Get the needed documents from the Gemigabok site.
Two weeks ago we finished the first scenario.
After the previous game we had had a good long discussion about how the terrain should effect to line of sight. This time the game DID flow much better than the previous time!
As a side note, at work I noticed that some of the pics on the same row caused them to overlap due to smaller monitor or some such technical details. So I'm switching on to using centered pics. Don't think I'll rework the older posts though...
The Russian tank battalion lurked about in the forest on the German right flank and essentially controlled that side of the table.
In the beginning of the game the German regimental artillery commander, or some such big brass, kicked the sorry ass of the FO that was part of the demoralized unit that fled the table. Being thus re-motivated the FO returned to the table (marked by white beads in the manner of command units. Recces are marked by yellow beads).
The Russians also had visit from higher ups and the political officer convinced the battalion commanders the errors of tarrying about when they should've assaulted the enemies of the mother Russia with righteous zeal (mission objectives to capture territory are hardly fulfilled by a deadlock). This lead to the attack of the tank battalion as well as the mechanized infantry battalion. Tigers did manage to kill a couple of Shermans during their defensive fire. Please note that we don't remove the wrecks from the table, but place a some marker on top of them instead since it looks cooler.
The Russian assault battalion in the German right didn't feel like committing though and just bided their time enforcing the deadlock.
The German FO sees the chaos of the two intermingled Russian battalions and manages to call an artillery strike almost dead on to the target rich environment causing several truck and their passengers to be destroyed. The fire has little to no effect on Shemans but is quite effective on the open topped SU-76s.
The Russians press on to capture the village from the lone German infantry platoon who fights back valiantly despite of tens and tens of enemy dice as well as one slightly deviated German artillery strike. They do manage to get a toehold on the village.
The German mortar equipped Sdkfz 251/2s on the German right were also targeting the Russians and since the Russian tanks were hiding on the right side of the town from the Tigers these started pounding the mortar Hannomags silecing one immediately.
Deadlock on the German left continues but one of the Tigers is repositioned to be able to shoot better at the Russian tanks on the right. Not the optimum position, but Tigers like to hide about in the field instead of standing about in the open like doofuses.
Last turn arrived and saved the Russians from the embarassing break of morale.
One German veteran platoon that managed to hold the village until the end. These tenacious buggers were 2-3 times one hit away from destruction but managed to survive against all odds!
Final positions of the Tiger company and the supporting units.
The cautious Russian assault company biding their time in the village next to the Tigers. If there had been some more game turns left perhaps the small penal company that slowly marched towards the Germans from the other end of the table would've been able to show the assault troops how to properly make an assault...
A surprise victory for the Germans. After the first half of the game I was so totally convinced that the Russians would just overrun the Germans. Granted, the greatest effect in stopping the Russians was made by the one quite effective artillery barrage that landed on the two intermingled Russian battalions. But that was a prime target indeed. But even without it the cautious Russians would've had a hard time fulfilling their objective, capturing the bridge.
Obviously after this game we had a massive discussion about the role and effect of artillery and trucks in BKC.
Personally I like the way BKC handles artillery very much, thank you. Instead of the normal designated limited number of fire missions available to a player (which must be some kind of old baggage from some eldritch game system that doesn't want to imbalance tabletop by giving firepower to off-board units) you instead get to use artillery as many times you are able to get contact to the funs.
Often this might mean that you wouldn't be able to use even all the limited missions you'd have at your disposal in other games, but nevertheless I think the system works just fine and at least when shelling highly concentrated formations in fragile trucks you really have a feeling why Russians call artillery the God of War. Also I seem to recall that the vast majority of casualties (like 80% or more) caused by Finns in the battles of 1944 was caused by artillery.
-Janne
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