[ASLSK] Scenario 2, Take 2
May. 11th, 2005 11:15 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bluegargantuaHi,
OK, so I have gone back and reset Scenario 2 after the appalling collapse of the Russians last time. Let's see if they can do any better...
OK, so we our big lesson was not to stack up everyone so much. You can build a firebase out of adjacent squads, so six squads spread out over three hexes is just as effective as one big squad in one hex. More effective actually because stacking rules prevent more than three squads in a hex at a time. So as long as everyone can fire on the target hex, you can bring down some truly impressive firepower. You also get some expanded coverage. The Soviets cover a fairly broad front and they're capable of putting out a hefy amount of fire all along their front, they can put 2-4 squads on most of the hexes in their immediate area.
The other lesson learned was that I only need to hold one Victory objective to win the scenario, so I may as well ditch the idea that I'm going to defend everything. Clearly, I've given the buildings on the East side of the map (with the numerous buildings to take cover in, retreat to) a priority and just left the exposed West side for the picking.
I put a lot of effort on the North side of my start zone, mainly because I totally got steamrollered from that direction. I can't be everywhere at once and my plan is to shift guys around to where they're needed. In this case, it'll probably be those squads on the East side. The 7-0 leader is really crappy so I stuck him in back, his big job will be to act as a rally point for any squads that break (and given what's arrayed against them, they probably will).
So much for them. On the German side, if the Soviets give it up, I'm taking it. I've got a couple squads on the West flank ready to swoop in and grab the objective and then start working their way along to support the attack on the other two buildings.
I'm also taking advantage of the concept of smaller unit formations. If I tried using a couple of big stacks on N3 and P3, they'd constantly be coming under fire as they tried to rush a position. Plus, they can't concentrate their fire and hope to clear out a hex the way they did last time. In their current formation, however, they can put a ridiculous amount of firepower on the western edge of the Russian line which will probably break it pretty quickly. Then they can storm across the street and start working their way around to assault the middle victory objective.
Finally, you'll not the small squad up North on M2. That building has a straight shot down the road N4 to N8. Their job is to pick off squads trying to cross the road to reinforce the Soviet position. Their spot is rather exposed (that spread out Russian coverage mentioned above) and they're going to draw some fire, but I'm hoping my first turn assault will reduce some of the fire coming their way. They can always fall back if things get hot. If they manage to stay intact, I'm hoping I can bring them up for the final push on the Eastmost building.
So there's the set-up. I'll try getting around to playing out a round or two and hopefully this won't be quite the meatgrinder that it was before. I still think the Russians are going to get hammered, but the trick will be to die slowly enough to let the ad-hoc reinforecment squad steal back a building from the Germans and win the game.
later
Tom
OK, so I have gone back and reset Scenario 2 after the appalling collapse of the Russians last time. Let's see if they can do any better...
OK, so we our big lesson was not to stack up everyone so much. You can build a firebase out of adjacent squads, so six squads spread out over three hexes is just as effective as one big squad in one hex. More effective actually because stacking rules prevent more than three squads in a hex at a time. So as long as everyone can fire on the target hex, you can bring down some truly impressive firepower. You also get some expanded coverage. The Soviets cover a fairly broad front and they're capable of putting out a hefy amount of fire all along their front, they can put 2-4 squads on most of the hexes in their immediate area.
The other lesson learned was that I only need to hold one Victory objective to win the scenario, so I may as well ditch the idea that I'm going to defend everything. Clearly, I've given the buildings on the East side of the map (with the numerous buildings to take cover in, retreat to) a priority and just left the exposed West side for the picking.
I put a lot of effort on the North side of my start zone, mainly because I totally got steamrollered from that direction. I can't be everywhere at once and my plan is to shift guys around to where they're needed. In this case, it'll probably be those squads on the East side. The 7-0 leader is really crappy so I stuck him in back, his big job will be to act as a rally point for any squads that break (and given what's arrayed against them, they probably will).
So much for them. On the German side, if the Soviets give it up, I'm taking it. I've got a couple squads on the West flank ready to swoop in and grab the objective and then start working their way along to support the attack on the other two buildings.
I'm also taking advantage of the concept of smaller unit formations. If I tried using a couple of big stacks on N3 and P3, they'd constantly be coming under fire as they tried to rush a position. Plus, they can't concentrate their fire and hope to clear out a hex the way they did last time. In their current formation, however, they can put a ridiculous amount of firepower on the western edge of the Russian line which will probably break it pretty quickly. Then they can storm across the street and start working their way around to assault the middle victory objective.
Finally, you'll not the small squad up North on M2. That building has a straight shot down the road N4 to N8. Their job is to pick off squads trying to cross the road to reinforce the Soviet position. Their spot is rather exposed (that spread out Russian coverage mentioned above) and they're going to draw some fire, but I'm hoping my first turn assault will reduce some of the fire coming their way. They can always fall back if things get hot. If they manage to stay intact, I'm hoping I can bring them up for the final push on the Eastmost building.
So there's the set-up. I'll try getting around to playing out a round or two and hopefully this won't be quite the meatgrinder that it was before. I still think the Russians are going to get hammered, but the trick will be to die slowly enough to let the ad-hoc reinforecment squad steal back a building from the Germans and win the game.
later
Tom
