RO CG I Started

[sdennis]

That is a very long front line. Who has the most boots to cover that?

Russians by far... Germans (me) are in trouble... I might play it out for a while just to let my brother have some fun...

 

[Den589]

That is a very long front line. Who has the most boots to cover that?

I(the Russian) have I'm guessing around 90 squads at this point and I'm guessing Steve has around 60-70 German. I attacked today and got lucky on the setup and first move rolls, with Steve setting up first and also moving first. I am counter attacking over about half of the board with the goal being to take back some territory in the south as well as to eliminate the R32-R33 salient which is threatening the main factory area.

The first turn that did not go well for him that Steve is talking about went as follows. I was able to strip concealment from a couple guys in the R33 building and in my prep fire brought down 80mm OBA into a pre-reg at R33, in the most miraculous of OBA effects I have ever had, I ended up rubbling Q34 (rolled a 1; the only roll that could have caused rubble; after a snakeyes), which then was followed by a falling rubble roll of 6 (the only roll that would have caused falling rubble) with another lucky direction roll that hit R33 (the heaviest populated adjacent hex). This single event kills 2x4-6-7's, an 8-3-8, a DC and 2 LMG's. Following that I was able to snakeyes one of his deathstars from a T-70. Result wasn't great; just a PTC.......unfortunately booby traps then claimed two half squads on random selection.

We stopped playing for the day shortly after this..........

 

[Den589]

Played another turn and a half Saturday. Steve has photos to post.

Casualties so far are as follows at the beginning of Russian turn 3:
Russians have lost 4 squads, a 45L AT gun that X'd out, a 6+1 observer that Steve guessed where he was and 4 dug-in tanks. Steve bought the 75L AT guns and sighted them on several of my dug-in tanks from yesterday, he seemed to really want to remove them as they have been annoying him. Two died to the guns, one died to CC and the fourth died to a 81* MTR. We've struggled a bit at times with the dug-in tank rules (don't play with them enough) but we think we are playing them right now with no TEM to indirect fire, which seems wrong to me since they forfeit their hull-down status, but our next CG I think he will be the Russian so it works out (unless he wants to try Dinant.)

Germans have lost 10 squads and one of the tank killer 50L tanks. He lost the tank to a MOL-P, my first ever successful usage of this piece of garbage weapon I HIP'd it right in front of the tank since I set up second and killed it on its start MP. Cheap to HIP, so I HIP'd all three of them hoping to catch tanks. One is still lurking waiting for the right time to ambush one of Steve's remaining three tanks.

I still think I'm in great shape, with at least a 20-30 squad lead over the Germans. The only thing I really fear is his three 9-2 led stacks.

 

[sdennis]

OK finally remembered to post some pictures. I think we are on Russian T3?
In the North my 75L has dispatched the dug in T34 in BB7 and the gun and various MGs killed the OBA observer up here in Z8L2.
I got smoke and tried to advance concealed up out of the gully to find a 6AP minefield...
A new dug in tank appeared in V8 and when I went to go after it with a tank the tank died to a HIP MOL-P (blaze in R10)
And another 75L took care of the dug in tank in U12 finally, I took the hex and now he has taken it back.



Moving South the big factory is relatively combat free. Another dug in tank in M23 was killed in CC while my Stug tries to take out the other one with HE...
S20 popped up another dug in tank that was UK by a MTR. We caught a Q&A after playing this so Neil may have killed this one too. The R16 factory we both have enough to defend but it would be really costly to attack the other. I'm hoping the tank can help push him back maybe? The 9-2 on the right was 2 hmg, 2 mmg but a lowly PTC killed 2 HSs with booby traps.



The last picture (I must have lost the south of the gully pic). the germans used to own the R34 building until previously mentioned 80mm rubble + falling rubble took it away from me... so yesterday's hard fought foothold is gone. And the Russians are asserting themselves South of the factory complex too.

 

[sdennis]

OK so we finished the current day when the Russian rolled a 1 on Turn 5 to save a bunch of locations and guys from death. Interestingly the Germans finally started to have some success and was able to take some Russians off the board finally. If it had not ended I had a couple of chances to gain some key locations that could have made a huge difference if I had been able to pull it off.

These pictures are at the end before map clearance. I can post the new front line after I get back home from the west coast.

Starting in the North as usual.

I've tried to get across the gully multiple times. The trench in the orchard (EE7) ended up with a HtH melee with 2 Russian squads and one German, I had started it, he fired into the melee and broke one of his guys in the trench and my guy outside the trench was happy. He reinforced it and than we went through 4 or 5 rounds post game and the German ended up owning the hex! So I did get a toe hold across the gully finally but post game with no immediate chance to take advantage. The two CX guys near the cliffs successfully climbed to avoid the minefield and again could not try to get into the buildings due to the end game roll. The dug in tank blaze had previously spread to the orchard so we start the next scenario with this orchard on fire... Assuming I can setup one of my guns over here the next day and remove that dug in tank I should be able to finally take these buildings if I desire. Not sure that I want to spend TOO much trying.



Moving into the factories I had finally been able to force him out of the two buildings between the two factories but ran out of time to exploit it. The dc laying on the floor there used to be possessed by a concealed 548, but a 76* gun firing from the other factory between those two buildings rolled 4? 1,2 TH rolls in a row... with the last one being a CH with the Acq and proximity DRMs... bye-bye 548! 76* guns have been hellaciously good for the Russian. The dug in tank near the rubble pile at the top of the photo was abandoned when the crew had to bail but now he gets it back due to the 1 dr. I got close to getting in here too but was beaten back.



In the heart of the factories is where the Russians had their luck early on and their most success overall. He took back the entire R33 building with the previous explanation of hte OBA. The OBA also kept me hiding all over here, I was not able to zero in on the observer quick enough so he was able to sneak over and take a few hexes of the Plate mill and Hall 8a.
The stack in S39 also ended the game in melee and we mutually annihilated each other but the German retained control. Losing R37 annoys me since I could have easily taken it back... it is a good observer spot even if fairly obvious.


And finally in the South the Russians pretty much had their way as they had overwatch kill stacks and I didn't have much down here or anywhere to hide. he deployed many mortars down here as well. My reserves helped but he didn't push too much here either.

 

[Honza]

What CG date are you on now?

 

[Den589]

What CG date are you on now?

We are setting up 10/28 now. Only 4 more scenarios for Steve, I'm guessing he has around 60-70 squads and i have around 90-100. He's down to 3 tanks, two StugB's and one of the 50mm PZ III's. I've got four dug-in tanks, although one will probably die in his first prep fire phase to guns I assume. Leadership we both have a ton of leaders, but I have a single 9-2 and the Germans have 3 9-2's that he is constantly in over-watch positions preventing any sort of counter attack by me. We both have a saved OBA module for the next scenario as well.

 

[Honza]

There are other AARs of this CG which seem to be heavily pro German. I wonder if they are playing it wrong?

 

[Eagle4ty]

There are other AARs of this CG which seem to be heavily pro German. I wonder if they are playing it wrong?

Just different. Personally I think the west-east drive into the factories is a fools choice for the Germans unless opportunities presents itself. Drive to crush the Soviets flanks early (heck, let 'em win the the 1st CG pd even) and isolate the major factory area from board edges (they'll be under Ammo-shortage if accomplished - and it should be). A small spoiling attack or covering force in the center is all that's usually needed; for what are they going to achieve if they attack forward? Kill Russkies is the name of the game. By the end of the 2nd CG day (Pd 3) if not sooner the Germans should have accomplished this if pursued with sufficient vigor, then attack the factories from the North and South. Many of the forward (western most) factories will have to be given up almost without a fight if the Russians wish to preserve his surrounded force and the end will come shortly after securing the Martinhoffen, an almost certain occurrence if attacked north to south with added pressure from the buildings to the north-west and south-east as the remaining uncommitted German forces should be able to contain any Russian attempts to reinforce the factory district.

 

[Honza]

Is everyone sure that Russians with no access to the east map edge are isolated? I thought the river shore line acts as a map edge too? After all the Russians reinforced across the river.

 

[FMFCB]

Is everyone sure that Russians with no access to the east map edge are isolated? I thought the river shore line acts as a map edge too? After all the Russians reinforced across the river.

We the Russian didn't think that was the case but that is how we read it now. And it does make a big difference to the Russian defense. So does the limited Russian entry on the south of the map, Pretty easy for for the Germans to sit back and cover the 2 entry hex and then bring down some OB on them. Nice little killing ground. The Germans are never going to take these hexes to limit Russian entry. Pretty gamy rule!
I wonder if one of playtesters could explain why?

 

[Honza]

That how we read it, I am playing on the Russian side.

The shore hexes don't count as map edge?

 

[Honza]

It might be worth asking Perry about this. It makes a huge difference to the game.

 

[FMFCB]

The shore hexes don't count as map edge?

As I understand it. The shore hexes are strategic locations but are not map edge hexes.
Please prove me wrong.

 

[Honza]

Have sent the question to MMP.

 

[FMFCB]

Have sent the question to MMP.

Thanks for doing that.

 

[sdennis]

Having gone through most of it now against a capable player (he is a younger brother so insults are just natural) I think the German taking the flanks is actually the wrong strategy, it's mostly what I tried but maybe not strong enough. I think the German needs to get into the main factories before the Russians can build up their infantry. OBA in the factories is hard to use for the Germans and if the Russians get a numerical advantage they can just shuffle back and forth and keep bringing concealed squads up... If I play it again as the Germans I will put EVERYTHING into getting into the Martinhof and the other big factory on the first scenario actually.

 

[Den589]

There are other AARs of this CG which seem to be heavily pro German. I wonder if they are playing it wrong?

I'd agree that this is pretty pro-German. We started this a loooooong time ago, before any other AAR's were up so we had no direction except to play it as we always did RB. In other words, German concentrate on achieving a 2:1 kill ratio and the Russian 1) buy as much infantry as possible 2) try to prevent that ratio and 3) rack up losses in CG scenarios to get the -1/-2 balance provision. We both now agree that the German as long as he pushes hard day one and gets into the factories should win most of these CG's. That being said because Steve didn't get into the factories day one, he was immediately behind the curve.

 

[Eagle4ty]

The shore hexes don't count as map edge?

Not by rule, it's not a map edge and I don't see any boats provided to land troops/supplies on the waterfront.

 

[klasmalmstrom]

Not by rule, it's not a map edge and I don't see any boats provided to land troops/supplies on the waterfront.

So what effect do the map-edge hexes have?

Per O11.6053 the map-edge markes are at least placed along the shore line:
"...This map-edge (Alternate) Hex Grain may even go “around the corner(s)”, and along Shore Hexes, of the map if necessary (and therefore change from a normal to an Alternate Hex Grain, or vice-versa)..."