SlvW016 
|
Fighting Germans Slovakia’s War #17 |
||
|---|---|---|
| (Defender) Slovak Republic | vs | Germany (Attacker) |
| Formations Involved |
|---|
|
| Overall Rating, 2 votes |
|---|
|
3
|
| Scenario Rank: --- of 1093 |
| Parent Game | Slovakia’s War |
|---|---|
| Historicity | Historical |
| Date | 1944-09-04 |
| Start Time | 12:00 |
| Turn Count | 30 |
| Visibility | Day |
| Counters | 71 |
| Net Morale | 0 |
| Net Initiative | 0 |
| Maps | 4: 1, 102, 103, 4 |
| Layout Dimensions | 86 x 56 cm 34 x 22 in |
| Play Bounty | 177 |
| AAR Bounty | 168 |
| Total Plays | 1 |
| Total AARs | 1 |
| Duplicates | FiAx024, FSUr007 |
| Battle Types |
|---|
| Exit the Battle Area |
| Inflict Enemy Casualties |
| Conditions |
|---|
| Off-board Artillery |
| Randomly-drawn Aircraft |
| Scenario Requirements & Playability | |
|---|---|
| Broken Axis | Maps + Counters |
| Fire in the Steppe | Maps + Counters |
| Slovakia’s War | Base Game |
| Introduction |
|---|
|
Though the Slovaks had scored one of their few victories of the Second World War, they had lost most of their support weapons in the process while the German force remained more or less intact. The Germans began their renewed attack with a heavy artillery barrage, and then sent their tanks forward in a frontal assault while infantry forces tried to envelop both Slovak flanks. |
| Conclusion |
|---|
|
This time things went much better for the Germans, as the Slovaks had little with which to stop their tanks. The Slovaks at first fell back in good order, but then as the tanks pursued them a rout ensued. Knowing their troops to be ill-trained, the German command pulled back the reins on pursuit before they could become disorganized. The Slovak officers used the respite to restore order in their own ranks and incorporate reinforcements. |
|
|
|---|
| AFV Rules Pertaining to this Scenario's Order of Battle |
|---|
|
| Heer |
|---|
|
| Luftwaffe |
|---|
|
| Slovenská Armáda |
|---|
|
| 3 Errata Items | |
|---|---|
|
The reduced direct fire value of the Heer HMG became 5-5 starting with Fall of France. (plloyd1010
on 2015 Jul 31)
|
|
All SS PzIVH tanks should have a movement of 8. (Shad
on 2010 Dec 15)
|
|
The morale and combat modifiers of German Sergeant #1614 should be "0", not "8". (Shad
on 2010 Dec 15)
|
| Raw Slovak Courage - German Combined Arms = Wehrmacht Victory | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
This was an overlong, nonplaytested, conflict simulation that we played in 9 sessions. I had the attacking German horde and the fearless & flexible CavDo led the defending Slovaks in this rather unbalanced battle. Both sides drew middling leaders in this somewhat tedious scenario. We used the FOW, excess initiative, extended assault, smoke/illumination and consolidation optional rules, and tried these 4 house rules: 1) Road Movement for Mechanized & Foot Units All FOOT & MECHANIZED units may move on roads at the rate of 1/2 of a Movement Point (MP) per road hex, just like MOTORIZED units, 2) Standardized Movement for Mechanized Unit All mechanized units may move through clear hexes at a movement cost of only 1 movement point (MP) per hex, instead of 1 1/2. Add one to this cost if moving up, across, or down slopes hexes, 3) German Assault Gun Activation German Army, turretless STG units were typically crewed by artillerymen. Like halftracks, these units may be activated by ALL leaders, as well as Tank Leaders, unless prohibited by scenario rules and Armored Fighting Vehicle (AFV) Consolidation, and 4) Armored Fighting Vehicle (AFV) Consolidation Unless prohibited by special scenario rules, half-strength (reduced) AFV units of the same type, nationality, and morale condition may be combined to form a single, full-strength unit. Both reduced units must start their activation in the same hex and be activated by an adjacent – or same-hex – good order, Tank Leader. This action costs both units all of their movement points. Remove one of the units, flip the other to its full-strength side and mark it activated. The Jerries approached after a heavy artillery barrage, followed by a combined arms attack on both flanks. Luckily for the attackers, the Slovaks had little to oppose the ferocity of the AFVs in this Axis onslaught. A senior leader decapitation paralyzed the Slovaks on the 12th game turn, and they never really recovered from this blow. Many failed morale checks and recovery attempts later, the defenders routed. This one deserves a 3 in shared play, with a gracious & challenging opponent. Clearly, this unbalanced one requires that the more experienced player should lead the Slovak defenders. I won the coin toss and got the Germans this time. They had just enough armor to virtually guarantee a win. This scenario is batter played in SOLO mode. |
||||||||||||||
| 4 Comments |
This scenario was so unbalanced and overlong that it should be played in just 15-17 turns. Historically accurate, but not much fun to play, unless you draw an entertaining and generous opponent as I did, this time. Overall, this is a decent learning scenario, when played with a patient trainer.
How much did the use of house rules impact the scenario?
Certainly better simplicity & playability using the first two.
As this play-through turned out, the second two were not needed.
Absolutely concur with my honorable opponent. The house rules we tried made shared play much less complicated and way more fun.
Moving infantry and tanks on a road at 2/3 of a MP per hex, or AFVs at 1.5 MP per hex makes no sense and wastes time in shared play, IMHO.
I say, keep PG play as simple and enjoyable as possible . . .