NOVICE TRAINING GAME FOR CROSS FIRE

For various reasons there were only 3 gamers at the club on 3/17 so I decided to take advantage of that to have another training game for Cross Fire. Jack has played many games so he took the Defense and Dick Messier who has little experience took the attack.

CROSS FIRE Scenario for Novices was taken from Steve Thomas' Balagan website for Cross Fire http://www.balagan.org.uk/war/crossfire/scenarios/novice.htm. I modified it for the Korean war as that is what I had for available troops on the day of the game. 

Key features are:

  The American defenders deploy to the east of the line A-A.

  The North Korean attackers deploy west of the line A-A.

  The hill marked X is the terrain objective; it starts in American control.

  Fields and Orchards are in-season.

  Remember that any stands on the hill can see over fields, crests, walls and

  hedges.

  .

Pre-game preparation

Attacker will use North Korean Troops

Defender will be American Marines

 

American Player (Defending)

Objective

Defend the hill marked X by holding the hill itself and inflicting high

casualties on the North Koreans.

Deploys first, hidden, but NOT dug in, east of the line A-A.

Forces Available

2 x Rifle Platoons: each with PC (+1), 3 x Rifle Squads.

1 x HMG

1 x FO for off-table 81 mm mortar (12 FM – NO SMOKE)

Morale: Regular

Command and Control: U.S.

North Korean Player (Attacking)

Objective

Capture the hill marked X without suffering excessive casualties.

Deployment

Deploys second, visible, west of the line A-A. Begins scenario with initiative.

Forces Available

1 x CC (+1)

1 x FO for off-table 3"/81mm/82mm mortar (12 FM)

1 x on-table 2"/60mm/50mm mortar (12 FM )

1 x HMG

3 x Rifle Platoons: each with PC (+1), 2 x Rifle Squads, 1 SMG Squad.

Morale: Veteran

Command and Control: US

Victory Conditions

Terrain and Casualty (D) objectives

The game ends when the NKPA achieve their victory conditions or after the

NKPA lose six or more fighting stands (CC, Rifle Squad, HMG, but not PC, FO or

on-table mortar).

The NKPA player wins if they can hold the hill marked X for five consecutive

friendly initiatives. The hill must be uncontested during this entire time, i.e.

no U.S. stands on it.

Scenario Special Rules

  Crests and Orchards are from Hit the Dirt.

   As per Hit the Dirt, Fields and Orchards are in-season, hence block LOS.

  Any stands on the hill can see over fields, crests, walls and hedges.

THE GAME AS PLAYED

Jack had a pretty good defense set up and didn't have to move  any forces except for the platoon behind the crest line to the north. It side-stepped one stand width to bring more firepower to bear on the Korean mortar.  Dick immediately ran  into trouble as he tried to advance his middle  platoon into the rough ground to its front. The squads were pinned and supressed with several later attempts to rally them costing the North Koreans the initiative each time. Only 1 sqd and the PC survived and were able to do nothing more. The Korean north-most platton tried to move south to support the FO that was feeling very lonely in the wood and  were pinned. Dick managed to silence the HMG on the hill with fire from his two mortars and his HMG. Then the N. Korean HMG was silenced, and FO was killed. Dick had lost six combat stands and the game. 
The N. Koreans must have SOME smoke for any attack to work - though I cannot help but note that if Dick had sent his platoon from the Northern-most woods end around the ridge line to flank the American position, he may have unhinged their defense. Also the troops in the southern-most wood could have done more. A good game for learning what NOT to do - we'll try it again as new members join.