Bonjour
Vous trouverez ci après, à titre d'info, les AAR publiés sur le Forum US
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Played this last night with JR Tracy.
16 Partisan 337s need to stomp 5.5 german security squads (with 2x20L(4) AA guns) and then stop 5 PzGren squads + assorted HT's from crossing a bridge.
The VC have two parts, the germans can have a quick win by controlling just one bridge/entrance hex at the end of turn 5, or they can move 13 CVP of the Tn 5 reinforcements across the river.
I figured the security troops would have a rough time so I went for the 2nd VC and created a hedgehog around the orchard area to keep the partisans out of my rear. This worked well as JR came over the hill and through the grain field. I was able to hide in blind hexes and keep my force alive but my troops were too far from the bridge to keep the partisans from running across and claiming control.
JR did a nice job of entrenching troops and preparing for my PzG's. In the end he had more than enough molotovs/atr/dc/TPBF to stop those guys short, although with another turn it would have very close. Still it was a fun, fast game with lots of action.
IMO, this one's pretty rough on the germans. ROAR has it 18 partisan, 6 german. For balance, I would either add a 447/lmg to at start forces or add one more turn. The given balance of mmg to HMG doesn't seem enough.
Paul Sidhu
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I played Ptichin' In at Winter Offensive in 2003 when it was still in playtest, and got my ass skunked as the Germans. In fact, so did EVERYBODY who played it at Winter Offensive. However, if my memory serves me correctly, MMP made only very minor changes to the scenario. Thus it has come as no surprise to me that it is not turning out to be a very balanced scenario.
However, I will say that I have had the honor to lose both as the Germans and as the Partisans. With the Partisans, however, I had a sure win, but had a brain fart where I momentarily misconstrued the victory conditions (without the scenario handy, I don't remember how), which resulted in my having to retake something very late in the game--and even that I had a good chance to do it, but the dice failed me. So I "lost" but had I played as I should have, it would have been yet again another Partisan victory...
Mark Pitcavage
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I have played it three times and believe that the Germans are hard pressed but have a chance (about 40%). VC condition #1, denying the partisans the bridge is their only real chance as the convoy won't make it across in the face of fire.
I'd put the two 447s in foxholes at each bridge exit hex, give each one a machine gun and one the 7-0 leader. Put the wire on top of the end with the MMG. Split the other four squads and 8-0 on each side of the river concealed. The delay units should skulk, don't shoot/drop concealment unless PBF. I'd put the two guns on level one hill hexes and try to hang on for dear life. A German win is possible as the partisans swarm the foxholes but can't get past the CC's to claim the bridge.
Rich
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I've won this as the germans. I set up everybody (including the guns on the bd 32 side of the bridge) into a tight hedgehog around the Bridge, including a MMG position on the board 32 end of the bridge with a decent LOS over to the board 40 hill. On board 32 I used the wire counters to channel the partisans into point blank range of the 20L guns and the 447/MMG combo, and the partisans just lacked firepower/morale to counter this. The partisans did not come even close taking the bridge. On Bd 40 the superior range of the German MGs disrupted the attack, and rest was finished when partisans came to point blank range of the concrips entrenched into that end of the bridge in the grainfield.
IMO Germans need to make the hedgehog around the bridge to have a chance to win, if the partisans take the bridge it is over. Did not like the scenario much. The 4 last turns are pointless as if the partisan manages to get the bridge he has probably destroyed most of the initial german force anyway, so 5 squads and few halftracks is not going to change the issue.
Tuomo Lukkari
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Yep, this is a five turn scenario. Hedgehogging is the way to go, with a couple possible variations. Personally I like the idea of bulking up on Bd 40 so you don't have to sweat a woods approach, but to each his own. Crossing the bridge with 13 CVP in the face of an established Partisan seems a little Graebneresque, with predictable results.
JR
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