Below is an AAR for a recently-completed game of scenario T - "Pavlov's House". I think our playing may have been more indicative of the scenario than the AAR you've currently got. In any event, this is my first attempt at an AAR. Enjoy.
Scenario T, "Pavlov's House" was published in the General a few years ago, and is an update of an old SL scenario. It pits four and a half squads of Russians supported by a 45LL ATG, MMG and LMG, led by a 9-1 and an 8-1 against an attacking force of nine 5-4-8's, various Mg's, and two PzIVF2's. The only draw-back to the German force is it's relative lack of leadership - only two leaders (though one is a 9-2).
The Russians must defend building Z7 on board 1, which has a large patch of open ground in front of it thanks to a few well-placed overlays(buildings X5 and X7 are covered by Open Ground, creating a No Mans Land North-East of the Victory Building). All Russians are Fanatic by SSR. Additional SSR's rubbles hex Z6 of the Victory Building and make one other hex (AA7) a Level 3 hex. The Germans must Control the entire building - 14 Locations - to win in 6.5 turns. I had the Germans while my Worthy Opponent - David Winn Hailey - took the Russians.
The Setup: The setup reveals a few Russians in the Victory Building (including a stack under a ? at Level 3 - no prizes for guessing what was in there - Comrade Pavlov and his MMG-wielding half-squad) and a larger number of Russkies (all under ?) scattered about the perimeter buildings, between the German and his prize.
The Plan: The Plan was simple: send the bulk of the Germans "up the gut" among the perimeter buildings in U8/V7/W9 area, and a smaller force to the outlying buildings at the edge of No Mans Land (V4/V5). One PzIVF2 - with the Armor Leader - goes up The Gut, whilst the other gets sent on a Death Ride toward the enemy rear; a dash across No Mans Land.
The Early Game: The Plan starts off great - the 9-2 lead Kill Stack uses Opportunity Fire as the assault troops start the push up The Gut. Both PzIV's enter and get into position for their turn 2 moves. I reckon the ATG to be in Y7 and so send one PzIV around the German left in an attempt to lure out the ATG with a tempting side shot. Meanwhile the other PzIV heads up The Gut along the R8 road as the assault troops move forward. He doesn't take the bait of the PzIV moving towards his rear(which makes it into position in CC4), but the ATG rears it's ugly head (in Y7) and Stuns the other PzIV. One Russian 4-4-7 dies in CC in U8, thus taking the German infantry advantage to almost 3:1. Then I overlook a LOS from the Level 3 MG nest that slid between a couple of buildings and the 9-2 Kill Stack gets hit with a 4 -3 shot! Fate smiles and the final result is a Pinned 9-2 and two Pinned squads - disaster narrowly avoided! Then Disaster strikes! A Defensive Fire shot in the bottom half of turn 2 activates the Russian Sniper. The direction DR takes it to the hex with the 9-2 and two LMG-toting squadies. Random Selection selects (of course) the 9-2, who is wounded, the wound proves fatal and everybody fails their LLMC. The lot rout to a nearby building and they never fire a shot in anger for the remainder of the game (getting chopped-up by Comrad Pavlov and his MMG while making mad dashes for the Victory Building toward the end of the game).
The Mid Game: The remaining leader rushes back to try and rally the troops cowering after the demise of the 9-2. The PzIV w/AL and the ATG slug it out. The PzIV in the enemy rear aquires the MG nest at Level 3. The assault troops continue slogging forward. Then, a previously concealed LMG/447 Assault Moves into the open next to the Victory Building (X8). Well, I think, he doesn't care if they break, they'll rout into the Victory Building to swiftly rally under the Commissar. This is where I decide to get Clever. I move the PzIV from the enemy rear around the Victory Building to a position (Z8, staying in Motion) to deny him the opportunity to rout into the Victory Building and force him to rout to nearby woods where I could easily force his Surrender or elimination for Failure To Rout. This move takes the PzIV adjacent to the ATR/6-2-8 stack in Y8. I'm not too worried about this as the ATR would need snake-eyes to do any damage, and even using Street Fighting, the Russian would need a 4 to immobilize, and a 2 or 3 to kill the PzIV - pretty good odds, I reckoned. So, the PzIV cruises up next to the Russian 6-2-8, and sure-enough it makes a Street Fighting attack, and the DR? (wait for it...)...3!!! So, one PzIV down. So the 4-4-7 routs into the building and to the Commissar. Finally, I break the Russian front line of defenders (the ATG crew, the 6-2-8 and a 2-3-7) and setup the End Game Push.
The End Game: I gather my remaining German squads in the buildings across the street (V7/V8/W9 area) from the hexes recently vacated by the broken Russian front-liners and enter the building in the Advance Phase. The Russians fall back, leaving sacrificial half-squads to slow the Germans. The Russian rear guards melt under the fire from the adjacent German platoons. One platoon moves for the stairwell at the back, in AA7, while the other goes for the front stairwell, in Y8. The PzIV w/AL moves toward the rear of the building to prevent routs of the broken half-squad rear guard. I need to risk ESB to get to the proper hex to cut his routs(BB7), and the PzIV is Immobilized, but where I want it. Then, the German Sniper breaks the 6-2-8 in Z7, Level 1 and they are eliminated for failure to rout. The Germans push up the stairwell toward the last hold-outs in the Level 3 building (now Encircled). Point-blank fire breaks a German squad and a Russian half-squad. In desperation, the remaining 2-3-7, 9-1, and 10-0 Advance out onto two German squads for CC. The remaining Russians die by the bayonet and entrenching tool, leaving the Germans in control of Pavlov's House.
Key Events - Russian:
Key Events - German:
All-in-all, a fun little scenario, perfect for a tournament or weekday evening game. I have doubts about replay value, though. You know where the Germans are going and how they have to get there, and once the Germans breach the building, it's down to who rolls lowest, when (though rolling low is always a good tactic). I think that exchanging the 8-1 for the 10-0 Commissar is vital for the Russians, as is putting everybody in the Victory Building and Skulking like a mo-fo. For the Germans, nothing fancy, CVP don't matter. Last man standing wins.