Ozerekya Breakout (OzB) CG

[DonHalsey44]

Gentlemen: Newbie here. About to start Ozerekya Breakout - a few questions about set up:
Page 5 under 'Initial Soviet order of battle states that Soviet forces enter 'on or after turn one on the south edge of the mapboard'
Just checking, but are these forces subject to defensive fire at their hex of entry?
Can Soviet NOBA be plotted to any hex - regardless of LOS?
Page 13: The Soviets have the option of a (G4) 105 battery. Can this land ashore on the first turn? How would it move? (understand it could be moved during the ConPh)
I am confused by the 'spotter aircraft' references. Can you buy one of these?
As the Soviets have no on-board spotting for their Naval artillery - would any Romanian units be visible before the Soviets enter the mapboard?
Thanks Again!
Don Deibler

 

[=FC=Gorgon]

Gentlemen: Newbie here. About to start Ozerekya Breakout - a few questions about set up:
Thanks Again!
Don Deibler

Hi Don,

I'll do my best to answer your questions:

Page 5 under 'Initial Soviet order of battle states that Soviet forces enter 'on or after turn one on the south edge of the mapboard'
Just checking, but are these forces subject to defensive fire at their hex of entry?

Of course. If the entry hex in LOS of the enemy, it can be shot at.

Can Soviet NOBA be plotted to any hex - regardless of LOS?
I am confused by the 'spotter aircraft' references. Can you buy one of these?

B1.11 Russian NOBA Fire Missions: The pre-reg hex of these missions does not require LOS. Note, this only does a single mission (FFE 1/2/C) and then it is done. The 'regular' NOBA (O1 + O2) requires a spotter but the only option is via spotter plane (E7.6). You get the spotter plane "for free". Tip: you may want to consider buying Combat Air Patrol (S1) in this case since the spotter plane can be shot down by enemy fighters.

Page 13: The Soviets have the option of a (G4) 105 battery. Can this land ashore on the first turn? How would it move? (understand it could be moved during the ConPh)

The 105 ART could setup onboard if extra TP was spent for that. Otherwise it needs to be pushed around.

As the Soviets have no on-board spotting for their Naval artillery - would any Romanian units be visible before the Soviets enter the mapboard?

If you are referring to the B1.11 Russian NOBA Fire Missions, and I guess on the first day, it doesn't really matter. The Fire Mission pre-reg hex is chosen before all setup. In short, you put it where you plan on attacking and move into that spot after it lifts. Any enemy there will hopefully be softened up.

I hope that helps,
MikeS

 

[Tim Niesen]

Do spotters in general, or simply spotters in this campaign game, not roll for battery access? I always assumed that a spotter was simply a man with a radio out of LOS. And that all had to roll for battery access.

 

[=FC=Gorgon]

Do spotters in general, or simply spotters in this campaign game, not roll for battery access? I always assumed that a spotter was simply a man with a radio out of LOS. And that all had to roll for battery access.

OBA 'on the ground' and 'in the air' must roll for radio/phone contact. All spotters must draw a chit for battery access. Thus, only off board observers do not have to roll for radio access. Everyone must draw a chit, and get a black card, in order to proceed with the mission.

This CG has a the special fire missions, though. By SSR in the CG one picks a pre-reg before setup and it fires through 1 full mission (FFE:1, FFE:2 and FFE:C) starting on turn 1 Prep fire and then it's done.

 

[Tim Niesen]

Both the Soviets as well as the Axis have the ability to purchase air assets. On the Axis side, are there distinctions between the airplanes of the allies? Are there any turns limits other than the end of each session? Tim

 

[=FC=Gorgon]

Both the Soviets as well as the Axis have the ability to purchase air assets. On the Axis side, are there distinctions between the airplanes of the allies? Are there any turns limits other than the end of each session? Tim

I'm afraid I do not understand the questions.

 

[Tim Niesen]

Rephrase. Are the Axis aircraft all Rumanian. All German aircraft? There seems to be no limit to there presence other than the end of the session. Tim

 

[=FC=Gorgon]

Rephrase. Are the Axis aircraft all Rumanian. All German aircraft? There seems to be no limit to there presence other than the end of the session. Tim

I believe all of the aircraft are German. Maybe George can clarify that (but it won't affect the game either way).

You definitely need to read up on chapter E7 Air Support. However, arrival is not per E7.2 but rather per TM23 - Air Support and the purchase annex determines how many aircraft show up; the exception being an Observation Plane of which only 1 ever shows up. Once the planes arrive, they are present for the rest of the scenario unless, destroyed, recalled, etc.

I hope that helps.

 

[Tim Niesen]

Yes. That helps. So the limit is not each of the eight sessions but rather the entire campaign game?

 

[Tim Niesen]

Of course, since they are German are they limited to those turns in which the German forces are available? Or can they operate all eight sessions?

 

[=FC=Gorgon]

Yes. That helps. So the limit is not each of the eight sessions but rather the entire campaign game?

You can only purchase so many aircraft throughout the whole campaign (don't have that chart handy). Each purchase will get you 1 or more aircraft on the actual tactical mission, depending on the dice.

Personally as the Russians, I always bought a fighter group when I bought OBA (not the special fire mission stuff). I did not want to risk my Observation plane getting shot down so I bought the fighters to provide cover. Of course my OBA was not very effective as the Observation Plane always showed up late for me.

Of course, since they are German are they limited to those turns in which the German forces are available? Or can they operate all eight sessions?

That is how we played it.

 

[Eagle4ty]

OBA 'on the ground' and 'in the air' must roll for radio/phone contact. All spotters must draw a chit for battery access. Thus, only off board observers do not have to roll for radio access. Everyone must draw a chit, and get a black card, in order to proceed with the mission.

This CG has a the special fire missions, though. By SSR in the CG one picks a pre-reg before setup and it fires through 1 full mission (FFE:1, FFE:2 and FFE:C) starting on turn 1 Prep fire and then it's done.

Spotters almost NEVER have to draw a chit for Battery Access as they normally spot for adjacent on-board Mortars and I never seen them spot for an entire battery,

 

[Tim Niesen]

It is my lack of clarity. I was referring to OBA off board observers rather than spotters for on board mortars. I usually put my 82mm mortars as direct fire weapons. The increased vulnerability is made up for by their increased rate of fire. Three is so much better than two.

 

[rdw5150]

The following errata was added to the Lone Canuck errata page sometime back, possibly after you already began your game.

Tactical Mission Special Rule - OzB D5.18 Flames/Blazes/Burning Wrecks: For each Flame counter on the map make a dr; on a 1-4, extinguish (remove) the Flame; and on a 5-6, turn over each Flame to become a Blaze and place a Pin counter on it. Extinguish (remove) any non-pinned Blaze; if terrain in an extinguished Blaze hex is a building, cover it with the appropriate Rubble counter. Cover any non-building extinguished Blaze hex (eliminating any Fortifications in the hex) with a Shellhole counter and treat as Open Ground. Remove Pin counters from any Blazes.

NOTE: This modification is meant to reduce chance of forest fires raging across the map.

Never saw the Errata and bailed on the CG as the entire (OK not the entire, but most of it) Forest on the Russian left was on fire..........

I was surprised that this did not come up in PT as its pretty easy thing to have happen.

Thanks for posting

Peace

Roger

 

[rdw5150]

great AAR, I am sorry I missed reading through as the action played out.

Peace

Roger

 

[George Kelln]

Both the Soviets as well as the Axis have the ability to purchase air assets. On the Axis side, are there distinctions between the airplanes of the allies? Are there any turns limits other than the end of each session? Tim

The Game doesn't make a difference between German and Romanian Aircraft other that Fighter (F), Fighter-Bomber (FB), Stuka (DB), and the Year (39, 42, & 44); so there is Axis and Allied Air Support.

No Turn limits.

 

[Tim Niesen]

After I posted my question, I thought about it and realized that there are no Axis Minor country airplane counters. There should be, for the Romanian Air Force at least had a substantial effect upon the Southern Front and the Black Sea.

 

[George Kelln]

Air Forces in the area, which covered not only the Glebovka valley, but Tsemesskaya Bay where the larger and main Battle for Novorossysk was being fought:

Russians
Black Sea Fleet Aviation = 14 Squadrons (Sqn)
Fighter Units: 3 Sqn I-16, 2 Sqn Yak-7, 2 Sqn LaGG-3, 2 Sqn P-39; and
Bomber Units: 1 Sqn IL-2 Sturmovik, 1 Sqn SB-2b, 2 Sqn Pe-2, 1 Sqn A-20

5th Soviet Air Army = 3 Squadrons
Fighter Units: 1 Sqn Yak-7; and
Bomber Units: 1 Sqn IL-2 Sturmovik, 1 Sqn Pe-2

Not to Scale

 

[George Kelln]

Axis:

German VIII Air Corps = 12 Squadrons
Fighter Units: 4 Sqn Me-109; and
Bomber Units: 3 Sqn Ju-87 Stuka, 5 Sqn Ju-88

 

[=FC=Gorgon]

The Game doesn't make a difference between German and Romanian Aircraft other that Fighter (F), Fighter-Bomber (FB), Stuka (DB), and the Year (39, 42, & 44); so there is Axis and Allied Air Support.

No Turn limits.

I think Tim was asking the Axis aircraft nationality to see if it was possible to buy aircraft before one can purchase German units (ie, it's Romanian aircraft). I personally played as if it was German aircraft and therefore could not purchase until one could buy German units.