German - Brian Glando
French - Doug Bush
Set Up: Brian chose to set up his Germans in three main groups, each tied to key terrain or an avenue of approach. One group with 1 467/ATR went in 33R8. With it were both PzII tanks in O8 and P7. The purpose of this group was to delay a French attack up the middle and harass any French moves up either flank. Group two of 2 468 w/ 7-0 and the 8-0 went in the wheat fields vicinity 33CC5. Their purpose was to delay the French on that avenue and kindle the large board 33 wheat field, hopefully denying this covered avenue of approach. The final group went in the rear with 2 467/hmg/9-2 in 33S1 and 1 467/mmg in 33NO. The gun went HIP in 16C7, boresighted on 16O2. Overall, a good set up. The boresight hex was a great choice as he figured something would scurry across the road there trying to get from the woods into building 16O3 (he turned out to be right). The dummies all went 33C9,H7,I10. This open area was the least likely avenue of approach, so Brian economized with the dummy stacks.
Turns 1-2: The turn 1 group of French rolled in on the extreme east flank and CXed up to 4D7, staying with the tank platoon. This group continued to push up into the 33D8 wheat field on turn 2 as the turn 2 reinforcements followed the same route. The Germans in the wheat field failed to kindle it, and there was some minor fire between the infantry. The German PzIIIs had rolled in behind the 468s in the wheat field in support and set up attack by fire positions around 33B2. They started engaging the French tanks immediately. Little damage had been done by either side by the end of turn 2, but those two 468s were starting to feel pressure from French numbers (5 tanks w/ 7 squads in the area).
Turn 3-5: On turn 3 the French had to decide where to push their reinforcements. I chose to push them up the central avenue using the farm at 4P6 as cover. The tank platoon stayed in column formation, in motion and got to 4Q9. Things didn't look too good in the east at this point. I had a five squad advantage, but little cover to attack through and two PzIIIs in support of the Germans. At this point I decided to leave one platoon in the east (3 squads) with one tank to keep the 468s busy, and to move everything else diagonally across the field toward the woods at 33S1. I figured that those guys plus the turn 3 group would be enough to smash through (8 sqd, 7 tanks) and capture the buildings. The next two turns saw one of the PzIIs in 33P7 Malf his gun and bug out to building 16L6, and the other one get ganged up on and destroyed by a platoon of tanks at point blank range. The one squad in R8 proved tough and just would not break. He delayed most of the turn 3 group around those buildings until turn 6 when he finally died in CC. By the end of turn 5 the French had one platoon of tanks in the orchard on board 33 trying to suppress the mmg in 33N0, and another platoon and most of the elite infantry attacking the Germans in 33S1 at close range. The eastern platoon and tank had chased the 468s back to the north edge of the big wheat field. The two PzIIIs had bugged out and moved back to 16J6 and H6 to settle in for the finish.
Turn 6-7: The Stuka showed up but when it attacked my 458/mmg/9-1 stack in the big field in malfed its' machine guns and rolled an "11" for the bomb attack - no more stuka to worry about! The German 467/hmg/9-1 stack had broken and routed to 16M2, but when I rolled two tanks around to cut off his route the lead one in 16N2 got CHed by the 20mm on a PzII in 16M6! This let the squad rally the next phase on a 5! And this was after taking 3 37mm hits and 2 75 HE hits! Ugh!! Anyway, the tanks rolling around the corner also revealed the 75INF in C7 which got some good hits in, but couldn't penetrate. On the plus side for the French, one tank hit the 467/mmg in 33N0 with snakes and broke it. Still, at this point the Germans had ZERO mmc in either victory building, and what they were down to three squads total. Then things went started to go south for the French
Turn 8-9: First, the wing man of the tank blown away in 16N2 got dusted by ANOTHER critical hit in 16O2. This cleared the way for the now 447/hmg/9-1 to slink back into building 16O3. Things now looked crappy for the French, the only advantage they had were the number of tanks left (6). One tank platoon closed in behind building O3 and started pounding point-blank into the hmg stack. The other platoon rolled out in the open around 16L3 to close the range and engage the PzIIIs. Luck now swung back to the French as one of the PzIIIs malfed his main gun and the other was shocked by a turret hit from a French tank. The hmg stack finally broke and surrendered due to failure to route (surrounded by French tanks). The two 468s had gotten pinned in the wooden building in 33Y1 and the French platoon closed in for CC (French used a VBM freeze to close) and they died. Just when things were looking better, the French (me) stupidly moved my 458/458/mmg/9-1 stack into the road at 16O2 - the boresight hex!! Ouch!! Several 75 rounds and PzIII coax shots later the stack was smoked and scurrying back to the woods. Still the French took the 16O3 building on turn 9 with other infantry who had fought the battle around the farm on board 33 and were now moving up. At this point the Germans had ZERO squads, one fully functional tank (the PzII in M6) and the 75INF. By the way that damn tank was indestructible. It was hull down behind an apparently magnetic stone wall which attracted round after round of French 37mm shells at close range! When I did hit the stupid thing it wouldn't die! Also, the Germans had sneaked the 8-0 and 7-0 all the way back to building L6.
Turn 10: The French had to now banzai charge the M6 building in order to win. There were three contestants. The first one charged out but was broken by the PzII main gun in M5. The next sprinted from 33T0 across the open ground, but got pinned by a 75INF shot in L6. The last squad came in behind the building into M7 and advanced in. There was no ambush and the French had a 2-1 chance to win (a 7?), but since this was the French, and this was May of 1940 THEY BLEW IT! With the squad in melee the French couldn't gain control and lost. Thus the Germans pulled out a squeaker with two guys, one tank, and one gun left standing.
Analysis: The French tanks are only good when they are massed (usually not a problem due to plt movement) and at very close range. The lack of infantry anti-tank weapons allows you to close the range and blast away. Up close, even the crappy 2 fp coax and 37mm gun can be nasty. The French infantry have to be carefully used, when they are GO they can hold their own. But once broken they come back very slowly, if at all. The German tanks of the day were less armored, but had good guns, speed, and a higher rate of fire. In this scenario, they saved the day even though outnumbered 8-3 by heavier armored tanks. This is a good scenario. Aside from coming down to the wire in this playing, it gives the players a lot of choices. For the Germans, there are several:
Doug Bush
here's my first FtF AAR :-) And it's looooooooong Raymond Woloszyn and I played GTF7 "Recapturing Ernage" from CH this weekend and I can tell you it was a *real* nailbitter. The last CC DR made the decission :-)
GTF7 is set in May 1940 on boards 16, 33, and 4 (north to south) and the
Germans defend with 2x 468, 4x 467, 9-1, 8-0, 7-0, 6x ? 1ea HMG, MMG, LMG, 7.5
leIG18, 2x PzIIA and a 8-1 ArmorLeader. On Turn 1 the Germans receive 2x PzIIIF
as reinforcements as well as one Stuka with bombs as per E7.2. The French attack
from the south in 3 groups:
Grp1: 2x 458, 2x 457, 8-1, LMG, ATR, 2x R35,
R35(L) ->Turn 1
Grp2: 3x 458, 9-1, dm MMG, dm MTR(60), R35,
R35(L) ->Turn 2
Grp3: 4x 457, 7-0, dm MMG, 2x R35, R35(L) ->Turn
3
Per SSR the Grain is in Season, and all French Leader have to pay a +1 DRM to all Rally attempts. VC: The French must control buildings 16O3 and 16L6. So you can see, the Germans don't have a lot to defend with and those R35's can be a *real* pain.
Well, since Raymond wanted me to do the preperations for a scenario, I selected the scenario, took the Germans ans set-up. That was the first time I realized how thinly I had to spread. On board 33 I only had a HS with the ATR (positioned for side/rear shots) and 4 Dummies in the forward Stone Building. Then I made my major mistake by setting up the 75INF in the woods right by the big grain field - stupid as you'll see.
The 8-0, 468, HMG went into the western wooden building right by the board seam/grain field. The 7-0, 467, LMG went into the woods on the eastern side and the 9-1, MMG, HS, 2x 467 went into O3. One 468 into L6, and the two PzIIA went on the East/West flank respectively. I was quite satisfied with my setup thought I could handle the French easily.
Turn 1: Not much happening, the French come on right in the middle heading for the village. The most forward R35 engages my Dummies in the Stone Building with Area Fire at No Effect :-) The two German PzIIIF's come on through the O-road and one drives to O2 and the other one parks in the gap between the western woods right by the grain field.
Turn 2: The one R35 keeps firing at the Dummies and his infantry moves forward bypassing everything heading for the board 16/33 edge. The remaining 2 R35's platoon move straight to the Stone building, parking adjacent. The PzIIA with the 8-1 on the eastern side fires off some rounds towards the French, which bounce off without result.
Turn 3: Raymond bring the 3rd R35 platoon on in the west and his center group keep engaging the dummies while one R35 strays off moving adjacent to the still concealed HS with the ATR :-) The Dummies sulk away from the tanks and the ATR fires at the adjacent R35, scoring a Shock :-)
Turn 4: The Shock becomes a UK and the Infantry engage and eliminate the HS, while the remaining Infantry moves forward to the center buildings with the dummies. Still no Stukas, and my PzIIA backs out. Two of the eastern R35's fire at it and one malf's its MA :-) The PzIIA gets away.
Turn 5: The UK becomes a R35 wreck :-) and the french pick up the German ATR. The center R35's move forward, freezing the Dummies in Bypass, but a PzIIIF creates a nice flaming wreck in bypass, while the other PzIIIF engages the western R35 at long range through the Orchards. Still no Stukas, and Raymond repairs his MA :-( His Infantry finally closes with the Dummies and the eastern R35 move adjacent to my (still concealed) 7-0, 467, LMG combo. A HS Double Times between the Grain and the center building and my 75INF finally fires and blast's him to Nirvana, keeps ROF and engages one of the eastern R35's and nails him :-) My PzIIIF's fire away but score nil, the 8-1 PzIIA moves behind the remaing eastern R35 and threatens him - thus relieving the 7-0 stack. And the other PzIIA moves through the grain north to engage Infantry and cut rout paths. My 7-0 combo doesn't pass the PAATC and looses concealment :-(
Turn 6: French Infantry pushes through the grain, the Dummies are finally eliminated (lasted quite long). One R35 remains behind the wall, engaging the 7-0 combo, while the other two move behind the orchards towards board 16. The R35 threatening the 7-0 combo spins the turret and eliminates my 8-1 PzIIA :-( A HMG firelane stops the advance through the grain, but two 457's manage to get through and threaten the 75INF. No Stuka :-( The remaining PzIIA moves north and positions itself west of the village and engages some Infantry with 4IFE and 5CMG, but ohhh, the 60MTR immobilizes the poor shmock :-( The Infantry in the Grain engage the PzIIIF with the captured ATR and kill it :-( and the R35 behind the wall breaks the Gun Crew :-( And, to make matters worse, the 7-0 combo goes down and is eliminated for failure to rout. The 8-0, HMG combo does a Assault Move out of the house into the woods and a 247 DF's - the second 1FP +1 attack breaks 'em :-( The remaing PzIIIF pops its sD and moves behind the building. So all I have left now is a PzIIIF, a immobilized PzIIA, the 468 in L6, the broken crew, 9-1, MMG, 247, 467 in O4 and the broken stack (now less HMG) in the western building. Raymond still has 5 R35's and most of his Infantry.
Turn 7: The tanks swarm the O3 building and park adjacent, the western Infantry close with the broken 8-0 stack and capture the abandonned HMG and the central Infantry cross the street into O3, where they are repelled by the MMG. But a Berserk HS manages to survive all DF and enter the hex :-( The 467 breaks and routs towards L6. CC eliminates the Berserker and the 247. Hey, the Stuka will come! Even I can roll less than 7 :-/ Prep Fire is pretty ineffective and my PzIIIF moves behind the wall surrounding L6 - being shot at from the captured ATR and HMG, but fortunately at no effect. The PzIIA finally goes down to the MTR.
Turn 8: Realizing the timepressure Raymond pushes his Infantry to O3 and toward L6 - DF is pretty ineffective except for the Stuka Strafing Run which engages two R35 and two MMCs all lined up nice and neatly. No Effect on the tanks, but the MMC go down, taking some pressure off O4. The 8-0 stack routs through the Grain towards the western woods. And the 467 reaches L6.
Turn 9: The 8-0 goes down to boxcar rally and the 468 meets its master due to the same fait - two boxcars in a row :-( The 9-1, MMG, crew break to some PFPh shot and will be eliminated for failure to rout :-( Now Raymond can concentrate on the L6 building. The R35's swarm my PzIIIF which immobilizes one. And his Infantry closes on L6, staying just outside the walls. BF breaks a R35 MA. The Stuka comes in for the second run (after which it will be recalled) and chooses another Strafing Run since Raymond again aligned 2 R35s and 2MMC in a nice row :-) The two MMC go down and now Raymond is really under pressure. My PF is pretty ineffective and he blasts away :-( But Raymond's DF is also ineffective and he elects to IF four times(!) which breaks only one MA, but breaks the 467 and kills my last tank. Only a 468 left in L6 :-( Last Turn: A R35 is Recalled. The French PFPh is ineffective (desp. Encirceling) and Raymond scrambles his last Infantry together (he has a hard time rallying due to the +1DRM) and (partially Double Timing) storms the building. My DF (8FP -1 and 4FP -2) breaks a 467 and a 237, but 2 467, 8-0 and 9-1(CX) are adjacent ready to advance into CC. CCPh: Raymond attacks 2:1 and need 6 or less to win. Final DR: 6,3 = German Victory! I can tell ya!
This was really close. I never thought I'd last that long. After I lost all
my tanks and the 75 while he still had 5 tanks I thought it was over.
Highlights: - The German ATR shocking the R35 which is later a elimination
- The French Sniper striking my Sniper, bringing the SAN to 2
- The German Sniper striking the German, bringing his SAN to 0 :-)
- The captured German ATR killing the PzIIIF - and, of course, the last 468
fending off that 2:1 CC attack. Well, we played this 10 Turn scenario in about 5
hours and had a blast! It starts slow, but baby, once its going.....:-)
Klaus