George Kelln
Elder Member
Q24 Moldavian Precursor playtest v. Ernie Cameron; patriotic Russian farmers save their collective farm from the invading Romanian horde.
The Russian (9-1, 9-0, 4x 4-4-7, 7x 4-2-6, 2x MMG, & 5x Wire) set up in the collective farm: (I5-J5) single story two-hex barn surrounded by 9x huts – yes, the PTO type of huts. The plan is to laydown some fire lanes to the MMG boresight hexes (C3 & M1) hoping to funnel the Romanians into the middle and not allowing them to flank around either side. The Russian strongpoint was the barn, which was also the only wooden building (+2 TEM) on board; the other single-hex buildings are huts (+1 TEM and a +1 Hindrance).
The Romanian horde (9-1, 8-1, 7-0, 16x 3-4-7, 4x LMG, 2x MMG) spreads out across the entire, west (bottom) edge of the board. The Romanian plan was as I suspected, flank around the ends of the Russian defence and come in from the grain fields on the right flank to capture the (H6-I7-I8-H8-H9) line of huts. Simultaneously flank around the left side to capture the (L7, K6, & K9) huts. In the centre, the Romanians fire base (9-1, 2x MMG, & 2x 1-3-7) would laydown suppressive fire on the barn while 3-4 Romanians squads moved up along the grainfields on either side of the (I1-H4) road.
The first two turns it looked like the Romanian green wave would easily roll over the Russians, as they closed with the barn and flanked around the sides. However, that is when things started to go awry.
First, in the centre, the Romanians had 3x squads hung up on the (H4 & I4) wire; the firebase got a bit anxious and pushed forward to (H2), hoping to engage the Russian 9-1, MMG, & 4-4-7 in the (J5) barn that was holding up the advance. The Russian fired first at the fire base (8FP+0) and managed to break the 9-1 Leader and the HS, and CR the other HS. The 2 squads hung up on the (H4) wire were broken and eliminated for failure to rout and in the following turn the squad hung up on the (I4) wire was broken but managed to rout back to the (J0) woods. The 9-1 leader was then eliminated by the only Russian sniper attack during the entire game (SAN 4 rolled 3-4 times) and with that, the centre force was wiped out.
On the left flank, the advance was pinned down by MMG fire directed by the Commissar in the (L7) hut. Following up Romanian forces got held up in the (M5-O4) orchards trying to cross the road with 1½ squads finally managing to crawl into the (P5) grainfield. Unable to suppress the Commissar, MMG, & 4-4-7 in the (L7) hut, the Romanians attempted to redirect they attack toward the barn, but it was blunted and repulsed by the 9-1, MMG, & 4-4-7.
On the right flank, the Romanians managed to captured the (C5) hut, moved across the road into the grainfield, and start for the huts lining the road. Advancing through the grain and the orchards, the Romanians butted up against the Russian Conscripts that occupied the huts lining the road and were abruptly halted, losing 1½ to 2 squads in the attack.
By the end of Turn 4 of 5½ turns, the Romanians had suffered 13 CVP of a ceiling of 14; on the battlefield, half of their units were broken and they only managed to capture 1 hut. Conversely, the Russians had 9x GO Squads and both leaders and occupied the remaining buildings and huts. At this point Ernie conceded the game.
For the first two turns it looked like the Romanians would easily overwhelm the Russians for the victory; however, the wire held up the Romanian assault on the barn and the Russian firepower managed to break them on it. In addition, by closing up with the Russians, it brought them within range of the Conscript squad’s 4FP and the Romanians finally succumb to the numerous 1MC and NMC caused by the (4FP & 2FP -2, -1, +0, +1) attacks, which blunted the advance.
We’re back to Normandy and the next scenario involving Dutch Cota and his 29th Infantry Division.
The Russian (9-1, 9-0, 4x 4-4-7, 7x 4-2-6, 2x MMG, & 5x Wire) set up in the collective farm: (I5-J5) single story two-hex barn surrounded by 9x huts – yes, the PTO type of huts. The plan is to laydown some fire lanes to the MMG boresight hexes (C3 & M1) hoping to funnel the Romanians into the middle and not allowing them to flank around either side. The Russian strongpoint was the barn, which was also the only wooden building (+2 TEM) on board; the other single-hex buildings are huts (+1 TEM and a +1 Hindrance).
The Romanian horde (9-1, 8-1, 7-0, 16x 3-4-7, 4x LMG, 2x MMG) spreads out across the entire, west (bottom) edge of the board. The Romanian plan was as I suspected, flank around the ends of the Russian defence and come in from the grain fields on the right flank to capture the (H6-I7-I8-H8-H9) line of huts. Simultaneously flank around the left side to capture the (L7, K6, & K9) huts. In the centre, the Romanians fire base (9-1, 2x MMG, & 2x 1-3-7) would laydown suppressive fire on the barn while 3-4 Romanians squads moved up along the grainfields on either side of the (I1-H4) road.
The first two turns it looked like the Romanian green wave would easily roll over the Russians, as they closed with the barn and flanked around the sides. However, that is when things started to go awry.
First, in the centre, the Romanians had 3x squads hung up on the (H4 & I4) wire; the firebase got a bit anxious and pushed forward to (H2), hoping to engage the Russian 9-1, MMG, & 4-4-7 in the (J5) barn that was holding up the advance. The Russian fired first at the fire base (8FP+0) and managed to break the 9-1 Leader and the HS, and CR the other HS. The 2 squads hung up on the (H4) wire were broken and eliminated for failure to rout and in the following turn the squad hung up on the (I4) wire was broken but managed to rout back to the (J0) woods. The 9-1 leader was then eliminated by the only Russian sniper attack during the entire game (SAN 4 rolled 3-4 times) and with that, the centre force was wiped out.
On the left flank, the advance was pinned down by MMG fire directed by the Commissar in the (L7) hut. Following up Romanian forces got held up in the (M5-O4) orchards trying to cross the road with 1½ squads finally managing to crawl into the (P5) grainfield. Unable to suppress the Commissar, MMG, & 4-4-7 in the (L7) hut, the Romanians attempted to redirect they attack toward the barn, but it was blunted and repulsed by the 9-1, MMG, & 4-4-7.
On the right flank, the Romanians managed to captured the (C5) hut, moved across the road into the grainfield, and start for the huts lining the road. Advancing through the grain and the orchards, the Romanians butted up against the Russian Conscripts that occupied the huts lining the road and were abruptly halted, losing 1½ to 2 squads in the attack.
By the end of Turn 4 of 5½ turns, the Romanians had suffered 13 CVP of a ceiling of 14; on the battlefield, half of their units were broken and they only managed to capture 1 hut. Conversely, the Russians had 9x GO Squads and both leaders and occupied the remaining buildings and huts. At this point Ernie conceded the game.
For the first two turns it looked like the Romanians would easily overwhelm the Russians for the victory; however, the wire held up the Romanian assault on the barn and the Russian firepower managed to break them on it. In addition, by closing up with the Russians, it brought them within range of the Conscript squad’s 4FP and the Romanians finally succumb to the numerous 1MC and NMC caused by the (4FP & 2FP -2, -1, +0, +1) attacks, which blunted the advance.
We’re back to Normandy and the next scenario involving Dutch Cota and his 29th Infantry Division.