Cradle to Grave (aka Von Marwitz has a lot to answer for)

Doug Leslie

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For my most recent game, I wanted to try something from Journal 10. I had only played a couple of scenarios from it, both of which had been excellent, and I was keen to explore further. The problem was that, going by ROAR and Archive data, a lot of the scenarios looked to be a bit one sided. One exception was "Cradle to Grave" which looked to be pretty even, so my opponent and I decided to give it a try. My last game against the same opponent had seen me come to grief as the attacker in "Last Train to Leningrad". Let's just say that the Russians missed the train. This time, it was my turn to defend.

The defenders in this scenario are a mixed bag of US troops and Maquis partisans. The Americans are described on the scenario card as "cooks, clerks and other rear area personnel" which sounds as if it could describe the performance of just about any scenario OB that I get the chance to mangle. In this case, it translates to three first line and three second line squads backed by two second line HS, two heavy mortars and two M10 GMC tank destroyers. They have to set up in and east of the village that has to be defended. They receive reinforcements in the shape of a couple of M3A1 tanks and an infantry platoon on Turn 3 which, curiously, enter from the same direction as half of the German force ie the north. The partisans comprise a couple of 527s and 6 337s led by a 9-2 and 8-1 leader. They can choose extras which essentially boil down to a choice between some mines and some hidden SWs. They set up north of the village. How far north? Well, that is the question.

To win, the Germans have to control more stone building hexes than there are partisan CVP on board at game end. To achieve this, they enter from two different directions with a force comprising two Panthers, two Mk IVS, two OT assault guns sporting 150 mm guns, an SPW with a heavy mortar, an SMG HT, fourteen squads and four leaders.

Before I did my set up, I did an internet search to see if I could find any pointers that might assist me. I seem to recall that Toby Pilling once stated on Illuminating Rounds that he never bothered looking at previous defensive set ups before devising his own or reading tips by other players on the basis that such tips were of little use unless the players that gave them were of a similar standard to him. When you are Toby Pilling and apply such a philosophy, this means that there will be very few scenario guides by other players that will be of much use to you. When you are Doug Leslie on the other hand, you need all the help that you can get and the field of people who can offer useful advice is almost infinite.

Imagine my elation when I found a very detailed AAR by the redoubtable Von Marwitz on this very forum. As those of us who take an interest in such things will know, an AAR by Von Marwitz is invariably full of useful and very detailed analysis. If you want to read something insightful about this scenario, I can only recommend that you follow this link

J154 Cradle To Grave - AAR | GameSquad Forums

If, on the other hand, you want to learn how to succeed by sheer luck despite one bone headed play after another, then this is the AAR for you.

I noted with interest the suggestion by Von Marwitz that the allies could make it very difficult for the Germans to win by setting up the partisans as close to the village as possible and retreating into the protection of the stone buildings as opposed to setting up in the northern woods as they did historically to be either butchered by the Germans or alternatively ignored completely while the Germans drove straight for the village. This all seemed pretty sensible to me. I duly came up with the following defensive set up and despatched it to my opponent.

30405

Basically the US forces are set up to meet any German units entering from the East edge of the board while the partisans are ready to run back to the village The mortars obviously set up HIP and all units start under concealment counters. There is an HIP 9-2, 337 and LMG in 10O3. It was time to put Von Marwitz's theory to the test!

Somewhat to my surprise, my opponent replied to the effect that he was conceding because, in what would undoubtedly represent a "first" for me, my set up basically broke the scenario. He alluded to having read the Von Marwitz AAR and indicated his view that the plan that he suggested made the scenario unwinnable for the Germans.

Well, I was shocked to put it mildly. I had no idea that my opponent was trawling AARs before we played. My trust in human nature was well and truly shattered.

I suggested to my opponent that he was perhaps conceding a little prematurely. I didn't mention at that time that I had read the same AAR but suggested that this seemed to be a scenario where results were pretty close and some of the allied players must have used a similar plan and set up. Besides, he had seen me play before. In an effort to persuade him that he was not being lured into a cunning trap, I said that I would have been happy to play the Germans if it had been my turn to attack. This was really bravado on my part and not based on any detailed analysis as opposed to the historical win/loss ratio. The next thing I knew, I found myself in the situation of having switched sides and looking at this opening set up by my opponent.

30412

The first thing that jumped out at me was that my defensive set up couldn't have "broken" the scenario since my opponent had made no attempt to copy it. His defence had the partisans in similar positions to mine but the hill was less strongly defended. Clearly my opponent's pessimistic take on the Germans' chances was based on what Von Marwitz had said as opposed to anything particularly scary about my defensive set up.

The first order of business was to find out if the heavy mortars were located on top of the hill, so I deployed a HS on the German left flank to enter the gully and scout the defensive positions. I had designated the elite German units and most of the armour to enter in the vicinity of the hill while the first line Landsers entered from the North with the support of the mortar HT and one of the assault guns. I planned to have a Panther overrun whatever was sitting on the summit of the hill and, if appropriate, deal with the mortars if they were there. The MkIVs were to move onto the Q2 hill to interdict partisans trying to run back to the village.

Turn One

My scouting HS entered the AA1 gully and went into crest status and this resulted in HIP mortars being placed under concealment counters on Z7 and Y7. Those are commanding positions and removing them would be first task for the Eastern attackers. A Panther ran to the summit hex on 18X5 which turned out to have a concealed 236 HS which failed its PTC and was placed onboard under a pin counter before breaking to the OVR attack. The Panther stopped and I made my first boneheaded move of the game by swinging its turret one hexspine to the left which overlooked that the M10 size concealment counters in 10U1 might contain an M10 which had LOS to the Panther's location. The second Panther took up position to its left and the SMG moved to 18P6 and stopped out of the normal range of a suspected 337/9-2 HIP position in 18R9. It came under fire from a 527/LMG position in 18R8 but survived unscathed.

In the US DFPh, the Panther on the hill summit got the bad news that there was indeed an M10 in 10U1 which swung its turret to acquire it. The Panther couldn't change its TCA due to having used its turret weapons in the OVR and it now needed to survive a possible APCR shot in the next turn or alternatively a turret hit with regular AP either of which were likely to kill it.

This was the situation at the end of the German Turn One, at which point we adjourned for a week.

30413

To be continued...
 

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cwillmer

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"Well, I was shocked to put it mildly. I had no idea that my opponent was trawling AARs before we played. My trust in human nature was well and truly shattered.

Hilarious
 

Doug Leslie

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The next week was punctuated by bad dreams about what was likely to happen to my precious Panther when my opponent's PFPh came round. When we resumed, it was put of its misery when the APCR attempt failed but an AP round hit the vulnerable turret and destroyed it. The crew survived but that wasn't much of a consolation. The mortars managed to put a WP into 18Q9 which would protect the partisans that were going to run back to the village. I caught a break when one of them rolled boxcars though, which ended its involvement in the fighting when its crew broke under fire. US units and partisans then proceeded to run back to the victory building area. To add insult to injury, one of the MkIVs malfunctioned its MA. This was the situation at the end of the US turn one.

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On the basis that the concealed stack in BB5 had remained suspiciously silent up to this point, I figured that it was almost certainly dummies and the 247 in the gully duly confirmed this by running adjacent and searching its location. Having established that there was no threat from this hex, my surviving Panther lurched into motion and overran the surviving mortar in 18Z7. This turned out to be a bit of a disappointment when it just pinned the crew. The Panther just stopped and got ready to take its chances in the CCPh. Elsewhere, German units moved across the hill to the East of the village and charged across the ground to the North. Tne MkIV with the broken MA entered the 18S8 gully to assist with clearing out a couple Maquis squads that were hiding out there. One of those was eliminated for failure to rout after breaking in the AFPh. In the US DFPh, the second M10 revealed itself in 10U4 and tried unsuccessfully to find an APCR round to fire at the Panther in 18Z7. Now it was in trouble because the Panther had all of its frontal armour pointing in the right direction and the chances of killing it were slim to non-existent. The pinned mortar crew tried to take it out in CC but failed and was then eliminated by the Panther's sN. By the end of the second German player turn, the hill was now totally under German control.




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US Turn Two

The Americans tried to put down some smoke to cover the M10 in 10U4 as it tried to get out of sight of the Panther. Somebody had forgotten to pack the smoke grenades and the M10 would have no smoke cover when it started up. The other M10 waltzed past the Panther en route to a HD position in 10Z2. The Panther held its fire on the basis that it would be easier to hit an acquired stationary target than a moving one. This proved to be correct when the other M10 started its engine and was promptly taken out and set alight by a 75mm shell. Elsewhere the allied units continued to fall back in face of the advancing Germans leaving this situation at the start of turn three.

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Turn Three

This description of this turn should carry an advisory warning that readers should not attempt to do what the Germans did at home. I started by moving the MkIV with the broken MA into VBM in 18U9 to freeze the 527 there. A MG wielding 468 ran to 18AA8 and prepared for CC with the crew in AA9. The Panther moved to CC10 and spent two MPs to stop in sight of the M10 which failed its motion attempt. It didn't miss with an AAMG shot against a 468 on the hill which broke in X6. Another 468 with the MMG and an 8-1 leader broke under fire as it tried to make it onto the hill summit in Y7. That was a risky move on my part but I wanted to move forward towards the village as quickly as possible, so it could be justifiable. That is more than can be said for what I did next. Two weeks previously I had identified 18R10 as a likely location for a partisan with 9-2 leader to be hiding out. I had now completely forgotten about its existence and I blithely moved an 247 adjacent with the intention of advancing there and capturing another victory location. Noting happened and I now moved an 8-1 with a 468 and Panzerschrek into open ground in T7 at which point a 527 with LMG and the 9-2 duly revealed themselves to inflict a 4FP attack at minus 4. This broke the leader and reduced the squad to a HS when it rolled boxcars on the MC. I guess it could have been worse. Now a MkIV moved adjacent and fired at the newly revealed units. This time it was the 527 that rolled a casualty MC which meant that it was effectively doomed to die in the RtPh when the AFV moved to its rear to surround it. The 9-2 however survived unscathed. Now the SMG HT rolled forward and unloaded its passenger HS and dm HMG which promptly broke to a 6 plus one attack. The rest of the German infantry continued to roll forward. All that remained was to move the assault gun into a sensible spot to bring the enemy in the village buildings under fire. You might think that it would be impossible to surpass for stupidity the exposing of units to a minus four attack to which the AG crew would respond "Hold my beer!". I decided that it would be a good idea to move the AG adjacent to the 337 in 10U6 and chance the 6 plus 2 attack. From there it would also threaten 10V7. I was somewhat taken aback when my opponent announced his intention to carry out a MOL attack. A Molotov what? Bugger! I had completely forgotten about those. Luckily the 337 had already first fired at infantry in the grainfield so a MOL attack was not possible at this point. However, the AG was going to be a nice juicy target in the next turn. In defensive fire the M10 swung its turret for an unsuccessful DI attempt against the Panther and the Panther missed its bounding fire shot. The 468 on the hill failed to break the crew in AA9 and had to hope that it could finish it off in CC so that the Panther would have some fire support. A 247 advanced into CC with the 9-2 in search of three precious CVP but got ambushed with the result that the leader was able to withdraw into S10. The 468 gacked its CC attack and remained in melee at the start of US turn three.


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This was the turn when the US reinforcements arrived but the critical events were to happen at the other side of the battlefield. A sign of things to come was when the MkIV managed to repair its MA. The M10 opened proceedings with two DI shots at the Panther, both of which bounced harmlessly off its turret. Now the 337 in U6 found a MOL and just need an eight or less to kill the AG. A DR of 10 didn't cut it and the AG crew had got away with their rash move. Now things went awry for the Americans in a hurry. Having been pretty conservative with the US infantry up to this point, my opponent decided that now was the time to charge the Panther which was sitting virtually unprotected in the open as it prepared to despatch the M10. The idea was that the Panther would have to change its TCA to fire at the infantry (thereby helping the M10 survive for at least another turn) but would face death in CC given the sheer number of units that were swarming it. I decided to ignore them during the MPh, try to finish off the M10 in defensive fire and then try to do as much damage as possible with the AFV MGs in defensive fire. This was the Panthers status at the start of the DFPh with four squads, two SMCs and a bazooka bearing down on it. Yikes!

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Elsewhere, the 527 in 18U9 tried to dash across the road in U10 but was cut down by a snake eyes DR from a 467 on the hill summit. The AG missed its defensive fire shot against the 337 in U4 but the accompanying infantry managed to break it. Now the Panther started shooting. The M10 was quickly destroyed with its MA shot. It then spun its turret one hex spine to the left for a 10 +2 shot (we were using the IIFT). This pinned one squad. Now the Panther swung its VCA one hex spine to the right to for a 6 plus three attack against the two units in BB9, breaking the leader and pinning the squad. Finally, it intensive fired its MA at the squad in order to allow it to have the TCA pointing towards the bazooka. Needless to say, the shot missed but at least the MA didn't break down. The assault gun in Y7 then scored a direct hit on the 666 in Z10 and reduced the squad to sausage meat. The CCPh was now upon us and it was do or die time for the US units attacking the Panther. Only one squad passed its PAATC to advance into the Panther's location with an 8-0. A DR of 6 would immobilize and anything less would destroy it. The Americans' poor run of luck continued when my opponent could only roll an 8. The sN and CMG broke the leader but didn't harm the 546. In AA9, the crew was despatched leaving this situation at the end of the turn.

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At this point, my opponent conceded. He figured that his units in DD10, CC10 and BB9 were doomed in the next German turn and this would leave the village effectively undefended against the Germans in that sector. The 9-2 was as good as dead in V10 which would leave the Partisans with 12 CVPs and the Germans needing only to control thirteen out of twenty five building hexes for the win even if they didn't break or kill any more of them. Personally, I would have played on in the hope that the Panther either stalled or screwed up its OVR attacks but there is no doubt that the Germans were on top now, particularly if the squad in AA9 could break the squad in BB10 in prep fire.

So the question is whether this game tends to disprove the hypothesis that setting up the Maquis as close as possible to the victory locations will make it very difficult for the Germans to win? I would say that the jury is out on that one. This scenario has had a lot of recorded games and the current ROAR record is 29 to 28 in favour of the allies. Obviously we have no way of knowing what kind of defensive set ups were employed in these games but I would have thought that the record would not be so close if there was a clearcut path to victory for one side.

I am not convinced that my opponent's set up was really consistent with the "run for the hills" strategy either. He had three squads and the 9-2 leader defending the bridge area which is nine CVPs out of a starting allocation of 21. None of these guys made it back to the victory area and this is not consistent with what Von Marwitz was suggesting should be done. It was more of a "half and half" approach. The set up also made it too easy for my tanks to overrun the mortars on the hill since they only had a second line HS in situ to help protect them. I stupidly presented the side armour of a Panther's turret to an M10 and it died as a result. If I hadn't done that, life would be easier for the attackers. The decision to charge a Panther with most of the US units was a high risk play that backfired badly. If they had just stayed put and defended the village, the outcome might well have been different.

I thought that this was a fun scenario to play but can see that it might be difficult for the Germans to prise 21 partisan CVPs out of the stone buildings if they all get there safely.
 
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von Marwitz

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Somewhat to my surprise, my opponent replied to the effect that he was conceding because, in what would undoubtedly represent a "first" for me, my set up basically broke the scenario. He alluded to having read the Von Marwitz AAR and indicated his view that the plan that he suggested made the scenario unwinnable for the Germans.
In fact, to see someone concede after merely realizing that he has to face off against an opponent following the tactical advice of the "redoubtable" Oberst von Marwitz is a "first" for him, too.

But he approves of this tactic and strongly advises any of his opponents to adhere to it, too.
After all, rumor has it, that any crates of champagne which are constantly convoyed to the Oberst's headquarters and found to be insufficient - meaning less then legendary - in quality, are then dumped into the POW compounds to the delight of their inmates.

Besides, mass surrenders caused by the mere reputation of the Oberst might - at last - bring him the deserved and long overdue promotion to general, against which his insidious personal enemy Oberst von Schoff is permanently conspiring together with some NS-party Goldfasans.
🧐😉

Two weeks previously I had identified 18R10 as a likely location for a partisan with 9-2 leader to be hiding out.
...
527 with LMG and the 9-2 duly revealed themselves
Imagine these not in the very outlying building of 18R10, from which retreat would be difficult in any case against having let them run these into the village:
Would have been 9 Morale troops in +3TEM. This stack also would have been a PITA for any Germans within the village attempting to cross a street or to approach these Partisans with their leader modifier and significant firepower. Furthermore, The Leader could have been used do Deploy some of the 337 Partisans to make chasing and rooting them out from buildings yet more difficult.
The Victory Conditions clearly beacon: "Don't lose any Partisans!", because the more survive, the more building hexes the Germans need to Control, and thus the more difficult it gets for them.


So the question is whether this game tends to disprove the hypothesis that setting up the Maquis as close as possible to the victory locations will make it very difficult for the Germans to win? I would say that the jury is out on that one.
Setting up the Partisans close to the victory locations is only a means to the end, not the end itself: Within the Stone Buildings, they are much harder to kill and to root out than anywhere else. So the hypothesis is: Setting up the Partisans close to the victory locations will enable them to reach those buildings without the Germans being able to prevent it. The trick is, IMHO, to get as many Partisans INTO the Stone Buildings and to survive there at better odds - not merely setting up close to them.

Within the village, the Partisans can also make best use of their MOL Capability as there will be many crossings of streets and moving adjacent. Furthermore, their disadvantage of short ranged FP against the longer ranged FP of German Infantry and other weapons, against which they may find it hard to retaliate, is offset within the shorter ranges met much more often in town.

I am not convinced that my opponent's set up was really consistent with the "run for the hills" strategy either. He had three squads and the 9-2 leader defending the bridge area which is nine CVPs out of a starting allocation of 21. None of these guys made it back to the victory area and this is not consistent with what von Marwitz was suggesting should be done.
Exactly.
9 surviving Partisan CVP would translate into up to 18 (!) Stone Building Locations in case of buildings with an upper level the Germans would additionally have to clear.

This was the Panthers status at the start of the DFPh with four squads, two SMCs and a bazooka bearing down on it. Yikes!
What is true for the Partisans is also true for the 6 Morale Americans: They benefit most from +3 Stone Building TEM, short-range and Point Blank fire opportunities against the Germans within the village.

On the opposite, having - lots - of 6 Morale troops running out into Open Ground to swarm a Panther and to engage it in CC against its Nahverteidigungswaffe appears audacious if not reckless.

The 81mm MTRs and numerous US units set up quite forward next to the board 18 wall were in a tenous and dangerous position with a lot of open terrain they would have to fall back across if they did not want to be cut off.


And now for the Oberst "having a lot to answer for":

Mein Herr,

I do not understand which question is conceivably left unanswered:

The German Waffen have prevailed!

Not only in case when they were, with all humility, led to a shining victory by the inspired genius of the Oberst himself.

Yet even when commanded by a much less illustrous and subaltern product of anglo-saxon family-heritage, who found himself - by sheer luck - on the right side of history and regaled by the education of the German Wehrmacht and the Kriegsschule's officer's course, the German Landsers supported by magnificently engineered equipment and armor, spurred by their iron will for final victory, carried the day in a glorious example of selfless sacrifice. 😉


von Marwitz
 

Doug Leslie

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In fact, to see someone concede after merely realizing that he has to face off against an opponent following the tactical advice of the "redoubtable" Oberst von Marwitz is a "first" for him, too.

But he approves of this tactic and strongly advises any of his opponents to adhere to it, too.
After all, rumor has it, that any crates of champagne which are constantly convoyed to the Oberst's headquarters and found to be insufficient - meaning less then legendary - in quality, are then dumped into the POW compounds to the delight of their inmates.

Besides, mass surrenders caused by the mere reputation of the Oberst might - at last - bring him the deserved and long overdue promotion to general, against which his insidious personal enemy Oberst von Schoff is permanently conspiring together with some NS-party Goldfasans.
🧐😉



Imagine these not in the very outlying building of 18R10, from which retreat would be difficult in any case against having let them run these into the village:
Would have been 9 Morale troops in +3TEM. This stack also would have been a PITA for any Germans within the village attempting to cross a street or to approach these Partisans with their leader modifier and significant firepower. Furthermore, The Leader could have been used do Deploy some of the 337 Partisans to make chasing and rooting them out from buildings yet more difficult.
The Victory Conditions clearly beacon: "Don't lose any Partisans!", because the more survive, the more building hexes the Germans need to Control, and thus the more difficult it gets for them.




Setting up the Partisans close to the victory locations is only a means to the end, not the end itself: Within the Stone Buildings, they are much harder to kill and to root out than anywhere else. So the hypothesis is: Setting up the Partisans close to the victory locations will enable them to reach those buildings without the Germans being able to prevent it. The trick is, IMHO, to get as many Partisans INTO the Stone Buildings and to survive there at better odds - not merely setting up close to them.

Within the village, the Partisans can also make best use of their MOL Capability as there will be many crossings of streets and moving adjacent. Furthermore, their disadvantage of short ranged FP against the longer ranged FP of German Infantry and other weapons, against which they may find it hard to retaliate, is offset within the shorter ranges met much more often in town.



Exactly.
9 surviving Partisan CVP would translate into up to 18 (!) Stone Building Locations in case of buildings with an upper level the Germans would additionally have to clear.



What is true for the Partisans is also true for the 6 Morale Americans: They benefit most from +3 Stone Building TEM, short-range and Point Blank fire opportunities against the Germans within the village.

On the opposite, having - lots - of 6 Morale troops running out into Open Ground to swarm a Panther and to engage it in CC against its Nahverteidigungswaffe appears audacious if not reckless.

The 81mm MTRs and numerous US units set up quite forward next to the board 18 wall were in a tenous and dangerous position with a lot of open terrain they would have to fall back across if they did not want to be cut off.


And now for the Oberst "having a lot to answer for":

Mein Herr,

I do not understand which question is conceivably left unanswered:

The German Waffen have prevailed!

Not only in case when they were, with all humility, led to a shining victory by the inspired genius of the Oberst himself.

Yet even when commanded by a much less illustrous and subaltern product of anglo-saxon family-heritage, who found himself - by sheer luck - on the right side of history and regaled by the education of the German Wehrmacht and the Kriegsschule's officer's course, the German Landsers supported by magnificently engineered equipment and armor, spurred by their iron will for final victory, carried the day in a glorious example of selfless sacrifice. 😉


von Marwitz
I am about to defend "Death Box" from ToTR, so if you could see your way to posting an AAR indicating that the attackers are doomed, I am sure that we could come to a suitable arrangement!
 

vonTrotta

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For my most recent game, I wanted to try something from Journal 10. I had only played a couple of scenarios from it, both of which had been excellent, and I was keen to explore further. The problem was that, going by ROAR and Archive data, a lot of the scenarios looked to be a bit one sided. One exception was "Cradle to Grave" which looked to be pretty even, so my opponent and I decided to give it a try. My last game against the same opponent had seen me come to grief as the attacker in "Last Train to Leningrad". Let's just say that the Russians missed the train. This time, it was my turn to defend.

The defenders in this scenario are a mixed bag of US troops and Maquis partisans. The Americans are described on the scenario card as "cooks, clerks and other rear area personnel" which sounds as if it could describe the performance of just about any scenario OB that I get the chance to mangle. In this case, it translates to three first line and three second line squads backed by two second line HS, two heavy mortars and two M10 GMC tank destroyers. They have to set up in and east of the village that has to be defended. They receive reinforcements in the shape of a couple of M3A1 tanks and an infantry platoon on Turn 3 which, curiously, enter from the same direction as half of the German force ie the north. The partisans comprise a couple of 527s and 6 337s led by a 9-2 and 8-1 leader. They can choose extras which essentially boil down to a choice between some mines and some hidden SWs. They set up north of the village. How far north? Well, that is the question.

To win, the Germans have to control more stone building hexes than there are partisan CVP on board at game end. To achieve this, they enter from two different directions with a force comprising two Panthers, two Mk IVS, two OT assault guns sporting 150 mm guns, an SPW with a heavy mortar, an SMG HT, fourteen squads and four leaders.

Before I did my set up, I did an internet search to see if I could find any pointers that might assist me. I seem to recall that Toby Pilling once stated on Illuminating Rounds that he never bothered looking at previous defensive set ups before devising his own or reading tips by other players on the basis that such tips were of little use unless the players that gave them were of a similar standard to him. When you are Toby Pilling and apply such a philosophy, this means that there will be very few scenario guides by other players that will be of much use to you. When you are Doug Leslie on the other hand, you need all the help that you can get and the field of people who can offer useful advice is almost infinite.

Imagine my elation when I found a very detailed AAR by the redoubtable Von Marwitz on this very forum. As those of us who take in interest in such things will know, an AAR by Von Marwitz is invariably full of useful and very detailed analysis. If you want to read something insightful about this scenario, I can only recommend that you follow this link

J154 Cradle To Grave - AAR | GameSquad Forums

If, on the other hand, you want to learn how to succeed by sheer luck despite one bone headed play after another, then this is the AAR for you.

I noted with interest the suggestion by Von Marwitz that the allies could make it very difficult for the Germans to win by setting up the partisans as close to the village as possible and retreating into the protection of the stone buildings as opposed to setting up in the northern woods as they did historically to be either butchered by the Germans or alternatively ignored completely while the Germans drove straight for the village. This all seemed pretty sensible to me. I duly came up with the following defensive set up and despatched it to my opponent.

View attachment 30405

Basically the US forces are set up to meet any German units entering from the East edge of the board while the partisans are ready to run back to the village The mortars obviously set up HIP and all units start under concealment counters. There is an HIP 9-2, 337 and LMG in 10O3. It was time to put Von Marwitz's theory to the test!

Somewhat to my surprise, my opponent replied to the effect that he was conceding because, in what would undoubtedly represent a "first" for me, my set up basically broke the scenario. He alluded to having read the Von Marwitz AAR and indicated his view that the plan that he suggested made the scenario unwinnable for the Germans.

Well, I was shocked to put it mildly. I had no idea that my opponent was trawling AARs before we played. My trust in human nature was well and truly shattered.

I suggested to my opponent that he was perhaps conceding a little prematurely. I didn't mention at that time that I had read the same AAR but suggested that this seemed to be a scenario where results were pretty close and some of the allied players must have used a similar plan and set up. Besides, he had seen me play before. In an effort to persuade him that he was not being lured into a cunning trap, I said that I would have been happy to play the Germans if it had been my turn to attack. This was really bravado on my part and not based on any detailed analysis as opposed to the historical win/loss ratio. The next thing I knew, I found myself in the situation of having switched sides and looking at this opening set up by my opponent.

View attachment 30412

The first thing that jumped out at me was that my defensive set up couldn't have "broken" the scenario since my opponent had made no attempt to copy it. His defence had the partisans in similar positions to mine but the hill was less strongly defended. Clearly my opponent's pessimistic take on the Germans' chances was based on what Von Marwitz had said as opposed to anything particularly scary about my defensive set up.

The first order of business was to find out if the heavy mortars were located on top of the hill, so I deployed a HS on the German left flank to enter the gully and scout the defensive positions. I had designated the elite German units and most of the armour to enter in the vicinity of the hill while the first line Landsers entered from the North with the support of the mortar HT and one of the assault guns. I planned to have a Panther overrun whatever was sitting on the summit of the hill and, if appropriate, deal with the mortars if they were there. The MkIVs were to move onto the Q2 hill to interdict partisans trying to run back to the village.

Turn One

My scouting HS entered the AA1 gully and went into crest status and this resulted in HIP mortars being placed under concealment counters on Z7 and Y7. Those are commanding positions and removing them would be first task for the Eastern attackers. A Panther ran to the summit hex on 18X5 which turned out to have a concealed 236 HS which failed its PTC and was placed onboard under a pin counter before breaking to the OVR attack. The Panther stopped and I made my first boneheaded move of the game by swinging its turret one hexspine to the left which overlooked that the M10 size concealment counters in 10U1 might contain an M10 which had LOS to the Panther's location. The second Panther took up position to its left and the SMG moved to 18P6 and stopped out of the normal range of a suspected 337/9-2 HIP position in 18R9. It came under fire from a 527/LMG position in 18R8 but survived unscathed.

In the US DFPh, the Panther on the hill summit got the bad news that there was indeed an M10 in 10U1 which swung its turret to acquire it. The Panther couldn't change its TCA due to having used its turret weapons in the OVR and it now needed to survive a possible APCR shot in the next turn or alternatively a turret hit with regular AP either of which were likely to kill it.

This was the situation at the end of the German Turn One, at which point we adjourned for a week.

View attachment 30413

To be continued...
I definitely need to learn how to win despite boneheaded play
 

Actionjick

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For my most recent game, I wanted to try something from Journal 10. I had only played a couple of scenarios from it, both of which had been excellent, and I was keen to explore further. The problem was that, going by ROAR and Archive data, a lot of the scenarios looked to be a bit one sided. One exception was "Cradle to Grave" which looked to be pretty even, so my opponent and I decided to give it a try. My last game against the same opponent had seen me come to grief as the attacker in "Last Train to Leningrad". Let's just say that the Russians missed the train. This time, it was my turn to defend.

The defenders in this scenario are a mixed bag of US troops and Maquis partisans. The Americans are described on the scenario card as "cooks, clerks and other rear area personnel" which sounds as if it could describe the performance of just about any scenario OB that I get the chance to mangle. In this case, it translates to three first line and three second line squads backed by two second line HS, two heavy mortars and two M10 GMC tank destroyers. They have to set up in and east of the village that has to be defended. They receive reinforcements in the shape of a couple of M3A1 tanks and an infantry platoon on Turn 3 which, curiously, enter from the same direction as half of the German force ie the north. The partisans comprise a couple of 527s and 6 337s led by a 9-2 and 8-1 leader. They can choose extras which essentially boil down to a choice between some mines and some hidden SWs. They set up north of the village. How far north? Well, that is the question.

To win, the Germans have to control more stone building hexes than there are partisan CVP on board at game end. To achieve this, they enter from two different directions with a force comprising two Panthers, two Mk IVS, two OT assault guns sporting 150 mm guns, an SPW with a heavy mortar, an SMG HT, fourteen squads and four leaders.

Before I did my set up, I did an internet search to see if I could find any pointers that might assist me. I seem to recall that Toby Pilling once stated on Illuminating Rounds that he never bothered looking at previous defensive set ups before devising his own or reading tips by other players on the basis that such tips were of little use unless the players that gave them were of a similar standard to him. When you are Toby Pilling and apply such a philosophy, this means that there will be very few scenario guides by other players that will be of much use to you. When you are Doug Leslie on the other hand, you need all the help that you can get and the field of people who can offer useful advice is almost infinite.

Imagine my elation when I found a very detailed AAR by the redoubtable Von Marwitz on this very forum. As those of us who take in interest in such things will know, an AAR by Von Marwitz is invariably full of useful and very detailed analysis. If you want to read something insightful about this scenario, I can only recommend that you follow this link

J154 Cradle To Grave - AAR | GameSquad Forums

If, on the other hand, you want to learn how to succeed by sheer luck despite one bone headed play after another, then this is the AAR for you.

I noted with interest the suggestion by Von Marwitz that the allies could make it very difficult for the Germans to win by setting up the partisans as close to the village as possible and retreating into the protection of the stone buildings as opposed to setting up in the northern woods as they did historically to be either butchered by the Germans or alternatively ignored completely while the Germans drove straight for the village. This all seemed pretty sensible to me. I duly came up with the following defensive set up and despatched it to my opponent.

View attachment 30405

Basically the US forces are set up to meet any German units entering from the East edge of the board while the partisans are ready to run back to the village The mortars obviously set up HIP and all units start under concealment counters. There is an HIP 9-2, 337 and LMG in 10O3. It was time to put Von Marwitz's theory to the test!

Somewhat to my surprise, my opponent replied to the effect that he was conceding because, in what would undoubtedly represent a "first" for me, my set up basically broke the scenario. He alluded to having read the Von Marwitz AAR and indicated his view that the plan that he suggested made the scenario unwinnable for the Germans.

Well, I was shocked to put it mildly. I had no idea that my opponent was trawling AARs before we played. My trust in human nature was well and truly shattered.

I suggested to my opponent that he was perhaps conceding a little prematurely. I didn't mention at that time that I had read the same AAR but suggested that this seemed to be a scenario where results were pretty close and some of the allied players must have used a similar plan and set up. Besides, he had seen me play before. In an effort to persuade him that he was not being lured into a cunning trap, I said that I would have been happy to play the Germans if it had been my turn to attack. This was really bravado on my part and not based on any detailed analysis as opposed to the historical win/loss ratio. The next thing I knew, I found myself in the situation of having switched sides and looking at this opening set up by my opponent.

View attachment 30412

The first thing that jumped out at me was that my defensive set up couldn't have "broken" the scenario since my opponent had made no attempt to copy it. His defence had the partisans in similar positions to mine but the hill was less strongly defended. Clearly my opponent's pessimistic take on the Germans' chances was based on what Von Marwitz had said as opposed to anything particularly scary about my defensive set up.

The first order of business was to find out if the heavy mortars were located on top of the hill, so I deployed a HS on the German left flank to enter the gully and scout the defensive positions. I had designated the elite German units and most of the armour to enter in the vicinity of the hill while the first line Landsers entered from the North with the support of the mortar HT and one of the assault guns. I planned to have a Panther overrun whatever was sitting on the summit of the hill and, if appropriate, deal with the mortars if they were there. The MkIVs were to move onto the Q2 hill to interdict partisans trying to run back to the village.

Turn One

My scouting HS entered the AA1 gully and went into crest status and this resulted in HIP mortars being placed under concealment counters on Z7 and Y7. Those are commanding positions and removing them would be first task for the Eastern attackers. A Panther ran to the summit hex on 18X5 which turned out to have a concealed 236 HS which failed its PTC and was placed onboard under a pin counter before breaking to the OVR attack. The Panther stopped and I made my first boneheaded move of the game by swinging its turret one hexspine to the left which overlooked that the M10 size concealment counters in 10U1 might contain an M10 which had LOS to the Panther's location. The second Panther took up position to its left and the SMG moved to 18P6 and stopped out of the normal range of a suspected 337/9-2 HIP position in 18R9. It came under fire from a 527/LMG position in 18R8 but survived unscathed.

In the US DFPh, the Panther on the hill summit got the bad news that there was indeed an M10 in 10U1 which swung its turret to acquire it. The Panther couldn't change its TCA due to having used its turret weapons in the OVR and it now needed to survive a possible APCR shot in the next turn or alternatively a turret hit with regular AP either of which were likely to kill it.

This was the situation at the end of the German Turn One, at which point we adjourned for a week.

View attachment 30413

To be continued...
Conceding after looking at your opponent's setup?? I'm shocked to say the least. C'mon. Accept the challenge that has been presented to you and find a way to defeat it. It's ASL. Anything can happen.

The worst outcome is that you lose. Then you ponder on your performance for a week or so and come back and try again. If you lose again rinse and repeat using the lessons hopefully learned from your previous defeats to improve your performance. That's how you become a better player.
 
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