Mike205
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Doug recently bought Quick Six IV so we decided to head over to the western front circa May 1940. It was a welcome respite from the cold, icy hills of North Korea.
We really like these Quick Six packs- they allow us to still get in a game even if life gets hectic. Every scenario is played on one board and within six turns, which keeps things concise. They're also refreshingly straight forward and usually lack any SSRs. However, they still provide some stimulating tactical possibilities. The scenario we chose, French Spirit, is a great example their versaility- both of us would attack and defend and our forces wound up being spread all over the map. It also threw us some crazy twists and turns.
Set during the German invasion of France in 1940, Wehrmacht forces have recently crossed the Oise-Asine Canal, threatening the flanks of the 87th African division. Its up to my Algerians to capture a key crossroads from the 1st German Mountain Infantry regiment. The game is set on board 2a, and I'll need to make sure that any hex thats within a two hex radius of H7 is free from Germans by the end of turn six.
To accomplish the mission, I started with 5 x 4-5-7s, a 1-2-7, 60mm mtr, & 8-1. These guys will set up on any level two hill hex east of hexrow G. On turn 1 they're bolstered by 6 x 4-5-7s, a lmg, 9-1 & 8-0 that come on board between Q6 & Q 15. Turn 2 I receive 2 FT 17C tanks and a FT 17M. French ELR is a 3, SAN is a 2.
Facing my Algerians were Doug's mountain infantry. Intially he received 4 x 4-6-7s, lmg, mtr, 8-0, and a dr +3 of dummies. On turn 1 he'd be reinforced by
7 x 4-6-7-s, a lmg, mtr, and atr with a 7-0 and 9-1 leader coming in on the north edge. ELR was 3, SAN 3.
Looking at the map, I'd need to consider where to place blocking positions, and how many squads to assign to them. At first I considered K15 and M15 to close off the road, but thought that I'd need to bring more troops to bear on the village and decided to try to capture it before settling in to repel a counterattack. I placed most of my starting OB near the B5 road cut, where my tanks would have to come in. On turn 1 I'd sweep part of my reinforcements around to the south and hit the village from the flank, and send another force up the Q6-L10 road to complete the encirclement. I kept my mortar and a squad on the far part of the E13 ridge with the idea the mortar might get lucky supporting the attack or that these troops could block a sneak drive north to south across the ridge.
Things started fairly well- turn 1 passed with both sides manuvering. Doug got off a few ineffective shots and I was able to get forces into position to hit the village from the east, south east, and southwest. The only issue I had was that my guys weren't able to cross the K10 bridge and were stopped cold by a 4-6-7 holding the north end of the village. The 8-0 and one squad pinned so I decided to fall back. Doug came in roughly as planned. One force toting the lmg and atr led by the 9-1 came barreling down the I20 road but then took a left turn and drove into K15. One squad later moved into the gully. His other troops came in across the ridge and were considerably slowed down by the terrain.
Turn 2 saw us exchanging more fire all over the map, mostly to no effect. I was able to move two concealed squads within striking distance of his squad and lmg HS in level 1 of F7 but one wound up breaking. An epic fight would take place in this building during the next two turns. The squad that survived two blasts of point blank defensive fired battle hardened into an elite unit in German turn 2. French turn 3 I'd manage to pin the troops upstairs but two squads and a 9-1 who ran across the street and up the stairs broke in the face of their defensive fire. One squad would degrade to Green. The Germans held off two French squads until Turn 4, when a surviving HS took out my elite squad in melee. Somewhere in all this, Doug's mortar crew went beserk and evaporated while charging two Algerian squads and their lmg.
By Putting on the Animal You Become the Animal
While I was able to mop up the village by Turn four, I was in real trouble on the ridgeline, where four German squads were steadily pushing my 4-5-7 and mortar crew back. Under a rain of 50 mm mortar shells my squad finally broke, was cas reduced, turned Green, but then battle hardened back to a 1st line HS.
By the bottom of turn four, Doug had pretty much cleared the ridge and gotten close to the village. I didn't have anyone on that side that could really support my mortar crew, except for .... the tanks.
Let's talk about these tanks for a minute. Look at that thing. I guess FT stood for "full throttle" top speed of 5 movement, red numbers, 1 armor factors, and one had a cmg while the other two sported 37*s. They never managed to do aannnnything.
By turn 5 our battle line ran roughly N11-I8-G8-E9-E6 with neither side able to do much of anything. Doug, being Doug, naturally did the unthinkable. He rallied a 4-6-7 and assault moved/advanced into H9. Despite all my efforts- point blank 37 shots, point blank small arms fire. Fire groups with an lmg across the street directed by a 9-1 leader, they survived and my closest squad pinned, nixing the opportunity to try to get them in CC.
According to the VC, the French have to clear every building within two hexes of H7 of Germans. H9 was exactly two hexes away. Doug suffered around 60% casualties but hey, a win's a win, a win. I should have paid closer attention and moved a squad into H9 when I had the chance. Under pressure in the middle some crazy game play I for some reason decided G8 was a great place to place a squad and that if I needed to, I could scoot next door. I just didn't put as much stock in Doug's adacity as I should have.
Thanks LCN for a great, whiplash scenario! We don't play enough early war scenarios and this was a good reminder that we need to change that. There's a ton of replayability in this one and it clocked in at around three hours. Super manageable, easy to finish, straight forward in terms of rules, but still offers up great tactical variety and some intriguing tactical decisions. This would be a great intro scenario for a new player too.
We really like these Quick Six packs- they allow us to still get in a game even if life gets hectic. Every scenario is played on one board and within six turns, which keeps things concise. They're also refreshingly straight forward and usually lack any SSRs. However, they still provide some stimulating tactical possibilities. The scenario we chose, French Spirit, is a great example their versaility- both of us would attack and defend and our forces wound up being spread all over the map. It also threw us some crazy twists and turns.
Set during the German invasion of France in 1940, Wehrmacht forces have recently crossed the Oise-Asine Canal, threatening the flanks of the 87th African division. Its up to my Algerians to capture a key crossroads from the 1st German Mountain Infantry regiment. The game is set on board 2a, and I'll need to make sure that any hex thats within a two hex radius of H7 is free from Germans by the end of turn six.
To accomplish the mission, I started with 5 x 4-5-7s, a 1-2-7, 60mm mtr, & 8-1. These guys will set up on any level two hill hex east of hexrow G. On turn 1 they're bolstered by 6 x 4-5-7s, a lmg, 9-1 & 8-0 that come on board between Q6 & Q 15. Turn 2 I receive 2 FT 17C tanks and a FT 17M. French ELR is a 3, SAN is a 2.
Facing my Algerians were Doug's mountain infantry. Intially he received 4 x 4-6-7s, lmg, mtr, 8-0, and a dr +3 of dummies. On turn 1 he'd be reinforced by
7 x 4-6-7-s, a lmg, mtr, and atr with a 7-0 and 9-1 leader coming in on the north edge. ELR was 3, SAN 3.
Looking at the map, I'd need to consider where to place blocking positions, and how many squads to assign to them. At first I considered K15 and M15 to close off the road, but thought that I'd need to bring more troops to bear on the village and decided to try to capture it before settling in to repel a counterattack. I placed most of my starting OB near the B5 road cut, where my tanks would have to come in. On turn 1 I'd sweep part of my reinforcements around to the south and hit the village from the flank, and send another force up the Q6-L10 road to complete the encirclement. I kept my mortar and a squad on the far part of the E13 ridge with the idea the mortar might get lucky supporting the attack or that these troops could block a sneak drive north to south across the ridge.
Things started fairly well- turn 1 passed with both sides manuvering. Doug got off a few ineffective shots and I was able to get forces into position to hit the village from the east, south east, and southwest. The only issue I had was that my guys weren't able to cross the K10 bridge and were stopped cold by a 4-6-7 holding the north end of the village. The 8-0 and one squad pinned so I decided to fall back. Doug came in roughly as planned. One force toting the lmg and atr led by the 9-1 came barreling down the I20 road but then took a left turn and drove into K15. One squad later moved into the gully. His other troops came in across the ridge and were considerably slowed down by the terrain.
Turn 2 saw us exchanging more fire all over the map, mostly to no effect. I was able to move two concealed squads within striking distance of his squad and lmg HS in level 1 of F7 but one wound up breaking. An epic fight would take place in this building during the next two turns. The squad that survived two blasts of point blank defensive fired battle hardened into an elite unit in German turn 2. French turn 3 I'd manage to pin the troops upstairs but two squads and a 9-1 who ran across the street and up the stairs broke in the face of their defensive fire. One squad would degrade to Green. The Germans held off two French squads until Turn 4, when a surviving HS took out my elite squad in melee. Somewhere in all this, Doug's mortar crew went beserk and evaporated while charging two Algerian squads and their lmg.
By Putting on the Animal You Become the Animal
While I was able to mop up the village by Turn four, I was in real trouble on the ridgeline, where four German squads were steadily pushing my 4-5-7 and mortar crew back. Under a rain of 50 mm mortar shells my squad finally broke, was cas reduced, turned Green, but then battle hardened back to a 1st line HS.
By the bottom of turn four, Doug had pretty much cleared the ridge and gotten close to the village. I didn't have anyone on that side that could really support my mortar crew, except for .... the tanks.
Let's talk about these tanks for a minute. Look at that thing. I guess FT stood for "full throttle" top speed of 5 movement, red numbers, 1 armor factors, and one had a cmg while the other two sported 37*s. They never managed to do aannnnything.
By turn 5 our battle line ran roughly N11-I8-G8-E9-E6 with neither side able to do much of anything. Doug, being Doug, naturally did the unthinkable. He rallied a 4-6-7 and assault moved/advanced into H9. Despite all my efforts- point blank 37 shots, point blank small arms fire. Fire groups with an lmg across the street directed by a 9-1 leader, they survived and my closest squad pinned, nixing the opportunity to try to get them in CC.
According to the VC, the French have to clear every building within two hexes of H7 of Germans. H9 was exactly two hexes away. Doug suffered around 60% casualties but hey, a win's a win, a win. I should have paid closer attention and moved a squad into H9 when I had the chance. Under pressure in the middle some crazy game play I for some reason decided G8 was a great place to place a squad and that if I needed to, I could scoot next door. I just didn't put as much stock in Doug's adacity as I should have.
Thanks LCN for a great, whiplash scenario! We don't play enough early war scenarios and this was a good reminder that we need to change that. There's a ton of replayability in this one and it clocked in at around three hours. Super manageable, easy to finish, straight forward in terms of rules, but still offers up great tactical variety and some intriguing tactical decisions. This would be a great intro scenario for a new player too.
