WO30 As Luck Would Have It AAR

Adrian Carter

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Our next game was taken from the Winter Offensive Pack #10 from MMP. The action was set in the town of Ranville, France in June 1944. Elements of the British 12th Parachute Brigade, 6th Airborne Division, dug in around the town, were attacked by elements of Panzergrenadier-Regiment 125 supported by three self-propelled guns (SPG) and one Panzer IVJ from the Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 200 of Panzer-Division 21 on board 11a. I attacked with the Germans and Johan defended with the Brits. The goal of the Germans was to amass 8 or more VP than the British at game end by controlling any wooden buildings on/north of hexrow J or any stone buildings, and/or exiting non-crew personnel off the north edge on/between Q4 and Q17. The Brits won a VP for each armoured fighting vehicle (AFV) eliminated. Our personal goal was to familiarize ourselves more with the vehicle and bocage rules.
  • British advantages: elite squads, HIP AT gun, PIAT, foxholes and concealment counters
    British disadvantages: No vehicles, no MMG/HMG
  • German advantages: dmMMG, Panzer IVJ
    German disadvantages: All three SPGs have no MGs, two of them have limited HE
19981
Figure 1 shows the starting positions. The Brits opted for an upfront defence taking full advantage of the bocage and concealment, looking to fall back to the victory buildings. The Germans attacked broadly, thereby ready to adapt to taking victory buildings and/or exiting personnel off the northern edge between Q4 and Q17. I wanted to keep my AFVs well away from the British PIAT, and Close Combat given the Gammon bomb SSR. The Panzer IVJ was my only really dependable AFV with unlimited high explosive rounds, Smoke and BU capability.

19982
Figure 2 shows the positions at the end of turn 3. The Germans managed to enter successfully, the only real casualty was the GSW 39H(f) which managed to malfunction and subsequently break its 105mm howitzer causing vehicle recall. Although I lost out on my best SPG for dealing with infantry, I, fortunately, did not lose any VP because German AFVs may exit the board without being counted as eliminated (SSR 4). My attack had stalled on the western flank because of some stout defending by the Brits behind the bocage. However, the HIP 6 pounder AT gun had failed to destroy the GSW 39H(f) Panzerabwehrkanone and the AT crew was subsequently broken by the supporting infantry. We learnt two things here. Don’t wait until an AFV enters or bypasses your hex before firing a HIP AT gun, and always accompany your SPGs with supporting infantry, especially if the AFVs have no machine guns. The eastern side was now open to push some German infantry through for exiting the board.

19983
Figure 3 shows the positions at the end of the game and a German win. I had worked my vehicles around the flank, broken the British defence in the town to capture one stone (3 VP) and two wooden (1 VP each) buildings, and exit a squad and 8-1 leader (2 VP each) to give 9 VP in total. All of my remaining AFVs had worked their way around the British flank and were pounding away at the infantry and cutting rout paths. I think this is a difficult scenario to win as the Brits despite the fairly even ROAR record because of the mixed victory conditions. It was still close and went right to the end before the Germans could win. Overall, this was another enjoyable scenario from the Winter Offensive Pack #10.

Any other ideas for apporaching this scenario would be very welcome. Cheers, Adrian
 

Tuomo

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A fun and interesting scenario, thanks for the AAR. I really like the idea of a strong German push along the bottom of the map. Use the infantry and AFVs together to swamp whatever Brits are there, and use the MMGs the interdict any Brits who try to reinforce from the top. Those ML8 Brits behind Bocage are a tough nugget to try to take head-on; I'd rather get them out of their high TEMs and fire at them as they try to reposition. Watch them snarl in frustration as I scamper along the bottom side out of long range. Gotta be aggressive with the AFVs to take out the ATG ASAP once it's revealed; bring some Riders along and risk the Bail Out MC just to threaten the ATG crew in CC.
 

Adrian Carter

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A fun and interesting scenario, thanks for the AAR. I really like the idea of a strong German push along the bottom of the map. Use the infantry and AFVs together to swamp whatever Brits are there, and use the MMGs the interdict any Brits who try to reinforce from the top. Those ML8 Brits behind Bocage are a tough nugget to try to take head-on; I'd rather get them out of their high TEMs and fire at them as they try to reposition. Watch them snarl in frustration as I scamper along the bottom side out of long range. Gotta be aggressive with the AFVs to take out the ATG ASAP once it's revealed; bring some Riders along and risk the Bail Out MC just to threaten the ATG crew in CC.
Glad you liked the AAR. I agree completely with the challenge of digging out those concealed elite 648 squads from behind the bocage even with the machine guns. To be fair, I was very lucky not to have lost at least one AFV to the AT gun. Using riders is a very interesting approach that I had not thought of. Thanks for the tip, Tuomo!
 

Adrian Carter

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The British need a ‘linebacker’ way in the back to move and block threats.
Thanks bendizoid, you sent me scampering for a dictionary and I learnt about linebackers ;). I was not very familiar with American football positions, but it seems that the European football equivalent would be a centre-half in English or Vorstopper in German. On reflection I would probably think a sweeper in English or Libero (German uses an Italian word) would be a better term to describe this task. This is the player at the back behind the defence that is not marking a man (hence free man or Libero) whose job it is to react to breakthroughs and clear up at the back. I vote to introduce the term Libero into ASL defence jargon :geek:.
 

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Thanks bendizoid, you sent me scampering for a dictionary and I learnt about linebackers ;). I was not very familiar with American football positions, but it seems that the European football equivalent would be a centre-half in English or Vorstopper in German. On reflection I would probably think a sweeper in English or Libero (German uses an Italian word) would be a better term to describe this task. This is the player at the back behind the defence that is not marking a man (hence free man or Libero) whose job it is to react to breakthroughs and clear up at the back. I vote to introduce the term Libero into ASL defence jargon :geek:.
There are now two acceptable terms, let’s keep our lexicon flexible. There is a defensive line and he is in the back, most apt. Maybe a leader with 2 (?) squads back there in the woods N15 or Q14.
 

Adrian Carter

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There are now two acceptable terms, let’s keep our lexicon flexible. There is a defensive line and he is in the back, most apt. Maybe a leader with 2 (?) squads back there in the woods N15 or Q14.
Yes, either of those positions would have stopped my exit ploy.
 

wrongway149

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A fun and interesting scenario, thanks for the AAR. I really like the idea of a strong German push along the bottom of the map. Use the infantry and AFVs together to swamp whatever Brits are there, and use the MMGs the interdict any Brits who try to reinforce from the top.
This has been a popular strategy from the start, and several playtesters tried it specifically to ensure it didn't break the scenario. While reasonable, it comes with some trade-offs. Mainly, it is far less forgiving than going for the buildings, with a lot less cover for the attack, and you are not likely to get a second chance should things go wrong early. Bendis's linebacker will hit at the line of scrimmage while the safeties come in to finish the job. So, it will still come down to execution.

I believe there have been just as many German losses as victories using this plan.
 

Adrian Carter

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Many thanks for the helpful and constructive comments. It really makes it worthwhile posting an AAR when I receive such useful feedback.
 

Tuomo

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The German bum-rush definitely seems to rely on finding and killing the ATG ASAP; if the Germans lose all their vehicles, the Brits have a far easier time shifting over (protected by the grain) to defend the goal line.

With that in mind, I'd think the ATG would do well to be far enough back to where it could survive turn 1, especially avoiding an OVR. Best scenario is to stay undetected through the G1 MPh, then get two solid fire phases (G1 DFPh, B1 PFPh) in before the G2 MPh. With ROF 3, there's a good chance of doing major damage to the German armor before they get to move in turn 2.

Where exactly to put the ATG is one of those Delicious Conundrums that keep us coming back.
 

bendizoid

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The German bum-rush definitely seems to rely on finding and killing the ATG ASAP; if the Germans lose all their vehicles, the Brits have a far easier time shifting over (protected by the grain) to defend the goal line.

With that in mind, I'd think the ATG would do well to be far enough back to where it could survive turn 1, especially avoiding an OVR. Best scenario is to stay undetected through the G1 MPh, then get two solid fire phases (G1 DFPh, B1 PFPh) in before the G2 MPh. With ROF 3, there's a good chance of doing major damage to the German armor before they get to move in turn 2.

Where exactly to put the ATG is one of those Delicious Conundrums that keep us coming back.
G14
 

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Murphy's Law 223544467: The other guy will tell WHERE to put your best asset, after the game.
 

bendizoid

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Our next game was taken from the Winter Offensive Pack #10 from MMP. The action was set in the town of Ranville, France in June 1944. Elements of the British 12th Parachute Brigade, 6th Airborne Division, dug in around the town, were attacked by elements of Panzergrenadier-Regiment 125 supported by three self-propelled guns (SPG) and one Panzer IVJ from the Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 200 of Panzer-Division 21 on board 11a. I attacked with the Germans and Johan defended with the Brits. The goal of the Germans was to amass 8 or more VP than the British at game end by controlling any wooden buildings on/north of hexrow J or any stone buildings, and/or exiting non-crew personnel off the north edge on/between Q4 and Q17. The Brits won a VP for each armoured fighting vehicle (AFV) eliminated. Our personal goal was to familiarize ourselves more with the vehicle and bocage rules.
  • British advantages: elite squads, HIP AT gun, PIAT, foxholes and concealment counters
    British disadvantages: No vehicles, no MMG/HMG
  • German advantages: dmMMG, Panzer IVJ
    German disadvantages: All three SPGs have no MGs, two of them have limited HE
View attachment 19981
Figure 1 shows the starting positions. The Brits opted for an upfront defence taking full advantage of the bocage and concealment, looking to fall back to the victory buildings. The Germans attacked broadly, thereby ready to adapt to taking victory buildings and/or exiting personnel off the northern edge between Q4 and Q17. I wanted to keep my AFVs well away from the British PIAT, and Close Combat given the Gammon bomb SSR. The Panzer IVJ was my only really dependable AFV with unlimited high explosive rounds, Smoke and BU capability.

View attachment 19982
Figure 2 shows the positions at the end of turn 3. The Germans managed to enter successfully, the only real casualty was the GSW 39H(f) which managed to malfunction and subsequently break its 105mm howitzer causing vehicle recall. Although I lost out on my best SPG for dealing with infantry, I, fortunately, did not lose any VP because German AFVs may exit the board without being counted as eliminated (SSR 4). My attack had stalled on the western flank because of some stout defending by the Brits behind the bocage. However, the HIP 6 pounder AT gun had failed to destroy the GSW 39H(f) Panzerabwehrkanone and the AT crew was subsequently broken by the supporting infantry. We learnt two things here. Don’t wait until an AFV enters or bypasses your hex before firing a HIP AT gun, and always accompany your SPGs with supporting infantry, especially if the AFVs have no machine guns. The eastern side was now open to push some German infantry through for exiting the board.

View attachment 19983
Figure 3 shows the positions at the end of the game and a German win. I had worked my vehicles around the flank, broken the British defence in the town to capture one stone (3 VP) and two wooden (1 VP each) buildings, and exit a squad and 8-1 leader (2 VP each) to give 9 VP in total. All of my remaining AFVs had worked their way around the British flank and were pounding away at the infantry and cutting rout paths. I think this is a difficult scenario to win as the Brits despite the fairly even ROAR record because of the mixed victory conditions. It was still close and went right to the end before the Germans could win. Overall, this was another enjoyable scenario from the Winter Offensive Pack #10.

Any other ideas for apporaching this scenario would be very welcome. Cheers, Adrian
I like the up front defense idea but the 9-2 has got to go in the ‘village’ somewhere. He can still peck away in the grain field and force the Germans around the woods to advance along the map edge.
 
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