UK vs. GE; Fight or Flight?

[dracos42]

I am playing my own version of Shadowhooch's Axis vs. Allies war. My unit distribution is different from his. I have 2 (3?) starter sets, 2 1/2 cases of set 1, 1 1/2 cases of sets 2 through 4, and 1+ cases of set 5.

With four battles already fought in 1939, Germany is 2 and 2. The French beat Germany twice, and came out of the second battle with too few units for a third battle. Now I come to the UK vs. GE battle.

Here is the situation:

UK 2nd Battalion.
1 Spitfire
2 Bofors
2 Concealed Forward Observers
2 Bren Gunners
3 Royal Engineers
2 Tank Obstacles
1 Minefield
1 Pillbox
1 Barbed Wire

GE 4th Battalion.
1 Expert Sniper
1 Me-110
1 SS-Hampsterfurher
1 Mk-II
1 PzKw-38
1 Fallschirmjager
1 Disciplined Spotter
3 SD Kfz 222's
1 Light Mortar
2 Barbed Wire

The Brits have picked Urban Combat and will defend the short side. Should the Germans even try to fight this battle, or should I pick another German force? The next German force would be built around the surviving conquerors of Poland, 2 Sandbagged MGs, 2 Sd Kfz 251s, 1 Sd Ffz 222, and 1 20mm Flak.
(I forgot to advance that victorious battalion to the western front till now.)

The first UK vs. GE battle was also the Urban Combat map, with the UK defending the short side. The Germans had 3 more light mortars, which were killed by the Brits. The Brits fought to the last man, a very tough to kill Bren Gunner, who died on turn 9.

British 1st Battalion, Death's Own.
1 Bofors
3 Concealed Forward Observers
2 Bren Gunners
5 Royal Engineers
1 Tank Obstacle
2 Barbed Wire
1 Minefield

The British massed in their side of the city and hoped to outlast the Germans. In return, the German tanks looped around to the back of the city, which was also where the Bofors was. The armored cars and mortars massed on their side of the city and the middle city hex. The light mortars did most of the killing, followed by the armored cars.

The loss of all those light mortars, combined with a stronger British force, has me wondering if the Germans stand much of a chance in this one.

Mike L.

[shadowhooch]

Runaway. Not enough infantry to contend and your plane and ACs will be rendered useless by the enemy plane and Bofors.

Hopefully, you have some infantry in the next squad that you didn't list. Otherwise, call it a day for Germany and await the counter from the UK on German ground.

[dracos42]

Runaway. Not enough infantry to contend and your plane and ACs will be rendered useless by the enemy plane and Bofors.

Hopefully, you have some infantry in the next squad that you didn't list. Otherwise, call it a day for Germany and await the counter from the UK on German ground.

Shadowhooch, thanks. I was thinking the same way, but wanted a second opinion. What I listed for the next force is just what survived from the Polish battle. Here is the German 1st Battalion, victors of the Polish campaign, reinforced for defeating the BEF.

The German 1st Battalion, Noah's Own.
1 20mm Flak 38
1 Mauser Kar 98k
2 Sandbagged MG Teams
2 Light Mortars
2 Sd Kfz 222
2 Sd Kfz251
2 Mk II panzers

The sandbagged MGs can support the 20mm Flak in the AA role. It is still light on the infantry. Got an idea though, mount the light mortars on the halftracks. Park the halftracks out of range of the Bren guns, and away from the Bofors. Then the mortars can fire away without fear of retaliation. Except from the Spitfire, and the Germans will be depending on the 20mm and MGs to keep the Spit away.

I like that light mortar a lot more since that last battle.

Mike L.
2

[world war III]

GE 4th Battalion is good.

[dracos42]

GE 4th Battalion is good.

The GE 4th Battalion was very good. They defeated the British for the loss of both Mk-IIs, one halftrack, and a light mortar. After a few turns, the Germans realized that they started the game with more points of units than the Brits. All the Germans needed to do was to hang on till turn 10 and lose as few units as possible. The Brits couldn't sortie from the town and hunt down the German vehicles.

Oh yeah, the setup. With north being the side of the map opposite the Objective hex, the British placed the pillbox on the west end of their side of town. The tank traps were in the connecting town hex and the town hex to its northwest. Barbed wire was also set up in the connecting town hex.

The Brits planned on placing a Bofors in the pillbox to cover that end of town, while the second Bofors covered the southern approaches. The infantry would pack the town hexes that weren't in view of the Germans.

The Germans placed their sandbagged MGs to cover the objective hex and the neighboring town hexes. Then the armored cars rolled into the open area in the middle of town, and on the objective hex itself. The tanks rolled past the town on a flanking manuever, while the halftracks and mortars threatened the objective.

Turn one saw combat the armored cars fire on the pillboxed Bofors, causing no harm. The Spitfire fired on a Mk-II, causing no harm. Turn two saw no combat, just manuevering. Turn 3, the Germans got bored and started moving into town.

By turn 7, the German vehicles were arrayed to the east of town. They had destroyed one Bofors. The Brits realized what was going on and charged their infantry towards the Germans. I don't remember all the details, but the Spit disrupted the halftrack. The two Bofors accounted for a tank apiece. One light mortar also got killed, by an engineer and Bren gunner.

With the sandbagged MGs sitting at range 5 and 6, the Brits couldn't safely sit on the objective. Only the Bofors had the range to engage the MGs, and once the Bofors were gone, the vehicles could stand outside of range 1. The Brits in 1939 are unbalanced. They lack mobility and a long-range threat. The engineers cost too many points to be the standard infantry.

Yes, I can be long-winded when writing.

Mike L.

[dracos42]

The German 4th Battalion replaced its expensive losses, 36 points worth. The OOB is now:

3 Sandbagged MG teams (!)
1 Hampsterfury
1 SS Stormtrooper
1 81mm mortar
2 light mortars
2 Mauser 98s
2 Sd Kzf 222s
1 Sd Kzf 251 halftrack
1 20mm flak

Versus...drumroll please...

The joint Allied battalion. Combining the remaining 1939 UK, French, and Poles, with a generous allocation of neutral units.

1 Polish cavalrymen
1 Polish determined infantrymen
2 UK royal engineers
1 Bold Captain
1 Lebel Grenadier
1 Panhard AC
1 Ammo Dump
1 Fuel Dump
1 Mine field
1 Pillbox
1 Barbed Wire
2 Tank Obstacles
And, last but not least, 1 Char B1-Bis

The Germans groan. The Allies pick Tiger Heaven to defend. The Germans write out their last letters home.

Should this German force even attempt this battle? Here are the remaining 1939 German forces, that could be drawn to fight the Allies instead.

1 Mk-IV
1 PzKw-38
1 Sd Kfz 251
1 BMW R75
1 Me-109
1 Fallschirmjager
1 Nebelwerfer
1 81mm Mortar
1 20mm flak
1 Sandbagged MG team
1 Disciplined Spotter
1 Snipers
2 SS Haupsturmfuhrers
2 Panzergrenadiers
2 SS Stormtroopes
1 Mauser Kar 98

[dracos42]

Here is what the Italians, Romanians, Soviets, and Japanese bring to 1939.

Italy:
3 Stalwart Lts
2 Stalwart heroes
5 Brixia mortars
2 L3/35s
8 Blackshirts
10 Fucild Modello 1891

134 pts

Romania:
6 Antitank Grenadiers
5 AT guns

65 pts

Japan:

4 Type 97 Antitank Rifles
2 Zeroes
1 Chi-Ro
2 Type 95 Ha-Go
2 Type 87 Armored Cars
3 Type 97 Te-Ke Tankettes
7 SNLF Paratroopers
4 SNLF Fanatics
5 Snipers
4 SNLF Captains
5 Imperial Sergants
6 Arisaka Rifles
6 MG teams
10 mortars

lots of points

USSR:
6 Red Army Forward Observers
5 Grenadiers
4 82mm mortars
3 Cossacks
2 BA-10M
4 Degtyarev DP-27
2 T-35 tanks
10 Mosin-Nagants
2 Commisars

lots of points

China:
2 T-26 tanks
2 Kuomintang officers
6 MG teams
11 riflemen

90 pts

[dracos42]

Can't change the thread title, so here goes. Germany finished their 1939 attacks with a record of 3 wins, 3 losses, and 3 retreats. The wins were against the Poles and the British (twice). Losses were against the French (twice) and the Allied (Poland/UK/France) force at Dunkirk. Put another way, it was 3 Char B-1 victories vs. Germany.

Now it is Japan's turn. In two battles they demolished the Chinese, but not without heavy losses. Japan will now test the Soviet Bear in Manchuria. If Japan does well, the war against the USSR will continue. If the USSR wins, Japan will write this off as a misadventure of the Manchuko puppet government.

Japan 3rd Battalion:
3 Type 89 Mortars
1 Ha-Go tank
1 SNLF Paratrooper
1 Type 97 AT Rifle
3 SNLF Captains (not a typo!)
1 Imperial Sniper
2 SNLF Fanatics
1 A6M Zero
1 Arisaka Rifle (must be the captains' errand boy)

Versus the Soviet 1st Siberian Rifles
1 Commissar
1 82mm Mortar
2 Red Army Forward Observers
5 Mosin-Nagant rifles
1 Degtyarev DP-27 LMG
1 BA-10M Armored Car
2 Soviet Grenadiers
2 Cossack Cavalrymen

What would be a good map for this fight? Anyone have predictions on who will win? This is going to be a long bloody battle.

Mike L.