ASL-006 "Red Packets" (John vs Robin)

Robin and I completed another 'AFV vs AFV' scenario last Monday. The scenario played was ASL-006 "Red Packets". Robin played the defending Germans, whilst I played the attacking Russians. It was my intention to give Robin the German balance, but I forgot, so we played it as is......

This scenario depicts a German blocking action, trying to prevent the advance of Russians AFVs. To win, the Russians need to either exit 18 VPs (from a force worth 36) off the west edge, or destroy all 3 German AFVs. The confrontation uses board 22, which is bisected diagonally by a stream with 2 bridges (K2 and R7). The stream is a big deal to the Russian, since all their vehicles use truck MPs; the BA-6s roll for Bog @+3, and the IAG-10-AA @+4. This largely allows the Germans to sit back and interdict the bridges. The Russians do enjoy the advantage of numbers, especially in infantry, where they have 3 447s facing a lone German 248 half-squad.

Robin defended the K2 bridge with the PzIIIF in E2 and the SPW251/10 in G2. The PSW 231 (8 rad) went to H7 to cover the R7 bridge. In response, I stop one platoon in P5/Q6/R6 (concealed !!!), whilst the other threatens to break out through the R7 bridge. The AA truck covers my side of the K2 bridge, and the infantry use the speedy motorcycles to rapidly advance. The plan is to try to preoccupy the German AFVs with my infantry, whilst my vehicles make a run for it.



Robin responds to this by reinforcing the PSW231 (8 rad) with the SPW251/10. I first respond by trying to get my squads in position to CC his AFVs, but my infantry are forced back. With K2 now lightly guarded, I try to force my way over the bridge, but it doesn to go well; the IAG-10-AA is immobilzed and abandoned, and one of my BA-6s malfs its MA. The smaller platoon employs hit and run Bounding First Fire (D3.3) attacks on the SPW 251/10, but once again, the dice rolls do not go my way, as I malf another MA, and a BA-6 falls to a low TH DR. Things looking bad for the Russians !!!



Things go from bad to worse for me, as my squads refuse to rally, but perhaps in overconfidence, Robin neglects to defend the bridges, and instead tries to finish off my broken infantry squads. This allows my 127 crew to re-enter the IA-10-AA, and the remaining BA-6s to try and swarm the PSW 231. Unfortunately, I only have 2 working 45L guns, as I am loathe to attempt repair; I just can't risk a recall. The IA-10-AA wrecks the PzIIIF with its first and last AP round, and has the PSW251/10 in bypass, but misses with both regular and Intensive fire (C5.6), allowing the SPW251/10 to park adjacent and get an easy kill on the IA-10-AA. I am unable to make any impression on the PSW231, and in its following PFPh, it eliminated both of my BA-6s with a functioning gun. Currently, all my squads are broken and all my MAs are malfunctioned. I don't see a realistic way out of this one, so I conceded this one to Robin during his turn 5 MPh.



It was fun to play this scenario again, but my Russians just couldn't get anything to work on this occasion. The curse of not giving Robin the balance bites me in the butt once again !!!!!

John.