AP162 The Governor

[ScottRomanowski]

1a
I don't like the chances of capturing building I6. There's not much cover, which restricts my attack avenue. Squeezing fifteen squads into the area from J4 to N2 and west is too cramped. So, I'm going to try for the other VC, capturing nine of the twelve other multi-hex buildings. A lot of my force entered at level 1, through Y3 or Y4. My turn 1 moves are all out of the defender's LOS, which let me move in leader-led stacks, and my units' advances retained concealment. I capture three undefended multi-hex buildings, but now the fighting begins.


1b
My opponent pulls two stacks back in the MPh (green arrows) and leaves the rest in place. I reveal the 9-2 and two LMG/458s in R4 and break a 458 in P5. It routs back to N6, and my opponent advances (white arrows) some units to cover his flanks. I'm puzzled by the stack in E8. Why didn't that move or advance?


2a
I scout with a HS and discover Q6 is dummy stack, and a ?457 in P7 strips concealment from another scout in R7. Things are too cramped to show moves and advances marked up with arrows. I push my attack stacks forward (each has two LMG/458 and a 9-2 or 9-1). All fire in the MPh, DFPh and AFPh is ineffective. I advance stacks adjacent to defenders, and hope the stone buildings will protect me in the PFPh, and won't protect him in the DFPh.
MPh:

End of turn:


2b
My opponent Preps from N4, O6, and O7, but only reveals and pins my 457 in O4. He skulks his other front-line units. My DFPh and his AFPh are ineffective too. He advances into three locations and eliminates my cxHS in P5, and both our squads eliminate the other in O5. O4 is locked in Melee without any losses.
MPh:

End of turn:


3a
My 9-2 stack breaks the squad that eliminated my HS in P5 in the PFPh. I inch forward in the center and push forward on the flanks. I needed to know what was approaching my right flank, so I tried to move a 7-0 in to N2. I discovered dummies, and the 7-0 rapidly backpedaled to the ?ATR/457 guarding that side in P3. My opponent places a FL to P7 from the LMG in O6, then later First Fires the squad manning it. That means it can't fire until the DFPh, unless something enters its Location, so I DT a DC/HS and place a DC in O6! Unfortunately, it only pins the LMG/457 there. 30FP+4 attacks aren't what they used to be! :-(

I take the broken unit in P5 prisoner, which gives me control of the building. I eliminate two squads in CC without loss (O4 and O6). I have control of 7 multi-hex buildings and need two more. I have two more turns to capture them, which I think will be enough. I'm puzzled about one thing through -- what are the units in E8, I6, and J8 waiting for? They're not dummies -- I've found all six ? counters. Neither tank has moved, and they only have 8FP so they won't get far in this congested, hilly village in the two Vichy Player Turns remaining.

As always, whenever I end a turn adjacent to several enemy units, I fear they'll stay and get several good rolls, and break my entire front line.
MPh:

End of turn:

 

[ScottRomanowski]

3b
My opponent breaks two squads and pins the 9-1 in O7 with a three-hex FG. He finally moves his tanks out, and his concealed unit in E8 was a MMC manning the mortar. It was in a good position to have stopped any attempt I would have to flank along the bottom of the map, but I never moved into its LOS.


In DFPh, I break his one squad in N6. I fear N5 is a concealed squad that will advance, ambush, and eliminate my squad in O6. I get lucky and get a PTC, revealing it as an 8-0. That suddenly changes the game. After the RtPh I gain control of building N6, my eighth. No Vichy units can advance into building N4, so I might be able to control it on turn 4a. Then I'll have to hold the nine buildings, which is a lot easier than capturing them.

In the APh he advances into building N6, and closer to building N4, and some of his reserves come forward.


4a
I BH a 457 and create a hero in Q7. In the PFPh I pin all his units in N6. I want to control building N4 this turn, and threaten building N7 as well to force my opponent to split his force. I place a DC in N6 and almost rubble the hex. The broken survivors surrender. I advance into building N4 for control of the 9th multi-hex building, and into two hexes of building N7.
MPh:

End of turn:


4b
My ?8-0 in Q7 finally rallies the 9-1, and it in turn rallies the broken LMG/458 there. He Preps from M7 because skulking would give me control of the building, and breaks my units in N8. The R35 from L35 bypasses N6/M7 and stops. My hero-led CC Reaction Fire misses (CCV 6 -2 DRM, rolled 9). K6 tries to dash to M5 but is pinned by N5. The 9-1, 458 from J6 move along the back side of building K5 to N4. I keep concealment in N4, hoping I'll be able to survive through CC concealed. My opponent was unable to break my units in N5, and facing slims odds of capturing building N5 while holding building M7, conceded.

 

[commissarmatt]

Nice AAR. I like the boards with the desert colors.

 

[ScottRomanowski]

Thanks for the color scheme go to my opponent, who chose that option when setting up.

 

[von Marwitz]

Thanks for the color scheme go to my opponent, who chose that option when setting up.

Question with regard to the color scheme:

Does the LOS-Tool work (i.e. snapping to grid) while using the DTO colors for ETO boards?

I remember that this has not been the case for older versions of VASL/VASSAL. I am still using VASSAL v3.5.5 and VASL v6.6.2 where this is still an issue I think.

von Marwitz

 

[ScottRomanowski]

@von Marwitz Yes, it did work.

 

[Jim Burris]

Nice AAR, we are playing it currently and have a much different game.
@ScottRomanowski when you played this one did you assume the multi-hex buildings were still 1.5 levels high even though they had a ground level only? That is, does a LOS exist between N5 and R5? Thanks

 

[ScottRomanowski]

Thanks, @Jim Burris ! I think we assumed multi-hex buildings were one level high, so there was LOS from N5 to R5.

 

[Stewart]

No thoughts on half squad recapture of the buildings in the rear?
I also dislike seeing good mortars not dm'ed to the front lines.
I keep seeing that for some reason.

 

[pensatl1962]

Really like the board colors! A very fun scenario - played it a year ago and drove fully for the I6 building VC. It was doable for an Aussie win, but only after a several turn Melee. We were basically getting CR results for about 4 CCPh'es and feeding HS and/or squads into the grist mill. My opponent made excellent use out of those piss-ant French tanks.