Paul S NJ
Senior Member
Thanks to Mike, Charlie and Carl for organizing another great Nor'Easter! Always great to see the folks from New England (plus a father and 7th grade daughter this year!). NJ rocked the house again this year with me and Gary Mei taking 1st and 2nd in the main tourney and Ron Duenskie winning in a mini and the Big MoFo (how did he do both?).
Round 1 - BFP 135 No Shortage of Determination vs Rob Arrieta
I'v head the pleasure of playing Rob a few times. He had the attacking Poles with 14 squads, and four double small TKS tankettes. The tanks have radios by ssr but don't dare stop or shoot (B11) as the Poles need to cross a stream and have two SE (with a GO, mobile tankette with functioning MA counting as one SE). Since the Germans have a total of 9 squads but just AT assets of an HE only 75 art (HE TK = 7), AT rifle (TK=5), a pair of 50 MTRs (HE effects on a 3), and five mg's this scenario will often come down to disabling the tankettes. A good german defense will allow 10-20 shots at the tankettes, each with a net TH/TK probability of 5-25%. It's vital for the Germans to take every TH opportunity at the maximum DRM (waiting for four MP, penetration DRM, and side/rear shots).
Before the game we agreed (me reluctantly) that the water obstacle extensions of the stream were just shallow stream (which means another attack route for the tankettes) and that the second turn polish and german reinforcements could not freely deploy (an SSR allowed free deployment "at setup"). The funky woods hexsides of the large stream hexes made for some very limited LOS from the woods on both sides of the stream. Rob took the two 7-0/MMG choice over the 8-1/457. A good pick IMO for the extra leader movement.
I set up the gun on the hill on the german left covering the hill attack route, supported by a 50 MTR and a few half squads. I put a sacrificial 248 in the front left woods hex to hinder quick movement in to the woods-gully hexes (we treated the two hexes was woods-gullies, even though the center dot are in the gully itself). The 70/ATR was up front in the wheat field with the 8-1/468/MMG in the central building and the 2nd 50 MTR nearby to deny a fast attack route to the Polish infantry. a 468/LMG plus 248 were in the open on the right to deny the polish infantry a quick jaunt to the stream and to take MG potshots at any tankette taking the stream route.
The Polish infantry has the woods on the german left and right for cover approaching the stream and then can use crest status there to duel with the german infantry for a turn or two before needing to rush to the VC area. a german 9-2 with 3 lmgs and 2.5 468 enters turn 2 to plug expected breakthroughs.
Rob entered his infantry cautiously retaining concealment and deferred entering his turn 1 tankette. One 7-0/457/MMG moved onto the Polish hill where my 75 pivoted and then took a shot and IF shot (needing a 7 to hit an 10 to break) but there was no effect. GT1 the gun, MMG, MTR and a lucky half squad 2+1 shot eliminated the squad with multiple breaks and wounded the newly heroic 7-1. Three 457s broke my gun crew on a 12+3 shot and a half squad advanced to take the gun up PT2.
PT2 Rob entered two tankettes on the hill route nicely using armored assault to get a 9-1/squad into the stream adjacent to my entrenched mortar crew. In the center he moved two tankettes across the stream. The pinned mortar crew self breaks and routs back over the hill.
GT2 my half squad breaks the gun while my long range central firepower beats up the Polish infantry in the woods on my right. My reinforcements enter in the center left and move across most of the rear board. My forward 248 somehow is still in good shape and advances to the rear. My ATR, MMG and 50 MTR manage to recall one of the central tankettes.
PT3 Rob moves his one central tankette to the VC board while his two tankettes go over the hill to the VC board edge. His infantry near the hill takes their time in the face of a few 248s at the wood line and one lucky 248 shot manages to pin the 458 squad coming out of my foxhole before it can AM up the hill. This turns out to be huge as then there is very little Polish fire covering the tankettes on that flank.
GT3 I rush my reinforcements over to the two tankettes while continuing to beat up the Polish infantry on the german right. Both tankettes fire at the 9-2 led 468x2/LMGx2 stack as it moves into a wheat field adjacent to one of the tankettes. The 9-2 breaks and one squad is pinned. My cx 70 lugs the ATR in the neighborhood and a 248 from the center chases after one tankette. The 248 and one 468/LMG pass their PAATC and the 248 rolls a snakes to burn one tankette! Yippee!
PT4 the last tankette from that side rushes past several ATR and LMG shots but despite multiple hits at close range nothing manages to damage it. Oddly the Polish infantry near the hill is a bit slow to follow up after their AFVs. The Polish infantry on my right is now fully demolished and won't be coming back in the game (except a lone squad's last turn charge).
GT4 Now I'm in big trouble! With two tankettes well behind my lines I have few opportunities for close range shots. I need to send my ATR, most of my infantry and LMG's chasing after the tanks and hope of the miracle shot.
PT5 somehow the miracle occurs! three mg's needing about 5 TH and 4 or 5 TK manage to get 4 hits and the last hit destroys a tankette! Meanwhile his infantry near the hill has moved forward just a hex or two.
GT5 I rush the previous tank-hunters back up to the board edge to defend it. With one tankette behind me I can't afford any squad making it past. I manage to advance into a solid line of MMC (almost all my squads are deployed by now). I have one hero on a half hex of the VC board.
PT6 In the last turn Rob needs to do one of three things, run a squad/leader through open ground around the end of my line, blast a hole via a k/ result or casualty MC, or run up to the hero and then ambush him to infiltrate into the VC area. The leader breaks on the 5th shot in the open leaving the MMC short of MF's. No prep fires open any holes in the line. And four or so squads fail to make it GO and unpinned next to the hero.
Whew, a hard-fought and tight game! I was lucky to come back and snatch the win away from Rob. 1-0
Round 2 Sp 255 Anatoly's Ambush vs Chuck Tewksbury
Chuck organizes the Tussle and Gamer's 'Pay it forward' exchange and is a great guy. I rolled for side (which I did for all the rest of the scenarios) and got the defending russians with 5 HIP BT-5's, a 45L ATG and 9 defending squads. I set up my concealed infantry in an arc around the village with a couple squads on my far right. Chuck split up his 11 467's, 9 Pz3's and two HT's with two HT's, two tanks, and four squads on his right and the rest going in a wide arc around to his left. I would get four more tanks as reinforcements turn 2.
GT1 the HT's were aggressive and moved up to my defenders while his infantry and tanks slowly approached.
RT1 I AM'ed my ATR infantry forward concealed next to a HT and killed it with an advancing fire shot.
GT2 Chuck still moved the troops on his right up fairly cautiously through the orchards while the troops on left aggressively moved towards a couple squads. The HT moved into bypass of a squad and found a BT in the hex. I sprung an ambush on my left with all five tanks and by the end of RT3 I managed to kill both tanks, the HT and capture or break all the infantry on that flank. I lost one squad, the commissar wounded, and one a malf'ed/disabled MA.
In the remaining turns Chuck was more aggressive with his tanks but now needed to duel 8 BT5/T26 (including a 9-2 AL) with five 50 and one 37L Pz3's while exiting one of them (and exiting one Pz3 with a malfunctioned MA). Chuck did well in eliminating five, isolating one who failed his last turn movement NTC outside the VC area and exiting his two tanks.
On the last turn he had to blitz forward to eliminate the last two tanks but it didn't happen. Another fun, close game. Nice scenario! In this one I think the German has to throw his infantry forward very aggressively to scout out the russian HIP tanks with his panzers being shy at first. The russian infantry is very brittle and if pushed hard the German infantry can then force the russian tanks to defend themselves, freeing up a quick blitz by the german tanks. 2-0
Round 3 YASL7 Making a Break for It vs Lou Serio
We picked out this nice infantry only (ok a 20L gun too) scenario. Lou's brits need to exit 7 of 15 SE of 648's while my 20L(4), 4x658 and 10x447 try to hold them off. Four of the 447 get to be predesignated as fanatic. a +1 LV at all ranges makes fire less effective than normal.
I set up forward a bit heavy on my right (the woods board) with most of my 447's and leaders. The gun and three 658's plus three 447's held the left (city) board with some initial open ground.
BT1 Lou entered with most of his concealed troops on the woods board and some in the center. a few concealed counters entered on my far left. I ran a half squad up to the far left concealed counters to confirm they were dummies. we exchanged some inconsequential fire in the center and I formed a line three hexes back from the brits in the woods. Meanwhile my left hand troops were racing to get around behind the woods to backstop the troops there.
BT2 Lou cautiously moved up and then advanced next to the german line in the woods. In the center he moved his troops quite aggressively and had three stacked half squads break on a 8 flat shot. I moved my germans back and then advanced a couple concealed until next to his big stacks in the woods.
BT3 Lou found out the german front line was a 6+1 and a 8-1. He did aggressively move three 648's through a hole in my line and got around behind my woods defenders forcing several to surrender. A nasty 19-1 (-2) close combat killed my studly 6+1, but the leader managed to avoid being ambushed and thus prevented a critical post-CC infiltration!
BT4 and 5 Lou engaged the germans reinforcing the line but didn't manage to blow a hole in them. BT6 the brits had 11 squads within distance of the exit but couldn't blast a prep fire hole through the human shield (again) of defenders. Lou had the right idea to concentrate his attack but wasn't quite aggressive enough to push through. A fun game with a very nice guy. 3-0
Round 4 AP123 Busting in Balta vs Paul Anderson
Paul is a vet with great Army stories. This big scenario featured 24 defending 447's with lots of MG's, mortars and a few T26 tanks vs a very nasty group of 7 838's and 16 548's with three(!) FT's, 5 DC's two MMG's and an off board 105. The 105 has some funky support abilities. I thought it's radio observer could fire HE directly from his hex with just a +2. This is nasty for the russian tanks as the HE TK is a 10 vs 1 or 3 AF. Some other players thought it could only Area fire. My gun didn't actually accomplish anything other than to discourage russian cross-building movement. Also Paul and I felt the designated fords didn't have to roll for adjacent marsh bog which others interpreted differently.
The germans come at the russians from two sides while the russians can start entrenched. This is critical as the russians need to strategically place entrenchments in and around the main line to provide rout paths and lateral movement. The russians have decent ranged firepower while the germans need to traverse a lot of roads and have relatively poor firepower outside of 5 hexes. The germans have tremendous short range FP though vis the FT's, 838s, AE smoke and CC capability. The russians need to keep them at arms length and maintain a sold front line (two commissars help that). I think this requires a really solid preparation by the Russian.
Paul setup six squads far forward vs one of my entering groups. They managed to KIA two 548's moving in the open (and break the 9-2 and a bunch of other squads) but were all lost with a minimal delay. The highlight on that side was a 7-0/447 berserk charge into several FT and 20+ FP shots.
On the other flank an open lane allowed me to charge up the 10-2 with support near the large stone building on that flank. RT2 we had a face off on the three hex building with an 838/FT in one hex, a 10-2/548/LMG/238 in another and what turned out to be a 10-0 3x447 and MMG. The russians prep fired a 30+3 and got a 1 MC which the 10-2 and stack passed. Then the FT lit them up with a 3 DR on the 24 flat (2KIA).
By that time the russians had lost 11 of 24 squads and Paul tossed in the towel. An interesting scenario that defintaley has a big learning curve, especially for a Russian defense. 4-0
Round 5 FrF89 Red Tears Shed on Gray vs. Gary Mei
Gary is a great friend and regular local opponent. Gary and I had both lost this scenario at Albany in December so were quite familiar with it. 16 Rumanian squads with 3 Pz35's need to take half the factory locations from 11 (mostly conscript) squads supported by a 37L ATG (9TK vs 6 frontal AF) and an HE only 76 ART. One location can be fortified to provide a setup spot for the ART. One MMC can be HIP. On turn 4 the russians get two BA-6 45L trucks with four 527's and a 328/DC. The central orchard splits the battlefield into two distinct halves with the required 10 factory locations on each side.
Gary setup strong in the front right (from my perspective) factory and strong on my left near the board edge. Two stacks of three units (and some counter counting) told me just a 426 was HIP. The center of the board was fairly empty, invited a central blitz. I assume this AT gun covered the main road's entry in the VC board and the ART gun was in one of the three hexes of the front left factory. I decided to attack on my right with a few unsupported squads taking position in the center to hinder redeployment. The tanks moved from offbaord with one taking up what I thought would be a safe spot to fire on the HIP 426 revealed int he center (who had ELR'd a squad of mine). The rest of my units moved into position across the street from the factory with only one squad breaking. In DFF Gary reveled the gun to be in the rear looking down the central road and pivoted it to fire on my tank, missing it without ROF.
RusT1 Gary skulked the 10-0/447/MMG out of the factory to the rear, leaving just two 426 in the factory, with one in a rear hex of it. The ATG rolled an 11 to miss his acquired tank. My MMG fire group managed to disrupt the formerly HIP 426.
RumT2 I moved two tanks first, drawing resid from the forward 426. I dashed one 347/DC into the factory stairwell symbol to gain control of the entry location (and scouting for the ART piece), but breaking on the 8 flat shot. My first tank moved into the hex with 5 MP remaining so it moved into the 426's adjacent hex (to millet its fire and be in position to fire across to the next factory). Lo and behold Gary reveals that that is the ART gun/fort location I just breached. The gun remains concealed (via PAATC) so I stop and fire my 12+2 MG shot without effect. Next I move up my second tank into the other 426's hex (it's nice that factories have no cellar) and passing the bog roll. I run up another 347/DC, survive the 4+2 reside (one rules learning is that factory residual takes +3 TEM DRM if entering from outside or moving in bypass but only the factory +1 residual TEM if moving entirely inside the the factory location) and places a DC on the gun/426 which breaks them in advancing fire and starts a flame (and one pip away from rubbling the factory - which would have been a disaster due to the lost tank and VC location!). Meanwhile I use two AE to place smoke grenades for cover for my tank in the ATGs LOS but it still manages to hit and immobilize that tank, effectively a mission kill although still covering the road to prevent lateral infiltration. I break the second forward 426 and also break the FT on its first shot, but still reduce the broken 426 to a 226. The 226 and 228 fail their interdiction so three squads and one gun down to one immobilized tank, plus one 347 KIA, and one broken 336 who never rallied.
RusT2 The ATG switches to firing at infantry and breaks one 347/MM
G. The 10-0/447 risk a 12+2 to exit the second factory and the 10-0 breaks.
Rum T3 The 10-0 fails to self rally in the rear (3rd) right factory. I take the second factory and swing two tanks around adjacent to the 3rd factory. Gary malfunctions the medium taking a point blank side shot (vs 1 side hull armor). One 347 in the street next to the ATG goes berserk in final fire, ironically preventing advance into CC. The 447/(malfMMG) breaks in ADvfire. The 10-0, 447 and one 426 die due to FTR. Now just a concealed 426 and the 37L gun crew remain in the last block.
Rus T3 The gun crew breaks but can rout across the street.
Rum T4 I prep fire both tanks and break the remaining 426 but also malf one of the MA's. This is serious as the two BA6's enter Rus T4. I move up my infantry to surround my tanks and hug the board edge woods, anticipating the best entry point for the russian reinforcements.
Rus T4 Gary decide
s to go for broke and enters the two Ba-6's and his infantry right up and through my tanks and infantry. He figures is he can win the tank battle then his AC's have a good chance to clear out the rumanian infantry and blast a path for his 527's to take back one hex. I think he made a good choice. I fail repair the broken MA. His AC's enter first and the first one enters my tank's hex. I miss my shot and he misses his. His MG fire manages to BU my tank. I intensive fire, needing a 3 TH and 10 to break the gun, and manage NE for a second in-hex acquisition. I shoot about six shots of MG fire at the AC, but roll low for TH/rate and high for TK. The second tank advfires at my tank (needing a 6 TH thanks to small target size) and rolls a 7. Gary manages to avoid rolling the one which would mean he shot his own tank by mistake! Gary advances his infantry on board concealed.
Rum T5 I fail to repair my MA. My tank fires at the in hex BA-6 needing a 9 TH. I roll snakes to burn the AC and keep rate. Now I need an 8 TH on the adjacent AC (9 or 10 TK). I hit and kill it. Gary concedes. 5-0
I was lucky to find and neutralize Gary's ART gun/fortified location without loss. I was also lucky to get about 5 infantry smokes and to not bog on my two entries of factory hexes. The terrain and VC naturally divide up the defenders allowing a high attacker/defender ratio and it's tough to reposition. The VC are tough and if the rumanians haven't taken their last factory by Russian turn 4 they will have a hard time doing so vs. the reinforcements. I think this is a great scenario and would be happy to take either side.
Thanks again to the organizers and my most excellent opponents for a great time!
Paul
Round 1 - BFP 135 No Shortage of Determination vs Rob Arrieta
I'v head the pleasure of playing Rob a few times. He had the attacking Poles with 14 squads, and four double small TKS tankettes. The tanks have radios by ssr but don't dare stop or shoot (B11) as the Poles need to cross a stream and have two SE (with a GO, mobile tankette with functioning MA counting as one SE). Since the Germans have a total of 9 squads but just AT assets of an HE only 75 art (HE TK = 7), AT rifle (TK=5), a pair of 50 MTRs (HE effects on a 3), and five mg's this scenario will often come down to disabling the tankettes. A good german defense will allow 10-20 shots at the tankettes, each with a net TH/TK probability of 5-25%. It's vital for the Germans to take every TH opportunity at the maximum DRM (waiting for four MP, penetration DRM, and side/rear shots).
Before the game we agreed (me reluctantly) that the water obstacle extensions of the stream were just shallow stream (which means another attack route for the tankettes) and that the second turn polish and german reinforcements could not freely deploy (an SSR allowed free deployment "at setup"). The funky woods hexsides of the large stream hexes made for some very limited LOS from the woods on both sides of the stream. Rob took the two 7-0/MMG choice over the 8-1/457. A good pick IMO for the extra leader movement.
I set up the gun on the hill on the german left covering the hill attack route, supported by a 50 MTR and a few half squads. I put a sacrificial 248 in the front left woods hex to hinder quick movement in to the woods-gully hexes (we treated the two hexes was woods-gullies, even though the center dot are in the gully itself). The 70/ATR was up front in the wheat field with the 8-1/468/MMG in the central building and the 2nd 50 MTR nearby to deny a fast attack route to the Polish infantry. a 468/LMG plus 248 were in the open on the right to deny the polish infantry a quick jaunt to the stream and to take MG potshots at any tankette taking the stream route.
The Polish infantry has the woods on the german left and right for cover approaching the stream and then can use crest status there to duel with the german infantry for a turn or two before needing to rush to the VC area. a german 9-2 with 3 lmgs and 2.5 468 enters turn 2 to plug expected breakthroughs.
Rob entered his infantry cautiously retaining concealment and deferred entering his turn 1 tankette. One 7-0/457/MMG moved onto the Polish hill where my 75 pivoted and then took a shot and IF shot (needing a 7 to hit an 10 to break) but there was no effect. GT1 the gun, MMG, MTR and a lucky half squad 2+1 shot eliminated the squad with multiple breaks and wounded the newly heroic 7-1. Three 457s broke my gun crew on a 12+3 shot and a half squad advanced to take the gun up PT2.
PT2 Rob entered two tankettes on the hill route nicely using armored assault to get a 9-1/squad into the stream adjacent to my entrenched mortar crew. In the center he moved two tankettes across the stream. The pinned mortar crew self breaks and routs back over the hill.
GT2 my half squad breaks the gun while my long range central firepower beats up the Polish infantry in the woods on my right. My reinforcements enter in the center left and move across most of the rear board. My forward 248 somehow is still in good shape and advances to the rear. My ATR, MMG and 50 MTR manage to recall one of the central tankettes.
PT3 Rob moves his one central tankette to the VC board while his two tankettes go over the hill to the VC board edge. His infantry near the hill takes their time in the face of a few 248s at the wood line and one lucky 248 shot manages to pin the 458 squad coming out of my foxhole before it can AM up the hill. This turns out to be huge as then there is very little Polish fire covering the tankettes on that flank.
GT3 I rush my reinforcements over to the two tankettes while continuing to beat up the Polish infantry on the german right. Both tankettes fire at the 9-2 led 468x2/LMGx2 stack as it moves into a wheat field adjacent to one of the tankettes. The 9-2 breaks and one squad is pinned. My cx 70 lugs the ATR in the neighborhood and a 248 from the center chases after one tankette. The 248 and one 468/LMG pass their PAATC and the 248 rolls a snakes to burn one tankette! Yippee!
PT4 the last tankette from that side rushes past several ATR and LMG shots but despite multiple hits at close range nothing manages to damage it. Oddly the Polish infantry near the hill is a bit slow to follow up after their AFVs. The Polish infantry on my right is now fully demolished and won't be coming back in the game (except a lone squad's last turn charge).
GT4 Now I'm in big trouble! With two tankettes well behind my lines I have few opportunities for close range shots. I need to send my ATR, most of my infantry and LMG's chasing after the tanks and hope of the miracle shot.
PT5 somehow the miracle occurs! three mg's needing about 5 TH and 4 or 5 TK manage to get 4 hits and the last hit destroys a tankette! Meanwhile his infantry near the hill has moved forward just a hex or two.
GT5 I rush the previous tank-hunters back up to the board edge to defend it. With one tankette behind me I can't afford any squad making it past. I manage to advance into a solid line of MMC (almost all my squads are deployed by now). I have one hero on a half hex of the VC board.
PT6 In the last turn Rob needs to do one of three things, run a squad/leader through open ground around the end of my line, blast a hole via a k/ result or casualty MC, or run up to the hero and then ambush him to infiltrate into the VC area. The leader breaks on the 5th shot in the open leaving the MMC short of MF's. No prep fires open any holes in the line. And four or so squads fail to make it GO and unpinned next to the hero.
Whew, a hard-fought and tight game! I was lucky to come back and snatch the win away from Rob. 1-0
Round 2 Sp 255 Anatoly's Ambush vs Chuck Tewksbury
Chuck organizes the Tussle and Gamer's 'Pay it forward' exchange and is a great guy. I rolled for side (which I did for all the rest of the scenarios) and got the defending russians with 5 HIP BT-5's, a 45L ATG and 9 defending squads. I set up my concealed infantry in an arc around the village with a couple squads on my far right. Chuck split up his 11 467's, 9 Pz3's and two HT's with two HT's, two tanks, and four squads on his right and the rest going in a wide arc around to his left. I would get four more tanks as reinforcements turn 2.
GT1 the HT's were aggressive and moved up to my defenders while his infantry and tanks slowly approached.
RT1 I AM'ed my ATR infantry forward concealed next to a HT and killed it with an advancing fire shot.
GT2 Chuck still moved the troops on his right up fairly cautiously through the orchards while the troops on left aggressively moved towards a couple squads. The HT moved into bypass of a squad and found a BT in the hex. I sprung an ambush on my left with all five tanks and by the end of RT3 I managed to kill both tanks, the HT and capture or break all the infantry on that flank. I lost one squad, the commissar wounded, and one a malf'ed/disabled MA.
In the remaining turns Chuck was more aggressive with his tanks but now needed to duel 8 BT5/T26 (including a 9-2 AL) with five 50 and one 37L Pz3's while exiting one of them (and exiting one Pz3 with a malfunctioned MA). Chuck did well in eliminating five, isolating one who failed his last turn movement NTC outside the VC area and exiting his two tanks.
On the last turn he had to blitz forward to eliminate the last two tanks but it didn't happen. Another fun, close game. Nice scenario! In this one I think the German has to throw his infantry forward very aggressively to scout out the russian HIP tanks with his panzers being shy at first. The russian infantry is very brittle and if pushed hard the German infantry can then force the russian tanks to defend themselves, freeing up a quick blitz by the german tanks. 2-0
Round 3 YASL7 Making a Break for It vs Lou Serio
We picked out this nice infantry only (ok a 20L gun too) scenario. Lou's brits need to exit 7 of 15 SE of 648's while my 20L(4), 4x658 and 10x447 try to hold them off. Four of the 447 get to be predesignated as fanatic. a +1 LV at all ranges makes fire less effective than normal.
I set up forward a bit heavy on my right (the woods board) with most of my 447's and leaders. The gun and three 658's plus three 447's held the left (city) board with some initial open ground.
BT1 Lou entered with most of his concealed troops on the woods board and some in the center. a few concealed counters entered on my far left. I ran a half squad up to the far left concealed counters to confirm they were dummies. we exchanged some inconsequential fire in the center and I formed a line three hexes back from the brits in the woods. Meanwhile my left hand troops were racing to get around behind the woods to backstop the troops there.
BT2 Lou cautiously moved up and then advanced next to the german line in the woods. In the center he moved his troops quite aggressively and had three stacked half squads break on a 8 flat shot. I moved my germans back and then advanced a couple concealed until next to his big stacks in the woods.
BT3 Lou found out the german front line was a 6+1 and a 8-1. He did aggressively move three 648's through a hole in my line and got around behind my woods defenders forcing several to surrender. A nasty 19-1 (-2) close combat killed my studly 6+1, but the leader managed to avoid being ambushed and thus prevented a critical post-CC infiltration!
BT4 and 5 Lou engaged the germans reinforcing the line but didn't manage to blow a hole in them. BT6 the brits had 11 squads within distance of the exit but couldn't blast a prep fire hole through the human shield (again) of defenders. Lou had the right idea to concentrate his attack but wasn't quite aggressive enough to push through. A fun game with a very nice guy. 3-0
Round 4 AP123 Busting in Balta vs Paul Anderson
Paul is a vet with great Army stories. This big scenario featured 24 defending 447's with lots of MG's, mortars and a few T26 tanks vs a very nasty group of 7 838's and 16 548's with three(!) FT's, 5 DC's two MMG's and an off board 105. The 105 has some funky support abilities. I thought it's radio observer could fire HE directly from his hex with just a +2. This is nasty for the russian tanks as the HE TK is a 10 vs 1 or 3 AF. Some other players thought it could only Area fire. My gun didn't actually accomplish anything other than to discourage russian cross-building movement. Also Paul and I felt the designated fords didn't have to roll for adjacent marsh bog which others interpreted differently.
The germans come at the russians from two sides while the russians can start entrenched. This is critical as the russians need to strategically place entrenchments in and around the main line to provide rout paths and lateral movement. The russians have decent ranged firepower while the germans need to traverse a lot of roads and have relatively poor firepower outside of 5 hexes. The germans have tremendous short range FP though vis the FT's, 838s, AE smoke and CC capability. The russians need to keep them at arms length and maintain a sold front line (two commissars help that). I think this requires a really solid preparation by the Russian.
Paul setup six squads far forward vs one of my entering groups. They managed to KIA two 548's moving in the open (and break the 9-2 and a bunch of other squads) but were all lost with a minimal delay. The highlight on that side was a 7-0/447 berserk charge into several FT and 20+ FP shots.
On the other flank an open lane allowed me to charge up the 10-2 with support near the large stone building on that flank. RT2 we had a face off on the three hex building with an 838/FT in one hex, a 10-2/548/LMG/238 in another and what turned out to be a 10-0 3x447 and MMG. The russians prep fired a 30+3 and got a 1 MC which the 10-2 and stack passed. Then the FT lit them up with a 3 DR on the 24 flat (2KIA).
By that time the russians had lost 11 of 24 squads and Paul tossed in the towel. An interesting scenario that defintaley has a big learning curve, especially for a Russian defense. 4-0
Round 5 FrF89 Red Tears Shed on Gray vs. Gary Mei
Gary is a great friend and regular local opponent. Gary and I had both lost this scenario at Albany in December so were quite familiar with it. 16 Rumanian squads with 3 Pz35's need to take half the factory locations from 11 (mostly conscript) squads supported by a 37L ATG (9TK vs 6 frontal AF) and an HE only 76 ART. One location can be fortified to provide a setup spot for the ART. One MMC can be HIP. On turn 4 the russians get two BA-6 45L trucks with four 527's and a 328/DC. The central orchard splits the battlefield into two distinct halves with the required 10 factory locations on each side.
Gary setup strong in the front right (from my perspective) factory and strong on my left near the board edge. Two stacks of three units (and some counter counting) told me just a 426 was HIP. The center of the board was fairly empty, invited a central blitz. I assume this AT gun covered the main road's entry in the VC board and the ART gun was in one of the three hexes of the front left factory. I decided to attack on my right with a few unsupported squads taking position in the center to hinder redeployment. The tanks moved from offbaord with one taking up what I thought would be a safe spot to fire on the HIP 426 revealed int he center (who had ELR'd a squad of mine). The rest of my units moved into position across the street from the factory with only one squad breaking. In DFF Gary reveled the gun to be in the rear looking down the central road and pivoted it to fire on my tank, missing it without ROF.
RusT1 Gary skulked the 10-0/447/MMG out of the factory to the rear, leaving just two 426 in the factory, with one in a rear hex of it. The ATG rolled an 11 to miss his acquired tank. My MMG fire group managed to disrupt the formerly HIP 426.
RumT2 I moved two tanks first, drawing resid from the forward 426. I dashed one 347/DC into the factory stairwell symbol to gain control of the entry location (and scouting for the ART piece), but breaking on the 8 flat shot. My first tank moved into the hex with 5 MP remaining so it moved into the 426's adjacent hex (to millet its fire and be in position to fire across to the next factory). Lo and behold Gary reveals that that is the ART gun/fort location I just breached. The gun remains concealed (via PAATC) so I stop and fire my 12+2 MG shot without effect. Next I move up my second tank into the other 426's hex (it's nice that factories have no cellar) and passing the bog roll. I run up another 347/DC, survive the 4+2 reside (one rules learning is that factory residual takes +3 TEM DRM if entering from outside or moving in bypass but only the factory +1 residual TEM if moving entirely inside the the factory location) and places a DC on the gun/426 which breaks them in advancing fire and starts a flame (and one pip away from rubbling the factory - which would have been a disaster due to the lost tank and VC location!). Meanwhile I use two AE to place smoke grenades for cover for my tank in the ATGs LOS but it still manages to hit and immobilize that tank, effectively a mission kill although still covering the road to prevent lateral infiltration. I break the second forward 426 and also break the FT on its first shot, but still reduce the broken 426 to a 226. The 226 and 228 fail their interdiction so three squads and one gun down to one immobilized tank, plus one 347 KIA, and one broken 336 who never rallied.
RusT2 The ATG switches to firing at infantry and breaks one 347/MM
G. The 10-0/447 risk a 12+2 to exit the second factory and the 10-0 breaks.
Rum T3 The 10-0 fails to self rally in the rear (3rd) right factory. I take the second factory and swing two tanks around adjacent to the 3rd factory. Gary malfunctions the medium taking a point blank side shot (vs 1 side hull armor). One 347 in the street next to the ATG goes berserk in final fire, ironically preventing advance into CC. The 447/(malfMMG) breaks in ADvfire. The 10-0, 447 and one 426 die due to FTR. Now just a concealed 426 and the 37L gun crew remain in the last block.
Rus T3 The gun crew breaks but can rout across the street.
Rum T4 I prep fire both tanks and break the remaining 426 but also malf one of the MA's. This is serious as the two BA6's enter Rus T4. I move up my infantry to surround my tanks and hug the board edge woods, anticipating the best entry point for the russian reinforcements.
Rus T4 Gary decide
s to go for broke and enters the two Ba-6's and his infantry right up and through my tanks and infantry. He figures is he can win the tank battle then his AC's have a good chance to clear out the rumanian infantry and blast a path for his 527's to take back one hex. I think he made a good choice. I fail repair the broken MA. His AC's enter first and the first one enters my tank's hex. I miss my shot and he misses his. His MG fire manages to BU my tank. I intensive fire, needing a 3 TH and 10 to break the gun, and manage NE for a second in-hex acquisition. I shoot about six shots of MG fire at the AC, but roll low for TH/rate and high for TK. The second tank advfires at my tank (needing a 6 TH thanks to small target size) and rolls a 7. Gary manages to avoid rolling the one which would mean he shot his own tank by mistake! Gary advances his infantry on board concealed. Rum T5 I fail to repair my MA. My tank fires at the in hex BA-6 needing a 9 TH. I roll snakes to burn the AC and keep rate. Now I need an 8 TH on the adjacent AC (9 or 10 TK). I hit and kill it. Gary concedes. 5-0
I was lucky to find and neutralize Gary's ART gun/fortified location without loss. I was also lucky to get about 5 infantry smokes and to not bog on my two entries of factory hexes. The terrain and VC naturally divide up the defenders allowing a high attacker/defender ratio and it's tough to reposition. The VC are tough and if the rumanians haven't taken their last factory by Russian turn 4 they will have a hard time doing so vs. the reinforcements. I think this is a great scenario and would be happy to take either side.
Thanks again to the organizers and my most excellent opponents for a great time!
Paul
