VotG CG IV: The North Shore Open

Eagle02

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Long story short is that 17D ist kaput at end of Russian turn 7. I was kind of banking on it to get a few key tasks accomplished and lucked out. I had a lot of prep fire and it was all ineffective except a shot that revealed dummies in R36. SAN continued to be active but it didn’t really change anything in the larger context.

First move was the berserk 2-3-7 charging X20 from Y20. They made it and soaked up some fire from the defending Fanatic 2-3-8 and a 10-2 deathstar. In DF he also got tagged by a 75 INF. I didn’t realize you could individually target such a non-moving, non-melee enemy unit in the same hex with friendly forces without adversely affecting your own guys. Never came up before in my gaming experience so I learned something new although we didn’t find the rule cite. Everybody in the hex died in HtH CC.

I skulked a lot of guys (Z20 to cellar, when he advanced up he had sole control of the entire waterworks), BB20 to BB19 (he got fired up and just broke with a 4,5 DR on an NMC. I didn’t rout him out so we could retain control of the 2 hexes of the State Bank while Dr D’s 5-4-8 was in CC21. Q34 skulked back to R34 because he looked like he was going to take a lot of PBF and get encircled. W32.C self-rallied and advanced up to W31.C so he could PBF the HS/HMG in W30. The StuG w/acq on him got the hit and a 2,1 effects DR for K/3. I passed the 3 ck but lost a HS. I pushed a 2x? from T36 to the street and eventually advanced in to take the now vacant R36.

We got REAL lucky on the stuka attacks. All 3 either blew their sighting TCs or missed. They targeted the dug-in T-34, the broke 4-5-8 in the State Bank, and the 9-2/HMG in Y13.1. AF was mostly ineffective except a shot that revealed dummies in P34. No routs. I advanced my 4-5-8 from R31 to S31 to insure I controlled the knocked out StuG. The next time the Germans look inside that vehicle they are going to think the burnt out wreck is a crack den. No recovery possibility, I wanted it gone for good.

Big win for the Germans who gained 83 stone locations to the Soviets gain of 6. The attack was much more successful and less costly than the 15D attack (~20 squads lost as opposed to 30 squads).

I did make sure the perimeter isolated some of the Germans by connecting X9 to X20 (the German HSs death was key). Mike P preferred to pull back the 9-1, 3-3-8, 4-6-8 than hide within the loop. The 4-6-8 CR’d on the way out adding another HS to the tally and bringing us both to 21.5 squads lost for the scenario. The death toll has been high as you can see below. The Germans have lost 87 squads to date of the potential 190 squads the Germans can have until 20 Sep when the 194th Inf Regt and other elements of the 71st div are released (which potentially adds ~81 more squads if all are purchased and un-depleted). The Soviets have lost 109.5 squads to date. This seems like a high number but 26 of those were conscripts. Any of those lucky enough to survive to 15D got promoted to 1st line.

Final scenario death toll:

German losses: 1.5x8-3-8, 2.5x5-4-8, 1.5x4-6-8, 13.5x4-6-7, 2.5x4-4-7, 1x1-2-7, 10-2, 2x9-2, 9-1, 8-0, Stug IIIB, 1-2-7 = 63 CVP

Russian losses: .5xNKVD, .5x6-2-8, 13.5x4-5-8, 7x4-4-7, 2x2-2-8, 10-0, 6+1, 8-1, 8-0, 9-2, 9-0, 7-0, KV-1 M42, captured 45LL = 69 CVP

Naturally, the Soviets declared a night attack (our 3rd). We kick that off in 1 week. I should be able to get some pics and the perimeter up soon.
 

Bob Miller

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Awesome stuff guys. Thanks for the reports and perimeter map. I look at the map and think what I would make my attack priority (German) or defense priority (commie).

Has there been any boat landings yet? Is that a way the Russians could save a point to get the troops on board without establishing them as Reserved status? Or perhaps becasue the front line is so damn close everywhere, Reserve status isn't bad as any troops statused Reserved get activated fairly soon during the battle?
 

Eagle02

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Awesome stuff guys. Thanks for the reports and perimeter map. I look at the map and think what I would make my attack priority (German) or defense priority (commie).

Has there been any boat landings yet? Is that a way the Russians could save a point to get the troops on board without establishing them as Reserved status? Or perhaps becasue the front line is so damn close everywhere, Reserve status isn't bad as any troops statused Reserved get activated fairly soon during the battle?
Thanks. You can see definitely see the effects of the German schwerpunkt on 17D! That's with 2 days worth of new troops with -2 and -1 historical DRMs for the Germans. They went from being outnumbered to having a numerical advantage and then focused it in one sector. Very nice work. Dr. D may kick himself for a few missed moves but he played it very well.

I had the dubious honor of trying to stop/slow down the Angriffmachinen. I was trying to do the doctrinal response to a breakthrough (which is to contain the flanks) but there was not much to work with. That's the downside of using reserve units for us. You can't shift them. Any shifting usually provokes a response from the Luftwaffe too.

We've used primarily reserve units to date b/c they are cheap and add depth to our defenses. I think half a Guards Rifle co was activated in 17D b/c they got so deep. I don't want to have to worry about learning boat rules until I have to. There's no novelty in it for me.

I may be jaded by Red Barricades but to me this is an attritional fight as much as that is. The Germans can be bled dry. Maybe I'm wrong?
 

Eagle02

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I see some Kameraden online - here's the rest of the pics. Enjoy
 

Bob Holmstrom

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I may be jaded by Red Barricades but to me this is an attritional fight as much as that is. The Germans can be bled dry. Maybe I'm wrong?

I have my notes at home but i think both sides can purchase about the same amount of squads. I think maybe the russians can get a few more but not a lot. The Russian advantage in VotG is in quality not quantity unlike RB.
 

=FC=Gorgon

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Thanks for posting the pics Jim.

I don't have a lot to add except to explain the crazies you see in the pics. Well the German one was caused by my 9-2, 1-2-7/HMG stack in Y19. I prepped on his 9-1 stack in W15 and got same rate, but all I managed to do was drive them crazy.

The other guy was a 4-2-6 who started next to the Brewery. When Jim's guy broke in the bank, I thought I would run him towards the Bank to a) maybe draw away some Stukas and b) get another guy in there to help secure it. Well on the way, a nice shot from one of Brian's 5-2-8's drove him nuts. The closest stack was no where near the bank. So he ran on over, got shot at a lot but live. Since he couldn't advance, he couldn't finish the job. Still a lot of fun though. :)

Really looking forward to 17N. Should be a lot of fun.

M
 

=FC=Gorgon

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Hey folks,

We started up 17N last night. If you saw the maps Jim posted, there is this big 'sack' hanging out eastward in the middle of the map. Well, we got 1.5 turns into the castration process.

We started out with a creeping barrage moving east to west up the sack. We drew a red card before the game and the dice had it start 1 turn early. The first target hex was DD25 (IIRC, I don't have my notes with me). The barrage did some nice damage and softening up.

Jim moved in from the southeast and is battling a bunch of guys in the Specialists' House. This included a nice 9-2 stack, which got weakened to a wounded 9-1 by the barrage. I moved in from the northeast only to find mainly dummies but I did take out one 5-4-8 in CC and am in the rubble in the DD22 area (again, working from memory here).

So far we've killed at least 2 or 3 squads and I think we have lost a 1/2 squad.

Sorry, I don't have my notes with me so I'll try to post more details over the weekend; probably not until Sunday as I'll be away. But Jim will probably do an update too.

Thanks,
Mike S
 

Eagle02

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Here’s my take on our kickoff of the 17N scenario last night. We paid some big CPP for a 120mm creeping barrage for our night attack. We calculated it would be worth it for the shock value and help us identify any HIPsters in its path. OBA at night is usually pretty dicey because you cannot depend on maintain access and LOS to KEUs. Creeping barrages are on autopilot and 120mm is strong enough to have some effect even in multi-level stone buildings. NVR is 4 hexes, Russians = SAN 7, ELR 3, Booby traps A. Germans = SAN 7, ELR 3.

Access draw after a quick shuffle was red. I should’ve pulled it from the top of the deck but no prob, I roll a ‘1” for # of turns early it begins so it’s like getting 2 extra FFEs before the game has even started. Pre-reg was in DD28 so the fire would straddle the 2 buildings with 20FP attacks and hinder any shots out. I hose the accuracy dr with a “5” but make up for it by rolling 4,3 for drift. The FFE stays on line in the DD hexrow and the new aiming point is now the “30” hex row. A tad south of the mark but not terrible at all. In prep fire the FFE drifts back into DD hexrow.

Upon further study I believe this is an error. When I read E12.74 the directions to adjust the FFE 2 hexes I mistaken thought was once for the PF and one for the DF FFEs. No – you adjust 2 hexes for every FFE to keep it long your aiming point and it will drift 1 hex if inaccurate. This accelerates the pace of the creeping barrage considerably and means the phases of our plan have to be accelerated accordingly.

The first 2 FFEs did good work. The Germans populated the buildings well with leaders and 2xsquads w/HMG and MMGs in DD25.1 (an 8-1), DD27.1 (a 10-2), and DD32.1 (a 9-2) as well as other squads in the opposite stairwell hexes on the ground floor. We had good effects on just about every hex. IIRC 2 or 3 squads ELR’d (inc a 5-4-8), about 1.5 squads were killed, and everyone is stripped of “?”. The 9-2 broke and ELR’d on something like a 3 or 4MC. He later wounds himself in the self-rally with boxcars. In G1 DF the creeping barrage revealed dummies in Z31 and made the Z30 stack reveal a 10-2/8-3-8/FT and a squad/LMG. So we were feeling pretty good about the creeping barrage.

My other prep was NE. (HIP 9-2/.50 cal/MMG in II30 @ GG31 and 82mm mortar @ same). I have cloaked units in defilade positions assemble mortars. (I’m trying to be diligent in following E 1.89.) I move out from assembly areas vicinity of FF32 and start moving north to clear. I don’t recall any significant D1F or DF in R1 except Mike P breaking the radio on the retained OBA from 17D. A lot of German LOS is limited by their own starshells last night.

In CC we revealed dummies in GG31 and FF23. Last night in general I did not do great things in CC. In R2 my 2-3-7 ambushed the broken 4-6-7/mtg in DD30.1 and needed a 10 to kill him. I rolled “11” and he escaped. Soon after I ambush a 5-4-8 in II26, call HtH, and roll a “10” on the attack. I got killed by the “5” back. In DD32 I hosed a CC attack on a 2-3-8 and the wounded 9-1. Maybe I just remember the bad effects more than the good ones. Of our losses so far 2.5 squads are me getting hosed in CC. I'm sure that'll even out.

I managed to “spray” the board again last night. Beer went down the wrong pipe. As Dr. D advised, “Turn and cough”. Yes, words to live by. So we had to dab the board again. Not terrible but a PITA and a little gross. We couldn’t get the Yankees game on streaming audio so we settled on web updates for Dr. D to get his fix. I preferred listing to Metallica anyway ;-)

Still, all in all a good start for the Soviets. We’ve gained 8 hexes and lost 1 hex to the lone-ranger 5-4-8 in II26. He’s going to be very lonely when the sun comes up if he doesn’t go home.

Death Toll:
Germans: 3.5x 5-4-8, 1.5x4-6-7
Russians: 1x4-5-8, 2.5x4-4-7

See the pic for latest positions and barrage impacts.
 

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Check out my example Creeping Barrage Example file. Hope it helps if you are still uncertain about how they work.

You could have designated it to adjust once or twice per game turn. If it's only once, then it's during your prep only, if twice then once each prep and d-final.

Adjustments are always 2 hexes, and must be in the (alternate) hex-row going towards the target hex. If the barrage is constantly falling short, your "I will run this 5 turns" may run out before it reaches the target hex. The other way can happen also, if it always goes "long", you might overshoot the target hex and cancel it that way as well.
 

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I actually did find that right b/f I posted today - so yes, thanks! Huge help and I sent it off to my Kameraden here. I only wished I investigated it a week ago. We designated it for both PF and DF.

The funny thing is Gorgon saw it back in Nov 08 and totally forgot about it.

It's been a lot of fun so far. We've tried to be creative w/the Soviet defense, esp in regards to use of OBA. I didn't get awarded the Order of St. Barbara for nothing.
 

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No time for ppt this week. You can see how the creeping barrage has passed and now it's a knife fight.
 

Eagle02

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The Soviet night attack rolled on last night while we had the World Series streaming over the internet from ESPN. Dr. Death was last to arrive but called ahead to warn, “I have good beer, but you need to get the game online.” It was all background noise to me. I can’t follow ASL and a ball game commentary at the same time.

The Germans had the first player turn and it quickly turned into a fiasco for them. Dr. D rolls for rally in CC29 with boxcars for a CR’d 4-6-7. Mike P tries for radio repair and X’d it out. No successful Russian rallies.

The Germans didn’t prep. The Soviets lit the place up with starshells (one in X30, there were probably more. Mike P had one up north) and IR (from KK31 he targeted JJ25 and it drifted to GG27. Here’s the biggie – Dr. D uses NAM to move 10-2/8-3-8/FT from AA30 to AA31. My 76L in CC38 fires ITT and missed. I have a spotter with LOS calling for 5 adjacent 50mm mortars. The 3rd shot is snakes. Effects DR is 2,1 -3 which is a 0 on 12FP (3KIA). Dr. D rolls for RS – snakes, they both get the CH. Everything stops, we’re all to dumbfounded by what just happened. Wow, just wow.

In DF the creeping barrage AR is X30 but it drifted forward again to W30. W31 and W34.C both take MCs and pass. My 9-2/.50cal/MMG tagged DD25.1 and broke the 8-1 and broke/ELR’d a 4-4-7/MMG to script’. 4-6-7/HMG is OK. I don’t recall any other DF that had a consequence.

In advancing fire DD27.1 fired up my boys in GG30. I had an 8-0 who uncloaked there to rally the broke 4-4-7. He breaks/ELRs to 7-0 but the 4-4-7 BH’d to a 4-5-8. Everybody routs to GG31 to get out of LOS for the future.
R3 took forever to play. Lots of rules Qs. One Dr. D finally realizes is that non-cloaked units using a stairwell have 2 things that increase their MF expenditure. First of all (and this is true for day time as well) since it is movement into a gutted bldg hex the V 7.4 +1 MF should apply. Then add in another 1 for concealment terrain at night and it’s 3 MFs to go up/down stairwells at night.

No one rallies. The 7-0 lost DM. The barrage AR is U30 and it drifted eastward again to T30. Effects revealed a HIP 75mm infantry gun in T28 whose crew passed a 2MC. T30 is a 3MC which revealed dummies. We had no other prep than caused an effect.

This time the Germans light the area up with starshells. Mike and I move as aggressively as we can. Daylight will be coming soon and we need to complete the mission. Mike really has more of a story to tell here though as he began his assault from the northern side southward toward the BB and DD buildings. Here was the key question which seems so basic but we could not get into agreement over it, “If an MMC first fires its inherent FP but keeps rof on its MG is the MG limited by A8.3 target selection limits b/c the unit possessing the MG is by virtue of having first fired.” Basically the first move got shot up in BB23 by units in the Schoolhouse (9-1/4-6-7/HMG in Z24) which then caused all of those guys to lose their no move counters. The second and third squads who moved up also got beat up from DD25. Eventually Dr. D X’d that HMG out with boxcars on sustained fire. One squad pinned in CC25 (he later broke/ELR’d to get jumped and killed in G3 CC.) At that point Mike cut his losses.

I double timed my 2-3-7 who moves to CC30. I AM my newly BH’d 4-5-8 to GG30. He BHs again to fanatic! I was able to move one cloaker all the way to FF29. Most cloakers only were able to move 1 hex under the light. Dr. D kept mulling over whether to break his boys in AA31 but decided to hang tough. I ambushed the CX/5-4-8/LMG and killed them in HtH CC.

It’s 1110pm now but we quickly wrap up G3 right after the Yankees win Game 2. No one rallies, no PF that I recall. Movement is minimal, no great shots. Creeping barrage AR is R30, point of impact is centered on Q30. Nothing to report about that or any other DF. In CC Dr. D decides his wounded 9-1 needs to die a hero’s death so he jumped my CX/2-3-7 in BB30 and they all die.

The German SAN took down the Russian SAN 1 notch to “6” in G3 IIRC. The German SAN had gotten pinned by a 2 dr in the previous player turn and came back with a vengeance.

Death Toll:
German: 1x8-3-8, 5.5x5-4-8, 3x4-6-7, 10-2, 9-1
Soviet: 1x4-5-8, 4.5x4-4-7
 

Morbii

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“If an MMC first fires its inherent FP but keeps rof on its MG is the MG limited by A8.3 target selection limits b/c the unit possessing the MG is by virtue of having first fired.”
The MG isn't subsequent firing if it keeps ROF UNLESS it's manning Infantry is subsequent firing with it. I don't believe there are any target selection limits, again, unless the Infantry also fires (in which case they both get a Final Fire).

I've only one time seen someone think the limits applied to the MG.
 

Eagle02

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The MG isn't subsequent firing if it keeps ROF UNLESS it's manning Infantry is subsequent firing with it. I don't believe there are any target selection limits, again, unless the Infantry also fires (in which case they both get a Final Fire).

I've only one time seen someone think the limits applied to the MG.
Cool, thanks. We played it this way b/c that was the interpretation and explanation from Dr. D but it's good to hear from a 3rd party.

The dice on that occasion were not good for the Russkies. Mike's first movers couldn't soak up enough fire to cover the rest of the assault firm the east side. Smoke creating resources were out of LOS. You can see how ineffective an unsupported attack can be. But the opportunity looked good at the time and if they made it they'd be heroes.

A word to the wise Soviet VotG player. Support your night attacks thru each phase of the operation. Cloaking and CC will only get you so far.
 

Eagle02

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17N R4 thru R5

The Soviet onslaught picked up steam last night. It turned into the kind of night attack that German player dread. As in past scenarios my dice started off very cold. I rolled 5,6 on weather change and then first boxcar a leader self-rally with a mortal wound to a 7-0. By bye. No one else had any great rallies but Mike did self-rally a 4-5-8 in BB12.

The Russians lit up the Germans near the School House and DD27 with starshells at the beginning of the prep fire phase. The creeping barrage drifted into P29. This rubbled P32 at the cellar level (but no falling rubble) and broke a 4-4-7 in P33 (still stuck under No Move). My spotted 50mm mortars had their cross-hairs on DD28. IIRC my 5th shot was snakes for a CH that broke the 4-6-7 w/a failed 3MC. On the other side of the attack Mike broke the 4-6-7 in CC25.

Movement was largely to get troops into assault positions. Generally my guys moved up cautiously to avoid losing their cloaking if they could. In W31 I had my NKVD cellar dwellers AM upstairs stripping the CX/4-6-7. I advanced a cloaked Engineer squad to X31 who dropped it to blast them with a FT in AF. They failed the 4MC (brk/ELR).

The 9-2/4-5-8 in II30 dropped the MMG and AM’d into SHs in HH29. In AF he pinned II27 which had fatal results in CC when they were killed in a HtH ambush. The 9-2 advanced up into the building into GG29 and CX’d. The 5-4-8 in II26 did not fare any better. His DF shot had bad dice, he got jumped, ‘bushed, and killed at 3:2 odds.

In German turn 4 things kicked off with boxcars on a 4-3-6 self-rally. Dr. D and Mike P tried to blind the Russian shooters with starshells but our starshells were able to mitigate or avoid that problem. DD27 tried to hammer the 9-2/4-5-8/.50 but 4,5 was an NMC which I passed, no rate.

Most of the real action happened in G4 occurred in the northern sector where Mike and Mike were maneuvering to fight over the Water Works. The Germans launched the attack in G3 to take some of the pressure off the defenders in the center. The Russians killed, broke or revealed dummies in all of the attackers by R5. The net cost of this was that about 5 German squads lost their no move markers so the sector is still threatened. Good stuff.

In DF G29 gave some back to DD27. 4,1 =1MC no rate. The 10-2 pinned, the 2-3-7/MMC and a 4-6-7/HMG broke but a broken 2-3-7 and a GO 4-6-7 passed. I took the FT shot from W31 (+1LV and +1CX) for a 2MC result. Dr. Death scored boxcars again and the whole squad imploded. In the movement phase he pushed an 8-1 leader from DD26 to get over to the broken squad in FF27. I put the 50mm mortars on him and broke him in FF26.

There was no CC in G4. In R5 rally I self-rallied an Engineer/LMG in GG32. We only put up 1 or 2 starshells but that was sufficient. The barrage drifted to K30. A 2MC on K32 revealed dummies among the reserves. Mike got a smoke hit on Z24.1 in the School House (9-1/HMG/4-6-7 who caused trouble in R3). I declared opportunity fire for the .50 cal, the FT, and all the 50mm mortars. This turn was more about moving.

The men along the river who killed the 4-6-7 and 5-4-8 headed west to the main fight. I assault moved cloakers into BB28. The drew the attention of the Germans in DD27. The dice were terrible for NRian again: 6,6 broke the HMG on the 2d shot and the squad was marked now final fired. This drew enough attention to help cover my Engineer/DC in had lost cloaking in G4. I double-timed to move aggressively from FF29 toward DD27 and place the DC. The Germans waited until I got into DD28 and then FPF’d 3 times. I passed the first two 1MCs. The 3rd FPF shot was a 2MC which I missed with a 7DR. Hairy stuff. This helped cover all the other units moving up since the stack in DD27 were the only good order defenders left. Everyone else was either broken or a dummy. We got a Hot SAN out of all the FPFs but it just eliminated a dummy stack in AA29.

The one shining moment for Brian last night was a CH from a StuG III G in O25 at S25. I had AM’d from the cellar since a warm SAN stripped my cloaking status in G4. Here’s the kicker I did not remember until I woke up this morning. The target was not illuminated and a BU AFV has it’s NVR halved. That was 4 hexes away. Oh well, A.2. It ain’t the first thing we’ve hosed up. That probably balances the books a little.

Advancing fire didn’t produce anything spectacular that I recall. In CC Mike had phenomenal odds on an attack in Z19 and rolled boxcars to allow the Germans to escape. Yea, I’ve been there. In Z29 both Brian and I rolled too high so it’s a HtH melee.

We pickup next Tuesday and then have a week off. See the pics for a before and after look.

Death Toll:
German: 1x8-3-8, 5.5x5-4-8, 7x4-6-7, 1x2-3-7, 10-2, 9-1
Soviet: 1x6-2-8, 1x4-5-8, 4.5x4-4-7,1x7-0

It was a good Soviet night and it is what we really need to stay in the game b/c scenarios like 17D are exactly the opposite. The Germans surge in strength on the 16th so you have to be ready for it.
 

PZchala

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If you are the Russian in VoTG CG, and are not utilizing your night counterattack option, then you do not stand a chance. The Russians at night are a fearsome lot. They creep up Cloaked/concealed on your German defenders and jump into CC with at least a -2 net ambush advantage (stealthy Rus/Lax Ger), and kill you in HTH CC. If you gave up your defending German concealment, (in some vain 2fp +0 attack) the Rus have a net -4 (concealed/stealthy/Lax Ger).

And you only need roll 2 less to ambush at night, not the 3 of daytime ambush.

It seems that the Germans have to gain 1.5 times their daytime objectives, in the hope that they will be able to hang on to at least 1.0 of their gains.
 

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My experience is that once a combat area i fully engaged, meaning all Germans have lost No move, the fight is pretty even due to the number of German -1 leaders, the ease of moving German MGs and their superior FP, the number of German DCs and so on.

Due to the FoW the defender gets, free HIPing leaders and SW, you can at any time stumble into a 20fp stack with -1 DRM. Creeping up on that and remaining cloaked doesn't work very well.

But using the sewers extensively at night could be very good. I'll have to try it next time.
Janusz
 

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Using Recon is a must I think for the Russians in the night counterattack. In VotG CG I, with its small play area, its almost TOO powerful. In the bigger CGs it should still be useful to scout out your point of attack.
 

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My experience is that once a combat area i fully engaged, meaning all Germans have lost No move, the fight is pretty even due to the number of German -1 leaders, the ease of moving German MGs and their superior FP, the number of German DCs and so on.

Due to the FoW the defender gets, free HIPing leaders and SW, you can at any time stumble into a 20fp stack with -1 DRM. Creeping up on that and remaining cloaked doesn't work very well.

But using the sewers extensively at night could be very good. I'll have to try it next time.
Janusz
The Soviet player has to avoid getting all the Germans engaged. Do not let the Germans get more freedom of movement than you possibly have to. Preferably, no Germans outside the narrow sector you plan to attack. That allows you to maintain the initiative, focus your combat power, and destroy the Germans at night in piecemeal without the German player being able to reinforce the threatened units. That was part of my learning curve from 14N when an unexpected sniper attack woke up the Germans in a place I did not want them to start moving. In a way it's the same thing the Germans do in the day time except they have Stukas to deny the Russians freedom of movement whent he sun is out.

As the Soviet player you have to expect that every MMC has a SW of some kind and if the concealed stack at setup is 3x "?" it is either a death star w/2MGs and a leader or a dummy to mislead you. You just need to have a plan to deal with it, be it smoke or fires (direct or OBA).

I haven't ventured into the sewers. You'll have to let us know how that goes.
 
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