 81mm team 4 hexes away from that, figuring I wouldn't call ARTY on it, meeting of course all the LOS restrictions that the 81mm team is under ie LOS of the not anymore a gully but a road.

Well, my observer is floating around in a piper cut aka Aerial observer.

So, I see this stack of concealments K11....and on turn 2 defensive fire send the 150mm OBA on it. I draw 2 black chits--one for the module and the other for unknown units--not too hard with a 10/3 draw.

Well, wouldn't you know, that that stack was a 2+3+5 bunker with 2 squads and a leader in it?
and adjacent to it was the OBA observer and the HIP 81mm?

Before I tell you the thrilling conclusion...meanwhiles, my INF force I had set up with half on 1 side of the road in the treeline, and the other half in the other half of the road in the treeline.
My scheme of manuever was to take the level 4 hexes around J7, use that to establish a base of fire, for my manuever element to move and take the hill....so, they've moved fairly close to the germans these first few turns.....

Ok, so, I've got the OBA falling, and I find the HIPs, break them, but the guys in the bunker just laugh. Frankly, I was thinking I'd flay these guys with one mission, then shift the fire to the level 4 VC area. But I liked breaking the observer, and though it was a +5 attack vs. the bunker, I figured, lets hit it again...

US PREP FIRE Turn 3
The broken German observer is KIAd. So is the mortar team that was hiding in the trench with him.
The bunker? It eats a CH.
Question--does that leave rubble? Or am I just having a brain fart from the neat OtoO module?

It was a frustrating scenario for Jeff.
His SAN was HOT--KIAing 3 of 5 shots--in turn, breaking squads of mine.
But that was the only thing that was good for him. The troops on the VC area I swept away with firepower from the Sherman tanks, turn 3 also, and combined with the 150mm OBA killing him, Jeff conceded.


I think the way for the Germans to win is reverse slope both the J7 location, in K8, plus reverse slope the VC area, connecting it with trenches
and guarding it with wire and mines. NOT ONLY does that keep the Amis from using that area for a base of fire, but it has nasty LOS to the VC area so that it can be swept with fire.
Finally, it is also a reverse slope location to the OBA observer. True, it still can be flayed with fire--but then that means you start these guys entrenched--and yeah, he can pull 2 black chits, and easily at that, but then that means he's wasting time NOT attacking the VC area.


I think that the scenario is doable, and would love to play it again, next time as the Germans.

That OBA is NASTY to survive, and I understand why some people won't play when OBA is used against them (we have a guy in our group who won't play with any OBA over 80mm)

Jeff on the other hand, well, let's just say that his comments aren't really printable....
 

Matt Romey

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Mark,

I'm glad to hear you'd love to play Kurtain Kall again.

I'm equally sorry that Jeff didn't have a very good time. Was his "it's a dog" comment for real, or a matter of frustration on his part? Because I think this scenario is pretty close. I don't see how anybody would think it was a dog.

Matt Romey
 

Markdv5208

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Whats the trick then Matt? Am I close to thinking reverse slopes for the Germans ie around the J7 position and also around the VC area?


I WILL NOTE--Jeff and I did the aerial observer wrong, which in turn might have made a difference. We played automatic contact ie no DRing for it

I am playing it again--vs. Tony Sella on March 16. Until then I have PT conferences and too much school work to think about ASL...sigh....


Mark De Vries
 

Matt Romey

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MarkDV said:
Whats the trick then Matt? Am I close to thinking reverse slopes for the Germans ie around the J7 position and also around the VC area?
Mark De Vries
Well, yeah, but I don't think it's any kind of "trick". Just seems common sense to me to not stick your head out too far lest it be blown clear off by a well-placed 150mm round. Appears to me that your opponent did just that by putting 3 of his most important units within the potential blast radius of one FFE. Ouch.

I've heard some decry the big OBA in this scenario, but I think there are a number of things that mitigate it. For one, if you do your best to maintain concealment and stay in woods, then it really is a risk for the American to call it down. I mean, in woods, all concealed, what are the mods, +3? So even if there are no friendly units w/in 4 hexes (only likely during turn 1 or maybe 2) you still get a mistaken attack on a 9 or higher. Get within 4 hexes were talking 8 or higher and your oppenent calls it down on YOU! Yuck.

This is aside from the fact that one of the points of the OBA is to make the German spread out a bit. He most likely WILL take casualties from the OBA, but I just don't see how a decent German player could lose a huge portion of his forces to it. Just don't bunch up.

Did we mention the German OBA yet? Now this is fun. The observer demands to be HIPped, and you can play games with where you put him. I put him in M12 once, a great place cuz he's off to the side, but with LOS to the I7 hill. Or, you could put him reverse slope like I15 or E14 or something, and pound the Americans in the endgame.

As far as infantry goes, it depends on your forts, but I recall putting wire (or maybe mines?) in E9 & D9, and using infantry to fend off any flankers through, say, C10. I like a pillbox in G11 or E10, but there are lots of options. There are some HIP games that can be played with the main infantry force too.

As for the up front guys, you need to decide whether you want to run or play reverse slope. Either way is ok, I might go with run, but it's been a while I'd have to take a closer look.

I believe both sides have lots of fun options in this scenario. It's truly one of my favorites from MP1.

I'd gladly take either side (and have won with both! In fact, I won as the Germans when the US OoB was _stronger_!)

Matt
 

Brian W

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MarkDV said:
Well, wouldn't you know, that that stack was a 2+3+5 bunker with 2 squads and a leader in it?
Wouldn't the contents of a bunker be HIP like the bunker? If the pillbox is not HIP, then there is no need for a 2nd chit draw since a pillbox is considered a KEU until you posses it.
 

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Brian W said:
MarkDV said:
If the pillbox is not HIP, then there is no need for a 2nd chit draw since a pillbox is considered a KEU until you posses it.
Really? I didn't think a fortification was a unit. And if the contents are still ?, then the chit draw is still required, no?
 

Markdv5208

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Did I just inadvertently drive a truck thru a hole in the ASL rules?

B/c if you are in a pillbox/bunker, you merely deny right of inspection NOT the ability to be concealed...

AS IS, I did draw the 2nd black chit.
BUt I screwed up the aerial observer rules in E 7.6
We did NOT do a radio roll and did NOT do the sighting TCs--that alone would have been a 5 or less--so...hence, the urge to replay the scenario which I'm doing March 16 vs. Tony Sella..

Mark De Vries
 

Brian W

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MarkDV said:
B/c if you are in a pillbox/bunker, you merely deny right of inspection NOT the ability to be concealed...
I just checked B30.7 to be sure, and I am off a bit. Once a unit in a PB has fired, all units in the PB are considered to be KEU's to all units within 16 hexes that have LOS to the pillbox. Not sure where that leaves a spotter plane, although it sounds like nothing had fired from the pillbox yet anyway.

Sorry about the HIP thing too; playing too much Japanese stuff lately! That will teach me for raising questions when I'm tired.
 
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