Saving Brigadier Hill:
Ty and I gathered online to explore Lock n;Load Publishing’s namesake tactical system LNL. The Vassal modules for this series are sweet as all get out. Note someone must own the game as there are no combat resolution charts in them.
The Germans are tasked with ground control objectives, and have the stalwart Brits outnumbered 3:1. But the British Airborne have a Vickers by Jove!!!!
With a weight of numbers the Germans have just 8 turns to get into contact with the Brits who have some special abilities. – Melee and Assaulter values that bump their stats at up close and personal range. With just 1 Vickers MG [ tripod mount] they really need to choose killing fields right at setup.
I’m expecting to be bum rushed by a blend of crap units absorbing fire, and Assault moving [red boxed Movement rate] elements who will try to close and finish. So the Brits need to keep their distance. The Germans set up East of the Road. The Brits anywhere on 14.
Victory Conditions Image- The Germans must leave no enemies inside either circle in Good Order. i.e. combat capable. Sounds easy enough. But it wont be..muhahahaha.
Game Turn 1
Germans advance. But more importantly they move oblique to the Brits who have chosen a dual fire lane spot in the house to cover any bum rushes. It is also siutated such that dropping back a hex places them into the VC range. Which will come to bear later.
Lord Holmes fires and disrupts two squads but the Germans generate an erratic hero! Not good! The ‘bocage’ is actually hedge in this scenario. We play on.
Holmes has the Decisive Single use skill card. Both himself and units stacked receive a double activation in a 2nd impulse. Nice. That we shall save for later.
The Germans might try to swing around and go for the hexes by flanking. More cover but I hope it will take longer. It also means a chance for them to activate the ‘hidden hex’ which is likely reinforcements.
Game Turn 2
In GT2 he moves into the open trying to get to obtain the relative safety of the house – the UK forces get lucky and suppress/shake a unit.
Stopping in the open if the Brits get Initiative is going to hurt the Germans!
So at this point it seems the Germans are committing to a circumvent flank move. I’m weak right side. But before we address that we will see who we can kill at range.
Game Turn 3
Lord Homes activates first and fires- inflicting 3x Casualties. H7 is littered with bodies from the water cooled Vickers! That’s going to hurt Jerry. If we can weaken the total # of units then we have a chance to hold on for reinforcements.
Germans find cover and prepare to do morale recovery.
Game Turn 4
By moving East the Germans don’t do themselves favors. They are too far away and now have to face the slow going of the corn field.
With Koch all alone on Map 14 we have a chance to isolate him and bring fire to bear. I send a squad of blighters over to give Jerry what for!!
We can pack up the MG this turn and move to a location that will allow us to keep an eye on Koch and force someone into the LOS of the Event chit. Or should we await?
Once that is triggered I am sure that we will pick up some extra units… somewhere! The Germans are having no luck with the morale recovery. It sucks for them. He could of course leave the units who are suppressed behind and let the medic deal with them and move the remaining forces together to re consolidate the useful forces.
Game Turn 5
The Brits hold and begin to re orient for the push by Koch. We will for sure now move the Vickers to have a LOS on the approaches by Koch. Perhaps G2, or E2 and leave a squad behind to cover? Once Koch starts to lunge we still can pop out the Sniper and hope for a decent event chit to balance up the numbers.
Yeah so the reinforcements arrive due to Koch triggering the event. The Brits Tally Ho in for a penny in for a pound and balls up the charge!
They take huge losses and are shaken. Bloody twits. It does prevent the Germans from pincer moving the house tho this turn however.
Turn 6
Jerry closes in, Lord Holmes is re situated. He has an orderly make some tea. Unflappable magnificent bastard that he is.
Units are everywhere! I close in on the shaken unit, trying to get Koch to Opportunity fire and slow him down. He wont take that trick. But he does move and kill the sniper which was causing a bit of a nuisance for him. Sending that bloody hero to do the dirty work is a bother. They can get all the hexes… Except the stone building. To the East the Germans push down. I cant do much as I have the Vickers packed for the move.
We don’t attempt to take out the shaken unit, rather we fire at close range at Koch who tries to melee us! We are Jacking him up.
Turn 7
By now we have a world of fun to play with. Koch is shaken still, and the units from top of map have finally bum rushed down to play for the VPs.
Meanwhile in the corn field Hans and Franz seems to be playing hide the corn cob.
Turn 8 Final Turn
Off we go. I’m confident this game was mine, and have been since near end of Turn 6. He cannot get enough firepower on me… and I have the double activation card.
Im going to hunker down and await the melee. It’s the only way he can get me out of the hexes. His hero nails my squad! Bastard. Then the last of the Germans come. We fire twice…oh the humanity.
I claim the Title #TGWE…. for now.
Stay tuned Wednesday night when T and I play Forgotten Heroes live on Vassal and via Hangouts.