Mike Licari and I sat down to this one at last week's regular meet. Time on Target #35; yet another scenario with some clever design features.
22 Nov 42
7 turns
Boards: 11, 7, 18 (bd # in lower right for each)
reading from W to E
Ground Snow +Falling Snow, river frozen (+2 DRM for Ice collapse) and at
level 0; islands don't exist; 2-lane pontoon bridge (destruct. NA) from 7Q9-7Q4;
roads are plowed; all buildings wooden; all woods --> brush.
The Germans set up first; they have 4 groups of units [ELR 2] {SAN 2}:
All Germans are placed on No Move counters, which are removed if an attack occurs or the Russians move off road or stop.
Reinforcements:
The 1st group enters anywhere from 18Q10-7GG8; the 2nd group, anywhere from 18Q10-7A8. Entry is on turns 2 and 3, 1 group/turn.
The Russians set up 5 T-34 M43s and 2 BA-6s on the road between 11V7-Y3, with 2 328s as Riders and a 9-1 ArmLdr. The Russians move first, entering on 11Y1 with: [ELR 3] {SAN 2} 9x 458, 9-1, 2x 8-0, MMG, 3x LMG, Radio (80+ BnMtr OBA), 6x GAZ-MM .
Russ. infantry have Winter Camo; the trucks cannot enter new hexes w/o Passengers; no one may vol. aband. AFV.
So, Mike sets up his Germans. The MMG was on the hill looking straight down the bridge; the other 447s were on either side of 7Q10, with the 8-0 alone in an entr. behind the MMG. The 436s were in buildings flanking the road. The 37L AA was in 18L1, pointed at 7K10; the 20L AA was in 18U1.
I set up my T-34s first in line, with the (radioless) BA-6s in back. My trucks are lined up with the Radio and MMG in the first 2 trucks, and the double-squad bearing tr.s in back.
In typical form, my 1st wind change DR is '12' - now the snow is really coming down!. My tanks get onto the bridge, while the slower BA-6s end up still on the bd11 hill. The trucks go as far as they can, with the two lead trucks cutting over to the 11V8-W8 road. On turn 2, the tanks press on, with 3 going as far as 18N4-O6; the two with riders stay in motion in 18S4-S5. The lead truck, with the radio, drives up to within 3 hexes of the 88 (7V1), and unloads. The action begins!
The 88 fires on ITT, scoring a hit; the sqd breaks, and the ldr w/radio ELRs! The remainder of the Germ DF (the 436s only) is ineffectual, and the Russ unload their trucks around 11Q10-S9-T9. Russ AFPh results in a 436 Battle Hardening and creating a Hero; further AF causes the same sqd to ELR, and the Hero to Wound! The Russ boldly adv. sqds adjacent to 436s.
The Germ turn 2 sees the captured T-34s and 838s enter, around 18A5 - with 2 of the 838s riding the tanks! They all get up to G2-I1 and unload. German fire on the Russ inf is ineffective.
Russ 3, and the T-34s near the 37L decide to overrun the Gun. The 37L fires HEAT, rolls a '3' and burns the 1st tank in 18M2. The 2nd T-34 says, "What are the odds of it doing THAT again?" and promptly finds out. However, the crew must've seen it coming, because they escape into the wreckage of M2 unharmed. Meanwhile, the 3rd tank in this line (w/AL), realizing he's suddenly outnumbered, pulls back into a defensive position in 18M6.
The other 2 tanks are faring better; a 328 Bails Out after Pinning, but the tanks overrun the 20L, breaking its crew and parking on opp. sides of them. The T-34 crew charges into CC with the 37L (Revenge!) and wipes them out - getting possession of the weapon in the RPh...
The Germ 3 starts out with the 88 hitting the 9-1+MMG hex; the sqd CRs, the ldr ELRs. Stretching its luck, the 88 IFs and malfunctions. The Germ tanks move to flank the Russ T-34. Two 338s try DC placement vs. the captured 37L; the 2nd succeeds, breaking (then capturing) the crew. The 75Ls roll on at 18Q10, unload in P6 & P7. The accompanying Inf head INTO S8. Russ DF is disposing of the 436s - a sqd+7-0 rout across river...
Russ 4; the infantry start onto the bridge, braving the MMG (in heavy snowfall, after all...) and capturing the 88 crew. The T-34 being flanked heads for the flanker, who fires and malfs his MA; the other Pz T-34 is not in good position to fire, and misses. The AL puts his tank adj. to the malf'd Pz, and lines up the other one. The other Russ tanks head for the Germ MMG, braving ATG fire, and one sits on the MG nest. Remember the BA-6s? Well, finally one of them gets into the fray, scoring a K/2 on the 37L. The Germ 338 that had advanced to the Gun (with the Russ Prisoner crew) takes the CR, while the Prisoners survive the 2MC!
Germ 4, and the Pz w/ malf'd MA disables it. The other Pz tries to start, and gets knocked out. Further fire by the ATGs again fails to hit.
Russ 5, the ArmLdr gets frisky and drives up behind an ATG, which malf's on an IF shot; the tank parks on the Gun. The other ATG is still firing, and takes out a BA-6, but the 2 T-34s that had been parading around in front of it escape. The Russ infantry crosses the bridge, and an SR finally appears on board. The Germans resign.
Lessons Learned:
Germans- Set up the AA guns to support each other. Mike felt that his ATGs were okay around P7, but I think they might do better coming on and taking an extra turn to get up to X5/Y7 level 2 hills. The tanks probably have to come on first, if the Russians drive aggressively - as I did. If the Russian tanks hadn't been smashed by the 37L, the German would be under much more pressure. His T-34s aren't quite as good, and are outnumbered.
The Germans are the ones under pressure in this scenario, and need to conserve forces while maximizing damage potential on the enemy. Letting the Russian use his tanks for easy attacks, ie. overruns of anyone except the 37L, has to be avoided.
Russians- The deep drive on turns 1 and 2 seems almost mandatory, for these reasons:
The Russian should plan his truck set-up and movement; most likely, it will be the act of unloading a truck that activates the German defenders. The first one to unload is clearly the best target for the 1st DFF, so avoid (as I didn't) putting valuable units on the "Judas Goat."
Tom Mueller