Ostfront Round 3

[TheBigRedOne]

Do we have another mirror battle or did I step in at the end?

This was the last round. Thanks for filling in on short notice!

[Richie61]

Do we have another mirror battle or did I step in at the end?

This was the last round. Thanks for filling in on short notice!

Anytime.

[FroBodine]

Just curious, how many games are still being played in the final round?

[TheBigRedOne]

Three.

[Dog Soldier]

Dog Soldier and Gabeeg finished up our games.

I was wondering what people saw in the scenario as the "keys to victory"?

What I learned was:

1. Use the armored patrol boats to get troops ashore to assault and clear the Rumanian trenches. The other boats being used need to approach their landings without being detected in the dark. If spotted they are easily sunk.
   
2. Take time with the Suart tanks. Let the infantry look for the enemy in the dark. Then hammer the Axis forces with all three Stuarts to support an infantry assault.
   
3. Russian naval infantry like to ride Stuarts.
   
4. Rumanian forces need to change positions after the first turn. While well sighted at start, they are vulnerable to the patrol boats finding them with the searchlights to early.
   
5. Patience, patience, patience. Even though it is dark, do not just charge about the battle field or you will end up on the wrong side of the dirt.
   

Finally, the star shell ammo issue was corrected in version 1.1 which came out after the round started. We played start to finish with version 1.0. Having the mortars on each side be able to fire illumination rounds beyond the current three hex LOS had to make a big change in the game. Did anyone play with this capability from the start? I think it would make the Russian job much tougher to get his troops ashore. Might even level out the Pro-Russian feel of this scenario.

Dog Soldier

[jomni]

Haha contrary to your tips. I did a full blown attack on the center with Stuarts flattening all the Axis forces without hesitation. Works well.

[Nikb]

nikb vs Kritterpaw all done and dusted.

Russian major victory in both games.

Good fun.

[Dog Soldier]

Haha contrary to your tips. I did a full blown attack on the center with Stuarts flattening all the Axis forces without hesitation. Works well.

jomni,
Do you think the inability to "light up the bay" with star shells from the one Axis mortar unit allowed your Russians to get ashore in force? I am thinking this might be tougher for the Russians in version 1.1 of RV.

I was lucky to catch a number of Russian boats in my game as the Axis before they made land with illumination from the Rumanian officers flare guns. They were headed for the center. Axis machine guns sunk every boat in sight. Later an artillery barrage destroyed a patrol boat. My good Russian opponent persevered and took most of the objectives with his diminished forces. He could not make up the difference in VP from those sunken boats and the troops lost.

Do others who played in the tournament think this scenario was just a simple matter of overwhelming Russian force and no need for finesse?

Dog Soldier

[Landser34]

To me the Russians all they have to do i land on either one or both flanks and just roll up the map.

[jomni]

Yeah Played with Landser and that works too.