S-014 "88s At Zon" (John vs Tou Mu)

This week just passed, Tou Mu and I completed S-029 "88s At Zon". I played the defending Germans, whilst Tou Mu played the attacking Americans. American balance (and a 7-0 leader to the Americans entering on turn 1) was in effect. To win, the Americans need to exit 7 VPs off the south edge on/between F0 - L0. They have a total of 11 squads, 3 leaders (increased to 4 c/- balance), which enter in 2 groups during turns 1 and 2, and they have 5.5 turns to complete their VCs. Opposing them are 6.5 German squads, 3 leaders, and 2 crewed 88L AA guns.

The defense is quite simple, a point defense around the exit area, with the AA guns as the linchpin of the defense. Meanwhile, the squads try and buy as much time as possible (the terrain of board W is a lvl 0/lvl 1 town, which greatly lends itself to skulking and reverse slope defending).



Tou Mu was bold with his turn 1, and this cost him a squad for modest gains. Form turn 2, he showed more patience, and it was good to see him using smoke a lot. The game of cat and mouse had begun !!! Tou Mu forced me south with a slow and steady pace, preparing for a final turn exit. For the most part, I kept nearly all of my German forces intact, except for turn 5, when a number were overwhelmed in CC. In the final turn, he made his dash, but residual FP in F0 and G1 pinned or broke most of his squads. Oddly, he forgot to use his infantry smoke, which I think would have made a big difference. Nonetheless, the 9-2 leader, plus an 8-0 leader (that was created in CC), and a 747 managed to exit, leaving Tou Mu 1 point short. It came down to final fire vs G1, which in the end saw the 8-1 leader pin, and the squad break, leaving Tou Mu 1 point short, a very close game in the end.




John.