OPERATION COBRA - A CROSSFIRE CAMPAIGN

OPERATION COBRA - A CROSSFIRE CAMPAIGN

This is a "3-Round Campaign as first devised by Steven Thomas http://balagan.info/ for Cross Fire. the campaign system uses a "ladder" to determine the flow of the campaign between table-top battles.

In the multi-player games that I have run using Cross Fire, I have had the problem of the Side Commander trying, to one degree or another, to run the troops of each player under his command. This is no fun for the subordinate and tends to alienate him from the game. It is also an advantage to a commander whose opponent espouses a fairer approach to his subordinates. To eliminate this tendency among some of my players, I provided a detailed introduction to how I wanted to see the interaction between the commanders and the subordinates to progress and required the CICs to generate a detailed Operations Order for each of his subordinates. See Below:

3 ROUND CAMPAIGN-INTRODUCTION

A 3-round campaign or a linked scenario campaign can use any historical (or non-historical, for that matter) action as its basis. The original developer of the system (Steven Thomas -http://balagan.info/) has used the idea for Kursk, Tarnopol, The Spanish Civil War (SCW) and other periods. The present version is modeled for modern conflicts that use Crossfire as the tactical rules but there is no inherent reason why the concept can’t be used, with proper modification, for anything from Ancients through WWI.

I am sticking with the author’s original concept, however, and have chosen the U. S. breakout from the Normandy lodgement in July 1944. There are plenty of choices from the breakout that had some 120,000 U.S. troops in 3 Corps to break through the German lines in what would eventually result in the Falaise pocket and the drive to the Rhine.

The operation was called COBRA and began with an enormous carpet bombing in front of the breakthrough jump off point. Unfortunately some half of the bombs fell on the U.S. positions killing and wounding many hundreds including General McNair who had been the main architect of the mobilization and training of the U.S. Army up to that time.

Though the 30^th Infantry Division was one of the main victims of the Blue-on-Blue and it’s their action that we are going to game, I will ignore the effects of this tragedy for the sake of simplification.

Page 4 shows the sequence of scenario-events that make up the campaign. It should be self explanatory. ED NOTE: This refers to the "ladder" Shown above.

The Germans have TWO forces, a force to use when on the Defensive (217 points) and one when on the Offensive (259 points). The American has one force (265 points) which is used in all scenarios as they are on the Offensive.

The U.S. has some air assets, while the Germans have some AA gun assets.

The First game is an American attack vs. a German PREPARED DEFENSE.  The Germans receive 21 points of Defense construction in addition to their regular force.  This is the breakout of COBRA toward St. Gilles the next day after the fatal bombing preparation.

Subsequent games may require the Defender to mount a HASTY DEFENSE.  Such a scenario requires that the Defender keep 1/3 (1 complete Company +) off table as a reserve. They come in on the Defender’s Table edge on any Defender’s initiative on a D6 Roll of 5+.  This will be a scenario representing the historical battle at Troisgots.

Finally there may be the need of a  MEETING ENGAGEMENT.  In this both sides advance onto the table and essentially blunder into each other. The battle of Mortain – Hill 314.

Depending on who wins each scenario, there may be additional scenarios that lend themselves to the situation generated by the game "ladder".

Each scenario will detail the victory conditions for that particular scenario.

ALL the games will have the same players on a side and the same CIC for the duration of the campaign. This is to insure a healthy competition to win the campaign.

In playing the games, you must think of what you are going to do at all times so that you can act immediately once your side gets the initiative. Make all your moves in a direct and straight forward manner

ALL MOVES WILL FIRST BE MADE USING YOUR FINGER TO INDICATE THE PATH AND YOU CAN NEVER TAKE IT BACK BECAUSE THERE AN ENEMY  STAND THAT CAUGHT YOU IN THE OPEN!  NO ASKING IF SOMEONE CAN SEE YOU – You have to decide that yourself based on your understanding of the situation and on what has transpired before*.

THE MOVE/OR FIRE MUST BE DECLARED AS GROUP OR INDIVIDUAL BEFORE THE MOVE OR IT WILL NOT BE ALLOWED AND YOUR SIDE LOSES INITIATIVE!*

NO ONE CAN TELL ANYONE ON HIS SIDE HOW TO MOVE OR HOW TO SHOOT – WE HAVE PLAYED THIS ENOUGH SO EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW THE BASICS. BREACH OF THIS WILL COST THE SIDE ITS INITIATIVE.  The talk needed to move the initiative among the players of a side will not be penalized as long as it is in the gist of " I could use smoke in front of that bunker" "Please support my advance from this wood to that wood" etc., No "Use your HMG in that wood to fire on that enemy stand there!"*. 

The side commander will pass along the side’s initiative to each of his subordinates as he sees fit. DO NOT TELL  YOUR SUBORDINATES WHAT TO DO WITH THAT INITIATIVE. The operations order (see below) will tell your subordinates what their mission is. How they accomplish it is ENTIRELY up to them. So in writing the OPOR be sure to take into account your knowledge of your subordinates’ strengths and weaknesses in the game and in tactics. *

The game  REQUIRES, If that is not too strong a word, that the CIC of each side will come up with a written plan and marked maps ( I will provide enlarged maps for those with weakened eye-sight and a list of the acceptable Map Symbols to be used. DO NOT show them where they should place their troops or their defensive items.* It also REQUIRES that each CIC provide a written OPERATIONS ORDER for each of his subordinates with a copy to me.  Without these the game cannot progress. 

INITIATIVE
 Initiative starts with the attacker, whomever that may be. All players on a particular side can move within his Company Sector or they can move one-by-one. When one player on a side loses his iinitiative it goes to another player of the CIC of that side as  directed by the side's CIC. When that player loses his initiative, then all 3 players on the side has lost theirs and the initiative switches sides. No player may have more than one initiative in a row unless gained by his own actions. The CIC may loose his initiative if he doesn't use it before the 3 players on his side loose theirs.

*These address the problems that I have encountered in running games with a side commander and several subordinates.

OPERATION ORDERS simplified for war gaming contain:

1. SITUATION

       a. Enemy forces.

            Possible strengths

            Probable course of action

            Most dangerous course of action

       b. Friendly forces. (Your subordinates force available to complete his mission)

       c. Attachments and detachments. (Attached armor, artillery, etc.)

      d. Position and identity of friendly forces to either flank or rear.

2. MISSION

      a. Who (which, if not all, of his force must be applied to the mission), what (defend, attack,                     support), 
      b. Where (the actual objective(s), When (if there is any delay, etc.).

3. EXECUTION

Intent

a. Concept of operations.

(1) Maneuver

(2) Fires

(3) Reconnaissance and Surveillance

(4) Intelligence

(5) Engineer

(6) Air Defense

AIRCRAFT AND AIR SUPERIORITY IN CROSSFIRE
 We are using the rules devised by Steven Thomas at http://balagan.info/aircraft-and-air-superiority-in-crossfire modified by me. My modifications are that the Typhoon has only 4 Pairs of rockets and 2 hmg.

USING COMPANY SECTORS IN CROSSFIRE

These are dervived from concepts sent me by Arty Conliffe, the author of Cross Fire and from a later posting,  Blagan's "Planned Zones" http://balagan.info/how-to-play-multi-player-crossfire-games#Planned_Zones.

Company Sectors
Historically, all units in WWII used delineated sectors to set up an organizational boundary between companies  and we can use them to allow multi-player games of Cross Fire.  Since we have 3 companies per side in this campaign, there will be 3 sectors allowing the entire game to be played as if there were 3 separate games, but tied together.

Company Sector Assignments
Company  Sector assignment is part of each side's battle plan. The Side Commander, Battalion Commander in this campaign, assigns each of his Company commanders a sector for his operations, his forces, supports and mission by the use of the Operations Order, described above. The sectors are drawn on the map and should use features that are readily identifiable on the table to delineate them. Sectors may not overlap other friendly sectors. 

Sector Fire
Troops in one sector may fire into another sector to support, but since their main objective is in there own sector, most of their fire will be in their sector.

Movement Between Sectors
There are only 2 times that a Squad may move out of its own sector. One is to perform a Close Combat  after which it must either remain stationary, only pivoting in place, or to return to its own sector. The other is if a "defending Line" was a part of the sector. In this case the unit may "counter attack across the defending line for a Close Combat as above.

Forward Observers
They must stay in the sector to which they have been assigned but may observe targets outside their sector.

Reserve Units
Reserves may be kept by the Btn. Commander(Side Commander) or a local reserve may be kept off board as a Local Reserve by each Company Commander. The Local Reserve is part of the company and can move in its Sector when ever desired. The Btn. Reserve  can be assigned to any sector by the Btn CO when ever and wherever he desires. It comes under the purview of the Company Commander and can thus move within his assigned sector.

BOTH SIDES RECEIVED THIS BRIEFING:

3-GAME CAMPAIGN

OPERATION COBRA – THE NORMANDY BREAKOUT

FIRST GAME – THE BATTLE FOR SAINT GILLES

The first game is an American attack against a German PREPARED DEFENSE.

 The US has a PRE-PLANNED BOMBARDMENT as per the advanced rules of CROSS FIRE. They have a number of Fire Missions (FM) BEFORE the game they have selected terrain features (hills, woods, fields, buildings, Bunkers, hedges, etc. that they suspect may hide German units.

1 D6 is rolled for each FM:

A “5” Suppresses a Squad, A “6” Kills a Squad; If in a building or a Bunker, a “6” is required to Suppress.

Two successive Suppresses Kills a Squad.  The Owning player determines which squads are hit but cannot spread hits around multiple stands in one area.  Any successive attacks are against the same squad until killed.

 The Germans use the “Defensive Army” for this scenario.

 The Germans have 21 additional points for mine fields, bunkers, wire entanglements, and emplacements. See your Army sheet for point cost of various emplacements.

The Germans place first, NOT HIDDEN, AFTER the PRE-PLANNED BOMBARDMENT. The US places SECOND, also NOT HIDDEN.

OBJECTIVE: There are 6 objectives, 1 Minor (a) and 5 Major (A,B,C,D and E). (See Map). The attacker, before the game,  may secretly elevate ONE of the major objectives to VITAL.

Objective values:

Minor:   2 VP

Major:   4 VP

Vital:      8 VP

1 VP for ea. German sqd, Hvy Wpn, CC or BC  killed at game end

2 VP for ea. German AFV destroyed at game end

-1 VP for ea. US sqd, Hvy Wpn, CC or BC  killed at game end

-2 VP for ea. US AFV/Aircraft destroyed at game end

  

We will not carry casualties from one game to another. Rather some of your forces( the number determined by casualty percentage) will downgrade to GREEN as the casualties are being replaced by less well-trained personnel.

. 

THE FORCES AVAILABLE 

US ATTACK  FORCE - 265 POINTS
Leg Btn. (Regular)
Btn HQ
1 BC (+1)		6.00
1 SMG		2.50
Btn Hvy Wps
2 HMG		12.00
1 81mm W/12FM		6.00
1 57mm AT Gun w/truck		3.00
3 Infantry Companies EA. W/		141.00
1 CC(+0)*		4.00
Coy Hvy Wps
1 60mm W/12 FM
1 HMG
3 Rifle Platoons ea. w/
1 PC(+1)
3 rifle Sqds
Equip 1 Sqd in ea Company with Bazooka		6.00
* CC of A company +2, others +0
Engineer Assault Platoon (-)
1 PC(+2)		2.00
3 Eng. Sqds		10.50
Assault Bonus pts.		4.00
2 75mm  Howitzers W/12FM		12.00
5 Sherman/76mm		45.00
1 Aircraft Support		20.00
total		265.50

ELEMENTS OF THE PANZER LEHR DIV.  DEFENSE FORCE - 217 POINTS
Leg Btn. (Regular)
Btn HQ 1st Btn, 902nd Rgt, 130th Pz Lehr Division*
BC (+2)		6.00
3 SMG + PC(+0)		7.50
1 Sniper		1.00
3 Infantry Companies EA. W/
1 CC(+2)		180.00
Coy Hvy Wps
1 HMG
1 120mm W/10FM
1 81mm W/12FM
3 Rifle Platoons ea. w/
1 PC(+1)*
2 rifle Sqds
1  sqd w/Panzerschreck(early)
Equip 1 Platoon in ea Company with Panzerschreck(early)		22.50
* 1ST Platoon PC =+2, others = +1
If in prepared defense add 21 fortification points:  4 sqd bunker = 4.5 pts; 3 sqd bunker = 3.5 pts;  2 sqd bunker = 2.5 pts; 1 sqd bunker = 1.5 pts. Mines ( 4" long or 1 feature) = 2pts; wire (4" long) = 0.5 pts.
* Figure stands may be identified with different unit designations

Boundary Lines as selected by both sides

THE BATTLE

The Battle for  Ste Giles
NOTE: The 75mm Observer shown in the US center is in error, there was none and I am too lazy to change the map!

The US had a pre-planned bombardment of 18 rounds ( see Optional Rules in Cross Fire) and it was somewhat effective costing the Germans on the US right several squads and the Germans on the US left the FO for their 81mm mortar. This was followed by an air strike that was ineffective except for pinning a couple of squads.

B Company (US Right0 advanced under heavy fire, their 2nd Platoon becoming pinned down in the wood just at the German set on line. B's 3rd platoon managed to get into the house to the left of the 2nd platoon but soon had a sqd suppressed and the others  behind  the house with no place to go.  The 1st Platoon was initially held in reserve. The German Cpt. Seamens' deft use of mine fields and barbed wire stopped the US cold in their attempt to reach the objectives A and D to their front. 

The Us position on the Right. B/2 is pinned in the wood and B/3 is in the house but suppressed.

That Suppress moved the initiative to the US Left where Rick Bryant pushed quickly into the wood and fields near the German set-on line then passed the initiative to Dick Bryant in the center. Dick moved up to the wall to his front and into the woods on his left Sector line to set up the 75 to command the road. Fire from the German 2/10 Platoon in the field to the front of the US advance suppressed an inf. sqd. in the wood and the initiative passed to the Germans.

Rick Bryant moves up on the US Left.

Dick Bryant's US Central position. Note his suppressed infantry in the wood. But he got his own back by suppressing a German stand in the field to the front.

The Germans attacked on their Right, but managed to loose most of the platoon in the orchard. In the center the Germans and US exchanged fire with Dick Bryant getting the worst of it, loosing his HMG and most of the platoon in the wood. Well directed mortar fire from the German Right under Mitch Abrams added injury to the insult! Dick was expending most of his smoke rounds to protect the advance of Ricky's forces on the left.

Another sweep of US air power netted no results except for a couple of pinned stands. Dick White was expending a lot of smoke trying to get his platoons unpinned and unsuppressed. He sent in an engineer squad to deal with the mines, but it was killed outright giving the initiative to Dick Bryant.

US air arrives for its 2nd sweep pinning a stand of Germans

Dick Provided more smoke cover to his left and charged the German unit with the suppressed sqd in the center. In spite of the suppressed stand, Jack Breen's unit won the melee and and the initiative passed to Rick on the left. Rick pushed A company's 2nd Platoon into the center wood driving out the Germans. He then brought one of the tanks assigned to him by the Btn Commander, Dick White. It promptly found a mine field and brewed up, Initiative to the Germans!

The Germans essentially held their positions, trying to cause as many casualties as possible among the Americans. In this they were successful but some attempts at moving and and unpinning eventually lost them the initiative and it was back to the US. The Btn CO, in charge of the Company on the US Right attempted to force an opening in the enemy to his front with one of his tank reserves and promptly lost it to Panzershreck fire. In the center Dick Bryant moved his reserve Platoon up to the wall and  decimated the German platoon to his front with rifle fire until  he lost his initiative.
The US Btn Commander decided that the best chance for a win was on the left and sent the remaining Tanks over to Ricky on the left. He advanced a tank up to the left of the orchard where it was destroyed by a Panzerschreck! Initiative to the Germans.

US looses a third tank! This time to Panzerschrek fire

The Germans used their initiative in trying to get some help to their right but lost the initiative in doing so. The US opened up with a third pass of air power, but had the Aircraft shot down!

US Loses its air cover

The Germans, on the left had lost two platoons but were still holding out with a platoon and a HMG. The US Force there was essentially out of smoke and was hesitant to move across the no-man's land between their position and the objectives.

A few more turns were played but the US  conceded as they felt that they didn't have the strength to take enough of the objectives to make up for their lost  victory points. They had lost 3 tanks, 1 Aircraft and  7 stands for a total of 24 points. The Germans lost 11 stands for a total of 11 points.

As this was a German win, the next battle will also be an American attack into a prepared German Defense. Reinforcements for both sides have arrived, but are mostly Green, Will the US find the right formula to win the next battle, Stay tuned......

I WAS AT ….HAVOC!

Havoc is a small local convention - now being held at Maironis Park, Shrewsbury MA – that has been in continuous existence for 28 years! I have not missed this Friday evening to Sunday afternoon venue but 2 or 3 times.
I usually put on one game, at least, and this year was no exception as I ran a slightly different version of the BUNA Cross Fire battle that is described earlier in this BLOG. The changes were a reduction in the strength of the Japanese from 4 sqds/platoon to 3 and a loss of 2 bunkers. I think that this was a more balanced game. Among the attendees signed up for BUNA I identified two to play the Japanese and American commanders and e-mailed them the necessary info so that they could pre-convention plan their defense and/or attack. Mike Tribou of NH took the Japanese command and Cory O’Connor took the Americans. A first for me, was a mother-son team on the Japanese side. When asked , Kim Caren told me that she was the wargamers and her son, Alfred was her support. This was the opposite of what I expected Both played an excellent game. Bob Yates was the other US commander and won the award that each game master was given to pass out as best player. He did very well for someone who had never seen the CF before.

BUNA II

The US won by 1 VP but a small win is still a win and many kudos go to Cory for his well thought out plan and execution under what were, at time, some trying conditions.

Mike Tribou took several photos of this game as well as of others that I will publish here.

Kim and Alfred ponder the next move

The highlight of the convention for me was to play a couple of Day of Battle Medeval battles against the author, Chris Parker. I was defeated in the first game but won a crushing victory in the second, having thrown 9 hits against him vs. his 3 in the final melee! I hope that puts an end to my dice curse at the club.

Chris Parker' awaits Bryant's onslaught

The Final Melee

The low point of the weekend was to discover that a long anticipated Seekrieg game that I had signed up for on Friday night had been changed to Sunday morning by its game master without any notification by either him of the convention organizers – they probably didn’t know about it.

I don’t know how many attended – its usually small, in the 300 range and I found that the Friday night events seemed more sparsely attended than in previous years. But Saturday was crowded with some 20 games going on and several dealers present.

BUNA, NEW GUINEA

This game was LOOSLY based on the actions around BUNA in New Guinea. The historical battle lasted weeks, we tried to capture the last day of the battle.
NOTE: The huts in the game were made using the techniques of Matakishi's Tea House  http://www.matakishi.com/  . Great Stuff!

Japanese Forces

REGULARS

ALL UNITS START DUG IN AND HIDDEN

ALL UNITS START NORTH OF RED DOTTED LINE

1 Machine gun Company with 3 x HMG*
(A CC(+1) is available IF you want to keep them as a Company)
1 81 mm mortar 12 FM - 4 smoke W/FO
1 x 75 mm Howitzer 12 FM -4 smoke W/FO
1 37mm AT Gun w/truck
3 snipers

2 Infantry Companies ea. with
Company Commander (+1)
1 Weapons Platoon
1 PC(+1)
1 HMG*
2 20 mm AT**
3 Rifle Platoons with

1 Platoon Commander
4 Rifle squads
1 60mm Mortar***

5 Bunkers and 2 trenches set to connect up to 4 bunkers allows troops to move from Bunker to Bunker without being seen unless enemy on edge – just like CF depressions. Cannot fire out of trenches. Bunkers hold 2 combat stands.

2 Tunnels between two ADJACENT terrain pieces. ONE squad can pass from one to another feature through the tunnel, appearing behind US forces or in their midst (Handle like a suprise encounter).

* 2D6 , can initiate Close Combat, not counting as crew served weapons.

**Also have 2D6 fire capability as riflemen in addition i.e can do both in an initiative. But only at +/-45 Deg . and can initiate Close Combat, not counting as crew served weapons.

*** 3 D6/0 Kill potential; 2 hits is still only a suppress; 1 stand of smoke.. Can fire as riflemen, but max of 2D6. But only at +/-45 Deg . and can initiate Close Combat, not counting as crew served weapons. PC cannot spot – all fire must be direct.

United States Forces

REGULARS

ALL UNITS EXCEPT TANKS MAY START HIDDEN – TANKS CAN START OFF BOARD AND BE BROUGHT ON WHEN DESIRED

ALL UNITS START SOUTH OF RED DOTTED LINE

126th Infantry Btn
1 BC(+1)
1 81 mm Mortar 12 FM -4 smoke W/FO
1 4.2” Mortar 10FM 3 smoke w/FO
2 HMG
1 57mm AT Gun w/Truck
2 M3 Light Tanks

A Company
1 CC(+1)
1 60mm Mortar
1 HMG
3 Rifle Platoons ea. w/
1 PC(+1)
3 Rifle Squads

B Company
1 CC(+1)
1 60mm Mortar
1 HMG
3 Rifle Platoons
1 PC(+1)
3 Rifle Squads

D Company
1 CC(+1)
1 60mm Mortar
1 HMG
3 Rifle Platoons ea. w/
1 PC(+1)
3 Rifle Squads

Engineers
1 PC(+2)
2 Rifle/Eng Sqds.

TERRAIN INFORMATION

Grass Huts hold 1 combat stand and don’t have the -1D6 protection from mortars. The Mission is a standard building and holds 2 combat units.

All terrain has bog down potential. Bog Down on 1,2,3,4. Un Bog on a 6. A 1 on un-bogging means permanent bog down.
Water areas are impassible.

VICTORY CONDITIONS

Game starts at 0600 and ends at 2200 hours. Clock advances ½ hour when initiative changes IF it changed by a Suppress or a Kill. NOTE: This is Dick White's idea and worked very well.


VP                                         US                                            JAPANESE
+1                             ea. jap kill/Sup game end
+1.5                                                                                ea. US kill/Sup game end      
+2                             ea. “small “ Bldg occupied
+7                             Occupies Mission complex

THE BATTLE

The Americans spread their 3 companies across the entire front of their set-on. and started advancing from their right. Cory Conner, command ing the US Right ran into a stiff defense by Rich Bryant and lost several initiatives for the US before he could force them back to cover. B company started an advance against light oposition but then Rick Bryant attacked the US left with one his Japanese platoons in his, now patented, attack from the defense. This attack, however, met a spirited defense by Jack Breen's D Company and bogged down, much reduced, just in front of the US lines.

American Right pushes the Japanese back, using close assault through smoke.

The M3 (Chafee) Tank platoon advanced up the road toward Pong, but found that their 37mm gun was ineffective against troops in cover. Eventually, one of the Japanese 20mm AT Rifles took one of them out.

Chafee brews up!

The US kept advancing but with high casualties and managed to capture one of the buildings in Pong. The Japanese never took advantage of their tunnels, their 3 snipers missed their shots and their last line of defense (the bunker complex) was just glimpsed by the US at the end of the game.  The US lost 21 stands to the Japanese 7 but took one objective point. Japanese VP=31Pts; US VP = 8Pts, an essential rout of the US force!

Over all view showing end game with the position of the maximum US advance

MYITKYINA, NORTH BURMA

MYITKYINA, NORTH BURMA

A CROSSFIRE SCENARIO

Dick White designed this scenario loosely based on one he found on the internet. I tried to contact the original site at: frenchwargamer@yahoo.fr but have had no response. So I hope that if he sees this and contacts us – Dick Bryant.

In this scenario, the Marines are attempting to dislodge a Japanese force holding the three building village near the pond in the southern area of the map.

Fields are in season; All green terrain is Jungle except for the swampy areas which are swamps (what a surprise!). Buildings are wood and may hold up to two combat units plus one command unit and one photo observer.

SET UP
Japanese forces start hidden and dug in. Bunkers and/or barbed wire if set up clear terrain must be placed on the table. Japanese forces set up anywhere south of the dotted line. Terrain features which overlap the dotted line are deemed to be on the side which as majority of the feature, and the set on will be adjusted so that there are no overlaps on the table.

Marine forces set up north of the dotted line. Marine forces which are set up in fields woods and swamps start hidden. This includes vehicles. Vehicles do not require Bog checks for movement in fields. Vehicles may not move in marshes.

VICTORY CONDITIONS
the Marines win if they have at least one unsuppressed unit in each of the three buildings at the end of the game. In all other circumstances, the Japanese win. The Marine advance begins at 0600 hrs. The battle ends at 0300 hrs. the game clock advances one half hour each time a unit or vehicle is killed, suppressed, or destroyed.

NOTE: this is a new method that was tried by Dick White to mark the advance of game time. It worked fairly well, BUT WAS TOO FAST. We will try it again where at the loss of either side’s initiative, if any unit or vehicle is killed, suppressed, or destroyed, the clock will advance one increment.



FORCES
Marine Battallion (-)                                    Morale: veteran

1 BC (+1) Lt. Col. Dickie Puller (Chesty's Brother) Dick Bryant
1 SMG Sq.
1 M4 Sherman
2 81 mm mtrs. (Off Bd) 2 FO (12 FM 4 may be smoke)
2 HMG's

Engineer Platoon w/
PC +1
3 Eng. Sq. (One SQ with FlameThrowers)

2 Infantry Companies (-) each with:
1 CC (+1)
1 60 MM (CC may act as FO)(12 FM's/4 may be smoke)
2 HMG

2 Inf Plts ea. w/
1 PC (+1) (PC's fight as squads in close combat)
3 Rifle sqds
Bn Reserve
2 Inf Plts ea. w/
1 PC(+1)
3 Rifle sqds


Japanese                             Morale: regulars

1 BC(+1) Col. Mifune Wakabak - Jack Breen
2 81 mm (off Board) 2 FO(12 FM 4 may be smoke)
2 57mm AT Guns
2 Bunkers, 2 Wire, 2 Mine
2 HMG (3 Dice only – does not count as crew served weapon in close combat)

1CC(+1)
1 Rifle Sqd.
1 HMG(3 Dice only – does not count as crew served weapon in close combat)
2 ATR Sqds

3 Rifle Platoons ea. w/
1 PC(+1)
3 Rifle Sqds. One w/ATR
1 Knee Mortar (PC may function as FO or may direct fire. 2” smoke, 3 D6)

Japanese Relief Force
Amphibious Company
1 CC(+1)
1 Rifle Sqd.
1 HMG (effects as above)
2 ATR squads

3 Rifle Platoons ea. w/
1 PC(+1)
3 Rifle Sqds. One w/ATR
1 Knee Mortar (PC may function as FO or may direct fire. 2” smoke, 3 D6)

THE GAME
The Americans started out hidden with Company A on the right with the reserve and Company B on the left of the road. The Engineers and the M$ were kept in local reserve at the baseline on the left. The American plan by “Dickie” Puller (Dick Bryant) was to have Company B attack toward the house at the crossroads and set up a fire line to support the main attack by Company A into the town. The Engineers and the M4 with up to one platoon of Company B (Rich Bryant) were to be the left flank defense should the enemy try an attack from that quarter.

The watchword was to reconnoiter by fire then move up. That was successful and advanced Company A to the East-West road, where they took an enemy platoon under fire and decimated it, suppressing a mortar in the vicinity.

This blurry photo shows the Japanese flank move, one stand is pinned (upper Right) and they are about to charge the engineers just to the left of thepipe cleaner marking the set-on. You can see that the Japanese postion protecting the main objective has been suppressed and easy pickings until the Japanese maneuver on teh left flank. Apoogies for the photo - I have since had my camera fixed! Dick Bryant

Company B was preparing to advance when a Japanese platoon under the command of Rick Bryant swept around the American left, unopposed until it reached a point were it could be seen by the Engineer Platoon and the M4. Despite flamethrower attacks and shots by the M4, this platoon managed to attack the now suppressed engineers in hand to hand and beat them by 1 pip, destroying them.

The Americans rushed to regroup. Rich Bryant was to consolidate a defense of the left flank, while the main attack would move against the town. On the next initiative, however, a complete Japanese Amphibious Company under Jack Breen swept around the American left, following the path of the first platoon’s attack. Once again, the Americans couldn’t lay a hand on them and as they locally outnumbered the U.S. by almost 3:1, Chesty decided to pull out to try another day.

It has been pointed out that with all this force on the U.S. left, the Japanese must be very thin in the village. Chesty did give consideration to pressing the attack but recognizing that there were as yet unobserved mine fields (2) and bunkers (2), it would be a costly operation that the Japanese force on the left could then counterattack when the Americans were at their weakest.

A good scenario and fun to game. The idea of using the loss of a stand to a suppress or a kill for the clock to change is interesting but must be limited to only one such change per initiative or only one such change per one side’s initiative.

THE BATTLE FOR WEISSE - A CROSS FIRE GAME

THE BATTLE FOR WEISSE

Overall view of the ame board. Set-on is indicated by brown and blue "pipe cleaners"

Dick White developed a Cross Fire scenario on short notice, thus the name of the battle. The Forces and missions were as follows:

Germans
The Americans are trying to take the road exit beyond the town of Weisse. You must hold at all costs.
Your Force
9TH Infantry Co (Veteran)
1 Coy CO (+2)
3 HMG
1 FO 81 MM mortars w/ 12 FM (3Smoke)


1/9 inf platoon
1 PC(+2)
3 Rifle sqds (one w/panzerfaust)

2/9 inf platoon
1 PC(+1)
3 Rifle sqds(one w/panzerfaust)
3/9 inf platoon
1 PC(+1)
3 Rifle sqds(one w/panzerfaust)

3 Mk IV Tanks

Germans win if they control the road exit at game end. Control equals no unsuppressed American unit within 12” of Road edge.

Moving Clock is in use. Game begins at 0600 hours and ends at 1800 hours. The clock advances 30 Min on a roll of 4+ when the Germans loose initiative.
Place first, start dug-in and hidden anywhere south of the indicated line on the map. The tanks are able to use camouflage nets to hide them until they move.
Americans can hold any number of troops off board at their option for later entry.
Buildings hold 2 combat squads plus one commander and one FO.
The blue oval is a swamp which does not block LOS and is impassible.
Fields: Vehicles BOG DOWN on a 3- Un Bog on a 4+*
Woods: Vehicles BOG DOWN on a 3- Un Bog on a 3+*
* Un-Bog result of 1 means that you are permanently bogged

Americans
You must occupy the road exit south of Weiss. This is accomplished by having a least one unsuppressed stand within 12” of the exit at game end.

Forces:
1 BC(0)
1 SMG Sqd
1 FO for 105mm Howitzer (8Fm, 5 Smoke)
4 Sherman Tanks (Commanded by Rich Bryant)

Engineer Platoon Veteran) (Commanded by Rich Bryant)
1 PC(+2)
4 Inf Sqds

A Company (Regulars) (Commanded by Rick Bryant)
1 CC(+1)
1 60mm Mortar*
3 Rifle Platoons ea. w/
1 PC(+1)
2 Rifle Sqds
1 Bazooka Sqd

C Company(Regulars) (Commanded by Jack Breen)
1 CC(+1)
1 60mm Mortar*
3 Rifle Platoons ea. w/
1 PC(+1)
2 Rifle Sqds
1 Bazooka Sqd

*60mm Mortars loose initiative if fail a smoke attempt.

Fields: Vehicles BOG DOWN on a 3- Un Bog on a 4+*
Woods: Vehicles BOG DOWN on a 3- Un Bog on a 3+*
* Un-Bog result of 1 means that you are permanently bogged

Moving Clock is in use. Game begins at 0600 hours and ends at 1800 hours. The clock advances 30 Min on a roll of 4+ when the Germans loose initiative.

Place second North of the indicated line.


The writer, Dick Bryant, was the German commander and as such, I wrote up an Operational Order for my subordinate for this game, Dick Messier. I did this in the interest of starting a game sooner by having all the players briefed BEFORE they come to the game. I also gave him a small map showing the German dispositions as shown in the Battle Report Map.

The Operational Order

TO Dick Messier
FROM Dick Bryant, Commanding

SITUATION:
The enemy is trying to take and occupy the road exit to the South of the swamp. We must prevent him from coming within 1 ft. of the exit.

ENEMY:
Expect between 1 reinforced Company (5 platoons) to two companies with armor support. His main effort is expected to be on our left as he has more covered approaches in that area, though he may try an armor attack from our right.

FORCES:
2/9 Platoon
1 PC (+1)
2 Rifle Sqds
1 Panzerfaust Sqd (also acts as rifle sqd)
1 HMG

3/9 Platoon
1 PC (+1)
2 Rifle Sqds
1 Panzerfaust Sqd (also acts as rifle sqd)
1 HMG

In addition a FO reporting directly to the Company Commander with 2/9



FRIENDLY FORCES
1/9 is on your left rear and holds the left flank.
3 Mk IV tanks are in immediate support to the rear near the road exit.

MISSION:
Occupy the positions as shown on the map. You will dig in and remain hidden until detected by the enemy or forced to fire.
Hold your position (the center and right) as long as possible, causing casualties to the enemy as much as possible. If heavily pressed fall back to positions in the town, but maintain your zones of fire. If falling back, wood “A” must be held. Be prepared to reinforce the left by pulling straight back into the town on my order.

Bring all possible fire to bear on enemy when he shows himself except to keep one sqd from going “no fire”.


NOTE: You kill the enemy by firing on him – do so!
If you pull straight back out of a defensive position you cannot be fired upon until you exit the terrain feature!
You do not have to place the units in the positions they are indicated on the map. When you have to reveal them put them in the MOST ADVANTAGOUS position for the situation at the time of placement.


The 1/9, the armor and the Off Board Artillery were commanded by Dick Bryant

The overall map showing th German defense and the American attacks

THE BATTLE

The Americans opened by moving on to the table rather than setting on at the indicated line on the map. While this gave the Germans no advantage as they did not have a LOS to the table edge, the Germans did get a better idea of what the American plan was. After smoking the north-most house, the Americans moved to both flanks while a Sherman came down the road toward the town. The Sherman was knocked out by a MK IV shooting down the road. The American Engineers entered at the center near the road, in position to assault the German defenses once they had been suppressed. On the German initiative, the 60mm of the left-most American column was suppressed (at position 1) by the German off board 81mm, then the right hand American column was pinned. On the U.S. initiative another Sherman came down the road to meet the same fate as the first. Two Mk IV went to the right to take that U.S. column under fire and essentially destroyed the lead platoon with HE and MG Fire. These two tanks pinned the Right hand U.S. column in place the rest of the game, especially after several missed bazooka shots and the loss of the bazooka team. On the German left the Americans slowly advanced slowly by “Recon by Fire” and occupied the 1st of 2 houses just past the field. When the Germans moved a tank toward the left, that advance halted.

Sherman brews up

After a few initiatives of indecisive firing, The German tank on the left moved back to cover the road just as the Americans sent another tank down the road toward Weiss. It met the same fate as the first two.

Germans move to cover the right - note remains of US platoon in cener woods -yellow marker indicates "pinned"

The Americans were down 3 of their 4 tanks and the Germans had lost none. The American Company on the German Right was bogged down, one platoon wiped out, with little chance of advance against the two German tanks and had no counter with the loss of so much armor. The Germans had lost one Panzerfaust stand. The Americans decided to withdraw to fight another day.

Had the Americans set-on on the line as given in the player briefs and been more careful of their armor assets, a much different outcome may have been the result.

THE ISLAND

THE ISLAND

We have been having problems with finishing games in the allotted 2.5-3 hours. We have to bring them to a conclusion by the game master extrapolating the situation to determine the victor.
Part of the problem is the time it takes for the gamers to make a plan and determine how they will proceed. Another is that games tend to be long if one wants to have scenarios with interesting situations.
I decided to try running duplicate small games where the attack plan and the defense plan were already planned out before the game. The two most experienced players were asked to develop both an attack and a defense plan. They were told that they could play either side, but not against their own plan. Further they were told that they had to write an operational order for their subordinates (troops under their command, start position, and objective). Our first try worked quite well.
Jack Breen controlled the Marines against the North Koreans with Dick White’s plan of defense, Rich Bryant controlled the NK forces with the help of Dick Messier. Dick White played against Jack Breen’s Defense run by Rick Bryant.
My arrival at the game was delayed and I found that the two sets of terrain were skewed from the original layout. I believe that this made the game harder for the attacker and so it proved to be. At the end of the report I will show the original map , so the reader may judge. The report is based on the map as laid out on the table.

THE GAME

The Sides

American Marines (VETERAN)

The Germans are developing a new secret weapon on a small island off the coast of Denmark. You r force will invade the island, capture the plans and destroy the labs (Bldg. X on the map).

You set on second behind the beach ridges as shown by the blue dotted line and have the initiative. The first 4 American initiatives are at night. To win you must destroy the lab (Any stand near the lab, un-suppressed for 2 enemy initiatives destroys the lab and is a minor victory, getting that stand back to the beach after the destruction is a major victory).

NOTE: The ridges to either side of the beach are impassible and block LOS. The “Night Fighting Rulesof “Hit The Dirt” are in effect.
                                                                                                          POINTS
CC(+1)                                                                                                 4                                     
1 60mm Mortar w/12 rounds (attach to a unit)                                       4
1 HMG                                                                                                 6                  
      
Assault Platoon (labeled Rangers)

1 PC (+1)                                                                                             2
3 Assault rifle Sqds(+2)                                                                      16.5
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
2nd platoon**
1 PC(+1)                                                                                              2
3 Rifle Sqds (1 w/bazooka)                                                                15.5

3rd platoon**
1 PC(+1)                                                                                            2
Rifle Sqds (1 w/ bazooka)                                                                 15.5

NAVAL SUPPORT
Heavy Arty 5FM with FO                                                                 10

TOTAL                                                                                            72.5
* Assault sqds. are +2 in melee. ** PCs fight as Squads like CCs with PC bonuses.

Germans (REGULAR)


Your mission is to guard the secret lab (Bldg. X). in the small town of Shiessehauer. You place troops first behind the red line. The only hidden troops are those in buildings and in the bunker. Each Bldg and the bunker hold 2 stands(not including observers and leaders). The Stug can only come on during daylight. The first 4 American initiatives constitute night. You must protect the lab at all costs, driving any enemy attempt at it into the sea. Any US stand near the lab, un-suppressed for 2 enemy initiatives destroys the lab and is a US minor victory, getting that stand back to the beach after the destruction is a US major victory.

NOTE: The ridges to either side of the beach are impassible and block LOS.

Panzergrenadiers Co. 59
1 CC (+2)
81 mm Mortar w/FO 12FM
75 mm IG w/FO 12FM
1 HMG

3 Inf platoons ea. with:
1 PC(+1)
2 Rifle Sqds
1 SMG Sqd.

1 Stug (starts off table)
1 Bunker and 1 barbed wire

TOTAL 72 points



The 2nd game was identical except that, since I had only one company of Germans, North Koreans were used and had a KV-76 rather than the Stug IV. The maps and conditions were identical. My battle report is based on the German/marine game but the actions and results were essentially the same.

The Marines moved up to the contour line with the intent of moving into the tree line under cover of darkness. The Germans could have caught them at a disadvantage if they held fire, but opened up as soon as they saw movement and gave the marines targets to shoot at. The marines were able to use their off board support (naval guns off shore) to stomp the tree line and were soon moving into it against suppressed units who had no chance in hand-to-hand combat.

Marines advancing from the beach

Once the sun had risen, Germans in the houses started to cause problems, pinning one platoon of marines and essentially suppressing another. The Marines laid down a base of fire and moved the Assault Platoon into the wood near the enemy lab, where it was promptly suppressed. The judicious use of smoke from off shore enabled Dick White to rally the suppressed Marines while a bazooka took out the Stug. The Marines assaulted the lab through a smoke screen, but were thrown out in hand-to-hand combat and started retreating to the beach. Dick didn’t feel he had enough forces left to continue the assault much to Rick’s relief as he was down to one platoon and no mortar ammo!

Stug get fried by Marine Bazooka in small house at top of photo

The North Korean version of the game was essentially the same with the NK forces giving away their night time advantage, the marines moving to the wood line and destroying at least one platoon of North Koreans. Once again the troops in the buildings held up the marine advance and the KV-76 was used to better advantage, killing some Marine Sqds. before they could prepare for the assault on the lab. Jack had lost too much strength to continue and also pulled back to the beach.

Since the defender won in both instances, one might think that the scenario was unbalanced, it was, because of the skewing of the map as described above. The map as played had several open lanes of fire right to the beach and some of the buildings and woods were moved to where the assault could not lay down an effective suppressing fire, if they could have moved into position.

The map as drawn by the Gamemaster



The map as laid out and played