MP12 - A worthy adversary

Tysken

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Hej,

after having finished VoTG#4 "The last fifteen" Eero & myself are now into MP12 "A worthy adversary" designed by Chuck Hammond.

Initial thoughts for German side
First things first, the victory conditions, i.e. controlling all multi-hex on board 46. The Russians setup on board 46, and get some potent reinforcements in form of T34's, Inf and a DB on turn 3. The Germans can opt to either setup everything directly on-board 7 or come off-board from the west edge. The german force contains some interesting elements, i.e. AFV's (especially a SiG IB), Stukas and assault engineers. Russians get HIP and have good anti-tank capability.

The initial plan for the Germans comprises the following elements/considerations: deploy, deploy and deploy for HS swarming. Smoke, smoke and more smoke (all AFV have good smoke ability). Anti-tank capability are SiG IB, Stuka's (save the bombs for the tanks unless a real juicy other target) and infantry - measured vs front armor of the T34's. Create assault channels with the smoke. Question is wether to use the SIG for smoke or spare it for the Russian tanks due to B#? It has the only front facial chance for a kill vs the Russian T34's. Swarm the village on board 46, i.e. pushing on the north side of the village and anchor the assault around a strong force in the middle of the village, i.e. 46Y3/Z3 (9-2/DC, 3x548/LMG). Then swing it around towards the 46V8 building. It will be difficult to get to the building 46V8 due to all the open ground, so by turn 3 all of the village has to be in German hands in order to prepare for the final push towards the buildings 46X6 and 46V8. This is also the turn the Russians reinforcements are coming in. Until turn 3, a weak force in the south need to keep the Russians honest.

Before I forget all German forces setup onboard and I will try to use the Kfz to cut rout paths for the Russians. As well above assault plan means that if any HIP guns are in the village they have limited field of fire and difficulties to pivot their CA without a substantial penalty. So initally I may have a good PMC level, but in the end of the game the pressure will be on since I need to get across OG and the Russians may focus their last stand on defending those two buildings. Everything else is a delay action by them buying as much time as possible for the end. The Germans need to be agressive in their initial phase without being dumbfolded.


The game - how did it work?
The HS swarming payed off - this is really a powerful tool, especially if used agressively - and in this scenario you need to push, push and push. Special ammo on the tanks is another story - you think with those depletion numbers it should be no problem. Well, there was some smoke, but to be honest more or less all the german tanks forgot to load their special ammo - so in the end they had to rely on the good old HE only. The SiG got wrecked by a sniper and re-called, but had previously gone on low ammo (and they had got no smoke ....) - so one of the potent anti T34 weapon was gone. The day was saved by the German Luftwaffe, wrecking one T34 with a bomb and keep the in-coming reinforcements at bay. The other T34 was taken out in CC by infantry. The Kfz did cut rout paths, but got eliminated in CC by a berserk russian squad that was overrun by the German assault and found itself suddenly surrounded by German forces. The Germans sticked to the initial plan and stayed on time table. However, they got greedy and payed heavily when the Russian DB wrecked more or less the complete AE forces with their ldr (9-2) and the crew of the SdKfz by a direct hit with their bomb - after the attack only one broken 548/LMG, two abandoned LMG's and an abandoned SdKfz were left in the hex. The squad crawled into an adjacent building and was harassed later by a sniper reducing it to a HS - they never come back participating in the assault. The anchor and pivot point for the German attack was gone. After this success the Russian fighter became careless and was shot out the air by an attacking Stuka in dog fight (DR 1,1). A heavy PMC pass by the germans - re-grouping and carrying the attack from the graveyard and subsequently from the woods into the last russian held building 46V8. The Russians thought now they could stem the German tide and break the assault, but they never were able to succeed in the necessary kills - several CC's the Germans cleaned the area - one highlight was the Russian squad not being able to take out one StuG in CC - first taking one track off for immo and afterwards taking the other track off securing it is really immobilized. The StuG had left the protecting infantry screen to drive deep into the Russian hinterland to disrupt the on-coming Russian reinforcements (CC in 6Z8). In the end the Russians got encircled in the last building (46V8) needed for victory. They got nervous and broke their equipment/morale (6,6's) in critical phases.

Learnings
a) Do not get greedy - the shot out of 9-2, 548, 548 and the SdKfz crew almost lead to a failure in the ensuring PMC
b) During an event like above - remember you can do things - I forgot to shot with the SdKfz at the attacking DB - not that I know it may have helped, but still ....
c) AFV are not held in melee - in the next fire phase they can shot at the enemy infantry in their hex - painful if the tank has good MG's armament
d) A DB point attack does not force you to drop the bomb
e) Even just the MG's of your plane is a potent anti-tank weapon (including positive modifiers for rear target face, height advantage)

You may also want to read Journal #3 the articles by Chas Smith and Matt Shostak on anti-aircraft and air support.

Last but not least - (as usual) have fun and do not be afraid to play things wrong, learn new rules and in case it is your cup of tea, apply all the chrome that ASL is able to provide!!

Ero and myself are now up and running for the KGS campaign - I am really looking forward to this - right now I am reading the rules and thinking about the setup.

//Tysken
 
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Tysken

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I forgot for those of you interested - German forces left were:

3x468; MMG, MMG, ATR
1x548; LMG
3x247; prisoners, Russian HMG
1x127 (crew from destroyed Pz IV)
1x228; manning 37L AT
1x8-1; DC
1x10-2 (AL); in Pz IV
1x37L AT
1xPz IV; no AP, HEAT, smoke
1xStuG; no smoke
3xStuka (w/o bombs)
**********************************************************
1x238 (broken); LMG
1xStuG (immo); no AP, HEAT
1xSdKfz (abandoned)
 
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commissar1969

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I forgot for those of you interested - German forces left were:

3x468; MMG, MMG, ATR
1x548; LMG
3x247; prisoners, Russian HMG
1x127 (crew from destroyed Pz IV)
1x228; manning 37L AT
1x8-1; DC
1x10-2 (AL); in Pz IV
1x37L AT
1xPz IV; no AP, HEAT, smoke
1xStuG; no smoke
3xStuka (w/o bombs)
**
1x238 (broken); LMG
1xStuG (immo); no AP, HEAT
1xSdKfz (abandoned)
That's some pretty harsh attrition!
 

Mister T

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Played the scenario at the Italian tournament (a long time ago) on saturday night until the wee hours. A (very) worthy scenario.
 

Gunner Scott

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KGS is an excellent module. Both the winter and summer CG's are alot of fun.


Ero and myself are now up and running for the KGS campaign - I am really looking forward to this - right now I am reading the rules and thinking about the setup.

//Tysken
 
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