Major Issues
Elder Member
In this era of social distancing, Thanksgiving gatherings will be smaller this year, as people get together only with those that they truly love. My wife says she will be spending the holiday with Brant the pool boy.
Don’t forget to serve vodka and cranberry juice – the preferred cocktail of the Puritans!!!
Walt and I have been doing Stalingrad scenarios. He picked The Martinguitarofen as one he wanted to do, with him taking the Russians. I did a setup for the Germans but we had not played it yet.
In the meantime, I got together with Gunny, for more Stalingrad. ‘Oh Joy!’ ended quickly, and less than joyfully for Gunny. Since we didn’t have setups for other Stalingrad scenarios, I suggested Der Martinprinceofen, with me taking the Russians this time, and Gunny taking the proud boys in blue.
I did do an AAR on the game with Walt, so you may want to read that first. I won’t go into so much gory detail with this one. You’re welcome!
The Germans get a set DC in one of three factory hexes, which will go ‘boom’ at the start of the game. The Soviets get a FM of 120mm OBA, which will go ‘boom’ before the start of the game. But both sides have to choose their hexes before setup, and the Soviets are limited as to where the FFE can be placed. In the game with Walt, the pioneers set up in the Croatian headquarter building, as it can't be directly targeted by the OBA. Gunny did the same thing in this game, so the FFE did nothing.
With Nazi stooges ratting on their comrades, we knew which hexes might go ‘boom’. So I set up in none of them. You know, force preservation, yada yada yada.
As it turns out, the set AC/DC did cause a massive explosion, with a KIA result. It did not rubble the hex, but did start a Flame.
I had two 458s with MMGs on the roof, to prevent a flanking move through the debris. But one of these squads was blasted by the 150mm INF gun on its first shot. Which also put a Flame on the roof.
So we aren’t even halfway through turn 1, and the factory is starting to burn down around me. I am filled with fear, partly because I may run out of places to defend, and partly because it may cause my insurance rates to go up. True, I did bundle my Factory Insurance with my AFV Insurance to get a better rate. But my AFVs are T-60s, and they are currently in the rear, getting detailed.
I had posted a couple questions to this list, and yes, it appears that a Roof location is an eligible location to have a fire, and to have it spread to/from. Apparently, a ground level factory fire can spread to the rooftop level. Which seems likely to happen here, since traitorous White Russians failed to install a proper sprinkler system in the factory...
Note to self – next RB scenario, do not, I repeat DO NOT store your Molotov Cocktails on the roof...
A backup squad who recovers the MMG from the dead guyz on the roof is broken and reduced. The other MMG 458 is broken and reduced. It’s like a bad western. Guyz keep clutching their chests and falling off the roof in slow motion.
In my turn 1, I was able to Occupy Wall Street (different AAR) and two of the three empty factory hexes.
A mad rush by the German 9-2 and an 838 results in them going Berserk, even tho we cried foul, as that is Our Thang.
The Berserk Dudes go into the factory, into a hex with a 628 and a Flame. Despite heroic shooting by my guyz, they make it in unscathed, and break and reduce the 628 in Adv. Fire.
But.
The Flame turns into a Blaze. My broken guyz can rout out. The Berserk dudes have to stay, and end up doing their impression of Joan of Arc. Or, Johann of Arcwitz.
Burn, baby, burn!
We figgered that these casualties did NOT give the Russians any points, as they were not directly caused by them.
Middle game wuz just weird . The roof. The roof. The roof is on fire. And it kept spreading, as did the fire at ground level. I kept throwing suicidal squads into Flame hexes, hoping that the Flames would turn into blazes, which would still give me control of the hex. It never happened. Ever. My guyz would just get shot to pieces, and I would roll a 3 on the Flame spread.
Despite 156 self rally attempts, neither broken HS on the roof ever rallied. Too busy feeding the pigeons, I guess. One abandoned MMG ended up in flames. Dmitiri is in a LOT of trouble, as he signed for it...
An 838 enters the factory, and gets killed. A Croatian squad enters, and gets killed. A Croatian 7-0 and squad enters, and gets killed. Some people just can’t take a hint...
Meanwhile, Gunny had his 10-2 and some dudes try to crush my flank. I convinced him to PF for 3 turns. Once against a concealed HS, and once against a stack of dummies. One of life’s great joys is being able to sucker your opponent into wasting time shooting at dummies... With his best leader, it makes it doubly joyful...
End game, my back is against the wall, literally. I have a couple good stacks in the factory, but behind them is the factory they cannot enter. The 10-2 and friends jump a 628. I stupidly had no one in the hex behind them. Had he gotten ambush, he could have withdrawn into the hex for another three points. As it turns out, he does not get ambush, and we end up in melee.
Half the factory is on fire, which will definitely reduce our production during the next fiscal year. But I was the last to control only one of the burning hexes, despite many, many attempts to be the last one in, and sending multiple squads to their Certain Doom in the effort.
At game end, Gunny controls 7 hexes, for 21 points. But I have gotten 10 CVPs, which reduces his total to 11. He needs 13 for the win. So a close, yet grim, victory for the Red Tide...
Had he killed my 628 squad in CC, or gotten ambush and withdrawn to the empty factory hex, it would have been a German victory. Gunny will be replaying this one in his head for MONTHS.
One difference between this game and the one with Walt is that Walt could not get a good roll or rate with his Powerful Soviet MG Stacks to save his life. Literally. I could, which definitely helped me cause casualties.
Currently 6-3 pro-German on ROAR. Suggest not restricting where the Russian OBA SR can be placed to help balance this. It adds a psychological aspect to the game. “I know the Croats are gonna be in that building, so I should hit them. But if he expects me to hit them, they will all be downstairs, and will get an extra +1. Or maybe I should crush the corner guys. But then I won’t hit anyone else. But maybe he expects me to try to smash there, and will only put two squads with no SWs there. Or maybe he is hoping that I DO try to hit there, and that the FFE is inaccurate, and hits the factory, and my own guys. Or maybe he will set up across the street from the factory, so I should pound there. But wait – maybe he knows that I will blast his guys there, so he will put them somewhere else instead!!! So I can definitely say that this glass contains the lidocaine poison!!!!!”
Covid – the perfect excuse to not invite Uncle ‘Pull My Finger’ Fred to your house for Thanksgiving...
Next post – Should your taxes go to support schools filled with ugly, ugly children???
Don’t forget to serve vodka and cranberry juice – the preferred cocktail of the Puritans!!!
Walt and I have been doing Stalingrad scenarios. He picked The Martinguitarofen as one he wanted to do, with him taking the Russians. I did a setup for the Germans but we had not played it yet.
In the meantime, I got together with Gunny, for more Stalingrad. ‘Oh Joy!’ ended quickly, and less than joyfully for Gunny. Since we didn’t have setups for other Stalingrad scenarios, I suggested Der Martinprinceofen, with me taking the Russians this time, and Gunny taking the proud boys in blue.
I did do an AAR on the game with Walt, so you may want to read that first. I won’t go into so much gory detail with this one. You’re welcome!
The Germans get a set DC in one of three factory hexes, which will go ‘boom’ at the start of the game. The Soviets get a FM of 120mm OBA, which will go ‘boom’ before the start of the game. But both sides have to choose their hexes before setup, and the Soviets are limited as to where the FFE can be placed. In the game with Walt, the pioneers set up in the Croatian headquarter building, as it can't be directly targeted by the OBA. Gunny did the same thing in this game, so the FFE did nothing.
With Nazi stooges ratting on their comrades, we knew which hexes might go ‘boom’. So I set up in none of them. You know, force preservation, yada yada yada.
As it turns out, the set AC/DC did cause a massive explosion, with a KIA result. It did not rubble the hex, but did start a Flame.
I had two 458s with MMGs on the roof, to prevent a flanking move through the debris. But one of these squads was blasted by the 150mm INF gun on its first shot. Which also put a Flame on the roof.
So we aren’t even halfway through turn 1, and the factory is starting to burn down around me. I am filled with fear, partly because I may run out of places to defend, and partly because it may cause my insurance rates to go up. True, I did bundle my Factory Insurance with my AFV Insurance to get a better rate. But my AFVs are T-60s, and they are currently in the rear, getting detailed.
I had posted a couple questions to this list, and yes, it appears that a Roof location is an eligible location to have a fire, and to have it spread to/from. Apparently, a ground level factory fire can spread to the rooftop level. Which seems likely to happen here, since traitorous White Russians failed to install a proper sprinkler system in the factory...
Note to self – next RB scenario, do not, I repeat DO NOT store your Molotov Cocktails on the roof...
A backup squad who recovers the MMG from the dead guyz on the roof is broken and reduced. The other MMG 458 is broken and reduced. It’s like a bad western. Guyz keep clutching their chests and falling off the roof in slow motion.
In my turn 1, I was able to Occupy Wall Street (different AAR) and two of the three empty factory hexes.
A mad rush by the German 9-2 and an 838 results in them going Berserk, even tho we cried foul, as that is Our Thang.
The Berserk Dudes go into the factory, into a hex with a 628 and a Flame. Despite heroic shooting by my guyz, they make it in unscathed, and break and reduce the 628 in Adv. Fire.
But.
The Flame turns into a Blaze. My broken guyz can rout out. The Berserk dudes have to stay, and end up doing their impression of Joan of Arc. Or, Johann of Arcwitz.
Burn, baby, burn!
We figgered that these casualties did NOT give the Russians any points, as they were not directly caused by them.
Middle game wuz just weird . The roof. The roof. The roof is on fire. And it kept spreading, as did the fire at ground level. I kept throwing suicidal squads into Flame hexes, hoping that the Flames would turn into blazes, which would still give me control of the hex. It never happened. Ever. My guyz would just get shot to pieces, and I would roll a 3 on the Flame spread.
Despite 156 self rally attempts, neither broken HS on the roof ever rallied. Too busy feeding the pigeons, I guess. One abandoned MMG ended up in flames. Dmitiri is in a LOT of trouble, as he signed for it...
An 838 enters the factory, and gets killed. A Croatian squad enters, and gets killed. A Croatian 7-0 and squad enters, and gets killed. Some people just can’t take a hint...
Meanwhile, Gunny had his 10-2 and some dudes try to crush my flank. I convinced him to PF for 3 turns. Once against a concealed HS, and once against a stack of dummies. One of life’s great joys is being able to sucker your opponent into wasting time shooting at dummies... With his best leader, it makes it doubly joyful...
End game, my back is against the wall, literally. I have a couple good stacks in the factory, but behind them is the factory they cannot enter. The 10-2 and friends jump a 628. I stupidly had no one in the hex behind them. Had he gotten ambush, he could have withdrawn into the hex for another three points. As it turns out, he does not get ambush, and we end up in melee.
Half the factory is on fire, which will definitely reduce our production during the next fiscal year. But I was the last to control only one of the burning hexes, despite many, many attempts to be the last one in, and sending multiple squads to their Certain Doom in the effort.
At game end, Gunny controls 7 hexes, for 21 points. But I have gotten 10 CVPs, which reduces his total to 11. He needs 13 for the win. So a close, yet grim, victory for the Red Tide...
Had he killed my 628 squad in CC, or gotten ambush and withdrawn to the empty factory hex, it would have been a German victory. Gunny will be replaying this one in his head for MONTHS.
One difference between this game and the one with Walt is that Walt could not get a good roll or rate with his Powerful Soviet MG Stacks to save his life. Literally. I could, which definitely helped me cause casualties.
Currently 6-3 pro-German on ROAR. Suggest not restricting where the Russian OBA SR can be placed to help balance this. It adds a psychological aspect to the game. “I know the Croats are gonna be in that building, so I should hit them. But if he expects me to hit them, they will all be downstairs, and will get an extra +1. Or maybe I should crush the corner guys. But then I won’t hit anyone else. But maybe he expects me to try to smash there, and will only put two squads with no SWs there. Or maybe he is hoping that I DO try to hit there, and that the FFE is inaccurate, and hits the factory, and my own guys. Or maybe he will set up across the street from the factory, so I should pound there. But wait – maybe he knows that I will blast his guys there, so he will put them somewhere else instead!!! So I can definitely say that this glass contains the lidocaine poison!!!!!”
Covid – the perfect excuse to not invite Uncle ‘Pull My Finger’ Fred to your house for Thanksgiving...
Next post – Should your taxes go to support schools filled with ugly, ugly children???
