"KG Klink, Poland, Game 8" Topic

All,

It's 0600, 9 Sept 1939. Following the reversal seen yesterday as the Reconnaissance Company tried to push into Warsaw which saw the death of its commander, the unit fell back and awaited the rest of the kampgruppe to catch up and consolidate. Colonel Klink consulted with his commanders and decided on a dawn attack; he's also received a Warning Order from 4th Panzer Division, which iterated a threat to the west (the beginning rumblings of what would become the Battle of Kutno), necessitating Klink hold his armor out of the upcoming fight, so the morning assault once again saw Lt Freitag's Landser at the forefront.

An all infantry fight, but for Sgt Pichler's Sdkfz 221 (he and his crew refused to be left behind after the previous day's manhandling). The Polish National Guard did their job the previous day, buying time for reinforcements, and so today's foe is composed of regulars from the Polish 31st Infantry Division.

The Poles: CO, 2 x 37mm ATG, 1 x 82mm mortar, 2 x .30 cal. MG, and 7 x rifle squad (4 of which have attached anti-tank rifles).

The Germans: commanded by the Schutzen Company commander, 1st Lt Freitag, Sgt Pichler's armored car, 2nd Lt Klugmann (an Iron Cross holder) and his 2nd Platoon HQ section, along with his 1st Squad (Sgt Aust), 2nd Squad (Sgt Haas, also an Iron Cross holder), and 3rd Squad (Cpl Arndt), 2nd Lt Tausch and his 3rd Platoon HQ section, along with his 1st Squad (Sgt Schlessinger) and 2nd Squad (Cpl Nader). In support from the Schwere Platoon are Cpl Creuzburg and LCpl Steinkamp's MG-34 MGs, Cpl Osswald's 80mm mortar, and Sgt Oberlander's 75mm field gun.

Overview, north is up, Germans on left (west) and Poles (on blinds, for now) on right (east). The CO, 3rd Plt, and Sgt Pichler's vehicle are in the north, 2nd Plt, plus one MG, is in the south, minus one squad covering the mortar, an MG, and the field gun in the center.

There are still casualties and burning German armored cars on the battlefield from yesterday's fighting.

Having defeated the Polish left flank, Lt Klugmann and Sgt Haas, both wearers of the Iron Cross, move their squads forward on the enemy's center, occupied by the two ATGs, their mortar, and their CO. Easy pickings…

As always, plenty of drama, but this was the closest to an easy day as I've had with these rules.

For the whole fight, please visit the blog at:
link

What stands out to me about these rules are the swings in momentum. This may drive some folks crazy, but it's a big part of the attraction for me. Between the activation rolls ("man, I really need a scurry," but roll a firefight, and "I hope he rolls anything but a firefight," but there it is) and the random events (the enemy getting lulls to recover/rally their troops, or reinforcements, etc…, and me getting confused or panicked, etc…), you never know what's going to happen. It has enough chaos to never let you know what's going to happen, to never have a fight seem like a sure thing, but it never makes me feel like I can't control anything. You're constantly making decisions; it's almost always the between two or three crappy choices, but you're always making decisions.

The campaign is moving right along. KG Klink secured a toe-hold in the outskirts of western Warsaw, only to be immediately recalled to combat the threat to the west (yes, behind them!). The Polish army opposite Guderian's troops coming down from the north have linked up with the Polish army pushed aside by the German 10th Army (which entered from the west). They fought their way together, but ended up in caught in the junction of two major rivers. Now there is much confused fighting, with German forces entering the area from all points of the compass, and the Poles counterattacking to the north, east, and south, seeking to push the Germans back, secure river crossings, and consolidate their combat power. KG Klink is hastily thrown into the fray.

V/R,
Jack

Nice one…very interesting comments on the rules too. Sounds like they're worth looking into.

Thanks Panda, I highly recommend the rules, and let me know if you have any questions about them (before or after your purchase), I consider myself a bit of an expert on them after 16 fights ;)

And I read your Bolt Action thread; first, you're as inspirational as I can stand ;) Second, and I say this humbly brother, you seem to come up with the most complicated, convoluted solutions possible ;) Give the man 1 or 2 orders dice in the hand, to be used in addition to the normal orders dice and whenever he chooses (so long as Winters is still alive).

And the rules I'm using are quick, intuitive, use the same base mechanisms as 5 Men in Normandy, and so I think they'd be a good set for newbies to get in a quick game or two. For what it's worth.

V/R,
Jack

Ha ha…complicated, convoluted solutions are my speciality :)

Yeah I'm sticking with BA since he's already familiar with the rules but I think I might just try those rules. I wa a little turned off with the predetermined actions but they seem to work for you…although you are a Marine so you're not used to making your own decisions :)

But seriously the rules do sound very interesting and if I had more time I'd pick your brain about them. I'll check out your batreps again and see if they seem a good fit.

Looking forward to your next outing

Panda,

1) I vow that someday you will pay for your insolence.

2) Bolt Action are good to go as far as I'm concerned; there may be some side issues here and there, but I like the random activation and pin aspects, which is basically what I used for my "All Americans" campaign in Sicily.

3) These new rules (5Core Company Command) are good to go too, just a different scale (company vice platoon level), which was scratching an itch for me.

4) What do you mean 'predetermined actions'? Are you talking about the 1/Scurry, 6/Firefights? I suppose I don't look at it as 'making' me do something, it's usually limiting me from doing something else I want to do, which is just a twist in the game for me, which is great for solo play.

For example, I've got all my troops in fantastic position so I'd really love a 'Firefight,' so that I can open up a can o'whoop-ass, or at least give me a 'normal' activation so I can go with two or three of my units. But that's when I'll roll a scurry.

Or I really need a scurry to allow me to close the gap with the enemy, really get into position to lay into them next turn with MG fire and close assault them, but then I roll a 'normal' activation and now I have to decide, do I use the mortar to fire HE or smoke to cover the two units I can move up, and should I move the MG and one rifle squad, or leave the MG there to cover the flank and move two rifle squads up?

Anyway, whenever you get time, let me know if I can help.

V/R,
Jack