Todd Reed
United States
Lake St Louis
Missouri
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The following is my AAR novel about my continuing quest to play every SK1 Scenario to help me learn the rules and game play I set-up S3: Simple Equation. It takes place in Aachen, Germany, 12 October 1944. Basically, the Americans are trying to drive out the Germans from a town very dear to the Germans, the home of the First Reich.
The victory conditions: Americans need to control equal to or greater than 25 building hexes on mapboard z. (Question – I interpreted building hex simply as that, not an entire building, but each separate hex. So, I’m not trying to control an entire building per-se, but just each building hex. Otherwise, wouldn’t it say control 25 buildings?)
The Germans are able to set-up on much of board y and all of z. They are also able to secretly declare two buildings as fortified. This means that the building TEM is increased by 1 to +4 TEM.
The Germans are made up primarily of 2nd line 4-4-7s (Firepower, Range, Morale) and 4-3-6 Conscripts. There’s also a HMG and 3 LMG.
The Americans are attacking with 14 6-6-6s (along with a 3 smoke exponent – roll 3 or lower and make smoke. The underlined 6 means that the unit can Assault fire – this helps in the Advancing Fire Phase (AFPh)). There’s also a 3-3-7 Elite squad, presumably for using the Flamethrower. There are also 2 MMGs.
The Scenario play card tells you what your strategy should be based on the actual aftermath: “neutralize enemy fire using machine guns and then, under this cover, flamethrower operators would advance and eliminate the position.”
Finally, on the ROAR ( http://www.jrvdev.com/ROAR/VER1/default.asp) site, the Americans have a 27-23 advantage over the Germans. Of course, like most of my plays with a wargame I prove that even with all these great troops and weapons, I can show you how to lose and lose BIG. Not sure why I enjoy putting myself through this humiliation of writing these AARs and showing the world my Awesome Badness.?
Below is my final set-up:
The German is set up to the HMG in zV1 – it has a tremendous field of fire and proved to be very effective. The other LMGs were set up, one to each flank. I felt pretty good about the setup. Of course, I knew my opponent well (myself) so not too much pressure. I plan on reading some of the other setups on the Geek to see how they did it.
My plan for the Americans: divide the attack into the left, center, and right flanks. Using some smoke, longer range fire, and prep fire, I hoped to push them back. I should’ve placed at least one of the MMGs in the middle to help the FT get close. But as I look back I realized I placed both MMGs on the right (South) flank. This is a big reason I like writing these – it forces me to reflect on what I did. I’m not sure my reasoning here. would prove to truly hinder me. Although, frankly, they didn’t do so great on their respective flank either.
How it turned out and four things that really stood out:
1. This illustrates how it was to go for the Americans. The lone conscript squad holed up in the zP1 stone building on the south/right flank sat there through 4 fire attacks and even DMed a squad. They would eventually become half-squaded(?) and were eliminated, but they consumed a lot of time and energy of a very heavy fire formation.
The resilient conscripts defending the Fatherland:
2. Another problem: smoke – few successful uses. 1. Usually I would roll too high. If I did get it, it wasn’t that effective. Any tips here?
3. Residual fire – don’t go through it – If tried to shoot a moving unit with a 1 or 2 fire factor, nothing would happen. However, if a unit walks into 1 or 2 resid – they DM, if not reduce. Why is that exactly?
4. Prep fire – again, it proves to be very ineffective – more fire groups perhaps?
Here is the situation at the beginning of German Turn 2: The American right flank is weakened. My 9-1 SMC, Dalton (9 morale, -1 die roll modifier – Single Man Counter) is DM (Desperation Morale (adds 4 to rally attempts/broken)). He was also Wounded (Reduced MF -3Movement Factors instead of 6; can’t carry any weapons – 0 IPC (Inherent Portage Capacity) and can’t double time. Wounded also reduces their Morale and leadership modifier by 1.) Also some of the units carrying the MMGs were broken – (Question – if the SW (support weapon(s)) is at or under the broken unit’s IPC do they have to drop it?).
(Whoops – I realized as I was reviewing that I completely misplayed the wounded leader. For some reason I thought being wounded meant they were always broken. I could’ve rallied them and at least tried to use him. )
The left flank has DMed the Conscript in the far North building and I’ve decided that I will prep fire on the 8-0 leader/MG formation in the Fortified building and then move some of the 6-6-6s across the open field to go through the “weakened” North flank.
In the center, the Americans are ready to fire into the buildings to soften them for the FT. (pretty weak now that I’m looking at the pictures.)
Beginning of German Turn 2:
The Germans pretty much would skulk (Assualt move back on space, out of LOS of the Americans for the Defensive Fire Phase (DFPh), and then Advance back in the Advance Phase (APh)) for many of their turns.
The situation at the beginning of American Turn 3:
American Turn 3 proved to be very bloody for the Americans. The Elite HS (half-squad), 1 first-line HS, and 2 first-line squads all were destroyed.
The American left flank is very weak now, and the center is collapsing. The South/right flank has made progressed to right next to the zR1 building. It should be fairly easy, except that I’ve had some crap luck prep firing.
Questions – I don’t recall, but I believe the Elite Half-Squad carrying the Flamethrower was KIA – therefore I should’ve rolled on the IFT with a dr to see if the FT was destroyed. Forgot that rule. However, if the HS was just casualty reduced (which kills them – but it’s not technically a KIA on the IFT) is the SW have to go through the roll to determine if it “survives”?
Beginning of German Turn 3:
The Germans were able to break (and DM) the squad hoping to CC the next turn. That squad simply routed back the building in yP1. In hindsight, I shouldn’t have advanced that squad next to the building. Even though I was playing this solo, I let my personal morale check slip and got impatient.
Beginning of American Turn 4:
American Turn 4 saw some success. On the North/left flank. I threw the 6-6-6 squad out to draw fire, which they did (unfortunately the MG maintainted ROF (rate of fire, meaning the MG can fire again at full strength during the Defensive First Fire phase)). They broke and DMed. I took a chance and the 8-0 leader (Cpl Mei) and 6-6-6 squad ran in the open, underwent ineffective fire and entered their first Victory Point building. They then Advanced into the zFF2 building hex where a broken German conscript squad had been hiding for most of the battle. They successfully Ambushed (meaning they get a -1 DRM on the CC (Close Combat) roll, they get to attack first and only have to be attacked by the surviving units after their initial attack.) In this case, there were so many modifiers against the Germans because they were broken and the Americans had a leader, there wasn’t much of a chance. They had taken two building hexes!
In the South/right flank they also CCed to take possession of their first building hex zR1.
The center flank is a complete bust. Who’s in charge of these guys…oh wait, that’s me.
Beginning of German Turn 4:
The Germans squad sitting next to Cpl Mei and his squad, Assaulted into the building across from the Americans and broke when the Americans Defensively first fired into the building.
(Question – where can that German unit, in zBB2, rout?)
Routing question:
With the center American units finished off, for the most part, the 8-1 leader commanded the squad to spin that HMG around and do some damage to the MMG Squad in the open ground between the yP1 and zR1 buildings. Their fire whizzed through the orchard/light woods and broke that squad. This effective fire inspired the men in zR2 & zS3. They combined as a fire group and broke the MMG squad in zR1. In the RPh, the DMed squad abandoned the building, and the German squad Advanced back into the spot, held for a couple minutes by the Americans (I quickly forget the short amount of time portrayed in this game.)
Beginning of American Turn 4
This turn, the Americans simply tried to gain a few more buildings for morale’s sake, but by this point there is no way of meeting their objective of 25 buildings. But I thought I would simply try a couple things to see if I could get more buildings.
In the North/left flank the Cpl Mei told his guys to take a deep breath and prepare to run it out for more buildings. Now, usually this would mean they get 8 MF (movement factors). They ran into the zFF3 building to claim another hex and then ran into the street with the goal of taking the zEE5 & zDD5 building hexes.
Unfortunately, the street proved to be Cpl Mei’s downfall. He takes withering fire from the LMG in zCC2 and breaks. The squad passes their NMC, and then inspired Cpl Mei’s pleas for them to move on, passes their PTC (If a leader, with a higher morale, breaks, the squads with them have to undergo Pin Task Checks.). Because they CXed, they are able to continue into the first building hex. However, because the leader is no longer with them, they only get 6 MF.
The Center flank sees the 6-6-6 trying to get the Flamethrower, but then takes fire in-between the buildings and breaks. (I realize now that the FT would’ve been destroyed.)
In the South/right flank, the squads can’t rally and just sit there wondering if they’ll be seeing mom again. And also cursing their commanders for their poor planning.
That was the game.
End game photo:
Good lessons rules learned. Still need to work on the routing rules. However, this shows me why it’s so good to play this ftf. This way I can see how a good player effectively attacks. Definitely a weakness of mine in wargames.
I’ll go back and look more closely at the other AARs for this scenario to see what they’ve done.
Any suggestions, rules notes, whatever, please share them.
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Andrew Swan
Australia
Sydney
NSW
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Good AAR!
mojayhawk wrote: There’s also a 3-3-7 Elite squad, presumably for using the Flamethrower.
That's what I assumed too, when I played this FTF as the Yanks, but another clever option is to give the FT to the leader (all leaders are elite and therefore won't suffer the non-elite penalties applying to FT usage). Also the leader has better morale than the HS and is therefore harder to break.
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Dave Terhune
United States
Colorado Springs
Colorado
This is a blatant example of frivolous spending.
I spent 100 geek gold and all I got was this lousy overtext.
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NRBH, but I'll see if I can't reply to some of your questions.
Smoke: Squads in pairs can use smoke to cross the street. The first squad drops smoke in the street (and you've got two chances to do it, since it's 2 MF per attempt), then the second squad can Dash through or behind it to the other side. Smoke eliminates the FFMO modifier to defensive fire in addition to its own Hindrance, giving a net +1 to IFT attacks instead of the normal -2. Next turn you can repeat the process, with the squad already on the correct side of the street dropping the smoke.
Broken unit with SW: If the SW a squad is carrying is within its IPC, not only can it keep it, it's not allowed to drop it. Broken units only drop SW in excess of their IPC before routing; the only way to get SW out of the hands of broken units otherwise is for a SMC (leader or hero) to attempt to take possession when the unit breaks.
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John Brady
United States
Arlington
Virginia
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Awesome AAR! Expect no criticism of your strategy from me hehe...I play myself all the time and have yet to win
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Paul Messina
United States
Texas
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Dave, the squad cannot do that. As per rule section 3.3.1 of the ASL SK 3 rule book "No unit may attempt to place Smoke grenades more than once per MPh" so if the squad fails the first time, they are done trying to place smoke for that turn.
Also, in SK there are no hero counters, and change of possession can only be accomplished between two good order units per rule section 3.1.
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Dave Terhune
United States
Colorado Springs
Colorado
This is a blatant example of frivolous spending.
I spent 100 geek gold and all I got was this lousy overtext.
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I couldn't remember if the SK rules had heroes or not; I thought not, but I figured I'd include them anyway, just in case.
I'm going to have to double-check my rules when I get home, as I've either been playing smoke grenades wrong, or there's a difference between SK and full rules here. I suspect it's the former.
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Greg Syferd
United States
Hilliard
Ohio
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Great AAR and nice pics!
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Todd Reed
United States
Lake St Louis
Missouri
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Thanks all for the kind words and I'm glad to see some rules discussion happening. This is what helps us newbs.
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