von Marwitz
Forum Guru
FrF86 Belgian Tigers - AAR
A quite fast playing scenario set in early war Belgium. The Belgians defend on the far side of a canal with some infantry, 2x MMG and a 75L AA Gun and will receive reinforcements in the form of a radioless tank platoon and later 4 squads plus leader. The Germans have elite troops, some 548 Assault Engineers among them - sorely needed for their smoke exponent. Some of the Germans set up in a small bridgehead on the Belgian side of the canal which includes a 37L ATG. The bulk of the German force must cross the single bridge of the canal and then capture a number of buildings in rather short time.
I played the attacking Germans in this one. The crossing of the canal is somewhat helped by a truck wreck on the Belgian side of the bridge, but for sure it is a tough job getting across. I set up to be able to (hopefully) generate infantry smoke for the bridge hex itself and both road hexes leading onto the bridge. Then, the Germans would rush across - the scenario does not really allow for subtleties in that regard. I set up one killer stack to suppress the Belgians.
The initial Prep Fire was ineffective but the initial smoke placement went fair enough giving me one infantry smoke in each of the three planned hexes out of 5 or 6 attempts. Some units got broken and pinned but three squads plus leader made it across the bridge. From then on, I felt in constant pain with squads getting broken, pinned or CR'ed. Alas, my vital 548 AE's seemed especially hampered and due to various reasons (Berserk, CR, Broken) could mostly not attempt to go for the so vital infantry smoke when most sorely needed. My killer stack (9-1, 3x468, LMG/MMG) just could not suppress the Belgian 8-1, 457+MMG raking the bridge throughout the entire game. This stack was forced to fire instead of moving throughout the entire game because there always were just too many Belgians around to reasonably attempt a crossing of the bridge without infantry smoke.
During the first 3 turns, my Germans lost heavily in infantry (4 squad equivalents, only one of which due to breaking and the rest due to KIA, K/1, and Fate results). This did not bode well for the remainder of the scenario. The Belgian tanks moved in to protect the "instant win" building, turning it into a well defended fortress. I was able to take out one with an ATR. But altogether, I just could not make any progress as too many attempts to improve my position were foiled again and again: 64 enemy IFT rolls caused no less than 41 Morale Checks and 15 Task Checks. Thus I was never able to develop the decisive punch in firepower on the Belgian side of the canal and could not avoid losing too much time with necessary rallying and regrouping. The Belgians lost but 1 squad equivalent in CC, the 8-1 Leader (Turn 5) due to a Sniper, and 1 tank due to ATR.
By Turn 4 I had managed but to capture just a single additional building besides the initial one I had. With 4 more Belgian squads entering, the fate of the Germans was pretty much sealed as they could easily garrison stone buildings I would have to move up against having by now far inferior numbers of infantry.
In German Turn 5, I made a desparate attempt to get my units on the German side of the canal across, but out of 4 Elite squads and a 9-1 only 2 made it. What I had got the 23O10 area got hit by a 3TH followed by a 3IFT DR (and ROF maintained) by the AA Gun on a tricky LOS. The follow up shot also hit and made short work of the units, one of which managed to HoB and create a Hero. But it was too late for them to make a difference. Thus I conceded at the start of German Turn 5.
Situation at the end of the game:
Despite getting whacked time and again, and I was somewhat hauted by a feeling of futility, it was a fun scenario to play with an interesting tactical situation. Recommendable.
von Marwitz
A quite fast playing scenario set in early war Belgium. The Belgians defend on the far side of a canal with some infantry, 2x MMG and a 75L AA Gun and will receive reinforcements in the form of a radioless tank platoon and later 4 squads plus leader. The Germans have elite troops, some 548 Assault Engineers among them - sorely needed for their smoke exponent. Some of the Germans set up in a small bridgehead on the Belgian side of the canal which includes a 37L ATG. The bulk of the German force must cross the single bridge of the canal and then capture a number of buildings in rather short time.
I played the attacking Germans in this one. The crossing of the canal is somewhat helped by a truck wreck on the Belgian side of the bridge, but for sure it is a tough job getting across. I set up to be able to (hopefully) generate infantry smoke for the bridge hex itself and both road hexes leading onto the bridge. Then, the Germans would rush across - the scenario does not really allow for subtleties in that regard. I set up one killer stack to suppress the Belgians.
The initial Prep Fire was ineffective but the initial smoke placement went fair enough giving me one infantry smoke in each of the three planned hexes out of 5 or 6 attempts. Some units got broken and pinned but three squads plus leader made it across the bridge. From then on, I felt in constant pain with squads getting broken, pinned or CR'ed. Alas, my vital 548 AE's seemed especially hampered and due to various reasons (Berserk, CR, Broken) could mostly not attempt to go for the so vital infantry smoke when most sorely needed. My killer stack (9-1, 3x468, LMG/MMG) just could not suppress the Belgian 8-1, 457+MMG raking the bridge throughout the entire game. This stack was forced to fire instead of moving throughout the entire game because there always were just too many Belgians around to reasonably attempt a crossing of the bridge without infantry smoke.
During the first 3 turns, my Germans lost heavily in infantry (4 squad equivalents, only one of which due to breaking and the rest due to KIA, K/1, and Fate results). This did not bode well for the remainder of the scenario. The Belgian tanks moved in to protect the "instant win" building, turning it into a well defended fortress. I was able to take out one with an ATR. But altogether, I just could not make any progress as too many attempts to improve my position were foiled again and again: 64 enemy IFT rolls caused no less than 41 Morale Checks and 15 Task Checks. Thus I was never able to develop the decisive punch in firepower on the Belgian side of the canal and could not avoid losing too much time with necessary rallying and regrouping. The Belgians lost but 1 squad equivalent in CC, the 8-1 Leader (Turn 5) due to a Sniper, and 1 tank due to ATR.
By Turn 4 I had managed but to capture just a single additional building besides the initial one I had. With 4 more Belgian squads entering, the fate of the Germans was pretty much sealed as they could easily garrison stone buildings I would have to move up against having by now far inferior numbers of infantry.
In German Turn 5, I made a desparate attempt to get my units on the German side of the canal across, but out of 4 Elite squads and a 9-1 only 2 made it. What I had got the 23O10 area got hit by a 3TH followed by a 3IFT DR (and ROF maintained) by the AA Gun on a tricky LOS. The follow up shot also hit and made short work of the units, one of which managed to HoB and create a Hero. But it was too late for them to make a difference. Thus I conceded at the start of German Turn 5.
Situation at the end of the game:
Despite getting whacked time and again, and I was somewhat hauted by a feeling of futility, it was a fun scenario to play with an interesting tactical situation. Recommendable.
von Marwitz
) . Never forfeits the HIP chance, although there are not many spots where to place the gun.
