Post by hannibal on May 3, 2008 13:05:57 GMT -5
This week the Soviets launch a counter-offensive against the overextended Germans. Desperate, the Germans rush their genetic abominations and barely trained Volkssturm to the front to hold the enemy back. A small village holds not one, but three bridges across a river as well as an intact rail line. Both sides must rush to this strategic point and hold it.
The mission was one we made up. Essentially, a player had to hold two of the three bridges for half a turn. We decided a full turn was simply too hard so it was half a player's activations, which turned out to be 4 activations. So that the models weren't sitting ducks, all players had to do was get 1 model completely on the bridge (i.e. the model's entire base) and the bridge was claimed. It remained in that player's possession until the other player put a model there. So a model could run up, claim it, and then get off the bridge with no cover.
We deployed both sides 10" up from their respective table edges. That fit with the idea of both sides rushing to a vital point in the vast Russian hinterlands.
Soviet Force
Special Order: Capture (Mad Doktor)
Infantry Detachment
Elite Politruk (Chuman Parent)
Veteran Officer
Regular Flame-thrower team
Regular Anti-Tank Rifle team
Regular Soviet Guard squad
Green Conscript Squad
Green Conscript Squad
Green Conscript Squad
Green Chuman squad
Special Orders: Scouts, Momentum
Veteran Detachment
Elite NKVD Psi Officer (Natural Leader)
Veteran Officer
Veteran Psi Commados
Regular Psi Cannon team
Regular Soviet Guard squad
Regular Soviet Guard squad
Regular Anti-Tank Dog Squad
Special Orders: Scouts
German Forces
Secondary Order: Test Subjects
Experimental Detachment:
Elite Mad Doktor (Inspiring Leader)
Veteran Rohlingsoldat w/MG42
Regular Rohlingsoldat w/MG42
Regular Sturmaffe ("Otto")
Regular Sturmaffe ("Mongo")
Green Emaciated Soldiers
Green Emaciated Soldiers
Special Order: Artillery Strike
Recon Detachment
Veteran Officer
Veteran Sniper w/StG44 & vampyr scope (Assassin)
Regular Mortar team
Regular Volkssturm Group Leader
Regular Krieghund Squad
Green Volkssturm Squad
Green Volkssturm Squad
Regular Kubelwagon
Special Order: Scouts
As always, royal will have pictures and corrections to any mistakes I make here. The deployment (L->R, soviet perspective):
The conscripts clumped together on the left side, two squads on one side of the railroad, the third squad and politruk on the right. The Psi Commandos and an officer joined them on the left flank. The center-left was held by two squads of Soviet Guards, while the center-right had a soviet officer, the PTRS team, and the psi cannon team. On the right, the NKVD officer, a soviet Guard squad, and the chumans deployed. The flame thrower squad and anti-tank dogs were nowhere to be seen...
On the left, opposite the conscripts, the Germans deployed a Volkssturm squad, the sniper, and the group leader. Center left held another Volkssturm squad and the wehrmacht officer. In the center, the German forces were clumped together. The Wehrmacht mortar team took position behind a building, with the kubelwagon behind them. Between two buildings both Rohlingsoldats and Sturmaffes deployed around the Mad doktor. On the center-right, the emaciateds waikted behind a bit of area terrain. Also oddly missing was the Krieghund squad...
As always the first turn was all about rushing into position. On the left the conscripts all raced forward as did the Volkssturm opposite them. This proved to be dangerous because the Psi Commandos suppressed them. Out of nowhere, the Krieghunds burst from their hiding place on the German side of the bridge, each charging a conscript squad. The sniper moved into the building, but the moment he stuck his head out (killing a few Conscripts), he was suppressed by the Psi Commandos.
In the center of the German line, the Mad Doktor doped up everybody. He handed out +1 AP to the Veteran Rohlingsoldat and both Sturmaffes(!!!), inflicting a single wound on the other Rohlingsoldat. The wounded Rohlingsoldat hopped into the Kubelwagon which raced forward, taking shelter behind a building on the German side of the river. Meanwhile, the sturmaffes split, Mongo going right and Otto going left. The Rohlingsoldat moved forward into position in the center of an orchard.
On the Soviet center consolidated position behind a building and large pipe. They did not advance because Otto was ready to cross the bridge. The NKVD officer foolishly rushed forward to try and suppress the rohlingsoldat, but was out of range.
The right flank was almost an afterthought: the emaciateds raced for the bridge as did the chumans and a squad of soviet guard. In the end, the veteran rohlingsoldat would suppress the chumans and the vehicle parked on the bridge would prevent rapid movement. At the end the two sides saw some combat but it was inconclusive (more on the grudge match later).
Out came the soviet scouts: the 'xplody dogs came in on the center-right flank and ran into the center, with the handler taking position around the corner of a building. The flamer squad showed up on the left flank and sprinted for the mortar team.
Then came the last Soviet special order: Momentum. Soviets win initiative. Guess what went first? Right, x'plody dogs. The first one went and blew up on Mongo, causing 2 wounds. The handler shot Mongo, putting a 3rd wound. Then came 'xplody pup #2, putting 2 wounds on Mongo.
Next the flamer squad goes fwoosh and the German mortar squad is no more. Using their last AP, they walk behind the building but the teammate leaves himself exposed to shoot (unsuccessfully) at the German officer.
Mongo is down to 0 wounds so goes Berserk. Closest model? The Veteran Rohlingsoldat. (Dan has issues with the "turn then charge the closest") He charges but doesn't do any damage, and then dies. Foolish mistake to put that last wound on him with the dog handler, but that's a hindsight situation.
So now the only thing on the right flank are the emaciateds and it looks like the Soviets will carry that bridge. The center and left are very different stories. The Kubelwagon rushes forward, rohlinsoldat blazing away killing a pair of Soviet Guards. The vehicle then turns right (by soviet reckoning) and hides behind the building, blocking it from the PTRS team, the soviet officer, and psi cannon team on the other side.
Except the PTRS team has grenades. As does the Soviet officer. Some incredible luck (3 dice, needing 4+ and then a "not scatter on 1-2", gets 2 hits), and the Kubelwagon is destroyed, everyone inside killed.
Mongo then rushes across the central bridge and into Soviet territory, taking shelter in the trees for the extra cover. The Soviet guard and soviet officer (and maybe also the Psi Commandos) pour fire into the beast, wounding it twice.
The German officer (or group leader, can't remember) doubles back to suppress the flamer team. This will be the last we hear from them other than the officer picking off the "loader" later.
On the left, the Krieghunds have mixed results. One kills a conscript then races back over the bridge. The other fails to do so and gets counter charged and killed. The Politruk runs forward, shoots the Krieghund on the bridge and one of his own Conscripts. +1 Drive for the Soviets.
The crucial turn! Soviets win initiative. More spectacular rolling and the PTRS team hits and wounds with both activations. The Psi Cannons have much poorer luck, with 1 hit out of 4, but since the Sturmaffe is at Drive 0 he has no armor. Otto the Unstoppable gets one round and then keels over. He's closest to the unit fo Soviet Guards, so he moves into base contact, killing one.
However, Otto's sacrafice is not made in vain. The Soviets had to form a defensive position to contain him and are ill-suited to grab the central bridge. A Volkssturm unit comes forward and claims it. The Veteran Rohlinsoldat fires atr long range, supressing one of the Conscript squads. Then with his last AP he calls down and Artillery Strike. Stupid #&%^ing Artillery Strike! It's a hit, so it only deviates 1d6. It deviated 1".
I AM THE ARTILLERY MAGNET!!!
So, dead Conscript squad (only 2 guys) and the other unit of Volkssturm claim the railroad bridge on the left. Now the clock starts: the Soviets have 4 activations get a model onto a bridge.
It's not gonna happen on the central bridge. All the units there have activated to kill Otto. Even if they could go, none of them are within sprinting distance (and there was terrain in the way for all of them)
The Politruk had darted back after shooting the dog last round. This turns out to be a game-ending mistake. He races forward 12" and is literally has 3/4 of his base on the bridge. Not enough. The Psi Commandos break from cover, being Veteran, and one can get onto the bridge. The problem? The other guy can't move fast enough to keep within 4" coherency. So literally, they are pulled up a base width short from the bridge. The Krieghund handler sees them rushing forward and lays down suppressing fire, pinning them down.
And that's the game. I had other activations, and they went but most on the left side of the board. The chumans and Emaciateds each got 1 model into base contact, but did little. The soviet guards on the right flank tossed a grenade over the combat at the emaciateds behind them, but missed. There were soviet officers and soviet guard on the center and left that took shots at the Volkssturm on the bridge, killing them, but they didn't need to stay on the bridge to claim it.
So after all that, the Germans pull out the win. It literally came down to 1/4 a base width. Awesome game! Plus I really like the thematic way the game ended, with the Soviet forces making a last ditch rush for the bridge only to be pinned down by German firepower.
The Germans clung to the bridges by their very teeth, with the left Volkssturm squad down to 1 model and the right Volkssturm down to 2 models. But in the end, it was that laser artillery strike and Otto the Unstoppable who pushed the Soviet center back on their heels. Royal beat himself up for (in his opinion) wasting Otto, but it ultimately won him the game, so I say: worth it.
And although I lost, I really liked the way the Soviets played. I made them work, mainly the conscripts being paired with the Psi Commandos who can suppress like 3 units a turn. That and it was just neat to see the scouts work as well, racking up some early kills.
So after the game was over we had the Emaciated vs Chuman grudge match. Three models a side, all paired up individually against an opponent, and rolling off. The Emaciateds scored in the early rounds, winning most combats and wounding two Chumans to only one wound on an Emaciated. But then the Chumans came roaring back, and every model had 1 wound. The balance tipped to the Chumans, killing 2 Emaciateds vs losing 1 Chuman. Then, in a perfect summation of the game, it slipped away from the Soviets. The Emaciated won initiative and charged a Chuman, killing him. The last Chuman charged in, but failed to kill the Emaciated, who sliced and diced the Chuman, killing him. The Emaciateds win! The Emaciated win! Oh the humanity!! ;D
The mission was one we made up. Essentially, a player had to hold two of the three bridges for half a turn. We decided a full turn was simply too hard so it was half a player's activations, which turned out to be 4 activations. So that the models weren't sitting ducks, all players had to do was get 1 model completely on the bridge (i.e. the model's entire base) and the bridge was claimed. It remained in that player's possession until the other player put a model there. So a model could run up, claim it, and then get off the bridge with no cover.
We deployed both sides 10" up from their respective table edges. That fit with the idea of both sides rushing to a vital point in the vast Russian hinterlands.
Soviet Force
Special Order: Capture (Mad Doktor)
Infantry Detachment
Elite Politruk (Chuman Parent)
Veteran Officer
Regular Flame-thrower team
Regular Anti-Tank Rifle team
Regular Soviet Guard squad
Green Conscript Squad
Green Conscript Squad
Green Conscript Squad
Green Chuman squad
Special Orders: Scouts, Momentum
Veteran Detachment
Elite NKVD Psi Officer (Natural Leader)
Veteran Officer
Veteran Psi Commados
Regular Psi Cannon team
Regular Soviet Guard squad
Regular Soviet Guard squad
Regular Anti-Tank Dog Squad
Special Orders: Scouts
German Forces
Secondary Order: Test Subjects
Experimental Detachment:
Elite Mad Doktor (Inspiring Leader)
Veteran Rohlingsoldat w/MG42
Regular Rohlingsoldat w/MG42
Regular Sturmaffe ("Otto")
Regular Sturmaffe ("Mongo")
Green Emaciated Soldiers
Green Emaciated Soldiers
Special Order: Artillery Strike
Recon Detachment
Veteran Officer
Veteran Sniper w/StG44 & vampyr scope (Assassin)
Regular Mortar team
Regular Volkssturm Group Leader
Regular Krieghund Squad
Green Volkssturm Squad
Green Volkssturm Squad
Regular Kubelwagon
Special Order: Scouts
As always, royal will have pictures and corrections to any mistakes I make here. The deployment (L->R, soviet perspective):
The conscripts clumped together on the left side, two squads on one side of the railroad, the third squad and politruk on the right. The Psi Commandos and an officer joined them on the left flank. The center-left was held by two squads of Soviet Guards, while the center-right had a soviet officer, the PTRS team, and the psi cannon team. On the right, the NKVD officer, a soviet Guard squad, and the chumans deployed. The flame thrower squad and anti-tank dogs were nowhere to be seen...
On the left, opposite the conscripts, the Germans deployed a Volkssturm squad, the sniper, and the group leader. Center left held another Volkssturm squad and the wehrmacht officer. In the center, the German forces were clumped together. The Wehrmacht mortar team took position behind a building, with the kubelwagon behind them. Between two buildings both Rohlingsoldats and Sturmaffes deployed around the Mad doktor. On the center-right, the emaciateds waikted behind a bit of area terrain. Also oddly missing was the Krieghund squad...
As always the first turn was all about rushing into position. On the left the conscripts all raced forward as did the Volkssturm opposite them. This proved to be dangerous because the Psi Commandos suppressed them. Out of nowhere, the Krieghunds burst from their hiding place on the German side of the bridge, each charging a conscript squad. The sniper moved into the building, but the moment he stuck his head out (killing a few Conscripts), he was suppressed by the Psi Commandos.
In the center of the German line, the Mad Doktor doped up everybody. He handed out +1 AP to the Veteran Rohlingsoldat and both Sturmaffes(!!!), inflicting a single wound on the other Rohlingsoldat. The wounded Rohlingsoldat hopped into the Kubelwagon which raced forward, taking shelter behind a building on the German side of the river. Meanwhile, the sturmaffes split, Mongo going right and Otto going left. The Rohlingsoldat moved forward into position in the center of an orchard.
On the Soviet center consolidated position behind a building and large pipe. They did not advance because Otto was ready to cross the bridge. The NKVD officer foolishly rushed forward to try and suppress the rohlingsoldat, but was out of range.
The right flank was almost an afterthought: the emaciateds raced for the bridge as did the chumans and a squad of soviet guard. In the end, the veteran rohlingsoldat would suppress the chumans and the vehicle parked on the bridge would prevent rapid movement. At the end the two sides saw some combat but it was inconclusive (more on the grudge match later).
Out came the soviet scouts: the 'xplody dogs came in on the center-right flank and ran into the center, with the handler taking position around the corner of a building. The flamer squad showed up on the left flank and sprinted for the mortar team.
Then came the last Soviet special order: Momentum. Soviets win initiative. Guess what went first? Right, x'plody dogs. The first one went and blew up on Mongo, causing 2 wounds. The handler shot Mongo, putting a 3rd wound. Then came 'xplody pup #2, putting 2 wounds on Mongo.
Next the flamer squad goes fwoosh and the German mortar squad is no more. Using their last AP, they walk behind the building but the teammate leaves himself exposed to shoot (unsuccessfully) at the German officer.
Mongo is down to 0 wounds so goes Berserk. Closest model? The Veteran Rohlingsoldat. (Dan has issues with the "turn then charge the closest") He charges but doesn't do any damage, and then dies. Foolish mistake to put that last wound on him with the dog handler, but that's a hindsight situation.
So now the only thing on the right flank are the emaciateds and it looks like the Soviets will carry that bridge. The center and left are very different stories. The Kubelwagon rushes forward, rohlinsoldat blazing away killing a pair of Soviet Guards. The vehicle then turns right (by soviet reckoning) and hides behind the building, blocking it from the PTRS team, the soviet officer, and psi cannon team on the other side.
Except the PTRS team has grenades. As does the Soviet officer. Some incredible luck (3 dice, needing 4+ and then a "not scatter on 1-2", gets 2 hits), and the Kubelwagon is destroyed, everyone inside killed.
Mongo then rushes across the central bridge and into Soviet territory, taking shelter in the trees for the extra cover. The Soviet guard and soviet officer (and maybe also the Psi Commandos) pour fire into the beast, wounding it twice.
The German officer (or group leader, can't remember) doubles back to suppress the flamer team. This will be the last we hear from them other than the officer picking off the "loader" later.
On the left, the Krieghunds have mixed results. One kills a conscript then races back over the bridge. The other fails to do so and gets counter charged and killed. The Politruk runs forward, shoots the Krieghund on the bridge and one of his own Conscripts. +1 Drive for the Soviets.
The crucial turn! Soviets win initiative. More spectacular rolling and the PTRS team hits and wounds with both activations. The Psi Cannons have much poorer luck, with 1 hit out of 4, but since the Sturmaffe is at Drive 0 he has no armor. Otto the Unstoppable gets one round and then keels over. He's closest to the unit fo Soviet Guards, so he moves into base contact, killing one.
However, Otto's sacrafice is not made in vain. The Soviets had to form a defensive position to contain him and are ill-suited to grab the central bridge. A Volkssturm unit comes forward and claims it. The Veteran Rohlinsoldat fires atr long range, supressing one of the Conscript squads. Then with his last AP he calls down and Artillery Strike. Stupid #&%^ing Artillery Strike! It's a hit, so it only deviates 1d6. It deviated 1".
I AM THE ARTILLERY MAGNET!!!
So, dead Conscript squad (only 2 guys) and the other unit of Volkssturm claim the railroad bridge on the left. Now the clock starts: the Soviets have 4 activations get a model onto a bridge.
It's not gonna happen on the central bridge. All the units there have activated to kill Otto. Even if they could go, none of them are within sprinting distance (and there was terrain in the way for all of them)
The Politruk had darted back after shooting the dog last round. This turns out to be a game-ending mistake. He races forward 12" and is literally has 3/4 of his base on the bridge. Not enough. The Psi Commandos break from cover, being Veteran, and one can get onto the bridge. The problem? The other guy can't move fast enough to keep within 4" coherency. So literally, they are pulled up a base width short from the bridge. The Krieghund handler sees them rushing forward and lays down suppressing fire, pinning them down.
And that's the game. I had other activations, and they went but most on the left side of the board. The chumans and Emaciateds each got 1 model into base contact, but did little. The soviet guards on the right flank tossed a grenade over the combat at the emaciateds behind them, but missed. There were soviet officers and soviet guard on the center and left that took shots at the Volkssturm on the bridge, killing them, but they didn't need to stay on the bridge to claim it.
So after all that, the Germans pull out the win. It literally came down to 1/4 a base width. Awesome game! Plus I really like the thematic way the game ended, with the Soviet forces making a last ditch rush for the bridge only to be pinned down by German firepower.
The Germans clung to the bridges by their very teeth, with the left Volkssturm squad down to 1 model and the right Volkssturm down to 2 models. But in the end, it was that laser artillery strike and Otto the Unstoppable who pushed the Soviet center back on their heels. Royal beat himself up for (in his opinion) wasting Otto, but it ultimately won him the game, so I say: worth it.
And although I lost, I really liked the way the Soviets played. I made them work, mainly the conscripts being paired with the Psi Commandos who can suppress like 3 units a turn. That and it was just neat to see the scouts work as well, racking up some early kills.
So after the game was over we had the Emaciated vs Chuman grudge match. Three models a side, all paired up individually against an opponent, and rolling off. The Emaciateds scored in the early rounds, winning most combats and wounding two Chumans to only one wound on an Emaciated. But then the Chumans came roaring back, and every model had 1 wound. The balance tipped to the Chumans, killing 2 Emaciateds vs losing 1 Chuman. Then, in a perfect summation of the game, it slipped away from the Soviets. The Emaciated won initiative and charged a Chuman, killing him. The last Chuman charged in, but failed to kill the Emaciated, who sliced and diced the Chuman, killing him. The Emaciateds win! The Emaciated win! Oh the humanity!! ;D
). How ever the flamers was a little surprised I was expecting them to pop out and go for something on my side like Otto. Try to take out the Sturmaffe in the middle.