J183 A Real Barn Burner - AAR

[von Marwitz]

J183 A Real Barn Burner - AAR



This one appeared interesting and poplular as well, so I gave it a shot playing the French. The alternating setup makes it a bit fussy to get it started on VASL, but of course this is easily surmountable.

Basically, there are some French fanatics holding out in a farm surrounded by Germans who want to kick them out. The former hope for a French relief force to reach them, while the latter want to prevent exactly this from happening.

My opponent made a near perfect German setup, so I knew I was in trouble when I had the first look at it. The French opening Prep Fire seemed to go quite well with me killing a German HS and breaking a concealed full squad with the French MTR.

But that's where the good news for the French came to an end. During the MPh, my French 8-1 & company got hit by a 3 on a (relatively) low risk shot. The German ATG got off 7 shots in the first turn, including two CHs. So all of what remained of my fanatics in the farm by the end of Turn 1 was the lone 9-1 leader with two abandoned LMGs. My 8-1 & brokies did not rally, the single German squad in the back of the French was not overcome and fat and happy as ever.

You get a hunch - my French didn't bring this home. The Germans gleefully picked up the French LMGs and occupied the farm in force ready to put down four firelanes across the open ground I would eventually have to cross even before I could reduce the German speed-bumps halfway. It was basically over at the end of Turn 1.

We played on for another turn to see if some freakish things might spell doom on the Germans, but to no one's surprise that didn't happen. German win.

von Marwitz

 

[Del]

J183 A Real Barn Burner - AAR

View attachment 15324

This one appeared interesting and poplular as well, so I gave it a shot playing the French. The alternating setup makes it a bit fussy to get it started on VASL, but of course this is easily surmountable.

Basically, there are some French fanatics holding out in a farm surrounded by Germans who want to kick them out. The former hope for a French relief force to reach them, while the latter want to prevent exactly this from happening.

My opponent made a near perfect German setup, so I knew I was in trouble when I had the first look at it. The French opening Prep Fire seemed to go quite well with me killing a German HS and breaking a concealed full squad with the French MTR.

But that's where the good news for the French came to an end. During the MPh, my French 8-1 & company got hit by a 3 on a (relatively) low risk shot. The German ATG got off 7 shots in the first turn, including two CHs. So all of what remained of my fanatics in the farm by the end of Turn 1 was the lone 9-1 leader with two abandoned LMGs. My 8-1 & brokies did not rally, the single German squad in the back of the French was not overcome and fat and happy as ever.

You get a hunch - my French didn't bring this home. The Germans gleefully picked up the French LMGs and occupied the farm in force ready to put down four firelanes across the open ground I would eventually have to cross even before I could reduce the German speed-bumps halfway. It was basically over at the end of Turn 1.

We played on for another turn to see if some freakish things might spell doom on the Germans, but to no one's surprise that didn't happen. German win.

von Marwitz

Played this twice last week, as my first attempt as the French never made it out of the woods. The Germans had packed nearly all in the woods as a wall of bodies, my Prep and HS bouncing did almost nothing, and Defensive Fire smashed the French.
So a quick reset of the game, a new more conservative defensive setup from the Germans led to a much more conventional game which went all the way. The French were still pressed for time as the Germans had eliminated the fanatics in the farm, but the French managed to enter CC in the last movement phase in both VC buildings a d won the first melee.

 

[von Marwitz]

Played this twice last week, as my first attempt as the French never made it out of the woods. The Germans had packed nearly all in the woods as a wall of bodies, my Prep and HS bouncing did almost nothing, and Defensive Fire smashed the French.
So a quick reset of the game, a new more conservative defensive setup from the Germans led to a much more conventional game which went all the way. The French were still pressed for time as the Germans had eliminated the fanatics in the farm, but the French managed to enter CC in the last movement phase in both VC buildings a d won the first melee.

What is interesting is that the Germans seem to be able to follow a number of differnt tactics to play this one. I'll start a list:

1. Pack the woods with troops from which the French attempt to emerge to bring that one MMC to reinforce the farm compound. (Your first game)
2. Overwhelm the the farm compound as quickly as possible and to occupy it in force before the French can close in an thus fail to bring any reinforcements in. (My game)

Maybe there are more than this.

With regard to the French, there seem not to be many alternatives to holding out with the Fanatics in the farm compound for as long as possible and hoping to survive a bashing with the relief force to bring one MMC into the specified victory buildings. Due to the time constraints, there is not much room for subtleties.

von Marwitz

 

[JoeArthur]

Von Marwitz, played this one a couple of times. Trying to get the French out of the barn was a mistake. I went into CC and the big casino failed to payout - dead Germans, alive French. Game over for my Germans.

My opponent pointed out that you do not have to take the barn but just make it impossible for the French to get there - firelanes are your priority. Tried it again and the French failed to reach the barn.

So I think you are exactly right - there are the two options you describe. I would also add putting the machine guns back around the barn to lay firelanes to stop the French from getting to the barn as another option.

Once you realise that the French in the barn are not part of the game - too easy for the Germans? What do you think?

 

[von Marwitz]

Von Marwitz, played this one a couple of times. Trying to get the French out of the barn was a mistake. I went into CC and the big casino failed to payout - dead Germans, alive French. Game over for my Germans.

My opponent pointed out that you do not have to take the barn but just make it impossible for the French to get there - firelanes are your priority. Tried it again and the French failed to reach the barn.

So I think you are exactly right - there are the two options you describe. I would also add putting the machine guns back around the barn to lay firelanes to stop the French from getting to the barn as another option.

Once you realise that the French in the barn are not part of the game - too easy for the Germans? What do you think?

I think it depends. If the Germans can get the French out of the farm quickly, then it is probably the safest way to prevent the reinforcements to arrive there. It must be done quickly, however, so that the Germans are no longer tied in CC when the French from the Woods begin to close in.

The Germans do have the numbers to make it happen. They can set up all around the farm in a way that they only need to Assault Move to get next to the walls. This way, the fanatic French are in a pinch: They either must claim WA themselves during their Rally Phase, which will make them vulnerable to fire without TEM from behind. Or they chose building TEM, which will allow the Assault Moving Germans to claim WA with +2 TEM. In CC, the high French morale and the fanatic status is not worth anything.

If the French place only a single HS in the two small buildings, then they cannot prevent the Germans from gaining some WA. If they place two, this will leave the main building pretty weak. If they place none at all, the Germans can occupy the building and continue their attack from within good TEM.

ROAR has the scenario pro French: 73 to 57. This is quite a number of playings, so probably the scenario is not pro-German.

von Marwitz