Author	Blackcloud6 (Germany)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	Germany
Participants	treadasaurusrex (AAR)
Play Date	2021-11-22
Language	English
Scenario	DeRa013

I thought this was an interesting and fun scenario; one that hinged on good maneuver. I had the Germans move across the center of the battlefield with the PZ IIIs and IVs in a crescent formation. I sent eh Pz IIs to the north as bait while the infantry and AT Gun protected the back door. The brits decided to chase down the Pz IIs while sending a tank troop around the German right flank, hoping, I guess, to set up for flank shots. The Pz IIs got gunned down but i hoping for at least a step to escape, but they didn't. So, the main panzer force had to turn north to engage the Honeys to prevent a draw. The infantry was able to close with the Brit tank troop in the rear and kill a platoon of Stuarts in assault. In the center, the Pz IIIs engaged the center troop of the Honeys at long range which set up long range shot from the Pz IVs. The Stuart platoons got killed in the engagement and the German tanks spun east for the win.

The maneuver was fun to play and I though the inclusion of the infantry one AT gun was clever, and useful. I do think though, that this one is tough on the British forces... but all they have to do is kill a step or two of Pz IIs or IVs and then hunt down the Pz IIs.

Germans advanced in two groups: (1) all the PzIII, PzII, and the 50mm AT essentially NEbE whilst (2) the PzIV's and the infantry company (on foot) move EbN. Essentially, the infantry screens the PzIV's and the PzIII platoons screen the vulnerable PzIIs.

The British set up with two groups, one of five that head due north and one of four that move NW (two tank leaders in each). The obvious intention being to have the one group block eastward advance whilst the other circles for a crossfire.

As the movement evolved, it quickly became clear that the German infantry and PzIV's simply were not going to allow a wide flanking attack looping around from the SW. So, the British commander runs his southerly formation suddenly due north to make it close to (and with two units) adjacent to the southernmost PzIII units (whilst the northern Stewarts hold a line to the east). Sort of a Trafalgar move. The British now flanked some of the German PzIII's, but the Germans flanked the southern Stuart group. It would come down to initiative.

Perhaps the most exciting (short) single turn in my PG play. The German PzIV's rolled distressingly poorly despite needing only 7's to kill the poorly armed Stuarts. The Stuarts managed to kill two PzIIIG steps (on different platoons) but both panzers made their M2 morale checks. The PzIII group fired last killing or demoralizing the remaining British armor. A little drama remained as a good order half-step and one disrupted half-step still lurked near to the German armor park. But the initiative now strongly favored the Germans (+4) and were able to "clean up" what remained. Two half-stepped Stuarts fled having failed morale checks, but neither held a leader. Thus, the Germans were able to continue their advance unmolested except by a few OBA attempts (by a regular leader I supplied - see errata - but he was chased off by a German infantry platoon).

So the Germans exit twenty-two steps of armor (losing two PzIIIG steps) whilst the British lose all but two half-stepped and DEM Stuart platoons that fled back to the south.

This was my first foray into the desert - my friend owns AK & DR, and we played this one at his parents' house when he was up visiting in December 2009. Early on, the aggressive Stuarts made some hay (or the desert equivalent of hay - scrub, maybe?) against my Panzer II's, costing me 75% of them. But their heavier, better armed brethren used the Stuarts' exposure - and the nice, wide-open LOS of the desert - to great advantage, shooting up the thin-skinned American imports and easily exiting the required 20 tank steps to win. This one seems a mismatch, though I can't bring myself to rate a scenario "1" when it has lots of armor and open terrain. (Besides, the Brits have won at least once...)

Well I think I finally have a bit of the hang of the advance and exit thing. At least in the situation where the defender has very low armor values. In this scenario a regiment full of Stuarts is trying to stop a mixed bag of German armor (IIs, IIIJs and IVEs) from exiting the board. They do have a chance, especially if they can get into crossfire positions as they need to knock off four steps of German armor without losing six of their own.

In the event they were able to get the four steps destroyed but to do it they lost 11 and the Germans were able to meet their "exit" requirement so the win goes to the Germans.

Basically the play worked like this. The Stuarts broke into two groups on either flank of the Germans to set up the crossfire. The vulnerable PzIIs ran out of range while the IIIs and IVs went straight towards one of the groups of Stuarts, they were able to knock out some of the IIIs but were savaged in two turns. The trailing group of Stuarts were unable to catch up and the 50mm AT gun took out a couple more steps while they chased the Panzers.

There really wasn't much else happening here. It is interesting to see how the open terrain causes a much more cautious advance. I rate this one a "2".

Author	treadasaurusrex (Britain)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	Germany
Participants	Blackcloud6 (AAR)
Play Date	2021-11-22
Language	English
Scenario	DeRa013

This scenario was an entertaining fast play-through with my expert-level PG opponent who played the German side. He won the scenario on Turn 11 when he was able to maneuver the vast bulk his armor off the east edge of the map, after having lost only 2 platoons of Pz-II light tanks. As expected, the British Honey tanks were no match for his Pz-III and Pz-IVs, and that blasted 50mm AT gun proved itself to be the queen of this all-clear-desert chess board. The Germans wisely eliminated my single forward observer as virtually their first order of business, ending the possibility of further supporting OBA by the second turn. Both sides maneuvered over most of the map with the British splitting up into 3 separate tank companies and the Germans moving by company as well. In the end, no amount of British maneuver was able to overcome the strength of the German armored units and the advantage of initiative. Four platoons of Honey tanks were sacrificed in what amounted to a very forlorn hope for the British Empire.

However, this scenario was fun to play, which got it a rating of 2 from me. IMHO it is so unbalanced, that it should be rated as a 1. Unless the Axis player is reckless in exposing one or more, unsupported German Pz-III platoons to the combined wrath of a full company of Honey tanks at relatively close range, there is no way for the British side to win this scenario.

Author	goosebrown
Method	Solo
Victor	Germany
Play Date	2022-01-07
Language	English
Scenario	DeRa013

Having read the AARs about splitting up to get crossfires and how the different flanks would each get mauled, I tried, in my innocence, just going straight up the middle and closing with the panzers to point blank range and duke it out.

Very bad decision.

When asked how the T72 fought in the Lebanon War the Israeli's stated that it burned just as well as the T62 in the Yom Kippur War (someone here will correct details there...) Well the Stuarts burned just as well as the A9s.

I absolutely understand why the other AARs stress the crossfire because without that there is simply no way to knock out the german armor here. I think that even if you do get two pinchers on the Germans it would be very difficult to stop them.

As for the infantry they had continental breakfast on the lido deck while watching the pretty fireworks a few hundred meters away... Ooooh... Ah...

Author	triangular_cube
Method	Solo
Victor	Germany
Play Date	2022-12-17
Language	English
Scenario	DeRa013

This one sees a large German armored force trying to cross the map and exit tanks off the board while the Brits with a force of Stuarts tries to... stop them? maybe? Playing straight up there is no chance, they are simply too outgunned and out armored. It seems that the real meat of the scenario is that the Germans have to escort their PzIIs (the only tanks they have that fear the Stuarts) off the map and the Brits have to somehow penetrate the German formation to get in a few quick shots on the German light tanks. The Germans get a company of infantry and a 50 as well, but they are basically there for moral support.

German plan is to set the PZIVs in the center, followed by the infantry, with the PzIIIs on either flank, setting up a screen. They are careful to make sure that the Brits cant get around the right flank with the PZIIIs' extended range fire and the board edge. This limits the approaches that the Brits, who set up toward the south, can take. From their, they leave the PZIIs 4 hexes behind the IVs and just cautiously move up.

Brits know they don't have much of a chance but they divide up their forces, some trying to sweep through the extended range in the south, the others moving north to try and get around the flank there, knowing the center with the IVs is a lost cause.

Extended AT fire range from the IIIs is effective enough to swat down the flys and the scenario is quickly over.

There isnt much of a chance to win this as the Brits, especially if the German player understands the meta game around the PZIIs. I give it a very low 2 based on perceived balance, and similarity to other scenarios thus far.

Played this one with my high school wargaming buddy. I set up my Stuarts spread out north and south and advanced towards his evil Pz II's as they moved northeast. With some lucky long range shooting my heroes eliminated three of the four godless Pz II steps but took heavy losses in the process and were no match for the balance of the German armor. He exited the required 20 tank steps off the east edge with relative ease. It appears the best chance the Allies have in this one is to spread out, dig in, and wait for the Germans to approach, and possibly catch them in some crossfire. Even then, their thin armor and small main armament will be hard pressed to slow the Axis juggernaut.

Played this one with my high school wargaming buddy. I set up my Stuarts spread out north and south and advanced towards his evil Pz II's as they moved northeast. With some lucky long range shooting my heroes eliminated three of the four godless Pz II steps but took heavy losses in the process and were no match for the balance of the German armor. He exited the required 20 tank steps off the east edge with relative ease. It appears the best chance the Allies have in this one is to spread out, dig in, and wait for the Germans to approach, and possibly catch them in some crossfire. Even then, their thin armor and small main armament will be hard pressed to slow the Axis juggernaut.