March 23, 2014
I was scheduled to play a modified Situation #3 f2f, but my opponent had something come up. Since the match was to be played at a local game store, it's a perfect time to set up the end-to-end boards for Situation #4.
Russians: 51 units Germans: 17 units
Russians enter in road march order, leading with the SMG units. These are intended to lay into Golod as fast as possible to deny the Germans a long emplacement of, say, the 88 mm.
German bring up the Wespe and Hummel into Golod. This might not have been a very good idea, but the first game I played neither of these got more than a shot or two each. Then again, their presence way off board was probably a good deterrent against Russian moving through Board 3 with impunity.
Russians move a huge load of firepower on to Golod in an attempt to pry the German off of Board 2 as early as possible. SMG units are spotting. A couple of these could be taken out by the Hummel and the Wespe, but whichever stays to fight is lost, for sure.
The Germans have to move out, Golod is lost. ATG on Hill 129 missed its T-34/85, will be taken out next turn.
Russians picked off a couple of ATGs, pushed the Germans pretty much out of Golod.
Germans pulling back.
Russians continue to press. Germans only have two rifle platoons on Board 2.
Germans managed to get the 88 mm out of Golod. Moving the SPA to Board 1, Hills 126 and 104. Everything, reposition to set up fields of fire on Board 3.
Russian transports rifle companies into Grabyosh, everything else up to Grabyosh.
Germans in a lot of trouble, about to lose the 88 mm, pulling way, way back on to Board 3. The 88 mm did take out a T-34, and the lonely rifle company on Hill 129 destroyed a truck transporting a recon unit which the Russians left within a hex, blunder.
Russians rolled 6 on 4:1 against 88 mm in forest, which will cost them another AFV. Otherwise, nothing left to do other than mass up to get on Board 3.
Germans whiffed two fires, the Hummel and the 88 mm did not get kills. At least the 88 gets another shot out.
Russians are all on Board 3, just crushing the Germans.
But the Germans are now getting some kills: the 88 took out a second AFV, and the Wespe waxed an SMG unit. Everything else needs to bug out. This is almost a total rout.
When the Germans get in this situation, they might consider flanking. The way this is playing out, the Russians are really soft in the rear.
Russians just consolidating positions now.
Germans hiding…
Russians now totally throwing down to get into victory conditions with 5 or more German units destroyed.
Germans now damaging the Russians, but it's too late, they're too far into Board 3.
Russians need to take 2 for marginal victory, got 3, then got everything under cover.
Germans have nothing to fire at, the Russians are all covered. Too bad didn't get the SPA on Hill 126, then would be able to fire down into gullies.
Final: Russians took 6 German units, got 38 units on Board 3, marginal victory to Russians.
Big question: how are the two infantry platoons best used in this scenario? My next attempt will play them together so that they will be able to close assault. AF 3 just doesn't have enough strength. They can, however, threaten trucks and wagons, which really stings when these units are carrying infantry.
The Germans should have risked a halftrack to overrun a truck carrying SMG unit on Turn 1. This halftrack end the overrun in cover, and since the Germans have two extra trucks, no transport would have been lost.
Germans needed to get SPA safe and positioned way earlier than Turn 5, specifically getting them in position on Hill 129.
One way to tighten it up for the Russians is to make it an 8 instead of 10 turn scenario.