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[MarkDV]

Played this one today with Mike Owens, home from the US Army for a few weeks....

The scenario takes place during the Summer 44 offensive in Russia. It sees a nasty force of Russians ie 17 squads, five T34s, two T34/85s, three SU-85s, and a T34/85 with a torch instead of a BMG. And I need not forget the 70mm (HE ONLY) OBA that is usually my bane....

The Germans defending boards 46/44 have three PzKwVGs aka PANTHERS and a great mix of elite INF ie 468s, 548s and some 838s.
9-2, 8-1, and a 8-0. A HMG, 2MMGs, some LMGs, a PSK, FT and 81mm MTR make up the rest of the OB for the Germans. Great quality....but bad quantity....

The Russians can set up either NE of the RR overlays OR enter north edges of boards 44/46 (read also row A)

The Germans set up south of the RR overlays.
Russians have tough VCs ie exit 22 CVPs PLUS take the four multi hex stone bldgs on board 46.

I set up as the German with a good chunk of my forces on the board 46 'pimple hill'.
The 9-2 with a 468 and HMG on the reverse level 2 slope (entrenched)
with 468s and MMGs on the other level 2 hexes facing the entry.
I also placed the Panther with the 9-2 (also with the 8-1 AL) and the other panther on the other level 2 hex that did NOT have an orchard.
The 8-1s panther was facing EAST not NE or N, and the other Panther was facing due North.
Also a 238 with PSK set up on the hill just in case he tried getting cute and rushing me from the front....
FINALLY, the 81mm setup on this hill HIP on a level 1 ORCHARD hex such that I would have LOS to the annoying smaller than a pimple hill that the Soviets had in their setup area.
Rationale behind all of this was the funky LOSs created by the orchard hexes made me think that my best plan of action was to force him to either assault up the hill ie eat Point blank shots OR to avoid contact with me and face withering shots as he met his first VC ie exit points

To act as a roadblock on board 44, I set up in the mini Koresh compound the other PzKwVG and two 468s (each armed with a LMG).
I felt evil/cute with this Panther.
I set him up in a wood bldg, with the TCA facing the Russian setup area, but the VCA facing West.....as if it did him any good....

His setup saw just the T34/85s setup behind the RReM, and the 9-1 with one 447 manning a MMG and a HMG (and lets not forget his OBA observer ie the 7-0) that were on the board 44 level one hexes.
ALL the rest of his troops set up to enter N edge of boards 44/46


TURN 1
He rushes the mini Koresh compound.
I fire with the tank in the compound, needing a 8 TH, and roll a 10....
So, one tank thru.
The second tank I IF at, and hit and burn with the Panther...
So, his third tank (the zippo tank BTW, though I didn't know that b/c we played with fog of war ie I didn't know the difference b/w his torch tank and others until he used it...)
ANYWAYS, he starts and moves this tank...
I fire with the 8-1 AL at 19 hexes after he spent 4MPs in LOS....
I roll a 3 on the TH and a 8 on the TK....knocked him out and he reveals its his zippo/torch tank...ouch.....so much for the toy, right?

He then moves most of his AFVs so that they are facing ONLY the 8-1AL.
So, in front of this one Panther are three SU-85s, and three T34s.

The other two t34s are on board 44 enroute to the mini Koresh compound to help overrun it....

My turn 1.
I BREAK my HMG...
I fire the 8-AL Panther.
Hit, kill a SU-85.
IF shot...
MALF the MA.....ouch....

He had gotten one of his T3485s to have a side shot on the Panther on board 44....I use the SN, think I'm all cute and all...then he zaps the tank with a side shot.....yuck for me.....

The other Panther moves off the hill and manuevers adjacent to the side of a SU-85...to which he promptly fires at the exposed crew and STUNS me....double yuck....

End of turn 1, I was thinking I lost this one....

But read on oh gentle reader....

WITHOUT getting ONE PF shot to work, and breaking the PSK on its first try....
I won the game anyways....

When we ended the game, all of my up front forces were either KIA or about to be so....but in exchange, I had reduced him to two T34s, and had KIAed a good 2/3rds of his INF
(the 9-2 fixed the HMG, and in a later run, directing the HMG and a MMG, I rolled a 5, 3, 4--all ROFs--and then a 7, KIAing 3 MMCs, wounding a SMC, and breaking 4 units...not bad shooting, eh?)

We ended the game on turn 4....
The Russians were going to easily get the exit VPs, but no way were they going to get all 4 bldgs on board 46......

I note a TYPO on the OB card ie about the Russian trucks.
I would give this scenario another playing....I would rate it a 55/45 proposition for the Germans, but would recommmend it to any of you, my fellow ASLers out there....

Merry Christmas to all....

Mark De Vries

[Jazz]

Nice AAR of a nice (if unbalanced) scenario.

Dean McGinley and I played this a few months ago (memory of details is a bit murky) with essentially the same result. The Russian could easily get the VP off the board, but the building VC was a forlorn hope. whats more, I think given average luck, the building VC are pretty much un-attainable for the Russian. It did come down to being mathematicaly possible on the last turn, but took what looked to be (beforehand) and turned out to be a suicide charge. Possibly an extra turn? I can't recall what the balance provisions were.

That being said, the scenario was a blast to play. Both sides have the tools that they need to take on the other side in a '44 East Front tangle. Dean got the CH's ( a number of them actually) that he needed and took out a big chunk of my German tanks. On the other hand, every time I needed (not wanted mind you) a 'faust, I got it (eventually, after 2-3 attempts), and it hit.
_________________
Tom Jazbutis

[MarkDV]

Glad you liked my AAR...

I will note that this packet overall is OUTSTANDING>

Played Shootout at Slutsk vs. Jeff DY one of my FTF opponents about 3 months ago. Great scenario--if only I had sent in my CAV reinforcements differently, it would have been a win for me...

Also liked Tangle at Tolochin....

I confess that I have yet to play the campaign game for this (or for that matter ANY module)

Just don't have the time/patience for it.
Would rather have my playings in 1-3 sessions rather than an on going eternal we're never quite done yet.....

What have you played from this pack?

[Paul]

Correct me if I am wrong, but MarkDV I believe you didn't set up correctly.

The pimple hill 46F9 isn't in the German setup area (being N of the
46J10 - 43J3 - P0 setup area . . . .)

-Paul

[CPL ScottH]

hi-
I plan on playing this one thursday and looking at the set-up, wow, the Russians gotta climb over the rail line into the open, where the whole german army will be waiting.
It does look rough on the Russians indeed.


Scott

[Paul]

I am trying to figure out a german defense and it looks hard on the germans Granted they have the vaulted Panthers, but they will/are outnumber 2-3 to 1 in tanks, 2 to 1 in infantry. To me the key is to
gets some easy kills in but concentrate on a slight delay (don't let them hit village until say into turn 4 would be ideal)

My current thought is to put a slight defense up on row 46Q and along the 44M10-S7-X10.

Looking for lots of fire lanes and ability for the panther to kill and then retreat, reposition and kill again.

Gotta be carefull very easy for the Russian to surround positions and cut off retreats.

As the ruskies, I like the idea of moving everyone N to S on board 46.

-Paul

[Chas]

Dont get fooled in to thinking the Russkies cannot win this. There is a lot that can happen in this one. Some German players even at the end of testing felt like the Germans needed more help!

Chas

[Klaus Fischer]

I remember PTing this little babe in Chas' house (when he was still in Germany).
First my tiny little Germans felt overwhelmed by the red hordes, then I got the edge with some lucky shots (inlcuding a lucky Mortar hit on one of his SU's), got to bold, wasted a Tiger to a "snap shot", and lost very close (IMHO) against Chas' Russians
I felt this was a mondo cool scenario and it is one of my "All Time Favorites"
Ciao

Klaus

[CPL ScottH]

Hi-

Just got done playing this one today, My Russians lost, but it was very close, the Building VC's are doable, but time really kicks the Russians in the nuts.
I agree with you Mark, this is the best product for ASL out there. I also liked Hells Bridgehead which is also alot of fun to, but OtO is tops in my book.
We plan on playing it again saturday, me as the Germans this time.


Scott

[CPL ScottH]

Hi all-
Played this one again on saturday, The game was over by turn 4 with russian wrecks littering board 46, between hexrows p to g. What cuased such carnage? Well, I think an up front defense with Germans really puts a crimp on the Russian blitz. I put one panther in building 46M4 with an Armor leader and CE. In support of the panther, I placed my FT squad in the same hex. In hex 46M2 I placed a 468 squad with a PSK and 9-2 leader, wow what a diference that -2 mod has when approching russian armor gets to near!
In hex 46K4, I placed one 548 with an LMG and one squad foxhole, this was to force the Russians to either take the long way around, or spend a turn fighting through the screen of infantry and one panther. my other panthers were placed on board 44, one in hex 44S7 facing R7/R6, so anything crossing that rail line has a decent chance to get nailed by my panther. The other panther was placed in hex 44V3 with a CA of U4/U3, The was to prevent any monky business as far as tring to outflank my position.
My opponent tried to throw smoke, but only one of the SU-85's was able to get smoke, which really did not do much.
He then brought the bulk of his forces on board 46, trying to get as much of his armor in position to try and wack my panther in the stone building, in as many directions as possible. Well, he moved a couple of tanks four hexes away from my PSK squad, a few more were had moved towards the board 46 hedge area, on my Def fire phase, I knocked two of his tanks, one regular shot, on intense fire shot. He fired back, but that stone building is a great defensive position, so most of his Adv. Fire sots missed.
My turn one, and I crank my turret around to face a few more of his tanks and knock them out ( I got a rate, then intensed again) My PSK squad got in on the act and took out another Russian tank.
Basically, by turn four there was not much left for the Russians to do, an aggressive up front defense just shuts any swift attack down, and this is something the Russians cant afford to do due to the contraints on time. There OBA never kicked in, I broke his radio guy as soon as he got up to the board 46 level two hill. His SU-85's got wacked by a HIP crew, and my panthers.
Anyway, still fun scenario, but I think it might favor an aggressive German defense, I also think if givin another turn, the Russian could be a bit more cautious instead of trying rush on board to complete two VC's the Russians could now at least concentrate on circumventing any German strong points without losing a lot of time.

Scott

[AdrianE]

I played this last weekend at SOASL tourney. It got played 4 times cause it looks cool. Uniformly everyone wanted to play the Russians (toys!) and then the Russians lost every game.

I believe this will be balanced when played by experts (ie the top 10 percent of players). When played by average players it is way pro German. Average players will not 'grok' the extreme time pressure the Russian is under. You will need 4 turns to dig out the 8ML Germans from the victory buildings. The infantry can not walk there. Average players will not be willing to sacrifice the tanks to move up the infantry in a timely manner.

If the German player does an up front defense, the Russian player NEEDS to be an expert in the Dance of Death. If the Geman defends the town, the Russian needs charge like a madman and pray for poor German dice.

As the Russian, try this:
enter the tanks CE with 458 riders with the T34M43s in the lead
drive down the road as far as you can fully expecting the lead tanks to burn. The T34M43s are 100% expendible.
Any survivors unload via TCA change but the tanks stay in motion.
The T34-85s side shot kill any Panther that exhausts ROF (if they set up near hedge)
The OT34-85 flames anyone left. (8TK vrs panthers at 2 hex range)
Trucks loaded with infantry drive down the road as far as they can and unload.

Basically you are given a 11:3 advantage in tanks and a 2:1 advantage in infantry for a reason. The Russian player has to be willing to lose 25% of his OB to close the gap ASAP.

If the German sets up way back, drive the tanks with riders for two turns and unload inside the town. Accept the losses for doing so. VBM freeze. He can faust you but the burning wrecks are excellent cover.

The Russian player must be insanely aggressive and reckless to close the gap.

[Klaus Fischer]

Adrian,

your recommendation somehow reminds of the British strategy for "Blazin' Chariots"
But you're right, use the numbers to your advantage and be reckless is the key - that's what Chas' did with me. I was joicing over every tank killed, but in the end it didn't help, I still lost, Chas just didn't care for the losses, he had plenty of units left
Ciao

Klaus