PS NJ
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In the third round of Nor'easter I played a good friend Jim Bishop of Virginia. We played this scenario, which was my third choice. I never played it and hadn't even looked at it before the tournament. Dice gave me the attacking French. The attacker has only 4.5 turns to take 5 of 7 stone buildings which are in two separate village centers. There are four on the more open board 70 on the French left side and three on the more constricted board 67 on the French right side. The german defenders have 12 squads, two 37L guns and a 81 mortar. The french have 17 ELR 2 squads, a 60 mortar, and six slow, radioless R35 tanks with box 4 armor and 8 MP. Both sides are light on leaders with the germans having 3 and the french 4, although one of those is a 9-2.
The germans get to decide how to split up their defense. Jim put everything on the French right (board 67), angled back with ~4 squads looking over the open ground to the other village. I put my 60 mtr on the level 1 hex with one 467 in LOS and four of my tanks CE on the road. I put everything on my right except three 237 half squads who were supposed to take the four board 70 VC buildings and hang out until all three guns were revealed, to prevent any last-minute cheap HIP tricks.
My main concern was time, compounded by only having a few leaders and low ELR. 5 of the 6 tanks could be lost so it meant I had to be super-aggressive with the tanks. I moved them forward CE adjacent to defending squads just to squeeze out a couple more MPs. My infantry only had one squad break to a low TH mortar shot on my right and one to small arms in the middle. I also found a 37L far forward on board 67 and took out the crew in CC. German turn 1 Jim decided to advance four squads forward to the board 70 village to threaten my poor little 237s. He pulled his left flank troops back successfully, covered by his mortar.
FrTurn 2 one tank platoon was able to sleaze freeze a german 9-1/MMG/467 and 37L, and an adjacent 467. I threw in a bunch of squads to knock out the defenders in CC. Jim probably had two dozen attempts to CC or reaction fire my tanks during the game and only immobilized one tank (the same tank four times!). I shot a 16+2 and my mortar at a pesky half squad in the woods on a hill forward on board 67. Not only did it only create a hero, but the half squad proceeded to KIA two squads outright and also be in position to kill two more for failure to rout.
Turns 3 and 4 I sent two and then 4 tanks to support my 237s on board 70. I had taken two buildings but would be lucky to keep them in the face of five squads. My tanks there at least forced Jim to stick to just shooting and not maneuver against the 237s. I kept pushing ahead on board 67 with my two tanks and most of my infantry. I broke and disabled the mortar and four tank coax MG's. On the luckier side for me, a sniper had broken his 468/DC and Jim failed to self-rally it twice when not under DM. I was also able to take one of the VC buildings on board 67 in a 1:1 CC. I also got lucky in getting a CH on the 81 mortar from and adjacent advancing fire tank shot (which was going for acquisition).
I german turn 4 Jim broke one of my half squads on board 70 and was able to advance a squad and leader into one of the two stone VC buildings I had there. One the positive side I had pinned a squad skulking out of a VC building on board 67 and Jim could only get a leader back into it.
So in French turn 5 I had to take 3 more buildings. The odds were definitely against me. One on board 67 with just a leader was easy, I had a 7:1 CC there. However on board 70 Jim had a 8-1/467 in one VC building. I had a 237 adjacent, a 237 across the street, and a R35 at two hexes with a broken CMG but a 8-1 AL and an acquisition. The tank needed 7 TH (58%), and a MC on the 4 flat (42%), and the squad to fail (42%) which is what happened. The my hs across the street survived a 1MC on the 2(-1) and I got the 4-1 vs. the leader in CC (75%). Overall, probably less than a10% chance to take that hex.
There even lower odds were to the final stone building on board 67. I had two tanks nearby (one adjacent) but Jim had 1.5 squads in the building and put a leader in the orchard next to it. That left me trying a SMC overrun vs, the leader with a 237, which I got and I ran another 437 and 237 there who soaked up a bunch of fire. I tried to put a tank into the VC hex but fell in the cellar
. The I CX'ed the 9-2 with two squads into and adjacent building. I survived and 8+2 and a 4+2. I advanced into CC where I had a one pip advantage in ambush, but there was none. So I had to win the 3-2(-1) on a 6 or less, and survive the returning 1:2(-1) needing a 4 by Jim. I rolled the 6 and Jim missed his shot to give me the win.
Jim played a great game and was well positioned to win the last turn. I just got lucky with my desperation moves. A very exciting game! I like the scenario, but I do think the french may need another turn.
The germans get to decide how to split up their defense. Jim put everything on the French right (board 67), angled back with ~4 squads looking over the open ground to the other village. I put my 60 mtr on the level 1 hex with one 467 in LOS and four of my tanks CE on the road. I put everything on my right except three 237 half squads who were supposed to take the four board 70 VC buildings and hang out until all three guns were revealed, to prevent any last-minute cheap HIP tricks.
My main concern was time, compounded by only having a few leaders and low ELR. 5 of the 6 tanks could be lost so it meant I had to be super-aggressive with the tanks. I moved them forward CE adjacent to defending squads just to squeeze out a couple more MPs. My infantry only had one squad break to a low TH mortar shot on my right and one to small arms in the middle. I also found a 37L far forward on board 67 and took out the crew in CC. German turn 1 Jim decided to advance four squads forward to the board 70 village to threaten my poor little 237s. He pulled his left flank troops back successfully, covered by his mortar.
FrTurn 2 one tank platoon was able to sleaze freeze a german 9-1/MMG/467 and 37L, and an adjacent 467. I threw in a bunch of squads to knock out the defenders in CC. Jim probably had two dozen attempts to CC or reaction fire my tanks during the game and only immobilized one tank (the same tank four times!). I shot a 16+2 and my mortar at a pesky half squad in the woods on a hill forward on board 67. Not only did it only create a hero, but the half squad proceeded to KIA two squads outright and also be in position to kill two more for failure to rout.
Turns 3 and 4 I sent two and then 4 tanks to support my 237s on board 70. I had taken two buildings but would be lucky to keep them in the face of five squads. My tanks there at least forced Jim to stick to just shooting and not maneuver against the 237s. I kept pushing ahead on board 67 with my two tanks and most of my infantry. I broke and disabled the mortar and four tank coax MG's. On the luckier side for me, a sniper had broken his 468/DC and Jim failed to self-rally it twice when not under DM. I was also able to take one of the VC buildings on board 67 in a 1:1 CC. I also got lucky in getting a CH on the 81 mortar from and adjacent advancing fire tank shot (which was going for acquisition).
I german turn 4 Jim broke one of my half squads on board 70 and was able to advance a squad and leader into one of the two stone VC buildings I had there. One the positive side I had pinned a squad skulking out of a VC building on board 67 and Jim could only get a leader back into it.
So in French turn 5 I had to take 3 more buildings. The odds were definitely against me. One on board 67 with just a leader was easy, I had a 7:1 CC there. However on board 70 Jim had a 8-1/467 in one VC building. I had a 237 adjacent, a 237 across the street, and a R35 at two hexes with a broken CMG but a 8-1 AL and an acquisition. The tank needed 7 TH (58%), and a MC on the 4 flat (42%), and the squad to fail (42%) which is what happened. The my hs across the street survived a 1MC on the 2(-1) and I got the 4-1 vs. the leader in CC (75%). Overall, probably less than a10% chance to take that hex.
There even lower odds were to the final stone building on board 67. I had two tanks nearby (one adjacent) but Jim had 1.5 squads in the building and put a leader in the orchard next to it. That left me trying a SMC overrun vs, the leader with a 237, which I got and I ran another 437 and 237 there who soaked up a bunch of fire. I tried to put a tank into the VC hex but fell in the cellar
. The I CX'ed the 9-2 with two squads into and adjacent building. I survived and 8+2 and a 4+2. I advanced into CC where I had a one pip advantage in ambush, but there was none. So I had to win the 3-2(-1) on a 6 or less, and survive the returning 1:2(-1) needing a 4 by Jim. I rolled the 6 and Jim missed his shot to give me the win. Jim played a great game and was well positioned to win the last turn. I just got lucky with my desperation moves. A very exciting game! I like the scenario, but I do think the french may need another turn.
