On The Table - Air&Armor

[pmaidhof]

Currently on the table is an old gem called Air & Armor, by West End Games. It depicts NATO Brigades/Soviet Divisions, unit of maneuver is battalions, and regiments respectively. The system uses a "step" counter beneath a unit counter to depict anything from a company sized force, up to a nine step motorized rifle regiment. Oh, the fog of war. Time is two hours per turn

 

First scenario I ran was Race for the Bridges. Soviet 20th Motorized Rifle Division racing through a screen of the West German 35th PzG Brigade, for theany undestroyed bridges across the Main river, in the vicinity of Wurtzburg. The Canadian 4th Brigade Combat Group arrives in turn 3 of 5 to hopefully, for NATO hold the river line.

 

First three turns found the 35th Panzergrenadier Bde in a forward defense mode. With only 2 Command Points, and a fairly well spread out force, the first two turns was a challenge for the BW as not to be completely outflanked. The 20th Motorized Rifle Division advanced on two axis.

 

The only contact of the night was a sharp clash between 55th MRR in an unsupported hasty attack on a German force of 2x PzG companies and an AT company in the city of Karlstadt. The Landsers had the support of the brigade arty and in defensive fire eliminated one step of the 55th MRR. The attack forced a retreat of the Germans and they lost the AT company in the process.

 

The only other items of interest is 1x PzG company and 1x Engineer company doubly enveloped in the town of Kuernach, and the Bde HQ and Arty being relatively behind enemy lines in the northern side of the Gramschatzer Wald. The Canadians have raced on board to threatened bridge crossings.

 

Soviet 55th MRR push across the Main by Karlstadt, opening the way for the Divisional Tank Bn and the Engineer Bn (4 steps). North of Wurtzburg, the Soviets got 60th MRR across, but could not exit in the time alotted.

 

In the end, 15 Soviet steps exited the map, four NATO steps were lost. So scoring was 19VP Soviets and 4 NATO VP's (step losses inflicted).

 

The forward defense was interesting in that there is more to do for NATO than sit on their seabags waiting for the Soviets to transit the map unimpeded, but other challenges arose such as only having 2CP's to effectively retreat more than two hexes worth of troops. This led to a number of WG units being virtually left behind, including the Bde HQ and arty bn.

 

Next scenario is "Bear Trap" which is a multi divisional affair where the Soviets in driving for Wurtzburg are encircled by elements of US 3rd Infantry Division and West German 12th Panzer Division. I'll try to keep you posted provided there is any interest.

 

Pete

[CV32]

Pretty cool, Pete. (This was the "cliffhanger" I was talking about the other evening on IRC). A slogging brutal ground war is always a welcome change of pace from the naval and air war.

[pmaidhof]

A slogging brutal ground war is always a welcome change of pace from the naval and air war.

Just trying to keep all the airdales and squids aware that wars are decided on the ground.

[pmaidhof]

I'm currently in the 3rd turn of Bear Trap. I have learned some interesting lessons so far in my first multi-divisional game of A&A.

 

Due to some poor NATO set-up, the Soviet 39th and 57th Guards each have a regiment clearing the northern Wurzburg hexes. US 1st Bde 3rd Mech has little combat power remaining north of the Main River.

 

Another error in NATO set up was voluntarily destroying 3 of the 4 most westernly bridges over the Main, thus preventing a quick link-up of US 1st Bde/3rdMech and WG 36thPz/12thPzDiv. As it is developing, 36th Pz Bde is having a rough time pushing east towards Wurzburg in the face of the 174th Mechanized Rifle Regiment and 57th Tank Regiment defending the Soviet western flank vic Vietschoeschhm.

 

35thPzG on the other hand swept west-southwest and after being on the receiving end of some rather effective artillery defensive fire, ended up sweeping through soviet divisional tube and rocket artillery in and around the northern edges of Gramschatzerwald.

 

After what appeared to be a successful screen mission by the Soviet 112thMRR/39Guards forcing US 2nd Bde/3rdMech to search for alternative Main River crossing points, 2nd Bde found an undefended road bridge and shot that gap right into the Soviet 39th Guards Forward HQ. After the divisional tank battalion reacted to the HQ's defense, both the HQ and DTB were annihilated.

 

Lesson there and in a couple of earlier engagements is the relative weakness of 1, 2, even 3, in this case 5!, step units when there are brigades and regiments roaming around out there. This may change with advanced rules and airpower. Also, the loss of 39th Guard divisional artillery displayed the benefit of arty support or lack thereof.

 

It is a interesting, rather fluid situation right now. NATO has the lead step losses inflicted, Soviets have multiple Wurzburg hexes, the reinforcing Soviet division has not yet made their appearance.

 

This has already gotten ugly.