Accidental AAR: O9 BEHIND IN THE COUNT

[Michael R]

This is an experiment to see if I can make a half way interesting AAR using the end-of-player-turn files that I save when playing by VASL.
This image shows the setup areas with our random wrecks and rubble. The Americans need to control two or more of the Victory buildings at game end.

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[Michael R]

This image shows my German setup. Although the SSR forces the Germans and Americans to share building G6, it is possible for the Germans to avoid unintentional CC by setting up in level 1 of G6, which I did. Other notes are in the image. Correction: I need to find the image with the notes.

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[Michael R]

Here is the image with some notes. BTW, I intended to deploy one or two more squads once the game got moving to make more targets.

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[bendizoid]

Very different setup from my German defense. But I can read it, so far so good.

 

[Michael R]

This next image shows the American setup, made by Bruno L'Archeveque.

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[Michael R]

This game took place before Christmas, so I do not remember a lot of details. The interesting thing for the Germans is that their building G6 units were not affected by American fire and then chose to not return fire to keep concealment. Bruno advanced his Americans into CC anyway. I decided the most likely choice to survive was to not attack back in CC to have his attack against me. It worked. End of Amis turn 1.

 

[Michael R]

I took some losses in building G6, but managed to extricate one squad and an LMG. I missed an opportunity to eliminate the two broken American squads in G6 for FTR. I was angry with myself for that one. The HS in building F4 is holding out longer than I expected. I moved the northern PSK unit closer to the Sherman, hoping to get a shot. End of German turn 1.

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[Michael R]

The PSK unit was shot up by fire from several units. Bruno's rally rolls did not go well. A BAZ unit that became adventurous in the south was knocked back by the Pz 4. End of Amis turn 2.

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[Michael R]

Bruno rallied most of his troops. My Pz4 managed to scoot towards the nearest Sherman and just barely nail it, then position itself for the coming Amis reinforcements. Surprisingly, I still have a squad in building F4 to screw up easy movement for Bruno. One HS went back to building M3 because I calculated that a lucky leader squad combination could reach their in one turn. Bruno still does not know which concealed tank is a dummy. End of German turn 2.

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[Michael R]

End of American turn 3. Bruno made a big push, supported by smoke, for building J5. He got into one hex, but a number of units broke. The reinforcements came in mostly on the right side south, walking through the concealed unit. He could have been more aggressive there and reached building O6. One reinforcement squad is hunting the Pz 4. A couple of SSR generated HS also made an appearance.

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[Michael R]

End of German turn 3. I had a lucky rally roll with my DM unit in building J5. A lot of German units are in J5 now. A HS is also in the orchard behind it in case a Sherman somehow gets in that area. My reinforcements recovered the PSK and made the defence of building M4 stronger. The Americans in building J5 were unable to do any damage to the Germans because of the smoke that got them into the building. Bruno eliminated the dummy tank with some kind of legal shot that I can't remember. The StuG is in an orchard road hex; that is why it is still concealed. The Pz 4 tried to move away from the BAZ unit. The BAZ destroyed the tank, but the crew survived.

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[Michael R]

End of Amis turn 4. Bruno's northern tank and some infantry wasted a bit of time on my northern concealed HS. Another American squad got into the smoked hex of J5, as well as another adjacent to it just north. My units did not fire to keep their concealment, which I believe is saved their butts. The Pz4 crew went down in CC. I think Bruno sent a few to many units along this string of buildings. They would need to cross the J6-O4 road to do anything useful. OTOH, he was not having any luck with his sM. Bruno could have managed his prisoners better; he had 1.5 squads guarding 2 squads. I'm not positive, but I think he could have tried some CC in the J5 building. Perhaps the German concealment deterred him. Perhaps he did not realize how little time was left to him.

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[Michael R]

End of German turn 4. My StuG smoked the nearest American positions to deter any lucky shots from that area. Everyone else skulked and moved back, taking up as many locations as possible in building J5. The PSK unit moved nearer to the Sherman, but was luckier than the last guy who tried that.

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[Michael R]

End of American turn 5. The northern Sherman went down to a PSK shot. The other Sherman moved into building hex K7 to lock the fire of the units there, but Bruno did not go CE to lock the fire of the units on level 1. The units there found a PF and toasted it in the DFPh. There were losses on both sides to CC and shots, but the American casualties are not visible. None of the southern units were able to reinforce building J5. The eastern units made a run at building N5, but were only partially successful. Since Bruno had not been able to start a CC in every building J5 location, and I could bring in one or two more units, there was no way for him to take that building, so he conceded.

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[MajorDomo]

Nice AAR!

Played this one twice, once each side and the AMIs won both.

Nice to see a German win.

Rich

 

[bendizoid]

I like to set both tanks in stone buildings at start. If they are near each other it makes quite a battery, and you can drive them somewhere cool later if you want. Thanks for the report.