tragicmishap's Challengers

[tragicmishap]

Ok, that was tough. I finally decided on the ten armies I thought most likely to complete the challenge (found here:http://boards.avalonhill.com/showthread.php?t=18218).

Basic rules:

1) The first to complete the challenge wins.

2) The order of the challengers is to be decided by popular vote on this thread. Please vote for three armies that you think are the best bet to complete the challenge. I have put the player who submitted each army in the vote since the armies are too long. You will vote for the actual army listed below next to the player's name. Please vote for the army not the player. This is not a popularity contest. Voting will close in 6 days.

3) Each challenger will have three days to respond when his turn comes up. If there is no response by the allotted time, the next challenger will be contacted.

4) The challenger will choose which of my armies he will play first. If the challenger loses the first game, the challenge is over and the second game will not be played.

5) We will use EricM's system for playing, which can be found in the Play-by-post forum. We will also play there. Since there is a prize involved, we will use a internet die rolling system to ensure fairness. If anybody has suggestions for a good one (preferably an easy to use and fast one), please let me know.

6) If none of these ten complete the challenge, then the other armies submitted in the original thread will get their chance starting with the Honorable Mention list and including new submissions and submissions from the same players.

May the best army win!

polish_horsey:
3 KV-1s
Polish Cavalry

shadowhooch:
KV-1 w/ Cossack Capt for the objective
SU-152
Hero of the Soviet Union

OE:
1 Hawker Typhoon (21)
1 Croc (35;56)
5 Polish Cavalry (20;76)
1 Cossack Cavalry (4;80)
1 Hero of the SU (8;88)
3 Bazooka (12;100)

Eisenheim:
2x Carro Armato 24
2x Wermacht Expert sniper 22
1x Wermacht Oberleutnant 13
1x SS Hauptsturmfuhrer 7
5x SS Panzergrenadier 25
1x Grizzled Veteran 8
1x tank obstacle

Vikingwarrior:
1xMG42 Machine Gun Team
1xSS Hauptstumführer
6xSS Panzergrenadier
2xWehrmacht Expert Sniper
2xBMW R75
1xSS Stormtrooper
1xGrizzled Veteran
1xTenacious Officer

EricM 2404:
Vet Tiger 65
ammo dump 10
12 Minefields 24
1 tank obstacle 1

Dr.Cornelius:
11 WE Sniper
05 BMW
63 Tiger I
21 Stuka

RommelBomber77:
x10 SSPG
x1 Brummbar
x1 Grizzled Vet
x1 imp Sergant.
x1 wercher Expert. Sniper

Latro:
1x Commisar
1x Resourceful Hero
2x Rangers
1x Jeep
4x Kuomintang Cannonfodder
2x 3" Gun M5
2x M1 81 mm Mortar
1x P-51D Mustang

Colonel Coo:
UK 17lbr x2 (32pts)
RU Fantical Sniper x2 (16pts)
RU Commisar x1 (5pts)
US M1 Garand x 6 (24pts)
CH K'Tang Rifleman x1 (2pts)
EENCO (7)
Entrenched AT Gun x2 (14)

OR

2x SU Commisar
2x UK 17lb ATG,
2x CA entrenched ATG,
3x SU Fanatical Sniper
US Resourceful Hero
2x US M1 Garand
2x CH K'tang Rifleman

Honorable Mention:
Thunderjp:
2x M1 81MM mortars (24) 24
1x Ammo Dump (10) 34
1x Red Devil Captain (7) 41
1x 3" Anti-Tank Gun (12) 53
1x Resourceful Hero (8) 61
1x Bazooka (4) 65
2x Marines M2-2 Flamethrower (10) 75
5x Rangers (25) 100

Anubis:
Panther D
Brummbar
Expert Werhmact Sniper
Hamp
5x SSPG

Cpt. John Miller:
KV-1
Cossack Captain
Hero of the Soviet Union
M4A1 Sherman x2
SEPT

A&AAddict:
KV-1
IS-2

FSSF:
6 x M3 Stuart
1 x Ammo Dump

fifleche:
1x Vet Sherman Rhino
1x Sherman 105
1x Stuart
1x Ammo Dump
5x Rangers

Richter von Manthofen:
Sherman Calliope
Sherman Rhino
Sherman 105
Sherman (0815)

[Cpt. John Miller]

Thanks for the honorable mention category.
You just saved all the honorees days just now.

I voted Shadowhooch. His build is the most like mine.
Good luck to all the winning builds!

[tragicmishap]

Believe me, I had a tough time with those top fifteen. Pretty much a crap shoot for those last three spots in the top ten. I was actually going to do the top fifteen but there's a max of ten options for a poll .

[Cpt. John Miller]

Originally Posted by tragicmishap

Pretty much a crap shoot for those last three spots in the top ten.

Actually I find Latro's entry the most interesting of the lot.

[tragicmishap]

I was pretty intrigued by Eisenheim's actually. Overlapping fire will work wonders against a Banzai Charge. Plus he's got the two Carros to take the Stuarts and the two headshots for the Crocs.

Latro's is creative as well. I think he might find it difficult to get off four Bravery Enforced volleys with the KMT guys though. Whenever I've used that strategy, I usually can't get off more than two either because my Commissar is dead or I just can't maneuver well enough. We'll see.

Oh I wanted to say to Colonel_Coo: If you want to go with the other version of your army, the one with 3 17 lbers and 3 Fanatical Snipers, you are welcome to use that one. I thought this one had the better chance but it's up to you.

[Anubis]

I'm honored that you have chosen me for an Honorable Mention, I hope I get a crack at this, but good luck guys. Hope the best army wins.

[shadowhooch]

Actually, the army you listed for me was my second best submission in my opinion. Care to comment on why you picked the "Incredible Hulk" build over my US Hoard?

US Hoard:
5 x SE Paras
4 x Rangers
2 x Bar Gunners
1 x Polish Calvary
1 x Bazooka
1 x Royal Engineer
1 x Inspiring Hero

Do you think you could handle this build easily? You don't need to change your poll or anything. Just interested in hearing your thoughts about how you'd beat this build (because I think it had the best shot).

[horacus]

Well, I like better the build that was posted Shadowhooch. I voted for you, polish horsy and, i don't remeber who was the third...

[Uncle_Joe]

Do you think you could handle this build easily? You don't need to change your poll or anything. Just interested in hearing your thoughts about how you'd beat this build (because I think it had the best shot).

My take on that build is that it would really struggle vs the Croc build. Only two pieces that you have (Eng and Baz) really have much chance of doing anything to the Crocs. The 7 CA value on the Paras isnt a threat at all (6% of a disrupt). Even with the Ranger re-roll and assuming you can keep your leader alive next to the Paras to boost their CA to 8, that is still only a 14% chance of a disrupt on the Crocs.

So, IMO, all he'd really have to do is use the Stuarts to kill off the two AT pieces (even sacrificing them if necessary) and then squat on the objective and fry the infantry as they pointlessly try and CA the Crocs.

As much as everyone griefs about the Rangers/SE Paras, the fact remains that the US is not anywhere NEAR as effective vs armor as the Germans. They lack the Sniper for the easy disrupt, they lack the Ruthless for the killing blow on a disrupted tank (or to capitalized on a lucky CA), they dont have a leader like the Oberleutnant to give them 33% more CA value AND a free attack, and they lack the Grizzled Vet for his 8 CA (with doubled 6's, giving him considerably more AT potential). Even their AT unit (Bazooka) has to get fairly lucky to accomplish anything from adjacent or even in CA! (25% and 38% to disrupt).

The thing that keeps them competitive in 'normal' play is that in general, the German heavy armor isnt terribly cost effective (with the Vet Tiger being the one exception and thus dubbed 'broken'). If Germany had a cost effective 6 defense rear armor tank like the Croc or KV, then the US would really struggle to beat them (because of the extreme builds fluctuating between said armor and the SS-Pgr horde). And that is what you are seeing in this example when trying to use a predominantly US force to fight both the German 5/5 horde and the cost effective heavy armor.

[Richter von Manthofen]

Voted for Col Coo!

Though it seems tragic picked the armies he could beat - I bet an uncommon that Tragic will win all matches.

It seem he fears my Sherman only build