Penny Packets--GKElln Scenario Bulge packet brief AAR

[Markdv5208]

Played this one last night with my FTF opponent Jeff DY.

We only played 3 turns of this, b/c of the just utter frustration Jeff faced--which I don't blame him for--

PRE GAME
I centered the pre game bombardment around the Koresh compound (whoever thought up that one deserves a free beer with his Spuddy)

I rolled a TON Of dice, and only rubbled two building hexes, a wooden blg and a 1st level stone bldg hex.

I also created a rousing ONE shell hole

I whined, and whimpered, and complained about how essentially worthless the OBA shots were. Jeff kept his poker face, b/c little did I know but one of those rubbled hexes now contained a KIA 9-1, 238 HS and a HMG....all now gooey goo and blood and guts b/c of my pre game bombardment.

TURN 1
TONS of firepower exerted on the german front lines
Had a CRIT with a 60mm MTR vs. a 548 in woods, entrenched.
NET DRM -3
Effects roll--a three MORE KIA GERMANS

Jeff in his DFPH revealed the 81mm, which in turn dropped tons of rounds on two of my 60mm teams, ELRing them to green units.


I also CCd a 238 HS and captured him, who upon interrogation promptly told me to F--- off ie rolled a 9 on the interrogation roll.
Some people are just ungrateful...

He tries some fires, but the joy of the US in this scenario is TONS of firepower.....and TONS of troops to deliver same

He did a 81mm shot at a 7-0smc, and two 666s,
LOST ROF, but rolled a 5 on the effect, and all my troops broke (but did not ELR)
Turns out that was the last damage he did to me....

Turn 2
I get the FLAK tracks.
COOL.....great looking toys, with fantastic amounts of firepower.....

I can just imagine those .50cal rounds hitting an orchard hex, providing LOTS of kindling on the ground and KIAing LOTS of germans

Each time I fired one of these vehicles, I got some nasty effect out of it ie MC 1 or better.
Even morale 8 INF can't stand up to that for long

By turn 3, Jeff was so demoralized that he conceded.
It didn't help his personal morale that his other HIP unit, a 238 with PSK in a brush hex along the board 43 road, had a FLAK track roll into his hex.
He rolls his PAATC--9 failed
I fire at him with the FLAK track using the 12 AAMG (2 .50cals next to each other?)
I roll a 5--2mc--he rolls a 10 BREAK

I advancing fire with my 9-1 and two 666s at long range no less
I roll a 5-with the minus 1 a MC 1
He rolls a 11 KIA the broken HS

Jeff concedes, and tells me about my pregame bombardment.


I think Jeff had the right scheme of manuever ie a group of HS in the Koresh compound and up front to annoy my advance, and a FESTUNG adjacent to 42I8 (two of the victory bldgs)

When the PANTHER would have arrived on turn 6, he then hopes to duke it out over those last two bldgs.

BUT, the Germans have to be willing to take an ass beating in this scenario up to that point b/c of the AWESOME amount of US firepower.

Peace through firesuperiority, right?

I'd play it again as either side, but Jeff said he'd rather
a-watch a NBA game
b-become a homosexual
c-vote for Howard Dean

Before he plays this scenario again as either side....

WEll, sometimes you get blown out, and sometimes you blow the other guy out....er, someting like that...

HOPE EVERYONE is well out there in ASL land...

Mark

 

[Chas Argent]

b-become a homosexual

I'm sure this kind of comment is funny to some drunk cow-tippers somewhere, but not to me. Keep this crap to yourself please.

 

[George Kelln]

Penny Packets AAR

Mark Thanks for the AAR;

Too bad about the blow out, during playtesting I wiped out the American halftracks with the 81mm Mortar HMG combo. How you may wonder well, I would either hit them first hit them the HMG then 81mm mortar or vice versa.

The HMG firing at them with 7+1 and 7+2 (leadership), with ROF and 7 morale crews, not too difficult, to stun them or wait for the 81mm to force then to bail out.

As for the 81mm once it got warmed up and began hitting with 8FP +0 (+2 CE -1 for OT AFV -1 for AF =<4) those 7-morale crews where bailing out only to be shreadded by the HMG and they didn't then they were Shock/Stunned or blown up really good.

I also have a couple questions in reference to the CH vs 3 x 5-4-8.

In sequential random selection to see who took the critical hit, did your opponent roll the same number for all three? If not then only one takes the CH and suffers the 12-3 while the the remainder suffer 6+3 attack.

Once more thanks for AAR and remeber;

Roll low and hope for the best.

George

 

[Brian W]

Re: Penny Packets AAR

As for the 81mm once it got warmed up and began hitting with 8FP +0 (+2 CE -1 for OT AFV -1 for AF =<4) those 7-morale crews where bailing out only to be shreadded by the HMG and they didn't then they were Shock/Stunned or blown up really good.

Crews in AFV always get +2 CE DRM against indirect fire [EXC: Air Bursts]. The vehicle has a -2 DRM against it for the reasons you listed above but that -2 DRM is not added to the CE DRM against the crew--it is only applied against the vehicle. This means that an orignial DR6 will Shock/Immobilize the vehicle and (in the case of an immobilization) cause a NMC against the crew if the crew is CE. If the crew is BU, there is no direct affect on the crew [EXC: Air Bursts].

Unless there is some special SSR about it?

 

[Markdv5208]

It was only 1 5-4-8 squad that ate a CH....

Jeff swears that this one is a dog...

I think that the trick to it is to have a festung around the entry area for the Panther.

Yes, that concedes a lot of ground, but the US firepower is just SO impressive, and the only way I can see of negating that as the Germans is making it a close in fight...

Of course, it sucks to give that much ground...

 

[George Kelln]

Mark;

During playtesting I played the German three times and the US once against some average players AREA rated players (1600-1800). I won twice as the German and once as the US, but in the AAR against my US opponents, made mention that originally two 81mm mortars where too powerful vs US Halftracks as in two of three playings I shocked and destroyed 3 of the 4 halftrack using the 81mm Mortar/HMG combo, now I didn't have one of my HMG and 9-1 leader knocked out but I did lose on average of 2 to 2.5 squads in the bombardment, which was also reduced in size.

In my playing as the US I set up my halftracks at 17+ hex ranges and combined them on everything. Even though their IFE was reduced it was enough to unhinge the German defence. The US squads suffer heavy in this one especially trying to get across the open ground.

So a dog, well I don't know, I really enjoyed and would play either side, but would prefer the Germans as it is a challenge setting up the defence and watching the US whine when his 6-morale squads are failling apart before his eyes.

But Mark, keep the AARs coming.

George

 

[Markdv5208]

Jeff swears it's a dog...

But I say it's doable as a scenario.

It didn't help his cause that the pre game bombardment zapped a HMG and 9-1smc....

Tell you what, if I ever get to ASLOK again, and you're there, we'll get a playing in....

Rootbeer is on me...

Your scenarios are fantastic, IMHO...

Mark

 

[George Kelln]

Mark;

If I managed to get some time off I will see there, mostly next year (hopefully).

As for taking a pounding, well the scenario does appear that way and the US has the firepower, but that 6-morale just suck so it is a bit of a balance, as the American must try to duke it out, the range helps all that running about in the open tends to shorten their life spans. Meanwhile the German can take a bit more of a pounding with their 8-morale but the 5-hex range hinders him, the LMGs does give a bit more punch as does the HMG. The 81mm Mortars can ruin those halftrack's day and usually will at least force to BU and then not able to fire.

I as I mentioned before I enjoyed this one and I thing both sides must stick this one out, as early set backs can be expected and if the players personal morale break then they will lose the game.

Once more keep those AAR coming.