Roy Connelly
Recruit
Saturday Feb 1, Bud Garding, Mike Rose and I were the players in attendance at the Southern Kansas ASL club. Looking for a three player scenario, we chose AP7- Directive Number Three. Mike and Bud decided they wanted to team up against me. I took the Krauts and they got the Ivans.
Directive Number Three is a three board, large, early war armor scenario, with 18 Russian AFV and 15 German. A Russian armored car, six motorcyle counters for six infantry squads round out the Red forces, while 4 SPWs and 4 squads compliment the Gerry OB.
Simultaneous setup with a board between us and board entry with half mps begin the scenario before turn 1. All but two of the Russki AFV are platoon movers, and I underestimated how far these tanks would get on their turn 1 move. Unfortunately the Russian roll for the honor of the first move went to Bud and Mike, and I realized I may have made a mistake.
After my pre-game move I decided to leave only the two PZIVD and two Pz38(t)E stopped. The Russian afv all have another third mps as my tanks (exc- T35 land battleships 10mp!) and with so many of my tanks in motion, Bud and Mike got right up into my face on turn 1.
I spent my first turn movement phase basically stopping all my tanks and praying for some luck. I managed to get through with the loss of only a couple tanks, and I was feeling a lot better. My infantry loaded HTs were headed for an area of woods on board 43 but the Russian infantry got there first, and I ended up unloading in a large grain field, after suffering a critical hit on my front SPW from one of Bud's T-34 M40s. These tanks (t-34 m40) are true beasts on this battlefield, only my 50s on my PZIIIH really had a chance to bag one of these critters and it was no guarantee.
We were at a bit of a stalemate with the Russians needing to get 65vp of cas/exit combined to win, so Bud and Mike stayed to slug it out for a bit. After a couple of prep/dfire exchanges we were both feeling the pinch as tank after tank went down, but it seemed that I was getting the better of it. Unfortunately I was getting a bit busted up in return. The grainfield containing my infantry was ablaze, and with dry EC and a mild breeze it didn't take long to get half the board up in flames. Indeed, by the time we were done, I had used all of my blaze counters. My three squads of infantry went to see if we could engage the unkillable T34 M40s as they had the best shot to kill them in CC and my 50s were all dead by this point. Bud tried a double overrun through two hexes and CR'd one 468 but on an attack by my surviving HS in my half turn, I rolled a 2, created an 8-1 and eliminated the monster!
Turn 4 and they decided to run for it, I managed to immobilize one T34-M40, and kill a land battleship, my last d-fire went well. Bud failed an exit ESB with a battleship and passed one with a T34 M40. We decided to count up VP and they had their requirement. Game over, and a loss for the Gerrys.
I really enjoyed this scenario, it doesn't play like a regular tank scen, and there was quite a bit of a chess game going on. The Germans aren't restricted by platoon movement like the Russians, but every tank they have is vulnerable. Whereas the Ivans have faster though platoon moving tanks, three of them are practically unkillable. We bounced a ton of shots which always helps a tank game be more enjoyable, and I actually put my infantry to use. I give this scen a 7 out of 10 and would definitely play it again.
Directive Number Three is a three board, large, early war armor scenario, with 18 Russian AFV and 15 German. A Russian armored car, six motorcyle counters for six infantry squads round out the Red forces, while 4 SPWs and 4 squads compliment the Gerry OB.
Simultaneous setup with a board between us and board entry with half mps begin the scenario before turn 1. All but two of the Russki AFV are platoon movers, and I underestimated how far these tanks would get on their turn 1 move. Unfortunately the Russian roll for the honor of the first move went to Bud and Mike, and I realized I may have made a mistake.
After my pre-game move I decided to leave only the two PZIVD and two Pz38(t)E stopped. The Russian afv all have another third mps as my tanks (exc- T35 land battleships 10mp!) and with so many of my tanks in motion, Bud and Mike got right up into my face on turn 1.
I spent my first turn movement phase basically stopping all my tanks and praying for some luck. I managed to get through with the loss of only a couple tanks, and I was feeling a lot better. My infantry loaded HTs were headed for an area of woods on board 43 but the Russian infantry got there first, and I ended up unloading in a large grain field, after suffering a critical hit on my front SPW from one of Bud's T-34 M40s. These tanks (t-34 m40) are true beasts on this battlefield, only my 50s on my PZIIIH really had a chance to bag one of these critters and it was no guarantee.
We were at a bit of a stalemate with the Russians needing to get 65vp of cas/exit combined to win, so Bud and Mike stayed to slug it out for a bit. After a couple of prep/dfire exchanges we were both feeling the pinch as tank after tank went down, but it seemed that I was getting the better of it. Unfortunately I was getting a bit busted up in return. The grainfield containing my infantry was ablaze, and with dry EC and a mild breeze it didn't take long to get half the board up in flames. Indeed, by the time we were done, I had used all of my blaze counters. My three squads of infantry went to see if we could engage the unkillable T34 M40s as they had the best shot to kill them in CC and my 50s were all dead by this point. Bud tried a double overrun through two hexes and CR'd one 468 but on an attack by my surviving HS in my half turn, I rolled a 2, created an 8-1 and eliminated the monster!
Turn 4 and they decided to run for it, I managed to immobilize one T34-M40, and kill a land battleship, my last d-fire went well. Bud failed an exit ESB with a battleship and passed one with a T34 M40. We decided to count up VP and they had their requirement. Game over, and a loss for the Gerrys.
I really enjoyed this scenario, it doesn't play like a regular tank scen, and there was quite a bit of a chess game going on. The Germans aren't restricted by platoon movement like the Russians, but every tank they have is vulnerable. Whereas the Ivans have faster though platoon moving tanks, three of them are practically unkillable. We bounced a ton of shots which always helps a tank game be more enjoyable, and I actually put my infantry to use. I give this scen a 7 out of 10 and would definitely play it again.
