[SotM] 2012 December - Scenario Selection Voting

[Matt W]

Timing is everything. If the SS ignore the east west road the Board 6 units can be used as a column to contest control of the north south road at some point where the SS ain't. My setup included a reserve force north of the crossroads which drew a lot of SS to fight there leaving the crossroads vulnerable to a counterattack.

[J6A]

Spoiler if you haven't played yet...if, indeed, you consider my strategies as spoilers.

Alright, here's my set-up and my thoughts on the German attack plan. I'm not going to go hex by hex (sort of). I've split the Soviets into basically 2 forces. The force on board six is 1/3 of the total troops (4 x INF, 1 x HMG, 1 x 45mm plus wagon, CAPT (9-0-0) and LT (9-0-1), They are in the frozen swamps straddling the road in 0910, 1009 and 1111. The bulk of the force (8 x INF, 2 x HMG, 1 x 82mm plus wagon, LT Col 9-0-1, CAPT 8-0-0, LTs 9-0-1 and 7-0-1) and KOM 10) are on board 9. Most of them are clustered near the crossroads, with a couple of INF in 0707 and 0809 to watch against an outflank that way, and the mortar farther back.

I haven't 100% decided on the German plan yet, and I'm thinking that the CAV are going to try a broad sweep, probably on board 6, heading up the edge and around the big swamp. At 4 hexes/turn in the clear, it will take them about 6 turns to do this, and about 10 turns to hit the Soviet rear areas. A smaller force of INF will be sent to pin the forces on board 6 while the bulk will push up the road. The problem there, of course, is running into the Russian HMGs. So, it may be that I again send a smaller pinning force that way, and try to send a bunch of troops up the right flank. I just don't think there are enough Germans to go around there. The argument for sending the cavalry up the board 9 flank is that its only 4 turns to contact, however there are already dug in Soviet troops there.

German leaders are a 8-0-1 Lt Col, 8-1-1 MAJ, 8-0-0 CAPT, 10-1-1 LT, 8-0-0 LT and 7-0-0 LT. The leaders for both sides, outside of that 10-1-1 aren't spectacular and verge on "bad" (okay, the 9-0-1 Soviet Lt Col and the KOM aren't bad). This could make this devolve into chaos relatively quickly. I think (and AARs bear out) that the Germans have an uphill fight here. They have a slight numerical advantage, a slight mobility advantage and a slight artillery advantage. The Soviets, otoh, are dug in, and can trade space for time if things get rough. We'll see.

[J6A]

Matt - I'm also considering ignoring the E-W road with the SS. However, they can win if they control only the E-W road, provided they do it by killing off lots of Commies. My thought with the Soviets ignoring the E-W road is it makes it easier for the REIT (I always think "Real Estate Investment Trust") to get behind them and possibly pick up DEM units allowing the Germans to get to the 10 steps killed VC faster.

[campsawyer]

At the risk of drawing more wrath, meaning spoiler alert.

The key to a German win is the crossroads, both German VC's are unachievable without control of this. This also has cover and can be dugin giving the Soviets a very tough position. What makes this scenarios tricky is the step loss requirements, but I will stop there.

To Vince's proposal of a Skype game, I am always up for that.

[J6A]

Yup, its pretty obvious that the crossroads are critical to both sides since they are part of both roads, and yeah, I expect there to be much blood spilled there. I'm going to fire this one up shortly.

[J6A]

Big problems for the Germans. 1st Soviet OBA rolls a 2, kills 2 CAV steps and the Major leading 5 of the 8 CAV units. This is one of those games where, with the close in fighting, I'm just shooting the OBA and damn the friendly fire (less of a concern for the Germans, obviously). I'm still thinking the Germans will have a hell of a time winning this one.

[campsawyer]

Big problems for the Germans. 1st Soviet OBA rolls a 2, kills 2 CAV steps and the Major leading 5 of the 8 CAV units. This is one of those games where, with the close in fighting, I'm just shooting the OBA and damn the friendly fire (less of a concern for the Germans, obviously). I'm still thinking the Germans will have a hell of a time winning this one.

Boy this sounds familiar. Same issue happened in our game, only time will tell who will win.

[Hugmenot]

The final position in my solo play; The "Decoy" and "1" markers denote assaults.

   

The Soviets barely held on for a minor victory.