January 26, 2014
Revisiting Situation #3 for the third time, second time solo.
Russians set up first, and this time, more units are loaded on trucks and wagons, "in reserve" and ready to move where needed.
Germans roll a 1 (randomizing for solitaire game) on the dice, hence, must force an exit through Board 1.
Russians start to move East. Trucks and wagons rolling. Hopefully, the Germans don't have enough movement to feint.
Germans are going for fast engagement with Panzers. Mortars and Howitzers are set up for covering fire. Infantry is set to engage on the road lading up to the pass between Hills 104 and 126.
Russians are massing infantry forces at the footof 104.
Germans claimed a Russian truck on the fire round, then split forces to escape the infantry massing up and go after some field guns.
Russians really boxing in the Germans.
Germans got a couple of dispersals, remembered to add 1 to die roll when defender in forest, which cost a kill.
Russians, they might be in trouble! The Germans are pressing very hard in the Adski sector.
Germans finally, for the first time in several games it feels like, are getting some slack: good die rolls! This turn sees Russian 82 mm mortar and another truck destroyed, and a 76. 2 mm ATG dispersed. Even better, one of the PzKw III Gs caught a stack of Russian transport in the clear and overran. This cost the Russians an ATG and a rifle company.
Russians really whiffing on the dice. With the panzers loose at the north end of the board, transport just got really dicey.
Germans are in position, the next two turns will decide it. The Russians could get very lucky on clse assaults and keep the Germans dispersed till the clock runs out.
Russians couldn't do a whole lot here, try to mass infantry to not get taken out completely. They did get a German truck.
Germans In pretty good shape, with the Russians not being able to roll enough kills or dispersals to prevent the Germans from either moving or firing.
Russians have a few bad options, and one good fire target of a PzKw III G down in a gully which is going after the remaining ATG gun which is a threat, except, whoops, that unit is dispersed! But, the Germans blundered and thought they were driving Panzer IVs, and got their IIIs into bad positions… And dispersed!
Germans mostly positioning, took out another wagon, still can't manage to take out the ATG gun.
Russian ATG gets another truck, disperses tracks on the slope.
Looking like a draw, as the Germans just don't have enough fire power to reduce the infantry.
Germans finally took out the ATG, everything positioned for one massive fire round.
Russians dispersed a couple of big stacks, really helped because this the Germans last turn.
Germans fail to dislodge rifle company in Adski, rolling a 5 at 3:1.
Russians again rolled well and dispersed.
Draw, possibly favoring the Germans as the Germans would probably get a win given 2-3 more turns, possibly even a single turn more. The Russian infantry is just too strong.
Lightweight artillery, H and M weapones with AF 2 or 3 is super useful for destroying transport, especially if it's loaded transport! The trick is catching it in the clear.
Germans stacked two ATGs in the same hex, making it impossible to get the transport in to pick it both up the same turn.
Russians lost all their trucks by Turn #5.
Germans put their ATG guns at extreme risk, by allowing Russian SMG unit to get too close. If the Germans load, the gun is lost on a CAT.
Artillery in forest hexes also needs to be stacked with infantry, if there is no chance for that unit to move. This would have saved at least two Russian field guns.
Germans forgetting to run selective fire on Russian infantry, could have taken out a unit or two, possibly.
I think I have not been halving AF for attackers firing on inputs on slopes when the attacker is on a hilltop or otherslope. I think this wrong.
Allow reinforcements on successive turns for the Germans, both armor and infantry.
Assuming the Situation can be rebalanced appropriately, require wider hexes from the east and west boundaries, east boundary at Adski in particular. This limits artificial boundary effect.
Disallow the swamp on board 1 to count for cleared hexes. Armor can't move through it.
Reduce the Russian unit count by two or three infantry units, say three rifle, or remove both guards, two SMG, or remove a guard and an SMG.