AP62 Shouting into the Storm

[George Kelln]

AP62 Shouting into the Storm v. Ernie Cameron; completed 2 of 6.5 turns of a late-war, heavy metal slugfest.

A bit of a change from regular playtesting to play a scenario from the NWASL Championship in order to familiarize myself with it.
The Germans horde starts on the other side of Frigid stream with a lone stone bridge to cross without suffering Replacement.

When said horde I meant it: 12x 5-4-8, 3x 8-3-8, 9-2, 2x 9-1, 8-0, toting a myriad of LMG, Psk, FT, & DCs 3x Pz VIB King Tigers, 4x StuG IIIG(L), and a StuH 42(L) with an ELR of 4 and not to mention 30x PF 45. Don't forget the Smoke making capability.
The Russians aren't slouches either 6x 4-5-8 and either 3x 4-5-8 or 4x 6-2-8 with some LMG, .50-cal HMG, FT & DC, 2x 57mm ATG and possibly a 100mm ATG with either 3x IS-2m or 1x Su-100 & 3x T-34/85.

The Germans have to capture 4 objectives each denoted by a yellow "v".

Thus far, a Russian 57mm ATG managed to Deliberately Immobilize a Pz VIB King Tiger, but was quickly taken out. The German also had a 5-4-8 stray in the clear LOS of a Russian 4-5-8+LMG directed by 9-1 and was KIA'd on a IIFT DR of 3.

Far back in the rear a StuG IIIG(L) Bogged trying to turn an leave the woods.

Looks daunting for the Russians as their tank reinforcements did not enter on Turn 2 (50/50 chance) but will enter on Turn 3.

For Turn 3, the Russians will have weather the German firepower storm until their tank support arrives.

 

[von Marwitz]

Played this several years ago and remember it as a fine scenario.

On top of that, two things come to my mind.
First: There is one hell of a devellish LOS in this one that could have really, really had an impact. Needless to say, I gacked my roll and the chance for evil brilliance had been wasted...
Second: In this game, I managed the most improbable shot of my entire ASL career.

• captured a 57L Gun during my MPh (+2 captured use)
• wasn't qualified to use it (+2 unqualified use)
• used it anyway in the AFPh (+2 Fire during AFPh)
• had to turn it three hexspines (+5 CA change)
• the target (the most evil Russian 9-2 with two Squads, one of which with a HMG) was in a Stone Building (+3 TEM)
• and was obscured by SMOKE (+3 Hindrance)

So the DRMs were merely +17... Did anyone - repeat anyone - around here ever manage to accumulate +17 of DRMs for a shot?

Rolled Snakes. Yay! Subsequent dr to check for an improbable hit. The dr was 1. Yihaa! Critical Hit! Random Selection had the 9-2 on the receiving end for a 14 @ -3 attack. I was dancing jigs by now.

Rolled a 10 on the effects modified to a 7 for a 2 MC which the most evil 9-2 passed without even blinking and afterwards helped the two squads to pass easily as well.

I still feel fully justified - make that entitled to all-out whining and moaning about being deprived of my ultimate style points for not being able to kill the 9-2 and bust up his killer stack with this shot...

von Marwitz

 

[bendizoid]

AP62 Shouting into the Storm v. Ernie Cameron; completed 2 of 6.5 turns of a late-war, heavy metal slugfest.

A bit of a change from regular playtesting to play a scenario from the NWASL Championship in order to familiarize myself with it.
The Germans horde starts on the other side of Frigid stream with a lone stone bridge to cross without suffering Replacement.

When said horde I meant it: 12x 5-4-8, 3x 8-3-8, 9-2, 2x 9-1, 8-0, toting a myriad of LMG, Psk, FT, & DCs 3x Pz VIB King Tigers, 4x StuG IIIG(L), and a StuH 42(L) with an ELR of 4 and not to mention 30x PF 45. Don't forget the Smoke making capability.
The Russians aren't slouches either 6x 4-5-8 and either 3x 4-5-8 or 4x 6-2-8 with some LMG, .50-cal HMG, FT & DC, 2x 57mm ATG and possibly a 100mm ATG with either 3x IS-2m or 1x Su-100 & 3x T-34/85.

The Germans have to capture 4 objectives each denoted by a yellow "v".

Thus far, a Russian 57mm ATG managed to Deliberately Immobilize a Pz VIB King Tiger, but was quickly taken out. The German also had a 5-4-8 stray in the clear LOS of a Russian 4-5-8+LMG directed by 9-1 and was KIA'd on a IIFT DR of 3.

Far back in the rear a StuG IIIG(L) Bogged trying to turn an leave the woods.

Looks daunting for the Russians as their tank reinforcements did not enter on Turn 2 (50/50 chance) but will enter on Turn 3.

For Turn 3, the Russians will have weather the German firepower storm until their tank support arrives.

View attachment 16087View attachment 16080

View attachment 16081

I played this one against Fort at the ASLOK finals and gave Fort an extra T-34/85 and it came down to the last DR, I rolled higher than a 6 and missed on the last CC. I’ve also played McGrath in this and did much better. I like the Germans in this fun scenario.

 

[George Kelln]

AP62 Shouting into the Storm v. Ernie Cameron; start of Turn 5 of 7½ Turns.

In the south, the German advance has forced back the Russians from the southern objectives taking out a 4-5-8 in CC in 46EE4, but losing a 2-3-8 and just missing have a 9-2 eliminated in the Random Selection dr. By the end of the turn the Russians have been forced behind the north-south road, but still covering the approaches to the victory building.

In the north a Pz IVB King Tiger was caught by passing a building attempting the VBM Freeze of a Concealed unit and was hit by a HIP 57mm AT Gun, in the subsequent To Kill DR 57LL APCR (18+1 for range) 19 – 8 Hull = 11, To Kill DR 6. The next Pz IVB rolled up to VBM the Concealed unit and the 57mm AT Gun opened up attempting to Deliberately Immobilization (DI); its TH (10 +2 Size -2 Moving -5 DI) = 5, first shot miss, second shot hit turret and no rate. The infantry following up was slowed by concealed unit in 10EE5 and when a 5-4-8 attempt to move up and support the Pz IVB King Tiger bypass, it was caught moving in the open by a concealed 9-2, 4-5-8, LMG in 46AA6 (6FP -3) result was K/2, and 2-3-8 breaking.

The remaining mobile PZ IVB King Tiger continued to press the attack again surviving a DI (10 +2 Size + 2 Acq – 5 DI) = 9 and TH DR 10 (D’Oh!); moving forward to the wall in 10AA3 gaining Hull Down, it survived the IS-2m first shot which was Hull Hit. The King Tiger opened up in AFPh and secured a hit in the Hull (AF 26) – 27 = -1 subsequent TK DR was 7. In the next Russian PFPh, a HIP 100mm AT Gun opened up and again hit (DR = 11) in the hull, losing Concealment. The IS-2m then rolled TH DR=12 (D’Oh!). A second IS-2m rolled up into 10T2 and in the AFPh and rolled an 11 (Double D’Oh!!) Low Ammo.

At the of Turn 5, the Germans are poised to capture the southern crossroads and the southern building, in the north the advance has slowed, but support should be arriving from the south; Will it be enough and will it be in time?

 

[bendizoid]

No Russians in one of the victory building ?

 

[MajorDomo]

Nice AAR!

Your King Tiger survived a "9" DI shot which should have been a "7" DI as ACQ does not apply to DI shots. But no harm, no foul!

 

[George Kelln]

Nice AAR!

Your King Tiger survived a "9" DI shot which should have been a "7" DI as ACQ does not apply to DI shots. But no harm, no foul!

The note stating Acq is NA on DI attempt wasn't on the RAT Chart, but I later found it in the rulebook. So I now considered myself informed.

 

[George Kelln]

No Russians in one of the victory building ?

Probably a mistake, but after the dismissal dice rolling I was having during the session, I figured to withdraw and conserve my infantry.

 

[George Kelln]

AP62 Shouting into the Storm v. Ernie Cameron; Game End German MPh 6 of 6 ½ Turns, result was a Russian Victory.

The German right flank under the threat of, a Russian IS-2m, 9-2, 4-5-8 w/LMG, 9-1, 4-5-8 w/LMG and a 2-2-8, tentatively moved forward to capture southern victory crossroads and building. A StuH 42 attempted to fire smoke at the IS-2m but Malf’d its MA and broke it trying to repair it in subsequent RPh (Recalled) Some minor shots were traded but all remained pretty quite as the Russians were conducting a slow withdrawal, delaying the Germans from reinforcing the northern flank.

In the centre, the tank duel between the last mobile Pz VIB King Tiger, the IS-2m, and 100mm AT-Gun ended in the Turn 5 DFPh, after the King Tiger slammed an 88mm AP round in the wall in front of the IS-2m and then malf’s it MA on the subsequent Intensive Fire shot. The AT-Gun then slammed an AP round into the wall, but the IS-2m secured a Turret hit and knocked out the tank. The crew bailed out but was machine-gunned down (K/2) by the other IS-2m with the Malf’d MA from across the square.

On the German left flank the duel between the StuG IIIs and the 57mm AT-Gun continued; the StuG III hull down unsuccessfully tried to knock out the 57mm AT-Gun (StuG III attempted an Intensive Fire shot and rolled a 12 – Recalled – D’OH!), next the StuG III with the Malf’d MA rumbling forward, unsuccessfully attempting to pop smoke with its Smoke Dischargers and then was knocked out by the 57mm AT-Gun. The third StuG III rumbled up the street surviving two hits from the 57mm AT-Gun to VBM freeze the 4-5-8 w/.50-cal HMG. Next the German infantry raced forward attempting to capture the Victory Building, but the IS-2m w/Malf’d MA which had moved forward to Victory Square fired its CMG (4FP -2) breaking the first 5-4-8 crossing the street. Next a German 8-0 & 2-3-8 attempted to cross the street and the Russian 4-5-8 under the IS-2m in Victory Square opened up (4FP -2) resulting NMC; leader pinned and HS rolled Boxcars (D’OH!).

After an assessment of the situation, Ernie conceded the Game.

In the aftermath, it was felt that the German infantry with 8 Morale and outnumbering the Russians 15:9, should have pushed a bit harder to press the Russians. Two of the three German Pz VIB King Tigers were destroyed and the third one was immobilized; in addition, one StuG III was lost and two Recalled. The Russians did not lose any of their IS-2m, albeit one had a Malf’d MA. Russians lost one 57mm AT-Gun. German infantry losses were light 1 ½ squads of 15, while the Russians lost 2 ½ of 9.