Beat Feet to Foy - Time on Target 9
We tried another TOT scenario last night, Beat Feet to Foy. This is five and a half turns, using board 16. The Americans start with several 747s, SWs and leaders on the map, and bring on a column of HTs, Shermans, and trucks on turn one, needing to exit 100 VPs off the opposite (narrow) board edge. Given a US OoB VP total of 130-ish, it seems doable, plus German casualties count against this total. The Germans start with 6 548s, two leaders, three lmgs and three 'schrecks, with three MkIVF2s coming on board on turn one. Finally a rogue US M18 comes in behind the Germans on turn three, crewed by feisty paratroopers tired of weak-kneed AFV performance. Overall it looks pretty tough on the Germans, but they are helped by muddy conditions, unlimited HIP, US ammunition shortage, and a requirement that US vehicles pass TCs to expend Start MPs. The Mist conditions are Extremely Heavy, which helps both sides from time to time, but probably ultimately favors the Germans.

As the Germans I set up HIP squads w/lmgs in T0 and T9, with a view to hanging up the initial paratrooper advance and then falling back. Also, from T0 the lmg can lay a firelane to BB4, covering three road hexes that the US must almost certainly travel down; all I needed was a para squad to show itself within LOS along the hexrow so I could lay down the 'lane. On the road itself, out of LOS of starting US positions thanks to Mist, I placed a concealed HS w/'schreck and a stack of four dummies, to induce caution, and the balance of my forces were HIP in buildings O3 and L6, with a squad plus 'schreck concealed in L5, a nice spot for tank killing. My last ?s were spent near the American exit edge to give the illusion of a last-ditch shot.

My plan was to take out the American HTs first, both for points (nine with squad and X-1 leader) and to offset the overwhelming US infantry superiority. My tanks were slated to enter at I10, two headed for hull down positions in L5 and M6 to cover the crossroads choke point, and the third to H6, where (chancing ESB) he can cover road hexes I6 and H5, and hopefully deal with the M18 when it enters. To maximize tank-killing potential, I would be rolling for 'fausts first and then using 'schrecks, and once I got a kill, (probably a flaming wreck), park a squad in the wreck hex to whack HTs as they rolled through (seven to immobilize and six to kill, I think, a moving HT, assuming ATMMs). I expected the tanks to handle the Shermans, and kept them close enough to the infantry for support.

As it happened, my forward squads did indeed cramp the paratroops' style, and my opponent obliged me by moving in a manner allowing the firelane to be laid. Unfortunately I rolled boxcars as a truck rolled down the road, nixing that clever idea. I proceeded to fail every 'faust check the entire game, so my infantry wasn't bagging AFVs at the expected rate. Still, I stunned a Sherman and an M8 AC with residual FP (he was moving the tanks CE for the road bonus, counting on the Mist for additional cover), leaving them ripe for plucking in CC. I also managed to bag a Sherman with BFF bringing my MkIVs on, and got the panzers in solid defensive positions. Still, the lack of 'fausts meant most halftracks survived, and my opponent unloaded enough troops in the center of the board to begin to drown me in a sea of green. My own infantry was torn between killing enemy AFVs and protecting my own armor's butt, and they (I) failed on both counts. My forward squads remained tied up in melee from turn one to turn five, so I was operating with two thirds of my effective force. Eventually my tanks died, two to long-range bazooka shots and the third to 75mm APCR.

The last turn and a half was spent watching the American sweat his AFV TCs and count hexes, while I harassed him with my lone remaining squad. I bagged a Sherman in CC on my last half turn (must have been a TH Hero on an exchange program) but my opponent managed 105 of his needed 100, including my losses. Overall, this is indeed hard on the Germans, pardon my whine, but I misplayed my forward squads (shouldn't have gotten tied up in melee) and should have made a decision in mid-game to either decisively pursue his armor with my infantry, letting my panzers fend for themselves, or cover the MkIVs and let them do the tank-killing. Instead I tried to do both (fatal ASL error #1) and died instead.

If the German makes no mistakes, this one is even, but his forces are so small and the American force so strong, there is no margin for error. From a 'fun' standpoint, this one suffers from the German standpoint as a small force is whittled down to next to nothing, so the endgame is spent watching the Amis and hoping they screw up. My suggestion is to offer double shots of tequlia to the American half-way through turn four, so he is screwing up hex-counts by turn five. Otherwise, it's a tight scenario and plays fast, under three hours for a lot of (mostly American) AFVs. Another decent offering from TOT - not their best, but well worth trying. Take it easy,

JR