Ap 29 Raffs Dilemma

[Markdv5208]

Ok, played this for the first time last Monday ie July 28 vs. Joe LePard.

Joe is usually the defender and wanted to be the attacker...well, ok I says...and proceeded to put together a really nasty defense.

I put three scum squads ie 436s on board 54 to slow him down. One 8-0 with a 436 to help him moves. I also put a 8-0, 447 w/LMG to cover the board 54 road that runs diagonally. One fire lane, and then they ALL run. On the level 2 hill on board 11 (changed by SSR) I put one trench in the dead center with the flak weapon there. Why? Rally terrain PLUS no LOS unless you're adjacent. Well, that strikes me as faust territory. If he gets INF there, well, I'd hope that I'd have enough retreated INF there to make it a fight. The bunker I put one hex over to cover the board 11 road, and the other trench had the other 7-0, 447, MMG and the 76L. It covers (kind of) board 54, and covers (not kind of) the other hill position. Yes, it's NOT concealment terrain, but those fields of fire more than make up for it.

Bocage is funny LOS wise. It strikes me it's a lot like the slats on a window shade. (Helps that I'm looking at my window right now.) Thing is a LOT of HD positions but conversely, lots of shaded areas that in turn get other shaded areas (ok, so maybe LOS wise it's like a broken set of slats on your windows)

Turn 1. The US player advanced on a board front. The AC/HT (what is that vehicle? It moves like a AC but I've seen one on the 4th of July it LOOKS like a HT) anyways, it moves into a hex with a 436, who promptly PINS on the PAATC then broadly moves everyone else carefully staying out of LOS of the 76L (who still skanks a shot at a Sherman brewing it up)
I start my fleeing, and in my player turn, zap the AC in CC with my 436.
One down.

Turn 2 Another LOS to a Sherman this time he is HD for my 76L. It dies. He tries to rush past the a 436 with a SMC. He fires and breaks the 436. No fear, their SMC pulls a Faust on a 1, then burns the Sherman. 3 down. He is down to 1 tank. Not many INF losses. And he's personally DM. He concedes, and rightly so.

We are replaying it starting this week with myself as the US. Being careful and judicious with the tanks is a good start. They HAVE to expose themselves to fire but ONLY HD and they MUST get SMOKE out in their Prep fire phases. The INF have to beat feet to get to those hill hexes and clear the level 1 and 2 terrain of the scum INF that they are fighting.

Interesting scenario.

Mark DV
Ada, MI

 

[Chas Argent]

There are several decent avenues of approach for the American armor. Up the road ain't one of 'em :bite:

 

[IYAOYAS]

There are several decent avenues of approach for the American armor. Up the road ain't one of 'em :bite:

Now you tell us. I ended up squandering my armor trying to push through the middle. Only one left for the end game, not enough.

 

[Chas Argent]

Mostly because the guns (and the 76L in particular) can cover it pretty well, despite the Bocage LOSs which get weird from time to time.

One great path is to go right, and blow through the Woods over there; you only have to roll Bog once, so it's likely that someone will get through and create a Trailbreak. Combine it with some infantry and you get a real one-two punch if you send the rest of the Americans on a left hook-ish line of approach.

 

[Markdv5208]

Ok, we're replaying it...

Ok, we're replaying it. I'm the US this time and my opponent Joe LePard is setting up as I type.

BECAUSE I screwed up part of the German OB last week ie gave the Germans two 8-0 rather than 7-0 SMCs, I've given Joe the same OB ie two 8-0s. IN ADDITION, the first SMC MC he takes this game, he gets to automatically HERO the guy in lieu of rolling it. This as my penance for screwing up something so simple as a SMC.

Am I being fair or too hard on myself?

Hope you're well. This playing is going to take us the rest of August b/c we're playing only 1 to 2 hours a week, every other week.

Mark DV
Ada, MI

 

[jwb3]

Re: Ok, we're replaying it...

The AC/HT (what is that vehicle? It moves like a AC but I've seen one on the 4th of July it LOOKS like a HT)

It's a M3A1 (aka White) Scout Car. Four wheels, no tracks... but otherwise designed, armored, and armed much like a halftrack.

BECAUSE I screwed up part of the German OB last week ie gave the Germans two 8-0 rather than 7-0 SMCs, I've given Joe the same OB ie two 8-0s. IN ADDITION, the first SMC MC he takes this game, he gets to automatically HERO the guy in lieu of rolling it. This as my penance for screwing up something so simple as a SMC.

Am I being fair or too hard on myself?

Well, look at it this way: in a scenario this size, that auto-hero bit is at least the equivalent of giving him the balance.

Since he's already getting the same leader upgrade that you accidently gave yourself, IMO you're being too hard on yourself. But it's your conscience that you have to satisfy, not nobody else's...


John

 

[jrv]

It's a M3A1 (aka White) Scout Car. Four wheels, no tracks... but otherwise designed, armored, and armed much like a halftrack.

Moves like a truck, BTW.

JR

 

[stuart62]

Mostly because the guns (and the 76L in particular) can cover it pretty well, despite the Bocage LOSs which get weird from time to time.

One great path is to go right, and blow through the Woods over there; you only have to roll Bog once, so it's likely that someone will get through and create a Trailbreak. Combine it with some infantry and you get a real one-two punch if you send the rest of the Americans on a left hook-ish line of approach.

I was thinking of playing this as the Americans and going up the I1/A4 road, believe I1 to I3 are blind hexes from the level 2 hill and bypassing the L6 woods, don't think bypass is allowable from L5 to M5/L6 per VBM rules so was going to bypass L6/M7 from M6, am I reading the VBM rules correctly?

Also not sure L9 is bypassable between L8/L9 and L9/M10 is a bit tight.

Stuart

 

[Chas Argent]

You can always cross the Bocage...don't let it hem you in.

 

[stuart62]

To bigger risk of bogging, probably safer to go through woods hexes at least can have trail break, don't like right hand route as will get caught in the open from AT Gun fire from the hill.

 

[Chas Argent]

Ahh, but the Shermans only Bog on an 11+ when attempting to cross Bocage (+1 for Normal Ground Pressure is the only modifier); you will Bog on an 8+ in the Woods, unless you are spending ALL of your MP, in which case it's also an 11+.

 

[waltermcwilliam]

Ahh, but the Shermans only Bog on an 11+ when attempting to cross Bocage (+1 for Normal Ground Pressure is the only modifier); you will Bog on an 8+ in the Woods, unless you are spending ALL of your MP, in which case it's also an 11+.

Yep, once u get unscared of the bocage its not that bad for the shermans. The woods is a powerful move, but dont commit everything to it, bog and mire and then all you vehicles are out of place. I played this Sat and lost to ther germans on a last move run to the hill by his only surviving MMC, which is how I see every playing of this one ending.