From: aslml-aslml.net-bounces@lists.aslml.net on behalf of Martin Vicca

Sent: Saturday, February 12, 2005 4:50 PM

To: aslml-aslml.net@lists.aslml.net

Subject: [Aslml] AAR BtB 6 Men AgainstTanks

BtB 6 men aggainst tanks

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Played this one against the Furious Finn last night, my first ever VASL4 game (be gentle with me, its my first time) Played on the HOBIV Board its a force of a dozen US sqds trying to claim a mixture of victory locations and VPs for knockingout dug inPzr 4s.

The Baddies have 7 2nd line sqds an HMG and of course those tanks.

Its a tight scenario played on rows v-GG and at only 5 turns long is a quick player.

US enter from off board from turn 1 onwards. Making use of this I decided to enetr some fire groups on turn 1 hoping to pin the defenders and rush my assault force on later.

This went well with the entering especially asI forgot about a LOS and AM'd into open ground within sight of a sqd and LMG and only got pinned for my trouble.

Having deployed the maximum of units I moved 2 HS's forwards to try and soak up fire. This was duly supplied from his two forward HS's and one pinned the other Battlehardened then went berserk and charged his HS. Shrugging off whatever was throwen at them Kowolski's section eliminated the enemy with TPBF and returned to good order.

Having moved on board I then proceeded to do absolutely nothing against his MMG 8-1 stack which dominated the center of the board.

Tis meant for Turn 2 I was bringing on my assault group onthe North edge

(AA1) against an MMG and a dug-in tank...Not looking good.

Meantime my southern force tried to pin his units down there by forceing him to engage me and not move to react to the assault force. This was not easy since the nature of the terrain porvents the US from making maximum use of their superior range an the low morale makes it a seriously difficult task to assault over open ground. Luckily the southern half has good rout routes.

Gradually I fed my southern forces forwards with units moving right next to the MMG stack trying to draw his fire. The Sqd and HS beside it fired pinning everything I got next to them but not breaking them. The MMG held back....

Kowolskis mob gleefully charged forwards again trying to draw fire and shrugged off everything that was fired at them. Weare taking 3 shots at -2 including an 8-2! Nothing could stioop them.

Althpough this may seem a profigate waste of a unit there ws a reason.I had a 6-6-6- concealed unit I wanted to moive up and needed someone to pin the various units that could fire at it. This the HS did very well.

Meantime the Assault force ws not having it there own way. First on a hs was broken by the afv mg next a crew wass broken by the MMG (which reatined rate) next a full sdq was shot by the AFV which got a crit and eliminated them (a question arose, if a crit is scored is the residual based on the original FP (14) or the doubled (28) we decided that it would be based on the original FP)

Things were not going well....

The next HS came on and was broken by the Tanks MA.

DF saw things swing my way again as Finn became greedy. He intensively fire the tanks MA and X'd it on a 12. This recalled the AFV which required him to abandon it.

My remaining forces (9-1 667 advanced on to AA1) The ?sqd advanced into CC and snake eyed one of his allowing me to withdraw from beside his other dug in AFV along with my shiny new 7-0.

Another question, I have a ? sqd which advances into CC in a hex lined with bocage over which the enemy has wall advantage and a clear LOS through a non-bocage hexside, will there be any ambush or do I lose ? status with the adavnce and thus no ambush (I thought the later)?

With myother units I'd gone hard up against his MMG unit and the HS next to it, a high risk strategy but I had to force him back at this poiunt.

Luckily he decided that rather than withdraw and try and form a new festung, he'd punish me. There were just too many targets for his limited firepower and although he broke 1.5 sqds abd 2 crews, I was stilll able to fire and encircle his MMG unit. Fire form my Supprot group broke them and they surrendered.

With all his units now out of position we agreed that over thew next turn I'd be able to swamp his remaining defenders and thus I'd pull out the win.

DSo overall I'd say it was a fair scenario. Not one of the bests but a lot more balenmced than the reecnt one's I've played. The terrain is tight and it is well suited to VASL play. I have difficulties manipuating large boards under vasl.

It was my first game usoing the IIFT. What do I think of that? well for me it's pontless chrome. It added nothing to the game apart from causing me to look up a lot of rolls which I'd otherwise not have needed to. It made a difference on maybe 2 rolls and not much more.It certainly did not break the scenario and I'd be surprised hopw anyone would thinkit might.

Kowolsi's HS will stand out in my memry a truely great unit btu I think I'll try and avoid assaulting across open ground with no armour or artillery support, it's not a pretty sight!

Would I play this again...probobly. Not a certain lets get going but it would be a good introduction to bocage or vehicles. Get used to fighting with tanks before you have to worry about moving them.

My thanks to Antti the Furious Finn he really did not have much luck.