J145 Golden Pheasants (Nuremberg Campaign)

xenovin

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Vincent
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I was the German defender in this the third and final linked CG scenario J145 “Golden Pheasants” against JR’s US mech forces. Like the two previous scenarios, the Germans have very little infantry but for once there is a nice core of actual fighting quality (5x SS 658s). The SS boys have to setup on board 21 and the dregs of the force pool setup on Board 20 defending the victory Building 20Z3. Both boards (and setups) provided their own challenges but both where linked to setting up out of the LOS of the US setup buildings 1G4 and 1K4 where I knew the US deathstar would be located as they have an HMG in their OB plus a second in their secret OB as it was the final choice per how the campaign is designed.

J145 setup noBore.JPG
German setup showing concealed and HIP units

My SS setup was the first challenge as there are four main north-south streets to defend with only 5 squads. A frontline forward defense was out as US firepower would vaporized them on Turn 1. JR thought I might try setting up along the back row and just run into the VC building for the final defense. I didn’t like this idea either as I would be fighting surrounded for 6 turns and getting blasted by all the US armor and squad firepower. If the building had a central hex out of LOS to rout into, that very well could be a successful defense (like the old Tractor works scenario). I needed to delay the US advance for a few turns and fall back to reinforce the VC building. Initially I had one squad per road but they could be quickly isolated and overcome so looked at mutually supporting positions. This eventually led me to the setup shown with the bulk of the squads in mutually supporting positions defending around the 21DD3 building, denying the US upper levels, could fall back as a unit, and covered the FF road as I thought that would be the main US advance as it has the least blocking terrain to the VC building. I also put a HIP HS with the MMG and 9-1 in 21 FF9.1 again covering the FF road. I defended the western board edge with a HIP HS/LMG in 21R4 as it could put a firelane down the 21Y10-21S4 roadway and cover any board edge creek behind the building with a final backstop squad in S8 slowing down any armored advance and covering the HS front. So that left a few dummy stacks holding the middle! You can’t be strong everywhere and took a calculated risk here but the 21 BB road was covered by my 88 and the 21 W road would lead into the building/woods area of Board 20 covered by the 20L meat chopper. The 88 did cover most of the Board 21 goal line, as well as, could blast any US stacks rushing up the middle into the 21Z8 and AA8 buildings.

The defense of Board 20 and the 20Z3 victory building revolved around do you put the three guns in the building (defends the building well but not so great enemy approach LOS) or put them outside the building covering the approaches (but vulnerable to individual isolation and destruction). As I wanted to fortify the two stairwell locations (you can only place these large guns in a building if in a fortified ground level hex), I did a little of both. The 105 ART was placed in the 20AA4 fortified hex covering the eastern side of the building and what I expected to be the main thrust through the 20CC2 building plus LOS to the rear square in 20Y7 as I knew eventually the US armor would work its way in behind me. The 88 as discussed above was covering the front approaches and front of the VC building. That left me with the 20FP quad 20L (I chose it over the StuG as I wanted to kill US infantry is it was them, not armor, that would be needed to capture the VC building). This guy covered the front of the VC building, the left flank against any armor or infantry attacking through that flank, and again the rear city square (20Y7). I put the wire around the building slowing down any frontal attack and left a gap in 20AA2 as an escape path for my Board 21 defenders and a kill hex for any US entering it (which it did do!). JR though placing the trenches in 21BB2-3 was a mistake as it worked to his advantage but I liked their ability hindering any VB freeze of the fortified hexes with the risk of bog, and advance route for my guys fortifying the VC building, and the 105 ART was right there blasting any US attackers. There really aren’t too many useful locations for them that both help the Germans and limit value to the attackers other than putting them away from the building entirely. Finally, I had the HMG and commissar “Gauleiter” in the upper story of 20AA4.2 out of US killstack LOS and covering my right flank (anticipated US route) with conscript squads out on either flank. The conscripts would move to the threatened flank and/or reinforce the VC building when the time came. You will see I had a few Kindle chits around as I hoped to burn down some of the dominating buildings but that proved only a dream as I had neither the time or forces. And again, I never popped a single manhole.
US setup.JPG
US setup

I was a little surprised that JR setup across the front of the board and not concentrated along one flank. I screwed up my setup and had the 88 on-board as I thought it had to go on concealed as it was not in HIP terrain (the real screw up was not putting the concealment counter on it!). I’m not sure if that played into his setup or not. He opened up with smoking the heck out of my guys in 21DD4 area. So much so that he was able to move adjacent but we couldn’t see each other with the TEM. This forced me to voluntarily break a squad so they could fall back as I didn’t want them either tied up or lost in CC. My HIP HS in R4 did put down the fireplane breaking a US squad and saved my dummy stacks for another turn but attracted much US interest. He broke and was hounded by US forces the rest of the game staying under DM. For the next two turns the SS conducted a fighting withdrawal with the remnants heading into the 21EE10 building. The only excitement was the 88 getting a critical hit on a stack of 2 US squads and a leader in building 21R5 wiping them out. Then the 88 broke, and my HMG broke, and the US came on like a human wave.
Turn3.JPG
Turn 3

Turn 4 was really bleak for the Germans. The 88 was gone, most of my surviving SS was trapped in the 21EE1 building who went berserk and charged into the US hex dying through ambush I think and three US vehicles were in my rear area covering my reinforcement entry locations. Going all or nothing, I entered my three conscript squads and the 7-0 leader in hex Y10 as there was more covered terrain on that side of the board making entry to the VC and hopping the US got a bad DR. When the immobilized Sherman in 21Y9 (a result of failed ESB but worked out great for JR) killed the enter stack. I also tried to bring a squad across from X5 and he died too! I only had 2 squads, a crew and a HS in the VC building and figured the end was near.

Turn 4.JPG
Turn 4

Turn 5 the 20L came out to play but didn’t do too much as the crew was pinned and a few AFVs showed up to take him out – but he draw forces away from the main assault. Turns 5, 6, and 7 the all-out US assault began and they did break into the VC building but all were broken with AFPh. Even a captured German DC was successfully placed to breach 20AA1 but through pure luck was a dud with a DR=11. The US armor is mostly sacrificial in this scenario so a few US AFVs were knocked out by PF removing their heavy fire from play. German Turn 6, I advanced a 2nd line squad back into 20AA3 [fortified], the gun crew and commissar in 20AA4 [fortified], and a 2nd line HS in 20AA4.2 for my final defense. US Turn 7 JR managed to break all my defenders on the first floor but was not able to break the last HS up in 20AA4.2. With no way to advance up into the upper levels the Germans pulled off the upset with a surprising win. JR did everything right methodically taking me apart, great use of smoke suppressing my guys or forcing me to change positions, and keeping broken units under DM with 8-0s or AFVs zipping past them but in the end I got lucky. Play to the end kids! While not a single SS unit or reinforcement made it back to help defend the VC building, their sacrifice delaying the US approach for three turns saved my bacon.

Turn 7 end.JPG
Turn 7 end (blue lines show those units were actually in the upper levels of the VC building but the counter towers were getting too high!).

So that makes two German wins to one US win (J144) for a German campaign victory. I never played any of the linked scenario campaigns and found it enjoyable. While the theme of each was basically the same (very small number of German squads and a few toys defending against a pushing US mech unit in urban terrain) the individual secret scenario and CG force pool pics gives just enough fog (plus CG purchases for tailored force preference) makes things interesting and gives good replay potential. The Germans never have enough to defend everywhere so pretty tense on the defense (sounds like a scenario title!) requiring some flexibility but mostly came down to picking a location and defend to the end (or not depending on your fortunes). I tried to be strong in particular areas with an all-around mutually supporting defense and leaving other areas underdefended and hoped for the best. It was all about sacrificing German units buying time for the “final redoubt” and hope you had enough left for the final turn. J143 ended a little early as the US reached their CVP cap (and the only time I was able to launch a small counterattack) but both J144 and J145 went down to the end. What more can you ask for? Thank you to JR for playing and all the rules lessons and Pete Shelling for the great CG.
 

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