WuWei
Elder Member
BoF11 – Second Thoughts
Wingen-sur-Moder, France, 4 January 1945: I play the Americans and have to hold back an attack by crack SS troops. The Germans attack with four 838s, three 548s and lots of leaders, I have one 666, two 546 and one 536 – and my troops are lax and have an ELR of zero during the first two turns.
The Germans win if they are controlling at least on multi-hex building at game end, and less than two of the American reinforcement tanks manage to cross the map from north to south.
This is the situation at the start of the game:
I deployed one of my squads and spread my forces fairly even to keep the Germans guessing, hoping to delay them long enough for my (massive!) reinforcements to make a difference. If the Germans don't secure the bridges, I plan to make a rush to the south with my tanks.
The Germans begin very careful: The 9-2 and its squad in the south only move to AA2, the stack with the 8-0 even only to Z0 – I had feared for a more aggressive first turn!
The stack with the 8-1 moves to U2, an opportunity I can' resist: My squads in V4 fire with 8 minus 2 and manage to break them all! So far, so good! The last squads move to V1.
I defensive fire only with the squad+MMG in EE4 at AA2, even hit, but the morale of the SS is too high. They just shrug it off, and return fire in the AFPh, roll a two and my poor squad is eliminated. Darn, I needed that MG there!
Ok, this is the situation at the beginning of my first turn:
The loss of my squad in EE4 HURTS, those 8FP at the southern flank were crucial for the defense of the bridge. Now, the lonely HS in Z3 has to do the job – against three 838s with a 9-2 leader and a DC. But I have no choice, retreating them (as I had originally planned) is not an option any more.
I prep fire at V2 to keep the units there DM, the HS in Z3 skulks. To reinforce the southern flank, I try to dash the units in T5 across the street, but the leader breaks and the squad is pinned. That didn't went well.
The HS advances to AA4 to at least slow down the German advance down the road.
Turn 2 – Axis:
The Germans move in to kill my HS in AA4 – with three 838 and a DC. I hold my fire for the squad with the DC and the 9-2, but 4FP can't even scratch those SS men. The only effect I accomplish is to again DM the stack in V1.
The HS in AA4 is destroyed, of course.
Turn 2 – Allies:
This doesn't look half as bad as I feared. The northern flank holds, the Germans didn't capture the MMG in EE4, and the way across the bridge is save enough for me to try a rush for this victory condition. One tank stays behind in Y8 to harrass the Germans.
My brave units in V4 are shot upon from all directions, but they hold! My tank in Y8 hits the Germans in Y4, but only one of them breaks! Those are tough guys.
Turn 3 – Axis:
The Germans have to move in on my tanks, or they lose this turn. Not much I can do, I just hope that being in motion is enough for them to miss.
They move everything they have to the south. I manage to break one lousy squad. Not enough!
The 9-2/baz/838/ move to BB4. They eat the backblast (the only sensible thing to do in this situation) and my Sherman on the bridge is killed. The squad breaks, but this is a small price to pay. The Germans in CC3 manage to line up a Panzerfaust (on the second try) but miss.
Turn 3 – Allies:
I decide to go for the win. The Sherman in Y8 will try to move off board. If it manages to escape, my last Sherman will follow. If not, my last Sherman will stay on board.
The plan works. The Germans fire one last Panzerfaust, two Shermans drive off the south edge, and I win.
This went quicker than expected. At first, I was really afraid of the German SS units. The attacking force had 50 FP with assault fire and spraying fire (And a DC! And leaders!), against my 25 FP, and I feared they would overwhelm me in the first two turns. The crucial points in my eyes were the very slow advance of the Germans in the first turn, and that they spend three 838s, a 9-2 and a DC to deal with one HS, instead of making a run for the bridge and the abandoned MMG there. The 9-2 and his squad could have easily reached the wood hex in EE4 (eating only a 2-2 attack on the way), and I probably wouldn't have dared to drive by them.
We will play this scenario again with reversed roles, and I'm eager to see if I fare better.
Wingen-sur-Moder, France, 4 January 1945: I play the Americans and have to hold back an attack by crack SS troops. The Germans attack with four 838s, three 548s and lots of leaders, I have one 666, two 546 and one 536 – and my troops are lax and have an ELR of zero during the first two turns.
The Germans win if they are controlling at least on multi-hex building at game end, and less than two of the American reinforcement tanks manage to cross the map from north to south.
This is the situation at the start of the game:
I deployed one of my squads and spread my forces fairly even to keep the Germans guessing, hoping to delay them long enough for my (massive!) reinforcements to make a difference. If the Germans don't secure the bridges, I plan to make a rush to the south with my tanks.
The Germans begin very careful: The 9-2 and its squad in the south only move to AA2, the stack with the 8-0 even only to Z0 – I had feared for a more aggressive first turn!
The stack with the 8-1 moves to U2, an opportunity I can' resist: My squads in V4 fire with 8 minus 2 and manage to break them all! So far, so good! The last squads move to V1.
I defensive fire only with the squad+MMG in EE4 at AA2, even hit, but the morale of the SS is too high. They just shrug it off, and return fire in the AFPh, roll a two and my poor squad is eliminated. Darn, I needed that MG there!
Ok, this is the situation at the beginning of my first turn:
The loss of my squad in EE4 HURTS, those 8FP at the southern flank were crucial for the defense of the bridge. Now, the lonely HS in Z3 has to do the job – against three 838s with a 9-2 leader and a DC. But I have no choice, retreating them (as I had originally planned) is not an option any more.
I prep fire at V2 to keep the units there DM, the HS in Z3 skulks. To reinforce the southern flank, I try to dash the units in T5 across the street, but the leader breaks and the squad is pinned. That didn't went well.
The HS advances to AA4 to at least slow down the German advance down the road.
Turn 2 – Axis:
The Germans move in to kill my HS in AA4 – with three 838 and a DC. I hold my fire for the squad with the DC and the 9-2, but 4FP can't even scratch those SS men. The only effect I accomplish is to again DM the stack in V1.
The HS in AA4 is destroyed, of course.
Turn 2 – Allies:
This doesn't look half as bad as I feared. The northern flank holds, the Germans didn't capture the MMG in EE4, and the way across the bridge is save enough for me to try a rush for this victory condition. One tank stays behind in Y8 to harrass the Germans.
My brave units in V4 are shot upon from all directions, but they hold! My tank in Y8 hits the Germans in Y4, but only one of them breaks! Those are tough guys.
Turn 3 – Axis:
The Germans have to move in on my tanks, or they lose this turn. Not much I can do, I just hope that being in motion is enough for them to miss.
They move everything they have to the south. I manage to break one lousy squad. Not enough!
The 9-2/baz/838/ move to BB4. They eat the backblast (the only sensible thing to do in this situation) and my Sherman on the bridge is killed. The squad breaks, but this is a small price to pay. The Germans in CC3 manage to line up a Panzerfaust (on the second try) but miss.
Turn 3 – Allies:
I decide to go for the win. The Sherman in Y8 will try to move off board. If it manages to escape, my last Sherman will follow. If not, my last Sherman will stay on board.
The plan works. The Germans fire one last Panzerfaust, two Shermans drive off the south edge, and I win.
This went quicker than expected. At first, I was really afraid of the German SS units. The attacking force had 50 FP with assault fire and spraying fire (And a DC! And leaders!), against my 25 FP, and I feared they would overwhelm me in the first two turns. The crucial points in my eyes were the very slow advance of the Germans in the first turn, and that they spend three 838s, a 9-2 and a DC to deal with one HS, instead of making a run for the bridge and the abandoned MMG there. The 9-2 and his squad could have easily reached the wood hex in EE4 (eating only a 2-2 attack on the way), and I probably wouldn't have dared to drive by them.
We will play this scenario again with reversed roles, and I'm eager to see if I fare better.
