FrF97 Wrecking The Rentals - AAR

[von Marwitz]

FrF97 Wrecking The Rentals - AAR



When I was browsing through the Friendly Fire scenarios, I came across this one which looked quite interesting featuring a motorized Russian infantry force supported by no less than eight Lend&Lease Shermans and Valentines. The action is set on boards v and x, which are not exactly common fair for the non-SK player. Last but not least, it was about 'wrecking' things...

This scenario is interesting with regard to the German setup. The Germans are instructed to set up in the middle, while the Russians enter from offboard and the onboard Russian forces may set up only greater or equal to 4 hexes from any non-hidden German units. This means, that by electing for a forward setup, the Russians can 'push back' the Russians and deny some terrain to them which would otherwise provide good jumping-off points. Comes - of course - at a cost, as the Germans must prevent the Russians from entering at least 2 Russian stopped mobile AFV with functioning MA/non-crew Infantry in the victory area. So if setting up forward, the Germans will have trouble falling back.


Situation at Start of Russian Turn 1 - Game Start:



I chose to set up my defending Germans in a way that would funnel the Russian Vehicles either through the narrow xV3 gap or the wider approach further to the west (=top). The Trucks, which were by SSR loaded with most of the Russian Infantry wouldn't be going anywhere fast unless they were using the roads - and as they had not much time to spare, I figured that this was what they were going to do.

With no less than 8 tanks rumbling towards my German defenders, I set up in a way which would hopefully allow a significant part of my Infantry to fall back immediately to defend the victory area later without being cut off from doing so. The forward German setup (at least of some units) would be my some extra time so that my reinforcing tanks in turn 2 would hopefully arrive just in time when the Russians would force the gaps. My MMG was placed somewhat exposed, but I justified this with the option to lay down a 2FP Fire Lane through the approaches of almost the entire eastern flank. Nothing to be trifled with for Riders, Trucks, Passengers or Infantry in Open Ground. My Marder II with Armor Leader was set up (allowed HIP) on the western board edge all alone. This remote position could cover the broad western gap just fine, would likely be out of range of Russian Infantry fire and even allow for some long range fire to board x at not exactly great yet still dangerous To Hit chances. My opponent chose the eastern flank approach, which I had thought to be the more probable.

To be continued in subsequent post...

von Marwitz

 

[von Marwitz]

Situation at End of Russian Turn 1:



Well, you see what happened...

The Russians decided that the most imminent threat to deal with first was my lone HS in that line of woods and just wanted to be on the safe side addressing it. The remains of it are spread about in the area of the Russian blob.

But to be honest, my opponent is not to be trifled with and he made quite clever move by sending in three of his tanks using Platoon Movement (albeit they all had radios) into three ADJACENT Woods hexes. In that case, as I learned, Random Selection applies to the Bog Check for entering woods - and of course the chances to Bog all three tanks were slim. In the event, by this tactic he created three Trailbreaks and thus that line of Woods proved much less of an obstacle that I presumed it to be. On top of that, my defenders in the central patch of woods could not do much to counter this maneuver. My carefully planned for MMG Fire Lane did not materialize as - to the utter shock of the now deceased HS - its squad cowered on the attack DR. The 'Rentals', i.e. the Lend&Lease tanks all have Smoke Mortars (sM8), which are central to the Russian approach to create cover. This they did quite well, so the stage was set - enter the Infantry laden Trucks.

It wouldn't be ASL if 'things' didn't happen... After my much hoped for Fire Lane had failed miserably and the Russian had avoided almost all my defenders, I had hardly anything with which to counter the entering trucks. However, a long range shot placed a 1 Residual FP on the road, which the Russians decided they would just have to pass through. When the dust settled and the Sniper, who got - needless to say - drawn into the affair, had reloaded his magazine, somehow one Russian squad was broken another one broken and Casualty Reduced, yet another one killed along with its LMG destroyed. One of the two Russian Leaders was dead and one Truck was wrecked. Never underestimate the dark side of the Force...


Situation at End of German Turn 1:



The Russians had decided to go for a breakthrough in an area that was so devoid of Wehrmacht units as outer space. On the bright side of it, I could be rather sure, that no flanking move would come to pass through the broad western gap (=top). And I jumped at the opportunity to pull back my Landsers from there without almost any interference to set up a second line of defence which I knew I would definitively need later.

In the central woods, I redeployed my troops to cover the open Plowed Fields to the east and maybe a bit rashly even moved a 548+PSK and a 247 across the narrow gap of xV3 to impede the Russians advancing towards the central woods under cover. My 81mm MTR was emplaced in a position which could potentially do evil things if the Russians emerged from the woods or ventured into them with Infantry.


Situation at End of Russian Turn 2:



My crafty opponent made good use of the Smoke Mortars of his numerous tanks to skillfulls obstruct approaches and fields of fire, then moved the tanks forward to angle around the central woods, even contrieving to SMOKE my 81mm MTR there, with the cumulative effect of rendering him incapable to affect his Infantry with anything else but absurd luck. One of the Valentines that had ventured forward was sniped by my Marder with the 8-1 Leader at 17 hexes range. The first 'Rental' was wrecked. His objective, of course, was to prevent my Germans in the central woods to pull back, and I felt relief that I had pulled back a solid number of German squads and leaders from the German setup area just in time during my last turn.

After a few teasing Infantry moves which drew some fire, he next dared one of the Shermans through the gap of xV3 which was blazed by a good Panzerfaust shot of the MMG squad, which had exhausted its fire by doing so. Now, the Russians had gained pretty much safety of movement and engulfed my 548+PSK, which failed to do anything to prevent it and the HS which I now regretted to have moved across the gap. Having developed an appetite for my Halfsquads, it went down unceremoniously and the 548+PSK was left in a most precarious position. My first Schwerpunkt of resistance was under serious pressure and some of his tanks had gained the 'free fields' after having broken trails through the woods line.


Situation at End of German Turn 2:



The 'cavalry' in the form of three German Pz IVH's was scheduled to arrive in German Turn 2. I sent them in on the eastern flank as most Russians were attacking there and the western edge was covered by the Marder. Thus my Panzers would provide cover to the central Infantry from both flanks. The Panzer IVs moved to position themselves to stay out of sight of the Shermans while having reasonably good fields of fire to impede the further Russian advance while providing mutual support to each other. I moved one of the Panzer IVs to xN8 hoping to threaten the Valentine hiding behind the buildings and taking shots at longer ranges vs. my Infantry of the second line of defence. This was a serious blunder, because I was so preoccupied with the Valentine in xQ8, that I totally forgot about the much more dangerous Sherman in xX7. The Valentine fired at me, finding out that there was no LOS, which came as a surprise to both me and my opponent. The LOS from the Sherman was just fine, though. As I could not kill it during my Advancing Fire pulling the extra trick of 'Special Ammo', the outlook for this Panzer looked grim as my tank was stopped, now acquired by the Sherman which would have the next Prep Fire Phase. At least, I managed to shoot up the second Valentine in the line of Orchards. Three 'Rentals' down, but the remaining five were still a powerful force.

With regard to my Infantry in the forward central woods I could select between two bad choices: Either fire at the Russians which were just about everywhere to break some but for sure not all of them and then get pasted in the return fire. Or to pull back into the cover of the woods, which would leave the Russian hordes pretty much untouched and free to swarm my Landsers in the coming Russian turn. I opted for the latter, as I only had the MMG squad, the MTR+228, and the 7-0 Leader left in Good Order and could not afford any more brokies. My 548+PSK assault moved out of its impossible position into Smoke and got away with that unscathed. Still, it was in a bad position for next turn. I decided to advance it into CC with a Russian 227 beneath the Burning Wreck of the Sherman, which it would surely win and then be in the way with its PSK and still dangerous for passing tanks even though shrouded in SMOKE. Alas, this unfortunate squad continued to archieve just plain nothing and failed to take out the 227, being stuck in Melee with it instead...


To be continued in subsequent post...

von Marwitz

 

[von Marwitz]

Situation at End of Russian Turn 3:



In Russian Turn 3, sure enough my Panzer IV in xN8 was taken out by the Sherman in the Woods line, while the Valenine kept shooting at my second line of defence - luckily this one without effect. The Russian Infantry quickly swarmed the central woods, breaking my MTR crew and eliminating a HS - only the 7-0 and the MMG squad with the broken crew were left in Good Order but the writing was on the wall for them - and it wasn't a romance... As for my luckless 548+PSK - it went down in Melee, again archieving nothing. It was so unsuccessful, that even the PSK was destroyed in the process. This 548+PSK was just about the biggest disappointment in the game... The situation for the German had further deteriorated with nothing to show for it. Worse than that, there was not much my Germans would be able to do in their next turn.


Situation at End of German Turn 3:



As I had feared, there was nothing much I could do in my German Turn 3. The Pz IVs did break a squad an pin another, but on the other hand all Germans in the forward central woods went down with nothing to show for it. Overall I had the feeling that my forward defensive position did not do well. A good part of this was due to good play by my opponent, who maneuvered well, SMOKED me, and put tough choices on me. The result was, that a good part of the Russian Infantry was still in commission. This could otherwise have been serious problem for the Russians who only has two leaders of which I had killed one - albeit the Russians had created a new 6+1 by a HoB roll a while ago which was for quite some time unsuccessfully attempting to encourage a broken squad in xY8 to rejoin the battle.

Basically, the stage was set for the second act of the battle with the first German line of resistance eliminated and the second one ready to await the Russian attack.


Situation at End of Russian T4:



During Russian Turn 4, a Mild Breeze arose and with much anxiety, I was awaiting the Wind Direction. Luckily for my Germans, the wind would blow Drifting Smoke into a direction that could have been much worse for the German course.

Once more my opponent quickly and skillfully redeployed his troops to prepare his push on my second line of defence. In the forward central woods, he took up postions with his Infantry that would enable him to form a powerful firegroup. His three remaining Shermans moved into the trailbreaks of the woods line, avoiding my Panzer IVs for the moment. I saw trouble brewing, because without doubt, his next armored move would be to use the Valentine next to my Panzer IVs as a bait and sacrifice and then charge forward with the Shermans to the victory area, where I would have a hell of a problem to approach them with my Infantry, much less to destroy them.

One Valentine entered the northern forward central woods but bogged there.


Situation at End of German Turn 4:



In my German Turn 4, there was not much I could do, but the few opportunities open to me were effective.
Most importantly, one of the Panzer IVs shot a SMOKE round right before the sights of most of the Russian Infantry which pretty much screwed up my opponent's plan to form a strong Fire Group there. Furthermore, my Landsers were able to break a Russian squad - every one out of commission would be beneficial to blunt the Russian attack which would come. The Russians did Rally a Conscript squad though.


To be continued in subsequent post...

von Marwitz

 

[von Marwitz]

Situation at End of Russian Turn 5:



I awaited the armored Russian assault with anxiety. Sure enough, the Valentine in xQ8 moved first - but in a way I did not expect: I thought it would hook around beneath the buildings but instead it moved INTO a Stone Building and stopped there, where it was difficult for my Panzer IVs to hit: Moving, Small, +3 TEM, and turning of turrets required. Even considering (double) Point Blank fire, a hit was all but assured, the Valentine was threatening to shoot one of the Panzers into the side, which it would not survive when hit. But if I shot on the Valentine, I'd have a much harder time hitting the more important Shermans that would follow. Brilliant move!

After a vexing minute, I decided to shoot only the BMG of my Panzer IV with its exposed flank at the Valentine, thus putting the frontal armor towards it and hoping to survive any lucky Bounding Fire hit. Indeed, his shot missed, but he started up again and attempted an ESB for one extra MP to enter my Panzer IV's hex to impose Target Selection limits on it or even obscure the view of the rear Panzer IV in case the Valentine would go up in flames. Again, brilliant move, but luckily, the Valentine immobilized on the ESB roll... So both Panzer IVs were still alive and their MA's not fired. One of them would be burdened by a +3 DRM for its VCA for the remainder of the phase, though.

Sure enough, now the three Shermans were venturing forth towards the victory area. The first one was taken out in xR7 by an excellent shot of the Marder II on the opposite side of the board at a range of 20 hexes just rolling what was required. With its L gun, the Armor Leader and the Sherman being a large target, the chances of hitting were not good but not absurdly low either. The Marder kept ROF to boot. The second Sherman reached the victory area with both Panzer IVs not finding Special Ammo and missing their shots. Now the third Sherman moved towards the victory area - but was blazed by the Marder as well. Phew! A couple of turns earlier, I had contemplated to move the Marder further forward to vM6 or vO7 but in the end I decided against it, because at the time a flanking move by a Sherman throug the wide western gap would have been possible which could have turned my hunter into the hunted, having to run away instead of posing a threat. So I decided against it which proved to be the right choice.

The Russian Infantry had no choice but to leave the protective cover of the woods, but it survived unscathed, however exposed to the German fire of the upcoming German Turn 5.


Situation at End of German Turn 5:



During my German Turn 5, I deployed everything I could with the intention to build a wall of bodies to block the Russian moves into the Victory area and to create as many fire opportunities with negative modifiers and for the creation of Residual Fire as possible.

Prep Fire of the forward Panzer IV blazed the Sherman which had reached the victory area, which improved the situation a lot for the Germans, albeit the (Drifting) Smoke of the wreck would open up opportunities of cover for the last Russian MPh in the upcoming turn. The Russians had unbogged the Valentine in the central Woods in their last turn, so they still had one mobile 'Rental' left.

I resisted the temptation to fire into the exposed Russian Infantry with the German Infantry in favor of getting the latter out of LOS hand thus out of harm's way. In the last Russian Turn, some Russians would be need to blast a path through them (and thus would not be moving) or if not fired at would be able to fire at the Russians that had to move into the victory area and could still form a wall of bodies.

The immobilized Valentine in the stone building on the eastern flank malfed its MA when firing at the Panzer IVs which meant that these would probably have freedom of movement in the last German Turn.


Situation During the DFPh of Russian Turn 6 - Game End:



In the last Russian MPh my opponent showed some tenacity by Abandoning the immobilized Valentine with the malfed MA with the intention to advance into CC and to take out my Panzer IVs to prevent their movement in my last German Turn 6. One vehicular crew was broken in the approach.

The last mobile Valentine emerged from the woods and escaped two shots by the Marder, the latter apparently surprised by a target at closer range. Thus the Valentine reached the Victory Area.

Now the Russian Infantry had no choice but to move into the teeth of the German Infantry defence. My Germans put down two Fire Lanes and carefully managed their shots which pinned or broke all but one of the Russian squads that threatened to reach the Victory Area. One Russian squad dodged fire and a Fire Lane and made it into covering Smoke into xN2 ready to advance into the Victory Area beneath the blazing Sherman.

However, during Final Fire, the German 548 directed by an 8-1 in xL0 succeeded in breaking that Russian squad and thus foiling any chance for the Russians to meet the Victory Conditions. After the game I realized that both me and my opponent had overlooked the requirement for the Russian AFVs to be stopped in the Victory Area while his sole remaining 'Rental' was in Motion. Since he could have stopped in the Victory Area, I would have allowed him to 'stop' had we noticed that during the game. As it was, it did not matter any more and the defending Germans edged out a win.


It was a very interesting and tense game in which my opponent moved his units very well, adapting quickly to the changing situations. The scenario lived up to its title - all but one 'Rental' were wrecked in the end, with the Marder directed by the 8-1 Armor leader doing a superb job by taking out one Valentine and two Shermans, all of them at way beyond average ranges. As AFV combat it ASL rarely occurs at such ranges, I was surprised to find out that the chances of hitting something are better than might be expected. The Smoke Mortars of the 'Rentals' for sure play a key role for the Russians. A challenge for the Russians is having only two Leaders, stressing the importance of Smoke Cover yet more. The Germans have to be very careful not to miss the opportunity to fall back to form a second line of defence in time - which means basically immediately. The Germans are well advised to set up in a way that denies the Russians any chance to avoid passing through the 'gaps' or forcing them to create Trailbreaks - which my opponent did with cunning. I'll remember that trick...


von Marwitz

 

[jimfer]

I played this a couple summers ago, your write up is a Deja Vu. I was Russian and had to face the Marder from hell, it killed like 4 tanks over course of game. It also ended for the Russians with to little too late. Nice write up.

 

[Fiedler]

Very enjoyable AAR!

The Marder position is almost mandatory. I most of the games I have seen (5 I think) it has been placed in the exact spot and I think I would place the russian mtr to deal with that position from start, firing at the hex to se if anything is there.

 

[JoeArthur]

Stefan is right - that is the place for the Marder. It is where Melvin put his and he's the boss of these scenarios So very well done there Von Martwitz.

He put his mortar in the big wheatfield on board X to cover the other gap.

A really sneaky trick with the platoon movement of the tanks to create a trail break. Magnus has a story about that though - three T34's in platoon movement. He rolled the mechanical reliability roll - double six. Random selection - all three tanks selected. Magnus immediately concedes the scenario I think he still has nightmares about that one................

Fun scenario and another great AAR - thank you.

 

[von Marwitz]

He put his mortar in the big wheatfield on board X to cover the other gap.

There is no grain, it is Plowed Fields. But if I were to replay this one, I would place the MTR somewhere else because it could have been very powerful against Russian Infantry in the Woods or in the open. My forward placement was definitively a mistake.

A really sneaky trick with the platoon movement of the tanks to create a trail break. Magnus has a story about that though - three T34's in platoon movement. He rolled the mechanical reliability roll - double six. Random selection - all three tanks selected. Magnus immediately concedes the scenario I think he still has nightmares about that one................

Fun scenario and another great AAR - thank you.

Dice can be a bitch, but chances are, that you get away with it and not run into a catastrophe like Magnus. In that case I would have just let him reroll that DR, because to me it makes no sense to break an otherwise fun playing on it.

von Marwitz

 

[JoeArthur]

In that case I would have just let him reroll that DR, because to me it makes no sense to break an otherwise fun playing on it.

Unfortunately it happened to Magnus during the Swedish Friendly Fire Tourny.......he went away, had an early night and calculated the odds of what just happened to him.

There is no grain, it is Plowed Fields.

Which is why Melvin put it there No hinderances at that time of year...........

 

[klasmalmstrom]

A really sneaky trick with the platoon movement of the tanks to create a trail break. Magnus has a story about that though - three T34's in platoon movement. He rolled the mechanical reliability roll - double six. Random selection - all three tanks selected.

I have seen this happen twice at tournaments - 6, 6 followed by 1,1,1.

 

[von Marwitz]

I have seen this happen twice at tournaments - 6, 6 followed by 1,1,1.

That's probably because you have been to countless tournaments.

Tournament or not, I'd let my opponent reroll that 1,1,1 and play on - it is about having fun for me, not about the win.

Even if I were of the competitive type I guess I had my opponent reroll, because then my ambition would be to defeat my opponent myself rather than have his dice do it for me by a freakish roll. In this regard, I think that a 6,6 is something different than a 6,6 followed by a 1,1,1. As an alternative, one might have one tank bog and reroll the other two drs.

If I were playing for my ego, then I'd let it stand, but that is not what ASL is for me.

von Marwitz

 

[klasmalmstrom]

Tournament or not, I'd let my opponent reroll that 1,1,1 and play on - it is about having fun for me, not about the win.

I saw it as the three tanks just crashing into each other...

 

[JoeArthur]

Tournament or not, I'd let my opponent reroll that 1,1,1 and play on - it is about having fun for me, not about the win.

von Marwitz

I have just bookmarked this page.

If I ever make it to Grenadier and am lucky enough to play you I will hold you to that

 

[MajorDomo]

Nice AAR!

I have played this a couple of times, this was an interesting playing.

Rich

 

[Fiedler]

Stefan is right - that is the place for the Marder. It is where Melvin put his and he's the boss of these scenarios So very well done there Von Martwitz.

Actually I did not attend the Melvin school of superior ASL play but managed, against all odds, to find the location all by myself.

 

[von Marwitz]

Actually I did not attend the Melvin school of superior ASL play but managed, against all odds, to find the location all by myself.

Maybe that patch of Woods is some ancient mystical place where the leylines cross and the location found us...

von Marwitz

 

[Eagle4ty]

Maybe that patch of Woods is some ancient mystical place where the leylines cross and the location found us...

von Marwitz

Ancient Aliens knew about that place eons ago.

 

[jimfer]

I saw it as the three tanks just crashing into each other...

Moe, Larry and Curly were the drivers.