Got the TOT Teaser (TOTT) in the mail (sorry, I meant to bring the card with me but forgot). I don't remember the exact name of the scenario so I will avoid butchering it and just refer to it as the "TOTT".
It is a 1941, Russians (Def.) vs Germans, half board #5 with a bunch of brush overlays, bridges don't exist, one gully can not be entered by vehicles, interrogation in effect, 5 turns type scenario.
The Germans win by clearing all the brush of Russian MMC (the VC does _NOT_ specify that these MMC have to be GO) and having two+ GO MMC North(?) of hex row 'T' while not suffering 18+ CVP.
The Germans get 9-1, 8-1, 8-0, 6x467, 4x248, HMG,MMG,3xLMG,Mtr., PzIII, 2xPzII, and 2xPzII Flamers (Oh yeah!), The Germans can enter some/none/all on any turn....Russians get (I had the Germs. so am less sure of the Russians) 10-0, 8-1, 8-0(?), 6(?)x458, 4(?)x238,HMG, MMG, 2(?)xLMG, 2xATR, Mtr., 76mm(HE & s8, only). The Russian can set-up all MMC HIP (with SMC&SW) and in foxholes (allowed terrain) but only one MMC per hex/location. The Russian gets an additional 2x458, 9-2, ATR, and AFV(37mm{?} MA not sure what type) as reinforcments on turn two.
My Russian opponents set-up reveals nothing (all HIP) so I go for broke. I set-up to drive right up the middle using Amored Assualt with the PzIII, and 2xPzII(20mm) using one 467 with each. I send the 8-1 with 467/LMG into the gully on my right and I AM the 9-1,2x248, HMG, MMG into a woods hex right on the board edge planning to move into the adjacent building during the APh. I AM the 8-0, 248/mtr. into another woods location on the board edge. The 8-0 will act as my fall-back/rally officer in the woods location. I hold the two Flamers off board (I want to try and find the 76mm and ATR's before they come on) along with two 467 for the next turn.
I move on using the PzII(20mm) special sD7* (can fire Smoke out three hexes) and the regular sD7 on the PzIII. The Russian reveals only two half-squads, one with an ATR, and the 76mm (I think he should have waited) on my first MPh. In the Russian turn he reveals no other units (I am surprized!). In my DFPh I break both halfsquads and the 76mm crew with my HMG/MMG kill stack (I got five ROF with both the MMG/HMG!).
I bring on the Flamers on turn two. I move the other AFV first (continuing with AM) and move the 8-1 and squad up the gully. I have Op-Fired the 9-1 and MG's. I scare up a 238/ATR, 238/mtr, and a 458/MMG. The Flamers clean up the broken Ruski's from turn one and have enough MP to get at the 238/ATR and 458/MMG just revealed (I forgot to mention that the Flamers get two! shots with a 24 FT). All the revealed Ruski's are broken/dead and one halfsquad surrendered (no information).
Having cleard a little more than half the brush at this point I realize that my opponent may have made a tactical mistake. He has obviously set-up the bulk of his starting forces back. I think this is a mistake. In a five turn scenario he probably should have set-up to hammer me at the board edge and relied on his reinforcements to cover anything that slips through. Now because I have come so far so fast his reinforcements are limited to where they can safely enter. Once I have finished clearing the brush I can pick which side of the board I want to drive on to get my two MMC past row 'T' on. Most importantly I won't have to make a last turn dash through a lot of enemy fire. I still have three turns to clear the brush and get the two MMC past row 'T' and I am over half way across the playing area with the majority of my force in GO.
The Ruski gets some luck in his turn two. He gets a CH! with the ATR on my PzIII in his AFPh and I gack the MA on a PzII(20mm). I subsequently permanently disable the 20mm MA next RPh (recall). But this is to little to late. The Russian has already past the point of no return.
In turn three I run one of the Flamers up on his AFV...the Ruski BU AFV had to make two CA changes to fire at my moving PzII(FL.) which was also a small target...+7 TH...he missed...I stop Adjacent and proceed to gack the first FT shot (11)...I then roll the second...whew!...a 6...burn baby burn...The other Flamer toasts the recently arrived 9-2. The 9-1 with HMG/MMG then proceeds to go wild with a series of 10-12 shots basically breaking everything in sight and even being able to fire on a couple of empty locations to be sure they didn't have any surprises (he still had a couple of HIP units...his HMG turned out was completely out of position to do anything). I cleared the remainder of the brush this turn and forced a couple of failure to rout eliminations. I advance into position to make my move past row 'T' on turn four. I have my AFV (with their sD7* specials) in good positions and the 9-1 w/MG's are in position to hammer any Ruskis that may try and threaten the move. I will be able to make my attempt on turn four and if not successful I will still have turn five to make another.
Well, to shorten things up let us just say that turn four went well. This left the Russian in the unpleasent position of needing to counterattack...he did...it didn't go well. Basically the Russian had almost nothing left and even with the Commissar he is not able to get close to my MMC past row 'T' (I have three halfsquads and the 8-0 leader past row 'T'). His last turn rush was a complete blood bath.
In the final analysis I think the Russian made a massive mistake in setting up to far back and holding his fire to long. I think the Russian was to concerned about keeping his force disposition HIP. In this scenario HIP is only useful for the set-up. Once the German gets on board the Ruski should open up with everything he has and should especially concentrate on the Nazi infantry. The German only has 71/2 squads and if they are kept broken or pinned he can not get them past row 'T'. The only units to keep HIP as long as possible are the 76mm and ATR's. They should go on the flanks and wait for a side/rear shot on the Flamers. If the Russian can break up the initial German attack there may not be enough time for the Nazi to get going again...there are only five turns.
Tate Rogers