Here's an AAR from a few years ago with S23. I had played this earlier as the Brits and won so switched sides against another guy in our group (Mike Nowak). So here we go:
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(Mike) This scenario has a rather small British infantry force, armed with two AT guns, attempting to prohibit a combined German armor/infantry force from exiting enough VPs to win. The German area of entry is anywhere along the short width of the board so the amount of terrain to cover is not overwhelming but does require some stretching of resources.
In setting up, the British placed most of their infantry so as to form a defensive line in the middle of the playing field. The two 6 pdrs were set up to the rear, each on opposite sides of a hill where it was hoped the German tanks would try to go around instead of cross in order to save time. They were aimed in a way as to take advantage of a LOS that could view as may open road hexes as possible. The biggest asset to the allies was their HIP setup. This, however, may also sometimes backfire as the attacker may setup and move based on hunches instead of what he sees. His hunches may not be anything like your hunches which can really mess up a defenders plan.
(Vin) I had played this one once before as the British and though a single flank attack would be the way to go – concentrate by forces while Mike would have to spread out his meager forces to defend the entire front. The southern flank had more open space and I was pretty sure there would be an AT gun in K7 brining flanking fire down on my STUGs. The northern flank would force an advance down a restricted road but would provide more cover for my advancing infantry. I wanted to avoid the center of the town where I figured the most defenders would be located. So, weighing the options, I decided that the northern flank would be my advance route.
Game Start
(Mike) In an attempt to weed out the ATs, the German infantry double-timed on their Turn 1 MPh and left their armor behind. This required less than half of the defending infantry to reveal themselves, which forced some skirmishes, and slowed down their progress. A British leader broke during the action but this did not have a major affect. It seemed that the +1 CX penalties on the advancing Germans had a bigger impact in the fighting than the defending fire. If urn 1 turned out to be a probing attempt, not much was revealed.
Turn 2 saw the Germans further trying to sniff out the British 6 pdrs with forward infantry movement and the tanks still laying back. Another squad, with a PIAT, and leader was revealed. The Germans attempted to advance on their left flank to get around the British line and open up a lane for the tanks to advance quickly down a road but the attack stalled. The broken British leader, from the previous turn, managed to rally and rejoins his squad. Still no casualties on either side but at this point the German infantry was slowed, no tank movement, and this quick scenario is about half way through.
(Vin) – I started my infantry out on a broad front but started my convergence on the northern road. I CXed my guys through the buildings trying to find the defenders and the locations of the two AT guns. I wasn’t sure if Mike had his guns up front to blast my tanks as they entered with nowhere to go and saw phantoms in every building hex that I did not occupy/pass through . I was pretty sure there was a gun in K7 and I3. I was pretty aggressive with pushing my infantry forward but only revealed 2 British squads by Turn 2. I left my tanks back until the enemy was revealed – this was a huge mistake…..
(Mike) The enemy armor moved out in Turn 3. However, the infantry seemed to move back. The German squads trying to force their way around the British left flank were forced back across the street. The Stugs had to force the issue.
A Stug III/75 advanced up the southern road. BAM!. An APCR shot from a British 6 pdr inside a building 3 hexes in front of it. The To Hit at this point had a good chance of success and it did, striking its frontal armor. With the special ammo at this range, some damage was almost guaranteed needing a DR of 10 or less to have some affect. Blimey, the To Kill DR was 11, but only a possible stun resulted which the crew avoided. The gun made ROF and fired again, having missed and a To Hit DR high enough to negate further use of APCR, it would be AP only from here on in.
With one gun exposed and having not effect, it was the PIAT’s turn. With the tanks creeping forward, the PIAT was fired at a range of one. Being adjacent has no benefit to LATW FP but helps the To Hit. No problem though as a critical hit was made on the German assault gun, leaving it a total wreck (clean-up in aisle 3). With this outcome, it would seem that the remaining tanks would have to move out. And they did.
The remaining two tanks followed the same path as their destroyed counterpart and, being BU, were able to pass the through the British infantry defense and any frantic shots AP shots from the 6 pdr. A German half-squad, an outcome of previous infantry fighting, managed to sneak around the German tanks, engage in CC, eliminate the British gun crew, and capture and destroy a British artillery piece. It only took about 5 men to do a job that an assault gun platoon could not.
(Vin) in trying to push my guys forward to reveal enemy units, I Advanced Phased them either adjacent to the British infantry (and was promptly blasted the next turn) or advanced into CC and lost miserably. I was 1 for 5 in CC this game. With only a 2.5 squad advantage, they CC losses soon beat my infantry to dust. It did not help that most of my attacks suffered by CX penalties.
On Turn 3 things were desperate so I had to rush in my armor to break up the beating Mike was putting down on my infantry. The beating my guys were taking was due to not brining in my armor and now I would pay from concealed AT locations. Sure enough the PIAT fragged one STUG but most of the British defense was now revealed. I used my remaining armor to storm the north flank AT gun and break through.
(Mike) With one gun down and leaving the German armor with an easy path to exit, the British had to act fast. The remaining 6 pdr revealed itself and left its crew to try to manhandle it down the road to slow down the moving enemy armor. The attempt to move the gun was successful and it was set with a CA that would give it side shots if the tanks decided to make a bee-line to the exit hexes.
Even with the newly positioned gun, the situation now looked bleak for the Empire but for one fact, exiting the remaining armor alone would not win the game, some infantry had to follow.
The British, realizing that the German infantry was now the key to victory, held firm. With most of the enemy soldiers forced back to rally or reorganize, it was tempting to go after them to seal the deal. However, the British decided to hold most of their positions and let the enemy come to them; not giving them even a slight chance with some lucky DRs and a chance to double-time with a leader using road movement.
(Vin) – I tried forcing mike out his strongpoint in I3 by massing my limited infantry but he put the big hammer back on them. While I initially did not want to enter the middle of the board, I was sucked in and those guys fell back as well. Now I was stuck with my armor up front and by broken infantry in the back….
(Mike) In Turn 4, instead of racing off to acquire some VPs, the two remaining German assault guns turned in an attempt to blast the enemy occupied buildings and give their infantry some breathing room. The Germans attempted ATT fire at the buildings instead of ITT hoping that, with at least a hit, a good IFT DR could disrupt the British somehow. This, however, did not come to fruition and the chaps held on. Upon seeing that they would have to fight their way to victory and that it would be a tough fight, along with time running out, the Germans conceded victory.
(Vin) realizing I had to save my infantry, I turned by armor on the defending British. Unfortunately my guys did not rally and by armor prep fire did no good. The only shining star for the Germans was a lone half squad that advanced around the flank, entered CC killing one AT gun crew, CXed across the board and entered CC with the second AT gun crew – put perished. I realized that with my infantry force was mostly smashed and routed in the rear and was unable to get them forward to win by the end of the next turn. I threw in the towel on one of my worst defeats. Not a single British squad was reduced or killed, I took foolish risks with my infantry and left my armor out of the game for 2 complete turns.
Just Some Thoughts
(Mike) I felt good that the German tanks still had not moved after two turns but quickly realized how much ground a vehicle can cover in a turn.
When facing a mostly infantry based defense within a town or urban setting, why would you move your tanks CE. My opponent did not and his tanks could just roll by my infantry, probably with their crews flipping my forces the bird.
When defending against armor, it is best to keep your moving target in continuous LOS for as long as possible before firing.
The British 6 pdr/American 57 mm is not a bad AT weapon having above average FP, excellent manhandling, and possible special ammo. Against infantry is another story.
I wish I had the opportunity to try some side shots at the Stugs if they darted to the exit side near the end of the scenario. The Stug side armor is pretty week and I would have them in my LOS for a few MPs (see photo of turn 4), It would have been interesting.
There was a scenario SSR that allowed leadership modification on the To Hit DR for the ordinance in this scenario. I ignored this during initial setup, hoping the leaders could help the infantry and quickly fall back to help the guns later in the game. After seeing what transpired, I don’t think the leaders would have made it back to the guns.
Speaking of leaders, I had used two leaders when setting up my forces for this scenario. After the game, I was informed by my worthy opponent that the British OB called for three leaders. I should have paid more attention to the scenario card I guess. I never used the third leader since I believe he was shot for cowardliness while attempting to rout without having a DM.
I decided to setup my infantry in the middle of the board, even if HIP, as opposed to being up front to pound the enemy as they first entered. My reasoning behind this was that I needed to see how the Germans would enter and, if needed, would have some time to adjust my position. Fighting up front had the possibility of the enemy forces breaking through or going around my defense in which case their priority would be to move as fast as they can towards exiting and I would be left with just chasing them (S10 – Paper Army anyone).
(Vin) Mike’s concealed setup had a few units in unexpected locations throwing me for a loop. I was seeing his AT guns in every building hex paralyzing my tank attack leaving my poor infantry out to dry by attacking alone. I went off plan and was drawn into the center of the town where Mike’s concealed kill stack in the unexpected J5 hex blasted my own 9-1 leader and took him out of the game for a few turns. While I was a bit unlucky in CC, I was too aggressive with my slim infantry force (moving out into streets or adjacent to British hexes while unsupported) and was way too timid with my armor.
Mike had a nice setup, defended in place when had to and didn’t reveal his squads too quickly keeping me guessing, and was aggressive when he needed to – like at the end pushing my infantry rabble almost off the edge they entered! I was soundly thrashed by my worthy opponent!