From: aslml-aslml.net-bounces@lists.aslml.net on behalf of Scott Holst

Sent: Monday, January 31, 2005 9:04 PM

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

Subject: [Aslml] High Tide (HB7) AAR

Played a really awesome scenario Sunday called High Tide (HB7) from Critical Hit! Magazine 6/4. There are three scenarios plus a Map called K2 that came with 6/4, this is apart of the Psel bridgehead battles. Whats cool though is you don’t need the actual HB module to play, all the needed rules are provided. So in essence, it is a stand alone set of scenarios. The Victory condition in this one needs to really be scrutinized, nothing wrong with it, just need to really pay attention to what the designer is trying to convey.

Ok, I think a bit of a battle field walk around might be necessary here so readers can understand where I’m coming from.

The K2 map is about the size of three ASL mapboards, on the southern end theres a level one hill with woods and slopes. In the middle of K2, there are 2 medium sized grain fields, a couple of wadi’s, Wadi’s with Brush, and six hex woods clump.

Towards the east edge of K2 is a small valley with an elevated road going across it. In the North eastern corner is another level one hill with numerous woods and slopes, this is primarily the initial Russian set-up area. Towards the northwest edge of the Map are hedged in grain fields, Walls, buildings which are rubbled by SSR and surrounded by walls with orchards and grain therein. There is also a large hedged in orchard area adjacent to the rubbled buildings. At the northern part of the map are numerous patches of orchards, brush and grain hexes as well one long winding wadi’s.

Basically; The German must have 20 VP’s more then the Russians at games end. Both sides get 10 VP’s per a certain location controlled as dictated in the VC. Initially, the Russians only control one of the Six locations while the Germans control the rest.

The Germans get VP’s normally for so many units they have south of the highway that practically splits the playing area in half.

The Germans get double the VP’s for units north of the Highway, so some good tactics might be required to balance out how far your willing to stretch your neck.

The Russians on the other hand, get VP’s JUST for exiting off the South edge of the playing area. So the Germans will need to really think about how they will set-up their initial forces.

As for the scenario order of battle, the scenario starts off pretty small with both sides not having a tremendous amount of toys at start.

The Germans get to set up anywhere on the playing area with the following exceptions:

The SS cannot set-up greater then or equal to five hexes from CC25, this is where the initial Russian force sets-up, and the SS must set-up no more then greater then or equal to two hexes from the map edge. So ya, a little thought is needed here for the Germans, because in one corner of the map, you have the Russians on a level 1 hill with slopes, that is not very big yet it overlooks a good portion of the battlefield.

The Germans start the game with 9 658 squads, 3 leaders, 1 HMG, one MMG, 3 LMG’s, 1 DC, 2 Armor leaders, a Marder III(t)M, 3 PzIVH’s, 4 PzIIIL’s, 2 Tigers, 1 228 crew, 1 75L ATG and 1 sdkfz 11.

The Germans then get on turn one as reinforcements

2 658's, 3 447's, 348, a nifty 10-2 and 8-1, dm MMG, LMG, Motorcycles with sidecars, SPW 251/sMG, 3 opal Blitz trucks, 1 kfz 4 and 2 PSW 231 My opponent Bob, got the Germans, so hie set-up from hat I can remember was the following:

The 75L ATG was HIP’ed in hex D20 with a CA of: D19/E20 The ATG was emplaced with slope hexsides thus the ATG could see a good portion of the playing Area, especially a nice large area where the Russians might attempt to exit.

A Tiger 1 in level I hill woods hex C16 and once more benefitting from being up slope. Beneath the Tiger in foxholes, a 658, MMG and 9-1 leader. Another Tiger Tank in open ground level 1 hill hex of E16 with slope benifits.

Basically, Bob has convinced me that the exiting option for the Russians will be a tough mission to accomplish, so my thoughts on the battle are turning more to trying to wipe his units off the board.

Next Bob put a Pz IIIL in HD status in hex I21 which are considered wadi’s by SSR and facing towards the Russian set-up area as well as one of three Russian entry areas. One thing I should mention, the Russians get to enter three different groups on to the playing area and coming from three different directions. I took a few pic’s of the set-up and first few turns of play but cant post them to the ASLML unfortunately, so hopefully you can bear with me as I explain this stuff.

A few more SS Squads with foxholes were placed at ground level in the center of the playing area, lots of grain and a clump of woods in this area. Next, Two more Panzers were placed in hexes N11 and O12 facing the northern and western entry area’s where some of the Russian units enter. My opponent then put a number of SS Squads and I think 4 Panzers around Z1, AA2, and AA3, this is one of the Victory Point area BTW.

So to sum up, the Germans, by the look of their defense, are trying to go for a win with Double VP’s. I think this is the wrong strategy, I think the Germans in this one, need to set-up a hedge hog defense south of the highway, make the Russians beat them selves up trying to breach the German defenses, then go over on the attack towards game end to get the double VP awards. The SS as they are set-up, think the Russians are going for a quick exit VC, but this may not be the case in all playings. I also think the 75L ATG set-up is not good, it should go to hex N10, this is a brush hex, but its also a slope capable 360 degrees around it. So if the ATG is placed here, it not only can support a defense, but can also support a possible counter-attack.

The Russian OB is pretty nifty, The Russians start the scenario with 5 squads, couple of leaders, a hero, two MMG’s, an ATR, MTR, a field phone with one module of 80mm OBA, one 76L ART piece and one 45LL ATG.

The Russian set-up is pretty simple; try to set-up where you AT assets will be effective, this means try to get a LOS across the board into the Z1, Z2, AA3 and surrounding area, use the 80mm OBA to put smoke into the Z1 and surrounding area if at all possible, this is my plan just because of the way the SS has set-up. Plus I want to get my own troops into that area as painlessly as possible.

As for reinforcements, the Russians get three groups which are randomly picked by a three card draw. So both the Russians and Germans do not know whats coming on board yet. A good fog of war situation indeed.

The first group consists of the following:

Four Elite Squads, an 8-0, LMG and four Churchill IV’s. The only stipulation for the Lend Lease armor in this scenario is that they use red to hit numbers like the other Russian tanks. This group enters on the east edge.

The Second Group consists of the following:

Four elite squads, two 1st line squads, a 9-1, LMG, ATR, 8-1 Armor Leader, three T-34/M43's and three T-70's. These guys enter along the west edge.

The 3rd Group Consists of the following:

Ten elite squads, 9-2, 8-0, two LMG’s, a 50cal HMG, 50mm MTR, A Demo Charge, 9-1 Armor Leader, four T-34/M41's, and six T-34/M43's. This Group enters on the North Edge.

So as you can see, a lot of goodies entering at various stages of the game. My plan as the Russians is to use my numbers to crush the Germans, why not exit? Because then I would deprive myself of valuable units to fight off a possible SS push across the highway. I figure, if I can cause as many casualties as possible, victory could be mine. With that here is a breif overview of how my game went against Bob, I should also mention, that we had to stop the game at turn 6 because Bob was suffering from the flu and coughing all over my map and counters. So we called it a Russian win just because I was close to victory, but it would have more then likely gone to the wire. With only one turn left to go, Bob had to bail, but we do plan on playing this one again. Sadly, I did not get a chance to use the tank ramming rules, I had several chances, but kept forgetting.

Anyway, on to the highlights:

As the Russians I draw Group two as my turn reinforcements, so my plan with is to attack along the X1 to GG1 edge and smash his units in that area. Also, during this turn, I forget to fire my AT assets, a bonehead error indeed! So the only thing my onboard units do this turn is get radio contact and I place my SR on E16, no where near a concealed unit. If I did, I would need to draw another black card and this I am loathed to do. Then my Armor and infantry come on board and all hell breaks loose! I push one T-34 right into an enemy AFV’s hex, The AFV is concealed and in concealment terrain, so the only way I can make him lose concealment is by scoring at least a PTC on the IFT or scoring a Hit. Well Mr. Tiger around 26 hexes away has other ideas and sends a round right into the poor T-34's Turret, critical! No blaze is created unfortunately and the crew dies. I move my off board infantry on, trying to get close enough to get into CC with the German squads and armor. Some of my lads are beaten back, but others survive. A real swirling melee is taking place. On the Germans turn one, I lose two T-70's and another T-34, but one crew does survive. Still loses are mounting! The SS brings his reinforcements on around entry hexes A25, A28, A29 and A5, A6. From the looks of it, he might be trying to get as close to the Highway as possible without incurring any casualties. I let loose with my OBA where his tiger is, on hill hex E18, but its off the mark and does no damage.

I moved the FFE 2 over to where the SS ATG was sitting, and I scored an accuracy dr of 1! But celebrations were premature as the SS crew brushed off a 2 MC. I Did use both my AT assets this time around, and managed to blow up a PzIIIL on the west side of the map. I get my Churchill reinforcements, load them up with squads and try to make my way around to the middle of the playing area to support my units on the western area of the map, of course, these damn churchill’s are slow, so I gotta be really careful in maneuvering them. Smoke Mortars are a good thing. With my remaining armor, I once more maneuver around the rubble to get at his Pz IV’s, I manage to knock one out with a hailmary bounding fire shot, but once that stupid Tiger tank on the far hill, takes me out. My infantry then move forward, surviving all kinds of DF and are now adjacent to some of the SS squads and whats left of their armor.

By turn three, I have wiped out the German nest of resistance around Z2, AA3 area after numerous CC situations, but the cost was high, I lost three T-34's and three T-70's in the process, hey, its just like real battle, what do ya know!

Also, the SS try vainly to get their Airsupport, but no luck. All over the battle field, the SS are firing everything they have during their turn, blowing up Russian infantry squads with impunity. During the German movement phase, Bob, makes the mistake of moving one of his PSW’s in the LOS of one of my Churchill’s, no more PSW! Still, a small victory, I gotta keep my forces intact so as to try and wipe out the Germans, screw exiting, thats for wimps.

By Turn 6, Bob aint feeling to well, and the game is still tight, I did use the Platoon movement sleaze at one point. But my 3rd group of armor and infantry really got raked, also suffered MA melfunctions on a couple of tanks. All Bob had left was perhaps 8 squads but his Tigers were still up and going strong. My losses so far have brutal, so even if I changed my mind about going for the exit VC, I would be hard pressed to hold on to what I had gained thus far. Anyway, we called it quits and plan to play this one again. The total Russian CVP losses were 80 and the Germans were 61 CVP’s.

Afterthoughts;

I really really like this one, I don’t write AAR’s often on scenarios I play, but this one was just a real hoot to play. Is it balanced? Well, after one playing, but not finishing up the game, it might be premature of me to say ya or nay, but if pressed, I’d say its close, the Germans just need to layback and let the Russians throw themselves at the German defenses. So in closing, ya, I recommend this one, it only took us 5 hours to play, so it aint an all day deal. Play it!!!

Scott