ScottRomanowski
Forum Guru
I am playing this via email with one of my regular opponents, Zebulon. We're not finished yet, so I hope I don't reveal any secrets of my strategy.
I played the Germans in AP170 Never On Time. Twelve SS squads with three PzIVJ attack nine British squads that get reinforced by five squads and three Shermans on turn 2, and three more squads and two more Shermans of turn 3. I win by having more VP at game end than the British. Each wooden building with 4 hexes of E9 is worth 1 VP, the stone buildings in D9 and D10 are each worth 3 VP, and each AFV immobilized, recalled, or eliminated is worth 1 VP. I counted VP and there are 11 VP worth of wooden buildings and 6 VP worth of stone buildings. I have three AFV and my opponent has five. He looks weak on the hill. I plan to flank there, both to slow down his reinforcements and to attack the stone buildings. The British also has a HIP MMC (plus SW and SMC), which I think might be a HIP PIAT unit around J6 to hit my armor as I flank. Hedges are bocage.
Setup
German Turn 1
I Opp Fire G1 (8-1, LMG/658, LMG/658) and B3 (9-1, MMG/658, LMG/658), targeting G6 and D7, and move forward. My first move, a DTing 658 from F1, is fired at by a light mortar in G6 (51MTR/248) and missed. It gets to H4. I push into B6. It’s worth 1 VP and I’m not going to pass up low-hanging fruit. Two AFVs go to support my eventual attack on D9 and D10, and one goes wide to help flank, with the PSK to help defend it. The mortar shot was the only attack the British made in the MPh or DFPh. At the end of the MPh:
My AFPh breaks the 248 in G6, and eliminates a dummy stack in D7. D5’s MGs get a surprising 2MC on F8, pinning it, but his sniper breaks my D4 LMG/658, which routs to B3. So much for it being protected by the sN smoke! The British 248 routs to G8, leaving its mortar behind in the foxhole. My next objective is the line of foxholes from D7 to F8. If I get in there, I’ll be able to attack D9 with only a slight TEM disadvantage. I held the tanks back in case there is a PIAT in one of them.
Positions at the end of the turn: B3 (8-0, LMG/DM658), B4 (9-1, MMG/658, LMG/658), B6 (cx658), C4 (PzIVJ), C6 (cx658), D5 (PzIVJ), G2 (8-1, LMG/658, LMG/658) G5 (cx348), H4 (?658), I2 (PzIVJ), I5 (cx658, cx?658), K3 (?PSK/348), L5 (cx?8-1, cx?658). The unconcealed British units are F8 (457), G6 (51MTR), and G8 (dm248).
British Turn 1
Neither of our broken units rally. The British don’t Prep. The 457 in F8 tries to withdraw, placing smoke in F8 then leaving the foxhole. I fire D5 but don’t affect it and it gets to G9. In the DFPh, G2 pins a 457 in E8. I gain acq in anticipation of placing smoke in C8 to cover B4s move forward. There is no fire in the AFPh. In the APh the 457 returns to the F8 foxhole. The unconcealed British units are E8 (457), F8 (457), G6 (51MTR), and G8 (dm248).
German Turn 2
I rally the LMG/broken658 in B3. I plan to push into the D6 woods and move up to the H7-I8-I9 buildings. I get smoke in C8. D5 gets a CH on F8, removing the 457 with a 2KIA. In the MPh I push a ?8-1, ?658 to I10 where it stays concealed because of the bocage, and I move the AFV on that side up to fire at the British units. At the end of the MPh:
In the AFPh E5 (9-1, MMG/658, LMG/658, LMG/658) fires at E8, 12FP+1 for no effect, nor does any of my other fire have any effect. In the APh I enter the D7 foxhole and some of the victory buildings on the hill. I’m feeling confident about my attack on the hill. There are only two British squads against my seven.
Positions at the end of the turn: B4 (8-0), B6 (658), C4 (PzIVJ), D5 (PzIVJ), D7 (658), E6 (LMG/658), F5 (9-1, MMG/658, LMG/658), G6 (?658, 51mortar), G7 (?348), H6 (?658), I7 (cx8-1, LMG/cx658), I8 (cx658), I9 (?8-1, ?658), J6 (?LMG/cx658), J8 (PzIVJ), K6 (?PSK/348). The unconcealed British units are E8 (457), G8 (DM248), G9 (457).
British Turn 2
The British set up to enter in the left corner. I recover the mortar in G6 because I want its s7! E8 opens the PFPh with a K/2 on F5, and RS selects both 658s. Luckily nothing breaks on the 2MC. In the MPh H8 withdraws to G8. He moves the 10-2, three 458s,PIAT, dmMTR and dmMMG into C20, where C4 fires its MGs to no effect. He moves one Sherman II into the gully, and the other and the Firefly go after my C4 PzIVJ. At the end of the MPh:
In the DFPh the survivors in F5 manage to break and CR E8 with MMG ROF. I9 CRs the broken 248 and strips ? from a 457 in G8. E8 routs to F8. The 10-2 stack splits into three, some advancing on to the hill.
Positions at the end of the turn: The British units I know of are B14 (Sherman IIC), B15 (dmMTR/458), C16 (Sherman II), D14 (?10-2, ?PIAT/458), D15 (?dmMMG/458), F8 (DM247), G8 (457), G9 (457).
German Turn 3
I recombine the two HS in F5 and plan to give the LMG to another squad ASAP. I try to save my C4 AFV with smoke. If I can block LOS to the Sherman IIC, I’ll duel the Sherman II. If it’s not blocked, I’ll try my sN to give me smoke to withdraw. I get smoke from both the captured mortar and D5, blocking LOS from the Sherman VC! I break the 457s in G8 and G9, and my C4 PzIVJ gets a turret hit on the C16 Sherman II, eliminating it. I plan to try to push toward F10 and F11, and also H11 to try and slow down his reinforcements. But my opponent reveals his HIP 8-0, LMG/458 in G10, breaking a 658 in H9. He places a FL, which lets me run near it without worrying about SFF/FPF. At the end of the MPh:
My AFPh does nothing, and I aggressively advance.
Positions at the end of the turn: B6 (658), C4 (PzIVJ), D5 (PzIVJ), D6 (?8-0), D7 (658), E8 (LMG/658), G6 (51mortar, 348), G7( LMG, ?658), G8 (?9-1, ?MMG/658), G9 (8-1, LMG/658), H9 (658), H11 (8-1, 658), I8 (DM658), I9 (LMG/658), J8 (PzIVJ), J10 (?PSK/348). The British units I know of are B14 (Sherman IIC), B15 (dmMTR/458), D14 (?10-2, ?PIAT/458), D15 (?dmMMG/458), E11(DM247, DM237), F10 (DM247), G10 (8-0, LMG/458).
At this point I control B6, G8, G9, H7, H11, I8, I9, and have destroyed one AFV, for 8 VP. The British control D9, D10, E10, and E13, for 8 VP. The buildings around E12 were out of the British setup area, so were uncontrolled at the start.
I played the Germans in AP170 Never On Time. Twelve SS squads with three PzIVJ attack nine British squads that get reinforced by five squads and three Shermans on turn 2, and three more squads and two more Shermans of turn 3. I win by having more VP at game end than the British. Each wooden building with 4 hexes of E9 is worth 1 VP, the stone buildings in D9 and D10 are each worth 3 VP, and each AFV immobilized, recalled, or eliminated is worth 1 VP. I counted VP and there are 11 VP worth of wooden buildings and 6 VP worth of stone buildings. I have three AFV and my opponent has five. He looks weak on the hill. I plan to flank there, both to slow down his reinforcements and to attack the stone buildings. The British also has a HIP MMC (plus SW and SMC), which I think might be a HIP PIAT unit around J6 to hit my armor as I flank. Hedges are bocage.
Setup
German Turn 1
I Opp Fire G1 (8-1, LMG/658, LMG/658) and B3 (9-1, MMG/658, LMG/658), targeting G6 and D7, and move forward. My first move, a DTing 658 from F1, is fired at by a light mortar in G6 (51MTR/248) and missed. It gets to H4. I push into B6. It’s worth 1 VP and I’m not going to pass up low-hanging fruit. Two AFVs go to support my eventual attack on D9 and D10, and one goes wide to help flank, with the PSK to help defend it. The mortar shot was the only attack the British made in the MPh or DFPh. At the end of the MPh:
My AFPh breaks the 248 in G6, and eliminates a dummy stack in D7. D5’s MGs get a surprising 2MC on F8, pinning it, but his sniper breaks my D4 LMG/658, which routs to B3. So much for it being protected by the sN smoke! The British 248 routs to G8, leaving its mortar behind in the foxhole. My next objective is the line of foxholes from D7 to F8. If I get in there, I’ll be able to attack D9 with only a slight TEM disadvantage. I held the tanks back in case there is a PIAT in one of them.
Positions at the end of the turn: B3 (8-0, LMG/DM658), B4 (9-1, MMG/658, LMG/658), B6 (cx658), C4 (PzIVJ), C6 (cx658), D5 (PzIVJ), G2 (8-1, LMG/658, LMG/658) G5 (cx348), H4 (?658), I2 (PzIVJ), I5 (cx658, cx?658), K3 (?PSK/348), L5 (cx?8-1, cx?658). The unconcealed British units are F8 (457), G6 (51MTR), and G8 (dm248).
British Turn 1
Neither of our broken units rally. The British don’t Prep. The 457 in F8 tries to withdraw, placing smoke in F8 then leaving the foxhole. I fire D5 but don’t affect it and it gets to G9. In the DFPh, G2 pins a 457 in E8. I gain acq in anticipation of placing smoke in C8 to cover B4s move forward. There is no fire in the AFPh. In the APh the 457 returns to the F8 foxhole. The unconcealed British units are E8 (457), F8 (457), G6 (51MTR), and G8 (dm248).
German Turn 2
I rally the LMG/broken658 in B3. I plan to push into the D6 woods and move up to the H7-I8-I9 buildings. I get smoke in C8. D5 gets a CH on F8, removing the 457 with a 2KIA. In the MPh I push a ?8-1, ?658 to I10 where it stays concealed because of the bocage, and I move the AFV on that side up to fire at the British units. At the end of the MPh:
In the AFPh E5 (9-1, MMG/658, LMG/658, LMG/658) fires at E8, 12FP+1 for no effect, nor does any of my other fire have any effect. In the APh I enter the D7 foxhole and some of the victory buildings on the hill. I’m feeling confident about my attack on the hill. There are only two British squads against my seven.
Positions at the end of the turn: B4 (8-0), B6 (658), C4 (PzIVJ), D5 (PzIVJ), D7 (658), E6 (LMG/658), F5 (9-1, MMG/658, LMG/658), G6 (?658, 51mortar), G7 (?348), H6 (?658), I7 (cx8-1, LMG/cx658), I8 (cx658), I9 (?8-1, ?658), J6 (?LMG/cx658), J8 (PzIVJ), K6 (?PSK/348). The unconcealed British units are E8 (457), G8 (DM248), G9 (457).
British Turn 2
The British set up to enter in the left corner. I recover the mortar in G6 because I want its s7! E8 opens the PFPh with a K/2 on F5, and RS selects both 658s. Luckily nothing breaks on the 2MC. In the MPh H8 withdraws to G8. He moves the 10-2, three 458s,PIAT, dmMTR and dmMMG into C20, where C4 fires its MGs to no effect. He moves one Sherman II into the gully, and the other and the Firefly go after my C4 PzIVJ. At the end of the MPh:
In the DFPh the survivors in F5 manage to break and CR E8 with MMG ROF. I9 CRs the broken 248 and strips ? from a 457 in G8. E8 routs to F8. The 10-2 stack splits into three, some advancing on to the hill.
Positions at the end of the turn: The British units I know of are B14 (Sherman IIC), B15 (dmMTR/458), C16 (Sherman II), D14 (?10-2, ?PIAT/458), D15 (?dmMMG/458), F8 (DM247), G8 (457), G9 (457).
German Turn 3
I recombine the two HS in F5 and plan to give the LMG to another squad ASAP. I try to save my C4 AFV with smoke. If I can block LOS to the Sherman IIC, I’ll duel the Sherman II. If it’s not blocked, I’ll try my sN to give me smoke to withdraw. I get smoke from both the captured mortar and D5, blocking LOS from the Sherman VC! I break the 457s in G8 and G9, and my C4 PzIVJ gets a turret hit on the C16 Sherman II, eliminating it. I plan to try to push toward F10 and F11, and also H11 to try and slow down his reinforcements. But my opponent reveals his HIP 8-0, LMG/458 in G10, breaking a 658 in H9. He places a FL, which lets me run near it without worrying about SFF/FPF. At the end of the MPh:
My AFPh does nothing, and I aggressively advance.
Positions at the end of the turn: B6 (658), C4 (PzIVJ), D5 (PzIVJ), D6 (?8-0), D7 (658), E8 (LMG/658), G6 (51mortar, 348), G7( LMG, ?658), G8 (?9-1, ?MMG/658), G9 (8-1, LMG/658), H9 (658), H11 (8-1, 658), I8 (DM658), I9 (LMG/658), J8 (PzIVJ), J10 (?PSK/348). The British units I know of are B14 (Sherman IIC), B15 (dmMTR/458), D14 (?10-2, ?PIAT/458), D15 (?dmMMG/458), E11(DM247, DM237), F10 (DM247), G10 (8-0, LMG/458).
At this point I control B6, G8, G9, H7, H11, I8, I9, and have destroyed one AFV, for 8 VP. The British control D9, D10, E10, and E13, for 8 VP. The buildings around E12 were out of the British setup area, so were uncontrolled at the start.