von Marwitz
Forum Guru
ASL192 / G29 Shoot-N-Scoot - AAR
Scenario Overview:
I picked this scenario as I felt like playing something bigger than the usual tournament fare. With 8.5 Turns and roughly 15 squad equivalents and a dozen AFV per side, this one seemed to fit the bill. The defending Americans also have a menacing module of 150mm OBA (HE/Smoke) and 24 Factors of Mines, three Armor Leaders and one Gyro-equipped AFV. For more details regarding the units of both sides, have a look at the picture above. It is a 'Battle of the Bulge' action set in December 1944
American AFV retain Concealment as Emplaced Guns when firing their MA. For some added fog of war, American Passengers setting up or entering can be kept offboard and treated as if concealed until revealed. Mist is in effect and Water Obstacles are Frigid. As Ground Snow is NOT in effect, I do not understand, why the Frigid water makes any difference as it is not frozen nor do I see any reason why any unit would want to enter a water obstacle at all. The Germans have already expended half their MF/MP when entering.
The objective for the Germans is either to exit a very substantial number of EVP in the West (Prisoners don't count) for an instant win or by Controlling all but one of the multi-hex buildings on board 12.
Preliminary Assessment:
Crossing the length of one board within 9 Turns is basically not a problem for an armored force with a significant mechanized element. Nor is taking a number of multihex buildings in this time-frame. So there has to be some sort of catch. The Americans must have something to give the German Elite SS-Force with no less than 6 Panthers & more stuff some trouble.
The at start 4x M10 tank destroyers, M8, and M20 with two Armor Leaders are decent. Make sure to read up the Vehicle Notes for the M8 and M20, as they are a bit special. You could say they have their 'Easter eggs' hidden in them... The two reinforcing M4A3(76)W are good and are quite dangerous to the German AFV with APCR even frontally. Yet, the American armor is no match for its German counterpart.
This brings us to the key element of the US order of battle: A module of 150mm OBA (HE/Smoke) with the usual plentiful ammo. That's 30FP in the concentration and even for Harassing Fire still 8FP. In other words, it can tear apart anything and it can do so anywhere unless you gack the rolls. It is even very dangerous to any German AFV including the Panthers having a HE Armored Target Basic TK# of 16 ! There 'happens' to be just a single Level 2 stone building which can overlook basically the entire area minus the given blind hexes which cries: "Put the OBA Observer here at 2nd Level!" With that OBA module, the Americans can scare away the Germans from any area they want or pound them in any area where they might concentrate with devastating force. Mist being in effect the Observer being likely Concealed or HIP and in a Stone Building means, that it will be extremely difficult to take out by German fire. So, if you cannot bring this OBA to bear for having bad luck with Radio Contact or drawing red chits, I'd say your Americans will be toast.
As for the German units, these are pretty straight forward: 658s, no less than 10 (!) MGs, two of which are dm MMGs, 6 Panthers, 2 JgPz IV(L), and five half-tracks, one of them with a 37L. An all-SS Elite force which has serious punch. There is only two things, it is lacking: The Germans only get 4 Leaders (one of them a 9-2) and only the two Jagd Panzers can shoot Smoke with a Depletion number of 7. I seriously doubt that this is 'happenstance' and it should set you thinking. My thinking goes like this: You won't be effectively blinding the enemy OBA Observer with Smoke. And if the enemy OBA thrashes your Infantry, there will only be few places where you can get it back to order quickly.
Now, let's have a look at the terrain. Two full boards are nothing unusual as a playing area. The southern half is dominated by the board 42 Woods. Notable is that the Paths in there are SSR'ed to be roads (which, yes, are supposed to connect to road outside the woods if ADJACENT). Anyone who has played board 42 knows that fighting through those Woods is slow and tedious buisness, because the Defender can wait concealed for the Attacker to non-assault move ADJACENT to lose Concealment and be exposed to Point Blank Fire - which would be a 12FP @0 for a standard US 666 squad and enough firepower even for SS-squads to reckon with. Slow business. The benefit of the Woods in this scenario is that you will be safe from the 150mm OBA while within due to Blind Hexes. But you won't be firing at any units outside of those Woods either. Of course, as soon as you reach its fringes, the OBA looms large and the Americans will have had time to redeploy, awaiting your leaving the Woods. The Germans can pass through with AFVs, but of course the roads pretty much limit vehicular movement and the points where these can emerge. Furthermore, Woods Roads seem to be the perfect place to block with Mines of both variants.
Northern board 12 is very open in its Eastern part, where the Germans enter. You'll be happy to find a place to rout to at all. You'll be very unhappy if caught in that area by a 150mm OBA concentration or Harassing Fire. The German Infantry will have a tough time crossing it even without any OBA at all given the good US firepower. In the middle of board 12 is the stone village with the victory buildings. +3TEM is just what those 6 Morale Americans like and need. So even for the tough German SS it will take a while to clear them out. The greater problem is getting there.
The Battle Plan:
While not ruling out the 'Exit-VC', the required 70 EVP were a tough call, so I did not make this approach my prime objective. Of course, there was a straight road along board 42, so there were 34 road hexes of distance, the halftracks could cover 32, the Panthers could cover 30. If all German vehicles were fully loaded and the tanks given some Riders, at start, this juggernaut could be worth 100 EVP. These could be off in the West even before the US reinforcements arrived while taking 30% losses. But they would have to run a fearsome gauntlet. Choke points could well be mined, likely, the US OBA would have one halfturn at minimum to wreak havoc and/or to block the way during German Turn 2. And if Wrecks clogged the road, the time-table would go up the chimney. But if the time-table would go up the chimney... You see where this is getting to.
So I'd go for the buildings. But how? Charging across the open ground of board 12? I would probably not even make it with my Infantry even without the 150mm OBA, so no. Through the board 42 woods? By the time I would emerge from the woods, the Americans would have had enough time for their redeployment to await me - along with his reinforcements. That left 'the middle', i.e. via the 42V2 hedged compound that would also provide a base with excellent TEM. From Level 1, the 12U5 building would even be within long range of the SS 658s and thus provide - together with the German 9-2 Leader - maybe provide a theoretical chance to blast the suspected American Observer there. And - theoretically again - I might still decide whether to go for the exit or for the village. As, however, not all German forces would have enough room to reasonably take position around the 42V2 compound, some part of my force would take a different path. The open ground of board 12 would be too open. The Gully might provide some protection, but at some point, the Observer would have LOS into it and - end of story. So it would be through the woods as fast as possible. This would keep the US believing I'd go for the exit. But instead, I would emerge from 42Q5. Until I got there, the Germans in the 42V2 compound would keep the Americans busy and then provide cover for my Germans crossing over the open area between the village and the woods in half-tracks to unload in bypass of the stone buildings. In the ensuing confusion, the 42V2 compound force would also push against the village. As the Americans would have to guard a German exit via board 42, at least some of the US troops would be out of position to counter this.
There were two main difficulties with this: The passing through the woods would have to happen fast. And I would have to stay out of LOS of the American OBA Observer until I reached the 42V2 compound as much as possible.
So much for the plan.
Situation at Game Start:
This shows the situation at Game Start.
The arrows show the basic "plan": Red - initial armor moves. Green - initial Infantry moves (part of them unloading/advancing). Blue - Initial Advancing Fire directions. Black - further direction of the assault. If I did not miscalculate blind hexes, then (hopefully) all German units would be out of LOS from an American Observer in the 12U5 building, so in his American Turn 1, a 150mm OBA Spotting Round could not be converted to an FFE.
The attentive reader will notice, that something is 'amiss'...
Indeed, my carefully crafted plan did not even survive until first contact with the enemy - it was stillborn. Rereading the SSR a couple of times because we all know we should do this, I did not reread the offboard entry instructions and thus missed, that the German force only had half MP/MF (FRU) for their first MPh.
Of course, consequences were horrible: Blobs of vehicles and Infantry were stuck in perfect view from the likely enemy Observer perch in the 12U5 building set up to be blasted to Kingdom Come. My timetable was in shambles from the first second even without the effects of enemy fire. This severe blunder might likely cost me the game before it even started.
To make matters worse, I had not been aware that non-fully tracked vehicles cannot use Trailbreaks through Woods, while they can use Trailbreaks through Minefields. I believed they can use any Trailbreak. This meant that the half-tracks that I had sent along the southern board-edge would not be able to pass a Trailbreak created by a Panther through 42Z10, the idea being to avoid AT-Minefields in the obvious Woods-Road locations and be safe from OBA. This, in turn, meant that while time was of the essence of passing through the southern Woods in the first place, it would take much longer or might be impossible at all to assemble a mechanized assault force surging forth via the 42Q5-T6 Woods Road into the flank of the village.
My apologies to everyone who was looking forward expecting to see how this one is tackled 'the right way', especially to Pete Shelling who was surely looking forward to such a thing for his first published scenario. Now, you will understand, why the pre-game section of this AAR is held quite long. Well, I am not the one who resigns early, so I would attempt to make the best of it.
Situation at the End of German Turn 1:
Recipe for disaster. 'Suddenly' bereft of half my MP/MF, I struggled to keep as many of the German units out of LOS of the supposed US Observer in Level 2 of 12U4. This was bound to failure, and one unit his LOS would be enough to bring down doom on the Germans. My killer-stack with the 9-2 sought refuge in 42DD4, the only good TEM it could reach.
The Americans established Radio Contact, drew a Black Chit and brought down the Spotting Round in 42EE3. From 12U5, a low roll of the HMG paired with miserable German Morale Checks broke two German 658 despite long range and Mist.
During my AFPh, the Panther in 12A6 engaged a supposed concealed AFV in 12J10 from where it would exert a dangerous threat to the flanks of German armor - for no effect, alas. I also suspected the US 57L ATG in 12H7 - the reason why my Panther had stayed at 7 hexes range from that Location to deny an Deliberate Immobilization attempt.
With everything else I could muster, I attempted - again in vain - to neutralize the American forward position in 42X2. Fire to 42X7, guarding the access to the Woods, was ineffective as well.
With this, the stage was set for impending doom in American Turn 1.
To be continued in a subsequent post.
von Marwitz
Scenario Overview:
I picked this scenario as I felt like playing something bigger than the usual tournament fare. With 8.5 Turns and roughly 15 squad equivalents and a dozen AFV per side, this one seemed to fit the bill. The defending Americans also have a menacing module of 150mm OBA (HE/Smoke) and 24 Factors of Mines, three Armor Leaders and one Gyro-equipped AFV. For more details regarding the units of both sides, have a look at the picture above. It is a 'Battle of the Bulge' action set in December 1944
American AFV retain Concealment as Emplaced Guns when firing their MA. For some added fog of war, American Passengers setting up or entering can be kept offboard and treated as if concealed until revealed. Mist is in effect and Water Obstacles are Frigid. As Ground Snow is NOT in effect, I do not understand, why the Frigid water makes any difference as it is not frozen nor do I see any reason why any unit would want to enter a water obstacle at all. The Germans have already expended half their MF/MP when entering.
The objective for the Germans is either to exit a very substantial number of EVP in the West (Prisoners don't count) for an instant win or by Controlling all but one of the multi-hex buildings on board 12.
Preliminary Assessment:
Crossing the length of one board within 9 Turns is basically not a problem for an armored force with a significant mechanized element. Nor is taking a number of multihex buildings in this time-frame. So there has to be some sort of catch. The Americans must have something to give the German Elite SS-Force with no less than 6 Panthers & more stuff some trouble.
The at start 4x M10 tank destroyers, M8, and M20 with two Armor Leaders are decent. Make sure to read up the Vehicle Notes for the M8 and M20, as they are a bit special. You could say they have their 'Easter eggs' hidden in them... The two reinforcing M4A3(76)W are good and are quite dangerous to the German AFV with APCR even frontally. Yet, the American armor is no match for its German counterpart.
This brings us to the key element of the US order of battle: A module of 150mm OBA (HE/Smoke) with the usual plentiful ammo. That's 30FP in the concentration and even for Harassing Fire still 8FP. In other words, it can tear apart anything and it can do so anywhere unless you gack the rolls. It is even very dangerous to any German AFV including the Panthers having a HE Armored Target Basic TK# of 16 ! There 'happens' to be just a single Level 2 stone building which can overlook basically the entire area minus the given blind hexes which cries: "Put the OBA Observer here at 2nd Level!" With that OBA module, the Americans can scare away the Germans from any area they want or pound them in any area where they might concentrate with devastating force. Mist being in effect the Observer being likely Concealed or HIP and in a Stone Building means, that it will be extremely difficult to take out by German fire. So, if you cannot bring this OBA to bear for having bad luck with Radio Contact or drawing red chits, I'd say your Americans will be toast.
As for the German units, these are pretty straight forward: 658s, no less than 10 (!) MGs, two of which are dm MMGs, 6 Panthers, 2 JgPz IV(L), and five half-tracks, one of them with a 37L. An all-SS Elite force which has serious punch. There is only two things, it is lacking: The Germans only get 4 Leaders (one of them a 9-2) and only the two Jagd Panzers can shoot Smoke with a Depletion number of 7. I seriously doubt that this is 'happenstance' and it should set you thinking. My thinking goes like this: You won't be effectively blinding the enemy OBA Observer with Smoke. And if the enemy OBA thrashes your Infantry, there will only be few places where you can get it back to order quickly.
Now, let's have a look at the terrain. Two full boards are nothing unusual as a playing area. The southern half is dominated by the board 42 Woods. Notable is that the Paths in there are SSR'ed to be roads (which, yes, are supposed to connect to road outside the woods if ADJACENT). Anyone who has played board 42 knows that fighting through those Woods is slow and tedious buisness, because the Defender can wait concealed for the Attacker to non-assault move ADJACENT to lose Concealment and be exposed to Point Blank Fire - which would be a 12FP @0 for a standard US 666 squad and enough firepower even for SS-squads to reckon with. Slow business. The benefit of the Woods in this scenario is that you will be safe from the 150mm OBA while within due to Blind Hexes. But you won't be firing at any units outside of those Woods either. Of course, as soon as you reach its fringes, the OBA looms large and the Americans will have had time to redeploy, awaiting your leaving the Woods. The Germans can pass through with AFVs, but of course the roads pretty much limit vehicular movement and the points where these can emerge. Furthermore, Woods Roads seem to be the perfect place to block with Mines of both variants.
Northern board 12 is very open in its Eastern part, where the Germans enter. You'll be happy to find a place to rout to at all. You'll be very unhappy if caught in that area by a 150mm OBA concentration or Harassing Fire. The German Infantry will have a tough time crossing it even without any OBA at all given the good US firepower. In the middle of board 12 is the stone village with the victory buildings. +3TEM is just what those 6 Morale Americans like and need. So even for the tough German SS it will take a while to clear them out. The greater problem is getting there.
The Battle Plan:
While not ruling out the 'Exit-VC', the required 70 EVP were a tough call, so I did not make this approach my prime objective. Of course, there was a straight road along board 42, so there were 34 road hexes of distance, the halftracks could cover 32, the Panthers could cover 30. If all German vehicles were fully loaded and the tanks given some Riders, at start, this juggernaut could be worth 100 EVP. These could be off in the West even before the US reinforcements arrived while taking 30% losses. But they would have to run a fearsome gauntlet. Choke points could well be mined, likely, the US OBA would have one halfturn at minimum to wreak havoc and/or to block the way during German Turn 2. And if Wrecks clogged the road, the time-table would go up the chimney. But if the time-table would go up the chimney... You see where this is getting to.
So I'd go for the buildings. But how? Charging across the open ground of board 12? I would probably not even make it with my Infantry even without the 150mm OBA, so no. Through the board 42 woods? By the time I would emerge from the woods, the Americans would have had enough time for their redeployment to await me - along with his reinforcements. That left 'the middle', i.e. via the 42V2 hedged compound that would also provide a base with excellent TEM. From Level 1, the 12U5 building would even be within long range of the SS 658s and thus provide - together with the German 9-2 Leader - maybe provide a theoretical chance to blast the suspected American Observer there. And - theoretically again - I might still decide whether to go for the exit or for the village. As, however, not all German forces would have enough room to reasonably take position around the 42V2 compound, some part of my force would take a different path. The open ground of board 12 would be too open. The Gully might provide some protection, but at some point, the Observer would have LOS into it and - end of story. So it would be through the woods as fast as possible. This would keep the US believing I'd go for the exit. But instead, I would emerge from 42Q5. Until I got there, the Germans in the 42V2 compound would keep the Americans busy and then provide cover for my Germans crossing over the open area between the village and the woods in half-tracks to unload in bypass of the stone buildings. In the ensuing confusion, the 42V2 compound force would also push against the village. As the Americans would have to guard a German exit via board 42, at least some of the US troops would be out of position to counter this.
There were two main difficulties with this: The passing through the woods would have to happen fast. And I would have to stay out of LOS of the American OBA Observer until I reached the 42V2 compound as much as possible.
So much for the plan.
Situation at Game Start:
This shows the situation at Game Start.
The arrows show the basic "plan": Red - initial armor moves. Green - initial Infantry moves (part of them unloading/advancing). Blue - Initial Advancing Fire directions. Black - further direction of the assault. If I did not miscalculate blind hexes, then (hopefully) all German units would be out of LOS from an American Observer in the 12U5 building, so in his American Turn 1, a 150mm OBA Spotting Round could not be converted to an FFE.
The attentive reader will notice, that something is 'amiss'...
Indeed, my carefully crafted plan did not even survive until first contact with the enemy - it was stillborn. Rereading the SSR a couple of times because we all know we should do this, I did not reread the offboard entry instructions and thus missed, that the German force only had half MP/MF (FRU) for their first MPh.
Of course, consequences were horrible: Blobs of vehicles and Infantry were stuck in perfect view from the likely enemy Observer perch in the 12U5 building set up to be blasted to Kingdom Come. My timetable was in shambles from the first second even without the effects of enemy fire. This severe blunder might likely cost me the game before it even started.
To make matters worse, I had not been aware that non-fully tracked vehicles cannot use Trailbreaks through Woods, while they can use Trailbreaks through Minefields. I believed they can use any Trailbreak. This meant that the half-tracks that I had sent along the southern board-edge would not be able to pass a Trailbreak created by a Panther through 42Z10, the idea being to avoid AT-Minefields in the obvious Woods-Road locations and be safe from OBA. This, in turn, meant that while time was of the essence of passing through the southern Woods in the first place, it would take much longer or might be impossible at all to assemble a mechanized assault force surging forth via the 42Q5-T6 Woods Road into the flank of the village.
My apologies to everyone who was looking forward expecting to see how this one is tackled 'the right way', especially to Pete Shelling who was surely looking forward to such a thing for his first published scenario. Now, you will understand, why the pre-game section of this AAR is held quite long. Well, I am not the one who resigns early, so I would attempt to make the best of it.
Situation at the End of German Turn 1:
Recipe for disaster. 'Suddenly' bereft of half my MP/MF, I struggled to keep as many of the German units out of LOS of the supposed US Observer in Level 2 of 12U4. This was bound to failure, and one unit his LOS would be enough to bring down doom on the Germans. My killer-stack with the 9-2 sought refuge in 42DD4, the only good TEM it could reach.
The Americans established Radio Contact, drew a Black Chit and brought down the Spotting Round in 42EE3. From 12U5, a low roll of the HMG paired with miserable German Morale Checks broke two German 658 despite long range and Mist.
During my AFPh, the Panther in 12A6 engaged a supposed concealed AFV in 12J10 from where it would exert a dangerous threat to the flanks of German armor - for no effect, alas. I also suspected the US 57L ATG in 12H7 - the reason why my Panther had stayed at 7 hexes range from that Location to deny an Deliberate Immobilization attempt.
With everything else I could muster, I attempted - again in vain - to neutralize the American forward position in 42X2. Fire to 42X7, guarding the access to the Woods, was ineffective as well.
With this, the stage was set for impending doom in American Turn 1.
To be continued in a subsequent post.
von Marwitz
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