Playing with an opponent very much brings out a heightened tenseness in close scenarios nearing their end. Often, turns can take that tad longer as both players cogitate more on their next AS in the penultimate or final turn of a battle, desperately seeking that key move (or dice roll) that might finally swing it their way or just snatch a draw from a looming defeat.
I presume that this is because in live opponent games, players are now given 'ownership' of their side, rather than omnipotent scenario overlord, and therefore, little bits of heroism by platoon A, or canny survival and great AT shooting by AFV unit B from your own units guides players to a growing 'affection' for an individual counter on the battlefield in THAT scenario .... In other words, you are now 'rooting' for your guys.
That all said, here is a list of my Top 10 close battles in order of 'excitement and tenseness' that was felt at the time in the last 2 turns of the battle. Most are against Alan Sawyer and Wayne Baumber and I make no apologies for most of them being draws or wins as these results often leave the person gaining the result with a 'feel-good' factor, whilst the one losing will be 'well-gutted'. This will therefore hopefully stirs memories of the battles in those two opponents, as well as perhaps give a nod in the right direction for others who may wish to try them
1. EFD 43 "Red Steel-Tank Battle At Chisnau" (Wayne Baumber) with just 2 turns to go and a couple of Romanian AFV platoons being hemmed in by T34's, they had little choice but to finally force the Soviet hand. They attempted a speedy but highly risky slim-chanced drive past. Fate had them surviving all AT rolls and getting on the road, away to escape to safety and victory. An enraged Soviet commander shook his fist at the escaping Romanians.
2. BSS 7 "Head-On" (Alan Sawyer) Chosen by Alan, this looked tough for the Germans but I set out to try and win rather than just draw. Having replused a large British attack, the Germans countered and came up short in trying to take a town, with some becoming trapped and eliminated. In the final turns, it came down to some German StG's and PzIV's having to exit. One StG, though becoming reduced, stayed in good order, survived an assault and limped off past some British Shermans and AT guns... a thrilling end to grab a draw.
3. W&P 1 "On Their Own" (Alan Sawyer) Chosen by Alan again, I intended to give this a real 'go' at notching one up for the Germans as PG-HQ had no wins for them at the time. It was a hard-slog trying to weave through Soviet lines and then getting the infantry across a river. With casualties mounting, the last couple of turns involved the Germans contesting a town. After a dramatic couple of assault phases, the Germans clung onto the required points by their finger-nails.
4. WS 21 "Paratroopers Prevail" (Alan Sawyer). This was HARD. 8/8 US Paras with that flippin' 11-1-2 Lt.Col in the town centre meant that rather average Volksgrenadiers under heavy OBA from the enemy really suffered trying to budge this enemy from the town. Sensing defeat, the attack was mainly called off and left as a side-show as a late swing in my intent became to salvage a draw by exiting a required amount of troops. The race was on, and in the last 2 turns, US Open-Topped armour cut the road off to the escaping Germans. With only an OBA strike option left, a snake-eyes removed the offending US AFV and enough VGs and an armour unit slipped off the board for a draw.
5. WW 1 "A Bitter Irony" (Wayne Baumber) American forces had to clear the Germans off the hill on board 25. The final couple of turns had a GREN platoon and some mortars clinging to an entrenchment under continual assault from US HMG's and ENG units with plenty of spares adjacent. Morale checks and assault results foiled the US attack as just the 'right' units kept breaking whilst the measly German mortars stayed on board to claim the queerest of victory's.
6. AK 45 "Op Brevity-Fort Capuzzo" (Darryl Sims) Our first ftf. The British made a very well co-ordinated attack and in the last turn were ahead on points by the absolute minimum as they had inflicted 1 more step-loss than the Italians had. Not wishing to risk any further losses and therefore claim a win, the Brits pulled back from a mainly spent DEM & DIS Italian enemy. But an Italian Infantry platoon Opp fired on the 7 column and found a snake-eyes, thus nabbing an X result. That sole dice roll turned the game from a loss to a draw for the Italians in the very last turn.
7. WW 4 "Filling The Gaps" (Wayne Baumber) This one was close all the way through. A pretty even match of forces tussle for a town. I think both sides may have had a lead at some point in the scenario, but going into the last turn, both sides could have still win. Fire and assaults had it all ending in a double-check the scores draw !
8. FR 10 "Rescuing The 80th" (Wayne Baumber) Italian forces in Russia have to push up 3 boards to rescue trapped comrades in a town. The attack went so well and the town was reached though casualties slowly mounted. With a win a very good chance for the Italians, the Soviets then set about attacking the left-behind Italian rear-elements. This tactic saved them the game as just enough were accrued in the final turns to steal the win from the knackered Italians and morph the result into Soviet victory. Of course, I wasted no time in letting Wayne know how phyrric it all appeared :-)
9. WW 6 "Crocodile Rock" (Alan Sawyer). Playing the IoG scenarios chronologically throws up what sometimes appear as 'No-Chance' scenarios. Looking at this as the German Volksgrenadier commander, this appeared as one of those No-Chance efforts. What followed was a (for me) exciting holding action against materrially, numerically superior foe with better morale. In the last couple of turns, the final fight for the town involved fire-brigading hexes with 'spares' that allowed the VG's to hold on for the win. I enjoyed it, I know Alan didn't. This will not be in his top 10 I'm sure.
10. TB 3 "Little Saturn - Opening Guns" (Wayne Baumber). An early game in our Pg careers. A horde of Soviet infantry storm Italian defensive positions. For the main part of the game, the defence went well as loads of the enemy were sliced down. With Wayne (and he'll admit this) moaning, I cockily made an over-confident counter-attack. This undone the Italian defence and was simply self-destruction as the still numerous Reds swarmed all over the Italians. I had thrown this one away as the last 2 turns had frenzied Soviets slicing down my troops all over the place. It was a lesson I never forgot ... NEVER show any letting up in the tactics that were bring you a win. But the excitement of the last 2 turns as the battle swung the other way completely will never be forgotten.
So they are my closest top 10. Hopefully it will evoke memories of your top closest finishes or maybe you experienced something similar in the scenarios mentioned ?
