Sit_rep: Vierville Draw, Normandy, June 6, 1944. Three waves of landing craft sighted heading for the beach. A dozen Rangers, a platoon of Shermans, and a dozen regular GIs, all loaded for bear in some armed and relatively dangerous LCVP, and LCM. Germans with 8 squads, a 75L ATG, and an 81 MRT, defend a fortified beach.
The first wave takes heavy casualties from the ATG and MRT. Two LCVP are sunk outright, another is immobilized in shallow water; of the other two, one beaches, the other runs fast aground. One unloads all of two half squads, and a wounded 7-0. The other unloads into directed HMG fire. The first wave is shattered.
The second wave makes it ashore relatively unscathed. One tank is immobilized (due to lack of waterproofing) when its LCM runs aground. The other two tanks are beached but die in the firefight with the 75L ATG. The immobilized tanks squeezes off a WP shot on the ATG but it only slows the rain of death.
The third wave lands with minor casualties, but they're cut to ribbons on the beach. Fanaticism with ML 6 just can't cut the charge for the entrenched HMG. By turn 9 it's over. Remnants include 1 squad of Rangers, and 5 squads of GIs, an immobilized tank, and two immobilized LCVP. Germans suffer a CR, and an ELR, but generate a Hero for trade.
Pointers:
The ATG should fire on the LC using HE. A good HE hit can sink one of these puppies outright (I rolled snakes on the TK# and put one on the bottom!). The HMG can have a modest effect by causing stuns (and thereby redirecting the covered arc). My ATG sank 1 boat, immobilized another, and destroyed two tanks. All in a day's work!
Wading tanks are HD and small targets. I think it best to leave them in the water and risk their immobilization. At least the water provides them with some cover.
Seaborne invaders suffer CR instead of breaking while wading or on the beach. The beaches are death traps, but this particular scenario gives cover in the form of tetrahedrons. It's best to advance into open beach, then assault move, or move through tetrahedrons (to nullify FFMO), then advance into open ground. This will lessen the impact of FFNAM, and FFMO, but will lengthen the game.
The northern flank has the least beach to cross, but it's also closer to where the German will set up the main force. You chose.
My opponent favored deploying all of the invaders. I'm not in favor as it generates more SAN rolls (SAN 6), and a failed CR kills the HS, while a failed CR against a squad generates a still motile HS. Also, dying HSs drop valuable weapons like DCs....
Analysis: Tough number for the Amis. My setup as the Germs was less than ideal, but ROF and some decent residual fire and MCs saved my butt. My bunkers were out of play, and I didn't use firelanes. Both mistakes should've cost me the game. John thinks he was diced, but he saved all of his good rolls to avoid running aground (11 LC x 3 beach hexes each = 33 rolls with only 1 running fast aground, and only 2 running aground). I had my share of 11s and 12s (even broke the MRT, but fixed it :-).
In many respects it's better to have your LCs run fast aground. They're then able to use their 8 and 12 FP to fullest effect. 12 up 2 will punch some holes in the fragile German line.
There were two critical periods: a melee with heros squaring off (he elected to take out the gun crew, I'd've risked the whole shebang), and a failed PTC while placing a DC. Had these gone the other way, there's no telling what might've been. Also, my opponent failed to fire on my stack of broken dudes. Keeping them DMd could've prevented some serious casualities because even 2 (-2) shots are fatal to the Amis.
I'd play this scenario again. It's fun for both sides. The Germs get to sink a boat or two, while the Amis bite their nails waiting to hit the beach, then there's the mass slaughter on the beach while the Amis make it to the hinterland. If any squids make it that far, it's an uphill battle to take a hill. Tough number for the Amis but a nailbiter for both sides. We both faced PMCs during this one.
Jeff