Well, this is a long post... During last year's Christmas holidays I had a very eventful period with MiH's Triumphant Fox. This was propelled by a couple of less than satisfactory games with Chris Harding, which went on OK but seemed to make it impossible to the Germans to make the historical gains. Knowing, however, that some quite experienced people liked this system a lot (to the degree of claiming it was the best operational system out there) persuaded me to persevere. I did find out two things. Yes, I like the system better than OCS. Its activation concept means that you get the same interaction and "mission focus" as provided by the OCS mode chits and flips, but you get it in an interactive fashion instead of the "one player moves for an hour, then the other player moves for an hour" and the A3R style pursuit for the all-conquering totally random double turn of OCS. The key to success in TF is to set up your attacks properly, but also for the other side to eventually fail a morale roll. The morale effects in TF are pretty independent of the combat odds, so that even an outmaneuvered defender can keep his troops in full alert status if he just keeps rolling low on the morale checks. In that case the attacker will attrit himself for little effect as the other side just skips away from him into the desert; but fail the morale rolls and you will be trampled under until the other side gets tired (which fortunately, is one of the key points of the system). So there is a set of random factors that is very important but not immediately obvious. By itself that is not a problem (just think of an OCS game where a few key surprise rolls go in the same direction and you'll have the same effect), but it is something to be aware of. Conversely, the system, by its interactivity, has some fabulous effects that OCS with its stilted, far-moving three movement phases per turn will not be able to capture. In the Triumphant Fox system, considering a quick local counterattack to smash the enemy buildup before he's in place to attack your line at full strength is actually a realistic goal. At the same time, because supporting units in your line are very important, it does not devolve into individual stack myopia as many other games with fully interactive sequences (e.g., West End's Against the Reich) are in danger of doing. You will move you units in concert because that provides you with immediate advantages. Finally, the system has the wonderful and rare property instead of having a fixed move-combat sequence, your units actually have a limited time budget which includes the time spent for your attacks. So you spend more and more "Movement Points" to be able to attack better - the game calls them "Action Points" as a result. And in fact you can have a mechanised unit engage in two full-scale assaults in one activation - but only if does not have to waste time moving into position. There are very few games that show this tradeoff so clearly, and they are the ones that tend to provide the best operational feel in the hobby - Air and Armor for the modern period and Schettler's West War/Med War series (if you can get past the errata). The OCS modes also get you part of the way there, but only part. Now, an interesting thing is that we had already played T'43 before we played Triumphant Fox, and decided that the German attacks went nowhere (not as in "they were stopped at Kasserine" but as in "they never got to Kasserine"). So I wondered, what if our experience with T'43 was again just a non-obvious side effect of not being really good at playing the system. Now, T'43 is a game that is infamous for having been released with a supremely flimsy box after big-mouthed claims about the box by the publisher, and sadly most people never looked past the box to find out if there's a worthwhile game in there. As a result there are not many game reports out there. I did find someone who described what sounded like a historical German romp against the exposed American frontline units, but gave no details (and some of his comments indicated he perhaps didn't play everything right). One last bit is that in T'43 both sides (depending on their state and the time of preparation for the combat) pull a strength chit that tells them, based on their quality rating, how much their strength points are actually worth in this fight. So a bulky unit can be overrun (because they didn't expect an attack from that direction?) and a thin reed of a unit can possibly stall an armored offensive. Things are not totally predictable. A key part to playing TF right (and to their credit, the TF rules said that) was to play that game's Bir Hacheim mini-scenario repeatedly, until you understood how the activation and combat helped either side to achieve its goals (or not). T'43 has another mini-scenario, Faid Pass. So I decided I'd try that one again, and if I like it, I may go on to the main scenario. --------- So, here we are. The Faid Pass scenario deals with the pre-Kasserine clearing out of a number of French strongpoints by the Axis over a 3-day period (January 31 to February 2). They are all in prepared mountain positions, blocking the way that the main Axis forces will take for the Kasserine offensive (Operation Fruehlingswind, "Spring Breeze"). At Sbeitla, 50km away across the desert, there is an American armoured task force (the 1st Armored Divisions Combat Command A, or CCA, and the 1/6 mechanised infantry battalion) ready to support the French (which makes these guys the poor sods that will be overrun out in the open by the offensive once Operation Fruehlingswind begins, but that's beyond the boundaries of this scenario and they don't know that). Another such task force comes in at a semi-random time later in the scenario, so the Germans don't have it all their way - in fact the US task forces, while not as experienced and with slightly inferior armor, are quite beefy and no pushovers compared to the more lean German units. I had actually started just playing this scenario but then playing it was so much fun that I decided I wanted to keep notes. A note on abbreviations. The system uses "Efficiency Checks" or "EF checks" - rolling against your effectiveness or quality rating to determine whether a unit is disrupted (usually units have slightly lower effectiveness on the attack). Sometimes I've written "morale check", which is the same thing. the other two things are OPs (Operation Points - essentially how many units you can move on one activation) and APs (Action Points - essentially the Movement Points that the units have available to pay for moving and attacking). I'll write 3:1+3 for a 3:1 attack with a +3 dieroll modifier (DRM). The scenario starts with a Panzer force coming up from the southwest, but separated from the main Axis forces by a line of hills and the French strongpoints. So an important decision for the Axis player is whether to skirt the hills to the west, laboriously cross the hills to the east, or barrel through the strongpoints in the center. The first and second will take several activation rounds and may find you getting there even after the Americans do, the second together with the other Germans but possibly behind the mountain barrier, the first separated from them but possibly able to take the Americans from the rear. The third may be faster but may not work and will likely cost you losses. The main Axis force is infantry heavy: three groups approaching from the east with some Italian SP guns for armour support. The victory conditions require both sides to hold the two hexes of Faid Pass for a marginal victory, and the two flanking passes for a decisive one. The time for the whole scenario is three Operation Cycles (three days). The scenario is pretty easy on reaction movement as the Allies count as surprised (they have to roll 5 or lower on two dice to get reaction activations.) Roll Initiative for the first activation, the Axis win (6:5). They get 11 Operations Points (indicating how many units they can activate, although they can only activate every unit once). Two points are spent bringing the non-motorized 1/104B (German) infantry battalion adjacent to the Strongpoint Lachaud at Faid Pass (the only one with a strength of 3). The 92 (Italian) infantry battalion starts in the same hex, is also activated, and moved to the strongpoint north of Faid Pass. These units will serve to provide combat support to the main assault forces. The next 3 OPs are spent on the mechanised group (which means they have 6 action points) to the east of Faid Pass, containing the III/104 bn, the 557 Semovente unit and the 155 artillery battalion. They move adjacent (spending 2 APs), then declare an attack with the III/104 and 557th that is escalated to a Prepared Assault (3 APs and 3 OPs). They will get +3 support from the adjacent 1/104B infantry, and +3 from the artillery. There are no armor modifiers as Faid Pass is mountain terrain. Both sides pull combat strength chits (both using the rightmost, strongest, column for prepared assault and prepared defense). The attack goes in at 10x3:3x3=30:9 or 3:1+6 (for the combat DRMs). (On this column, the strongpoint is not going to be eliminated in one go except if it fails its morale roll.) A roll of 6 results in 2(+4):1(+1). [Attacker losses(att morale modifier):Def losses(def morale modifier)]. Ow. A 7 would have seen two hits on the Defender and an enforced morale check, but he gets off easy. Both attacking units are disrupted [DR12]. The Germans follow up by bringing I/104 up to Ain Rebaou where it has to stop due to the strongpoint ZOC. Since the main attack is having problems, they also decide to use the direct route with the tanks. They have to attack along a road and as a result take more time getting into position. They could only do a Hasty Assault which they won't. There are 2 OPs left but nothing to do with them as everyone has moved. The Allies have failed all their reaction dierolls so far, so did not do much. The Germans win Initiative again [6:3+2]. They get 10 OPs[DR6]. The disrupted units at Faid Pass rally and are selected for another attack. Support conditions will be as before. The combat strength chits provide a strength multiplier of 3 for the attacker (quality 7) but only 2 for the defender (quality 6). The attack goes in at 8x3=24:2x2=4 or 6:1+6, eliminating the defenders after a tough fight [2(-3):2(+1)] that also eliminates the Italian 557 assault gun battalion. On a effectiveness check roll of 3, the attackers remain undisrupted. The Battle Victory enables a choice of exploitation (2APs worth for mechanised units), refit (by effectiveness check), a follow-up attack (but no one is adjacent) or digging in. The infantry battalion has now lost a third of its strength. The attackers exploit which permits them to cross the pass and reach Faid (the village that the pass is named for, directly west of the pass) to rest. Next, the armored task force in the south decides to go for a Prepared Assault to blow through into the main theatre of operations quickly and join the other Axis troops. The 580 recon will lead as there is no point in wasting main battle tanks in a mountain assault when the Amis are lurking to the northwest. There is no support, so they will only have a +3. Fortunately their 8 attack rating barely gives them a 3 strength multiplier while the strongpoint gets a 1, for 15x3=45:2. This ends up on the 19:1 mountain column (equivalent to 5:1 in clear). With some losses to the infantry, the strongpoint is cleared [DR7, 1(+1):3(-1)] and the units exploit out into the open terrain towards Sidi Bou Zid. The Axis have 1 OP left, and use it to reposition I/104B for the upcoming assault on Strongpoint Guinet at Ain Rebaou. Defending Faid Pass will be left to the tanks who now have the open plain in front of them to deal with any approaching Allied cavalry. The Operation Segment ends. The Allies win the Initiative roll resoundingly [6:9+4]. Unfortunately they get only one measly OP [DR3], so only one unit can be activated. An infantry unit is sent ahead, maybe it can be used to draw the Axis armor into a trap. The Axis regain initiative [9+2:9] and get 9 OPs [DR5]. The German tanks are stationed in front of Faid Pass [2 OP], while the much-tested III/104 [2 OP] moves south for the attack on Ain Rebaou, escalating to a prepared assault [3 AP + 3 OP]. The chits give both sides a multiplier of 3. As a result we get 6x3=18:2x3=6 for a mere 3:1, but with +9 modifier (for the I/104 and I/104B supporting from the east). Again, the attackers take serious losses [2(-1):2(-1)] and narrowly avoid destruction, while the Strongpoint is eliminated. The attackers exploit into the hex where the remains of III/104 take up position. 2 OP are left; one is used to bring I/104B closer to Strongpoint Gibert in the north. The Allies win the Initiative roll [8:8+2]. Again, they get only 1 OP, and use it to bring the infantry forward, level with Sidi Bou Zid. This is a dangerous gambit but the strongpoint is all that counts for the moment. [At this point I realised that I had been playing the movement points for non-mech units wrong and gave the Americans an extra Operation Segment since it would have taken one more Operation Segment to get the Axis infantry support in position for the initial attack. Wouldn't have made a difference to those attacks, but the cavalry would now be one move closer.] The Axis get Initiative back [7+2:8] and get 11 OPs [DR 9]. This will be their last activation for the day. I/104B goes into position southeast of Strongpoint Gibert [1 OP]. III/104 marches through Faid Pass to attack Gibert from the west [2 OP, then 3 OP + 3 AP for a Prepared Assault]. The chitpull favours the Germans again, with 3x8:2x2->5:1+9. The strongpoint is eliminated with a disruption check to the German infantry [1(-1):3(-3)] which is now down to half strength. Of the remaining OPs, the Germans use 1 to move I/104B to Faid Pass to protect the artillery in case the tanks move out the next day, and 1 point to move the Italian 92 inf bn south. The Allies get the last activation and with a roll of 5 manage to get 2 OPs. They could use this to bring their artillery forward, or move the armor task force forward adjacent to one of the German held passes - Faid Pass is blocked by the superior German armor, and at this point dislodging the weak infantry at Ain Rebaou is the only hope of avoiding a major German victory. They decide to bring forward their self-propelled artillery and move the infantry north of Sidi Bou Zid adjacent to the German armor stack to prevent it from reacting southwards. (Right now that is possible without triggering a German reaction as the Axis have used up all their Activations for the turn.) Now the Allies have to hope for winning the Initiative on February 1. The infantry will be badly beaten up but but will keep the panzers from falling on the rear of the Allied armor, although it won't be able to keep them from reinforcing Ain Rebaou if they do win the initiative. Night falls and puts an end to operations. For the moment, the Axis hold all the cards. We'll see if the Allied armor can do something about that. Next installment: the second day. Markus Last games played: Field Commander: Alexander, When Dragons Fight, Tunisia 43 --------------- http://www.dbai.tuwien.ac.at/user/mst/games/ --------------- "Bakayaro! Bakayaro!" ("Stupid Bastards! Stupid Bastards!") -- Admiral Aritomo Goto's last words to his staff, October 11, 1942 hen we stopped, the Germans had taken out all the victory-relevant strongpoints. The Allies are now trying to kick them out of at least one (if it's one of the "flank" strongpoints, they will reduce the victory level to marginal, if it's one of the central Faid Pass hexes, they would get a draw). As February 1 dawns, the Americans indeed gain the Initiative. They get 5 OPs [DR5] and so have to leave their artillery behind as they move towards Ain Rebaou. Their arrival there triggers an Axis reaction with 9 OPs. The Italian 92 inf bn moves to Ain Rebaou to reinforce the garrison. The German armor stack attacks the 1/26 Infantry battalion, as expected (it could also have moved to reinforce Ain Rebaou from the east but that would have uncovered Faid Pass). This time the panzers lead. The chitpull again favours the Axis [multiplier 3 vs 1] for odds of 14x3:1x6=42:6, with a modifier of +3(artillery)+6(armor)-3(artillery). The Americans resist valiantly against a clumsy attack, causing some initial losses [DR5, 1(-4):3(+2)] but break and retreat after taking two step losses. The Germans actually do not use any Battle Victory bonus and simply remain in place. The Germans have 3 OPs remaining but decide to stay where they are. The Americans now have 2 OPs left and simply move their non-motorised artillery forward. The Germans win the next Initiative roll [3+2:4] and get 10 OPs. These are used to activate the armor stack which moves south to attack the Allied armor task force [2 OP]. The Allies fail to react and the Germans conduct a prepared assault agains the Allied armor. The Allies could Refuse Combat but then would have to move out of contact with the Axis units holding Ain Rebaou. This time both do equally well [multiplier 3, despite the Allies only having a Regular defense] 14x3:20x3->42:60=1:1. The modifiers add up to +5=+2(armor)+3(artillery)-3(artillery)+3(support)-3(support). The support modifier for the adjacent units in Ain Rebaou is canceled out by the support points for the adjacent Strongpoint Berges. At 1:1+5 the Germans take severe losses while the Americans are merely lightly shaken [DR7, 4(-1):0(-1)]. The Germans use another OP to move the I/104B forward into Faid which the panzers left empty and go into Prepared Defense mode. However, the Americans are now pinned in between the hills and the two Axis stacks, unless they want to escape into the hills of Djebel Kasira to the south. The Allies win initiative next [2:3+2] and get 6 OPs (their 2nd Operation segment). The question now is, go for the armor or go for Ain Rebaou? The answer is easy - it has to be the latter. For 5 OP the Americans launch a prepared Assault. The multiplier this time is not so nice, only 2 for the attackers. With 19x2:8x3=38:24, the attack will go in at 3:2. Artillery cancels out but the support modifier favours the Axis, -3! With a terribly fumbled attack, the Americans take severe losses themselves [DR4, 4(-2):0(0)] and are disrupted. (I note that attacking even the disrupted armor stack would not have had different results as it would have been supported by two adjacent stacks.) The Allies are fortunate enough to gain the Initiative again [7+2:11] and get 6 OPs [DR 6] (their 3rd Operation segment; 1 more to go this turn). The armor stack is undisrupted. Now there are two interesting options. The 1/26 Infantry could move [1 OP] and launch an assault on I/104B at Faid. If they can make it stick and weather the counterattack, they will still achieve a draw. The Germans fail to react - a welcome break. The prepared assault [3 OP + 3 AP] results in an attack of 4x3=12:4x3=12 or 1:1, the artillery modifiers cancel out, and there is no support advantage for the Germans since the adjacent units are still disrupted. The attack is executed as well as could be hoped, but insufficient to dislocate the defenders. The Germans remain undisrupted, the attackers not. [DR11, 2(+3):2(-5)] Since this is a solo game, let's explore some alternatives. The alternative would have been to let the armor attack the German armor (currently disrupted). This could have been a 3:1+4(armor)-1(rough)-3(support), with artillery balancing out. With the same dieroll it would have yielded a [2(-5):2(+3)] which would have prompted a retreat and two step losses for the Germans given the same dieroll. The third option, attacking into the mountains, would be clearly inferior [1:1, no modifier]. So I decided to go with attacking the German armor, and to ignore the infantry attack on Faid. Unfortunately there is no OP left to first activate the infantry, so there is no ZOC in the German's retreat hex (the Americans needed a 3rd OP to activate the SP artillery so it could exploit with the maneuver units in the case of a win) and they slip away without further hurt. The Americans exploit; they decide that going for Faid is more likely to lead to success than going for Ain Rebaou again. (Actually, this was a rules error on my part; the Americans did not win the battle and so could not have exploited despite the fact that the Germans retreated.) The Axis now win Initiative [8+4:7]... Their armor stack is down to 8 steps vs the Americans' 14... they decide not to fight. But they cannot pass, since they need to undisrupt their armor. They get 8 OPs [DR 3] for their third Operation Segment, which go to waste, except that they pull the Italian 92 bn out of Ain Rebaou again and send it marching north. The Americans win Initiative for their last Operation Segment of February 1 [6:7+2]. They need to go for the German armor. They get 5 OPs [DR4], which enables them to do a Prepared Assault without support, or a Regular Assault with the 1/26 in attendance, but the Germans could manage a Reaction if the 1/26 moves adjacent, and beat it up again before the Allied tanks strike. So they go for the unsupported attack. The attackers get a 3 multiplier throughout, the Defenders get a 2 (no prepared defense!). 14x3=42:10x2=20 gives a 2:1. Artillery cancels out, and neither side is supported. The armor modifier (-2) favours the Germans. Again the actual attack is terribly fumbled [DR4, 3(-1):1(-1)]. The Germans easily pass their EF check [DR 6=1 vs 9], the Americans narrowly miss failing theirs [DR7-1 vs 6]. Importantly though, the American reinforcements (Combat Command C, or CCC, the 1/3 mech infantry battalion, and the 68 SP artillery battalion) have finally shown up. Now, how to get them into battle quickly? For their last Operation Segment, the Axis get 9 OPs [DR 4]. The Italians continue marching northwards but have not reached the site of former Strongpoint Guinet to relieve the I/104 before darkness falls. Last 3 games played: Tunisia 43, Manouevre, Veracruz --------------- http://www.dbai.tuwien.ac.at/user/mst/games/ --------------- "Bakayaro! Bakayaro!" ("Stupid Bastards! Stupid Bastards!") -- Admiral Aritomo Goto's last words to his staff, October 11, 1942 _______________________________________________ Consim-l mailing list Consim-l@mailman.halisp.net http://mailman.halisp.net/mailman/listinfo/consim-l February 2, last day of the Faid Pass scenario. The Axis are in control of the VP hexes; the question is whether the US can dislodge them. The Axis win the first initiative roll [9:5]. They get 10 Ops points [DR 7] but hardly use them. The 92 inf marches one hex west from Sidi Kralif, and the I/104 marches south to insert itself next to the Americans. It can provide support to the armor stack if that is attacked; and if it is attacked, that is one attack that won't go in against Faid. What is more, the I/104 now blocks the supply route for the CCA stack. This won't make a difference in this game though as it ends after the next turn. Both units go into Prepared Positions. The Americans try to react but narrowly fail. Suddenly the question arises whether the Germans want to attack the US armor stack; they now have two supporting stacks adjacent to it. The total modifier would be +7 (at roughly 1:1 in rough terrain). That's not worth it. The Americans win the next Initiative roll anyway [7:9+2]. They get 8 OPs; their 1st Operation Segment for Feb 2. The question now is whether to go in against Ain Rebaou again, or attack the German armor again, or attack the German infantry in the open. Unfortunately the German infantry is stronger, better, and better equipped with AT weapons than the 1/26 which suffered at the hands of German armor two days ago. The Americans would attack at roughly 2:1+2. The Tanks in Faid would be attacked at 3:2-2. The US could also bring the foot artillery in range, but probably at the price of having it smashed (the term the game uses for unprotected artillery being successfully overrun by armor or infantry). The other option would be to bring the reinforcements closer but then there would not be OPs enough to bring in the artillery. So, the decision is to attack the infantry and bring on the reinforcements. At least one more activation will be needed to bring everyone in before Faid is assaulted again. Both sides have multiplier 3, the attack goes in at 11x3=33:8x3=24, or 1:1+2. The attack works hardly better than the earlier ones [DR5, 3(-1):1(-1)] The Germans pass their disruption check and take one loss. The Americans also pass theirs and take three losses. CCA has been worn down to a nub (three strength points). The next initiative goes to the Axis [7+2:7], but they pass again. The Americans win initiative again [7:10+2] for their second Operation Segment and get 11 OPs [DR12]! They spend 1 to bring the 33 Artillery bn within range of Faid, then 3 to get the reinforcement stack moving past Sidi Bou Zid. They could just reach Ain Rebaou but the way is blocked by the ZOC of I/104. The could go adjacent and attack. This would be a 3:2+12 attack. The problem is that that would push the I/104 right in the way of the 33 Artillery. They could also join the 33 Artillery and use the third segment to get adjacent to the German tanks and infantry. They decide on the latter route. 4 OPs remain, not enough for a Prepared Assault. Should the tanks go against the infantry now with a Hasty Assault? That sounds like a plan, in particular since the Allies now have three artillery units in range. So they pay 2 OPs to activate CCA and 1/6, and 2 AP + 2 OP to conduct a Regular Assault. And they are lucky. The Germans do not expect the attack (multiplier 1, despite the prepared position) versus 3. The attack goes in at 9x3=27:7, or 3:1+6(artillery)-2(artillery)+2(armor). One supporting stack each cancels out. This time the attack is competently executed and dislodges the surprised Germans [DR6, 1(+2):2(-1)]. The infantry fails its EF check, retreats into Faid Pass, but has taken one step loss. The Americans pass their check easily, but CCA is now down to two steps. [No matter, there is only one more Activation in this game anyway.] The Germans get the initiative now, and are in a bind. They would probably prefer to Pass again, but need to undisrupt the I/104, or it won't be useful to provide support to the Panzer Kampfgruppe. So they accept the impulse, and get 10 OPs [DR 8]. The unit is undisrupted. It would probably be ideal to use them to replace the Italians up in the northern pass, but the Italians are too slow to get into a supporting position at Faid Pass, and the tracks west from Sidi Kralif are too bad to let the Germans get in position in one impulse. So they will have to stay in the vicinity. The best move is to move I/104 into Faid, and spread the recon unit and I/104B out as support. The risky bit is that the move in and the move out will constitute Reaction triggers for the Americans, but that has to be accepted. now, in what order to move? It is important to remember that dieroll modifiers are often more important than odds here. So, let's move out the recon unit first, to increase support, then bring in the I/104, and then move out the I/104B. Any situation will be more advantageous for the Americans to attack in than the end result, and the Americans have a low enough chance to react that they will not be able to wait; they have to roll every time. The recon unit moves out northwards (going into a Prepared Position on the hillside as the last part of its move), and the Americans do react! They make their last Activation phase of the game, with 8 OPs [DR 8]. The main question for them now is whether they split their effort, sending CCC and 3/6 north to attack the weak Italians? That would take at least 4 OPs for a Regular Assault (and then the CCA stack would also have to limit itself to a Regular Assault). The other option is to use 2 OPs to bring CCC and 1/26 into contact for maximum support [2 OPs], leave 3/6 to guard the two artillery units, and do a Prepared Assault with CCA [5 OPs], leaving one OP that will essentially go unused. The attack on Faid is the more important one though, it will make the difference between a major victory and a draw. So it will go in. Both sides are aware of what is coming (full multiplier). The attack will be a 9x3=27:7x3=21, or 1:1 with modifiers +9(art)-3(art)+6(support)-6(support)-2(armor), so 1:1+4. That's not so good. (Let's compare this quickly. If the Germans had moved the I/104 in first, the odds would be 27:45, or 1:2, but with a +10 modifier. If the Germans had moved the I/104B out first, the odds would be 27:21 with +7, so that would clearly have been the inferior choice. Spreading out the support made a lot of difference. Would two columns equate a +6DRM? As it turns out, the lower odds attack would be slightly easier on the attacker here. So spreading the support first was the right thing to do, whatever happens.) The Americans realise the importance of this attack, and go in carefully. Both sides take losses, but as the casualties mount, the attackers give in first. [DR8, 2(+2):2(-4)] The Germans pass their EF check [DR8-4], the Americans fail [DR11+2] and are disrupted. Neither side has won the fight, so there are no bonuses. (Let's have a look at what would have happened if the Americans had taken the two-attack option. Obviously the main assault would have fared no better, as the support modifiers, which went in the American's favour, would have been lower. Let's assume we get equal effect chits (though the Italians effectiveness rating, at 5, is slightly lower than that of the Americans attacking, at 6, they are in a Prepared Position and so it's more likely that they will get a higher multiplier, although that is by no means guaranteed). The odds would have been 11:3, or 3:1 (bad for mountain), with modifiers +6(art - all 3 US artillery units would have been in range)-2(art), and no support or tank modifiers. There is no way the US could have won this combat, as a modified DR of 20 would be required. Let's pull some chits. Oh, the Italians get only a 1 multiplier. Very bad luck. It's now a 10:1 attack, a DR of 8 will be enough. The Americans roll a 3, so the bad luck balances out [2(-1):2(-1)]. Even if the Italians retreat, the Americans could not advance as they get no Battle Victory Bonus. So, let's ditch that option. As Rommel said, klotzen, nicht kleckern.) The Germans now get to finish their interrupted Activation Phase. They have 9 OPs left. With the American tanks disrupted and the Americans out of activations and therefore unable to react, either they or the infantry next to them would make a reasonable target. The Germans decide to go for the infantry first. I/104, I/104B and the I/5 Pz bn will carry out the attack, so this will cost 6 OPs. assuming identical multipliers, this would be 12:4+6(tanks)-3(support)-9(art)+3(art) for an actual attack of 3:1-3, which rules out a victory even in Clear terrain. Ow. Perhaps going through the middle is not such a good idea. Going for the CCA-1/26 mech stack looks worse on the surface as they are stronger and in rough terrain. They are supported by the 1/26, but the attackers would be supported by the III/104 at Ain Rebaou. More importantly, the defenders are disrupted, which means they always take their strength from the left hand of the combat strength chit and their quality has fallen to 5 so they will likely not be better than a 2 multiplier (in fact there are 2 out of 3 combat chits that give them a multiplier of 3, and 4 chits that give them a multiplier of 2. Also, because they are disrupted they can only do a Hasty Defense and the artillery support is limited to minimal support from adjacent units! After pulling chits, as expected the attackers get a 3 multiplier, and the defenders a 1. The attack goes in at 12x3=36:7+3(art)-1(art)+5(tanks)+3(sup)-3(sup), or 5:1+7 in Rough. The Germans attack with determination and drive the Americans out in to the open [DR9, 1(-4):3(+2)]. The Americans take an extra loss because they are disrupted, and retreat two hexes, leaving them with two losses total. The Germans use their battle bonus to declare an immediate Hasty Combat against the adjacent infantry, which is in a Prepared position but now has no artillery adjacent! Luck favours them and both sides get the same multiplier (1). The attack is a 10:4 (or 2:1), modifiers +6(tanks)-1(support). The attackers succeed with some losses [DR9, 1(+3):2(+3)] and the defenders break [DR9] and fall back. While the attacking infantry is disrupted, the tanks pass the roll [DR6]. The Americans are now hoping for darkness but there is one Axis Operation Segment still to go. (In the full scenarios, there are "sudden turn end" conditions, but not in this limited one.) The Axis get 9 OPs. they could now go for either the low-strength but well-supported CCC, or try to smash CCA further with another Hasty Attack. (Any non-Hasty attacks will bring down the wrath of American artillery on them.) If they do manage to push the CCA back to Sidi Bou Zid, they could put the main US force out of supply at scenario's end. However, given their weakened state this would be merely a 2:1+2, and in real world terms this would really invite an attack on the token forces holding Faid Pass open, so they won't do it. The scenario ends in a major German victory. Markus Last 3 games played: Manoeuvre, Pacific Victory, Bloody Buna --------------- http://www.dbai.tuwien.ac.at/user/mst/games/ --------------- "Bakayaro! Bakayaro!" ("Stupid Bastards! Stupid Bastards!") -- Admiral Aritomo Goto's last words to his staff, October 11, 1942 _______________________________________________ Consim-l mailing list Consim-l@mailman.halisp.net http://mailman.halisp.net/mailman/listinfo/consim-l