"Thunder in the North" Mirror Tournament - During / After Action Reports

[Crossroads]

Turn 15 / (18)

Meanwhile, on the Western side of the map, the fight for what the accompanied Time Magazine war reporter calls The Hamburger Hill (for some reason or another?) continues to rage. The measly 250 VP location, situated on a hill top clearly visible from the surrounding area, continues to be a target of fierce direct and indirect barrages from both sides. The hill top has changed hands for multiple turns now, with turn 15 seeing the Finns pushed out from it again.



Hold your fire until you see the whites of their eyes, yells Captain Sankari as he commands his weary Jaegers to assault the hill top once again. Surely they will run out of men soon! Unaware of their surroundings, with only one thing in their mind, the men throw the satchel charges, firing their smgs as they dash out to once again take over the hill top to friendly sides again.

Incoming! Barely no time to hug the ground they now command once again, they crouch down, tightening their helmet straps, waiting for that inevitable counter attack as the Soviets show no effect of giving up either.

Meanwhile, at the East, the key 500 VP town hex of Vuosalmi fell to Soviets for the first time, but again a ruthless counter attack captured the attackers. With a wave after wave of fresh Soviet forces crossing the river, now unopposed, the wary Finns count their remaining men, wondering if they last the three turns to make it from this scenario. Once again, they threw the balance from the brink of a Major Loss to that of a Major Win, but the odds are the results will keep changing. As they have no chance in a war of attrition, every bullet must be made to count.

General R.D.D. Dealersky's Reds continue the attack, with Allied losses at 2136 pts and Axis losses at 1656 pts. Controlling 1000 VPs, but determined to re-take the again-captured but then again-lost 750 pts this turn, and with further 250 pts at their gun sights, I am sure they remain determined to bring Major Win to Mother Russia!

General B. 'Krazy' Katzky's Soviets meanwhile again started their 15th turn under a total and utter Major Loss, but with a strong bridgehead now over the river they are determined not to give up either. But with opposing forces actually having the audacity to repair a bridge they destroyed themselves, for bringing fresh forces south of the river, this battle is far from resolved either.

Wheew....

[Death~Dealer]

Petri is TOUGH!!!

What a hair-raiser! As Soviets, he was able to rush 4 companies (not platoons, mind you) of Soviet infantry across a key bridge to secure a major victory location. Only took him 1 turn. To top that off, most of his Солдаты (soldiers) are undisrupted and ready to surge forward...I'm nervous to see what the next turn will bring.

This game has been excellent and for all of you that haven't downloaded his mod and installer (don't be scared...it's not that difficult...you'll figure it out), you don't know what you are missing.

[Crossroads]

Into the final turn...

[Otto von Blotto]

This game has been excellent and for all of you that haven't downloaded his mod and installer (don't be scared...it's not that difficult...you'll figure it out), you don't know what you are missing.

Agreed he's created an absolutely excellent and seamless mod and if the first scenario in the set is anything to go by some great nail biting and well designed games. thanks Petri

[Ashcloud]

This game has been excellent and for all of you that haven't downloaded his mod and installer (don't be scared...it's not that difficult...you'll figure it out), you don't know what you are missing.

Agreed he's created an absolutely excellent and seamless mod and if the first scenario in the set is anything to go by some great nail biting and well designed games. thanks Petri

Total agreement from me, fantastic mod. Well done Petri.

[Crossroads]

I am considering renaming this scenario as Ode to Extreme Assault




As we are all nearing the end of the scenario, I would like to ask you to start preparing your feedback for the final version, to be uploaded to Blitz Scenario DB.

I've put some questions for you here: https://www.theblitz.club/message_boards...#pid365301

.

[Crossroads]

What a hair-raiser! As Soviets, he was able to rush 4 companies (not platoons, mind you) of Soviet infantry across a key bridge to secure a major victory location. Only took him 1 turn. To top that off, most of his Солдаты (soldiers) are undisrupted and ready to surge forward...I'm nervous to see what the next turn will bring.

Yes, that was quite a turn! But it was not over 1 turn though, I already got two companies across the turn before, remember? But you threw them back

What got my attention was how you first pushed back a full company into shallow water, then assaulted and captured the lot of them! dizzy

But yes, what you described was uber cool as well. I think it was my forward company that double sped, and made two succesful extreme assaults going forward. all the way to objective hex. I have never seen anything like that happen.

But given how shell-shocked the enemy forward line typically is in the target area to begin with, and how you often have pretty impressive direct fire support available as well, this battle really goes back and forth as long as you have a few guys available with their bayonets fixed!

I might be wrong though about the assaults, it also could have been the 2nd coy behind that did the latter assault... Must. Remember. Breathe.

[Crossroads]

And so it ends...


Just as I was afraid, General R.D. Deathdealersky's men capture the last remaining defenders of Vuosalmi, ending any hope for a major result here.

I don't hold it against him, though, what a great fight to force his way into town from both sides! Bridgehead to the west of town, major amphibious landing east of it! (I managed to prevent anyone crossing the river over the major bridge just south of the town).

I lost my LOS to town, it is swarming with Red Army, trust me

I made a mistake sending my reinforcements North of his bridgehead (the bridge is just visible in the left), remnants of which can be seen holding a line at Northwestern corner of the picture. I would have needed those men and assault guns at Vuosalmi instead. A fatal mistake!

Things looked quite bad a turn earlier, and I considered leaving the town to prevent any unnecessary losses... Then decided against it, just in case I would get a lucky break!

I did not. I have barely anyone surviving in the eastern sector

This all left me with a score of 1786 I believe, with Allied Major Win at 1500 points. After all the valiant fighting my men put up, they would get nothing...



At west, Lt Col Mäntylä disagreed. Never say die! as he led the last available, undisrupted but shot out platoons for the last charge! Having been supported by a fierce barrage of any and all guns, tanks and mortars in the sector: success!

But the enemy managed to escape from being captured...

Still some 36 pts short of a Minor Loss, the best result I could wish for, I was not optimistic... I then tried to shoot at any weakened target I could find. And what do you know. The scenario ended at 1496 pts! I held my breath as I pushed the end turn button, in order to not trigger any op fire against me that I could not return any more...

#18 Allied losses: 2425 Axis losses: 2171 VPs: 1750 VPs Total score: 1496 Allied Minor Win

I almost feel bad for Jim as he fought a perfect battle. But I don't


In the alternate, mirrored university, my Soviets got a bit of a bad break. Having retaken the hill, I crashed my EF...I could not repeat a succesful attack for the VP hilltop during my replay...

So, although I am holding 1250 VPs, Jim will nick a Major Win out of that one but I don't mind. The hilltop is impossible to held on to, would I have taken it he would have retaken it right back in his last turn

And I am glad to have found out that it takes more than a brute-force approach for the Soviets to win

Situation bar Axis last turn:

#18 Allied losses: 2645 Axis losses: 2037 VPs: 1250 Total score: 642 Allied Minor Loss (but I don't think it will hold)

---

Jim, congratulatations for your two very hard earned results! You are a class act and a skillful opponent for sure !!

[Death~Dealer]

Petri, thanks!

Here's to a friend and a couple of great games-

"Malja, ystävä!"

[Crossroads]

Kiitos, Jim

The other mirror game is finished as well. The proud 98th AC led by General Katzky can be seen here, thoroughly exhausted, with Finns holding a secure line both North of Vuosalmi and in their bridgehead south of river, at Kylä-Paakkola hills.



It was tight as well, as I was very much working on getting another crossing just west of Vuosalmi for the 250VP there, and with the famous hill top offering the other 250VP, while at the same time trying to repair the third bridge for the objective behind that one. Two objectives of those three would have enabled me to recover from my initial losses and get a Draw here.

As it is, the end score is a well deserved massive Axis Major Win, with points at:

Allied losses: 2773
Axis losses: 2047
Objectives held: 1250
Total score: 521

(Victory levels: 600 - 900 - 1200 - 1500)

I am pleased to see this scenario can swing from one end to another, at any time. Again, well played Sir!

Now, let us wait for the other games to finish, and conclude on the changes needed before posting the scenario to DB. :lecture:

At minimum there are some transport values I will fix. Once the scenario is uploaded we can then add our respective scores to ladder.