First Solo AAR

[The Bane]

Alex918 & All

Based on the conversation, and the appeal it has for me, I am thinking of the following scenario rules to determine victory conditions... (again, thinking as I type so the following may actually turn out to be trash  )

Germans must move in and identify as many Polish Forces (Stands) as possible within the NAIs defined. I will be considering that most of the Polish forces will be in cover or hidden until such time that they are engaged, attack, or are spotted.

Basically I am thinking that:

• Each identified NAI hex, and all eight adjoining hexes must have had 'Eyes On' before the Germans can withdraw.
• To get 'Eyes On' the Germans must have a clear LOS to the square.
• When LOS is established, the Germans may expend 2AP to 'Scan | Reconnoiter' a square. Each squad from the reconnoiter square with LOS will get 1d6 to reconnoiter an individual square (their own square, so a squad of 3 stands could reconnoiter 3 separate squares, or if one squad fails, a second squad could 'take another look'
• The following modifiers will be applied to the Reconnoiter Test.
      -1 to Reconnoiter a Partial hex
      -2 to Reconnoiter a Difficult hex
      +1 if hex performing Reconnoiter Test has been engaged by small arms (Infantry Stands) from target test hex (easier to identify if being shot at)
      +2 if hex performing Reconnoiter Test has been engaged by anything larger than small arms (LMG, AT Gun, etc).
• Successful Reconnoiter is achieved if 1d6 result is higher than number of troop stands in the target hex.
• German success is contingent with the CC making it off the Northern edge of the battle space with the Intelligence. (Friction point; how much 'in the fight' will the Germans want the CC to be? Do they want him to get back, or want the additional Motivations / Actions?)
• Arrival of Polish Reserves may cause Intelligence to be inaccurate! When CC departs, count must be within X% of current strength for German success.

So that's my SWAG at some house rules to play the scenario. What am I forgetting, or what should I change / modify?

Thanks again all,
The Bane

[The Bane]

What do they say about the best made plans do not survive first contact with the enemy, and all that!?

Well, the proverbial SHTF...

So I decided I was going to try and Sneak the Western squad down the Western flank. I was imagining them going for the rocky terrain to get eyes on the center NAI and eventually the ones I planned to send down the middle would position themselves on the North-West hill IF they saw no resistance...

I decided to use half (5) of the d6 I had for the German Sneak Asset. I rolled; 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 - Success!
I dismounted them to Sneak, for free per the Asset description and moved them down into the depression. Rolled a 3 - Success!
Continuing down the depression, my next roll was a 6 - Success! "Come on baby! No Whammies!"
I cut across using my one diagonal and rolled a 2 - Success! But I had planned to stop there, and in retrospect I probably should have!

Well, I went and tried to see if the AT Gun would take opertunity fire and rolled a 1 - Fail! But I envisioned it as the gun crew running up to the gun and the scout section seeing it! I figured they would see that as a major hindrance to any follow on mechanized blitzkrieg so would want to take it out!

They Assault, as the Asset says they can for free not needing to roll AP and up the rough hill they go...

The rules say a Deployed gun acts like an Infantry Squad in an Assault, so I gave them 2d6 (3d6 - 1d6 for being an AT Gun) and they rolled a 2 and a 6! One Hit! The Germans save on a 3+ vs "Here they come!" fire, but they rolled a 2!!!

One squad of the three is taken out scurrying up the hill... 

I rolled for the Assault square for the Sneak, but really didn't need to I guess. Rolled a 1, and the Sneaking was Kaput! anyway.




Into the Assault we go...

With only 2 squads remaining I totaled their Assault dice; 3d6 base + 1d6 for being Veterans, meant the Germans rolled 8d6!! Nice.
The Germans rolled; 2, 2, 2, 5, 5, 5, 6, 6! Two 6s so more than enough to take out the AT Gun who gets no Save when deployed...

The Polish gun crew, fighting like an Infantry Squad (3d6 base - 1d6 for being a Gun Crew) rolled 2d6, and score a; 2 and a 6! "What the..!?" Killing another German squad on the hill...




So here the sole surviving German LMG Squad sits - exhausted, hill top in hand, but even worse off that the Polish Gun Crew was when this all kicked off!




Now to work my way across the battle field. Not going to change my plan, or try not to at least, but so far it's getting pretty ugly in Northern Poland for the German Reconnaissance!

Thought? Did I mess anything up? Really looking for anything that I may have done wrong before I continue on. Thanks in advance!

The Bane

[The Bane]

Note: I just discovered, as I am working down the turn sequence, that Opportunity Fire does not start until step 4 of the turn sequence, so figure that the AT Gun shouldn't have checked for that since the active unit was activating in the Asset turn. Correct?

Best,
The Bane

Edit: So my units still mounted on motorcycles get 2d6 AP vs having to be motivated by PC or CC right? That's what I paid the extra points for I think.

[The Bane]

So, trying to figure out the rules and ended up with a question...

As I work my way through the steps of the Turn, I am on the CC's activation. The German CC is just to the right of the road with 2 LMG stands. He has failed to "Help" the PC, and now wants to "Lead" himself and the LMGs to the hill just down the road on the opposite side. He has 7 APs to do so, more than enough in my understanding of movement, and since they are all mounted with no mounted weapons won't be able to fire when they arrive (lacking enough APs to dismount and fire).

That's not my issue. The issue is how do I move him? He gets one diagonal... If he doesn't use it immediately to move onto the road (South-West), and instead just goes left (West) one square to do so (where there are three yet unactivated squads) would he invoke an Opportunity attack and be considered Clustered?

Basically, if I move him diagonal first I can't get him to where I eventually want him to end up, but if I move him left first I can, but think/believe he would be eligible for a potentially very large Clustered Opportunity fire attack if he does...

LOL, definitely not the simple game I had thought it was when seeing the tutorial videos, and I probably would have driven half of you mad already if this was a live game based on reading "Your top 5 pet peeves" thread (Solo AND Slow) ROFLMAO.

The Bane

[Colonel Kilgore]

The Bane,

If I've understood your explanation correctly, I think your analysis is also correct. I'm hoping that again someone else more knowledgeable on PBI than me can jump in here, but it sounds like a typical command challenge in this game!

[Sean Clark]

I think you're right Bane. Whenever a new target presents itself in a square it can receive opportunity fire. Albeit he has the maximum AP available it might still not be enough!

[Sean Clark]

Having said that I can't see what can opportunity fire at him if he makes that westward move? Opportunity fire is only from proximity squares that are face touching....i.e. no diagonal opportunity fire.

[The Bane]

Having said that I can't see what can opportunity fire at him if he makes that westward move? Opportunity fire is only from proximity squares that are face touching....i.e. no diagonal opportunity fire.

Doah!! I hadn't realized that! I thought face touching fire fell under "Here they come!" fire, and only when charging. I thought Opportunity Fire was at anything 'moving' in visible squares with LOS...

Thanks!
The Bane

[Peterloo]

all looks very nice
Minor point - you can only have the crossroads objective on a road , the bunker and the command post cannot be on roads.
but full marks on the presentation and system you have there.