J28 - Inhumaine

AAR 1

I was victim number 4 in the ROAR report. I got diced in a most vulgar and malicious way. It was over for the Amis by Turn 4.

My opponent set up a concealed squad in B7, and a HIP half-squad with a Panzerschreck in B3. I enter in the Shermans along A1-A3, but he misses with the Schreck. My Infantry main body enters along J1-N10, a 2 flat shot on the squad carry the .50cals (they failed the deploy TC) results in a K/2 and my MC activates the German sniper and breaks a squad carrying a MMG.  The platoon I sent on a flanking move enters on AA10. He lets the first two half-squads and the first squad go by before shooting at the Leader with the Squad/MMG in Z8. A 2 flat shot yields a wounded leader and a broken squad.

German Player Turn 1 flames a Sherman stopped behind the hedge in G3 with a Concealed squad in J3 (1945 range of a PF is??? DOH!) The Schreck breaks trying to hit a Sherman stopped in C1 guarding the rear of my other two Shermans and the 1 1/2 squads I ran up to support the Shermans break the squad in B7 trying to get at my other Shermans. End Turn 1.

I open Turn 2 trying to rally broken troops and get in position to start laying fire on building M6 (formally known as P6). My covering Sherman attempts to kill the half-squad in B3, since moved to E3. Break the MA. My cover squads are ineffective. The half-squad promptly gets a PF and smokes the Sherman. My remaining Sherman moves to J6 and stops. The HIP AT gun reveals from M5, CA L5/L4 and burns my remaining Shermans. I manage through the completely rubbled remains of building J8 and advance along the hedge K7-N8.

German Player Turn 2. AT gun spins and shoots at a squad/MMG in K7. Misses - rate. Second shot, Crititcal hit, 24 down 1....KIA. Well, I'm down a squad and a half and 3 Shermans and it's only Turn 2..hmmmm. The rest of his Prep fire breaks the half-squad toting the DC and then he manuevers throughout the building. I have to dig him out of 21 locations and I'm not rolling so hot (at least compared to him). I hang in until Turn 4 then throw in the towel. Even Infantry Smoke can't keep my guys from running like Italians. Elite Americans??? No such thing.

I'm itching to play this one again, and I will take the Americans. It can be done, if I'd quit driving my takes like some newbie.

Sheesh.

C. Kent Henson
Please! Don't let me stop you from crossing the Meuse.

AAR 2

Saturday at the DC Conscripts Club Tournament I played Jason Cameron in J28: Inhumaine. Jason was a little rusty not having played for a couple of months and he came straight from a the airport after a business trip to the tournament (thanks Jason!). I played the Germans and Jason the Americans.  Basically, the Germans need to defend the large stone (fortified) building on board 6 from an Ami force of 3 M4's about a dozen squads with 2x.50cals and good leadership, oh... and 2 Crocodiles that enter on turn 5. The Germans get 2 x 548 and 6 x 468 with a 75L AT gun and 2 MMGs. I set up mainly in the fortified victory building with a squad and a HS set up on the north edge to try and channel some of the entering Amis. I put a HIP HS with the Psk in the woods near the east edge to try and nab a Sherman or two. I also put a squad in the woods just to the west of the main building to delay infantry approaching the building and maybe get a PF shot at the Crocs. I put the MMGs w/crews on the 2nd floor. I set the AT gun in the building on the east side. I rubbled the multihex building on the north to prevent the Americans from getting high.  The Amis came on somewhat spread out with the majority approaching through the orchards directly to the building. My squads along the north edge induced some spreading out. A couple of flanking squads with a .50 cal approached on the Ami far right flank. The German MMG nests on the 2nd floor were able to take a couple of long 4 -2 shots that sent some squads scattering. The Shermans entered along the east edge to approach the victory building from the southeast. I panzerschrecked the second one into a flaming wreck.

The machine gun nests occupied the Ami infantry on the second and third turns with the Ami infantry advancing carefully. On turn 2 I 'schrecked another Sherman. On turn 3, pf'd the last Sherman from the victory building on the southern end. Unfortunately that squad ate the backblast and broke leaving the southern end unprotected from the Ami flanking squads. The American dice then got hot with snakes on both machine gun nests and then another set of snake eyes from the flame thrower on the 8-1/LMG/548 protecting the north end. The Germans pulled back and the north and east sides were not well protected. Turn 4 the Amis made the game turning mistake. They were overaggessive and moved a big kill stack into the east side of the building. Unfortunately, the Germans still had good firepower and a 8-1 leader adjacent. PBF broke most of the stack. I also moved up my Iron Cross winning hs w/Psk to block route paths out of the building.  On turn 5 the crocs arrived, but by that point the Ami infantry was in bad position. Jason could have had some fun torching a few (more - remember snake eyed FTs) Germans, but it looked like a long shot to take the entire building. Game to Germany.

This was a very fun scenario to play. Although the Germans won, I think the advantage is to the Americans. Jason being rusty was to my advantage.  The FT snake eyes caught the north end of our building on fire and during the scenario the fire was advancing through the building. To me, it was awesome having room to room fighting while the building is burning down around you!  The Germans need to balance keeping a strong force in the victory building with putting out a few squads to slow the Amis from approaching immediately. My AT gun placement didn't help at all. I didn't need it, but I malf'd the gun on its second HE shot at some infantry in the orchards.  Playing again, I might try it out of the building somewhere and keeping hidden to try and knock out a croc. The Germans also need to make sure they HIP an MMC, not a squad equivalent.   The Americans need to concentrate force through the orchards. A couple of flanking squads are useful as long as it doesn't weaken the main force. I would be conservative with the armor. You need them to smoke the German strong points and get close. Jason used a good tactic of firing WP from the bazookas to strip  concealment.

Dave LaGraffe