CS Middle East: High Water Mark (Saasa Ridge, Syria; 12 Oct 1973)

Started by Crossroads, November 04, 2017, 07:30:33 AM

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Crossroads

Israeli Phase for Turn #9 done

Quote from: Crossroads on November 21, 2017, 06:33:34 AM

Before they do, the Syrian tankers fire a few parting shots, causing me to lose two runners I think. But it is the Syrian artillery that does the damage. Again. Next turn, I'll dedicate my Artillery Battalion for a Counter artillery barrage to their approximate location, as in 3D Zoom-out view the shell trajectories are visible. Upper right map corner it is.

Right. I had again a full Artillery Battalion, so time to plot a few fire missions to the assumed Syrian artillery positions. I don't visuals to that area, so the fire will scatter up to two turns. Hopefully a couple of those missions find a target though... I placed one artillery battery to put a fire mission to that Syrian stack at Tel Shams. I expect them to move out to avoid just that, but that would be good too, as then they'd used valuable APs for moving, and not firing at my units  :knuppel2:

Otherwise, the Israeli phase ends at 295 points, so they lost 69 VPs this turn. I really hoped I'd be at 350VPs or something like that after having secured this area, but the Syrians have fought hard, there have been more of them than what I expected, and their artillery especially has been coming down hard  :buck2:

Regardless, I roleplay rather than look at results (only), so since my mission was to take Saasa Ridge, I'll get at it. Should be fun, I've spotted a good few full stacks of T-55s moving about, Berto's had all the time in the world to put them into proper ambushing positions. He must be wondering if I am even going to try this, for it makes not much sense victory level wise, but where's the fun in being cautious.

I am quite a fan of the Thirty Year Wars era, where the Imperial Swedish Army trained their officers to always attack upon meeting an enemy, regardless of their size. That's the spirit!  :smitten:

So, what else before sending my turn over?

Let us have a look at the infantry losses for a change. Israelis have lost a whopping 23 steps of their meager infantry, but to counter that, Syrians are down a whopping 72 steps of losses with their foot units.

And that's it. Over to Berto!

Campaign Series Legion | CS: Vietnam 1948-1967 | CS: Middle East 1948-1985

CS: Vietnam DAR: LZ Albany as NVA (South Vietnam 11/17/65)  
CS: Middle East AARs: High Water Mark (Syria 10/12/73) Me vs Berto | Riptide (Libya 8/6/85) Me vs Berto | The Crossroads (West Bank 6/5/67)  Me vs Berto

Boardgame AARs: AH D-Day | MMP PanzerBlitz2 Carentan | OSS Putin's Northern War | GMT Next War: Poland | LnL Against the Odds DIY

Crossroads

Israeli Turn #10 - Into Phase 2 (or what is left of it anyway)

After a rather busy week with RL, time to check on what Berto's been up to. Or his Syrians, anyway  :knuppel2:

Here's the situation after the Syrian turn replay.

Syrian artillery keeps raining down hard, I wonder what units they are. MRLs, I assume. More damage, again, losing one HQ unit and a Recce and Engineer steps. As seen in Victory Dialog, I am eight points down from the end of my Turn 9 phase, so not too bad.

He didn't achieve much with his depleted infantry though, they are done. I hope I can rid of them during this turn.

First, there's the friendly artillery. Fingers crossed the full counter battery mission takes some edge from his artillery positions up north!  :bd:

Campaign Series Legion | CS: Vietnam 1948-1967 | CS: Middle East 1948-1985

CS: Vietnam DAR: LZ Albany as NVA (South Vietnam 11/17/65)  
CS: Middle East AARs: High Water Mark (Syria 10/12/73) Me vs Berto | Riptide (Libya 8/6/85) Me vs Berto | The Crossroads (West Bank 6/5/67)  Me vs Berto

Boardgame AARs: AH D-Day | MMP PanzerBlitz2 Carentan | OSS Putin's Northern War | GMT Next War: Poland | LnL Against the Odds DIY

Crossroads

Quote from: Crossroads on December 02, 2017, 03:09:20 PM

First, there's the friendly artillery. Fingers crossed the full counter battery mission takes some edge from his artillery positions up north!  :bd:

And here we go. Firing for effect... Shot! Splash in 30 seconds... And whaddya know, the very first shells hitting the ground cause a wreck marker, so something is hit  :smitten:

The rest of the shells drop there too, although no visible markers of their effect, if any.

The, the final fire mission on enemy positions at Tel Shams. Let us see the butcher's bill, rather eager to see lots of Syrian tubes destroyed!

Alas, no. There's the one MRL unit destroyed though (and only one, bummer), but it is a start!

Next, time for the tankers to do their deeds...

Campaign Series Legion | CS: Vietnam 1948-1967 | CS: Middle East 1948-1985

CS: Vietnam DAR: LZ Albany as NVA (South Vietnam 11/17/65)  
CS: Middle East AARs: High Water Mark (Syria 10/12/73) Me vs Berto | Riptide (Libya 8/6/85) Me vs Berto | The Crossroads (West Bank 6/5/67)  Me vs Berto

Boardgame AARs: AH D-Day | MMP PanzerBlitz2 Carentan | OSS Putin's Northern War | GMT Next War: Poland | LnL Against the Odds DIY

Crossroads

Israeli Turn #10 Done

Not much this turn, so I'll keep this short and sweet.

Most hostiles at Tel Shams were taken out under the shelling from my tankers, par one pesky HMG section who fought a fighting retreat to southern side of the heights, with a LOS to my HQs there from his next turn. So I had to evacuate them, and since they are moving they can't provide the C&C network to my units next turn. Not good, I had the situation stabilised, but now I will again have many of my units Conserving Ammo as they've lost the contact to the higher echelon.

That done, I was finally able to position my remaining armored units to make a push to Saasa Ridge. I am effectively cut out from using the highway though, for because the loss of my engineering assets (and no more Smoke to cover them) there is no way I can clear the Blocks in the road. Syrians have done a good job with their fortifications for sure.

So instead, I will push forward through the difficult terrain on the right edge of the map, with my right flank also covered by the said map edge. I have a few turns to make a proper push, no doubt they are waiting for me, but so be it.

The Victory points are at 299, some 100VP short of a Minor Win. I really could have gotten there but for the timid show of force at Tel Shams. But it is not time for an After Action Report yet, for there's a war to be fought.

This time, all three 155mm batteries at play again, so one Battery to continue with Counter Artillery missions, while two Batteries to hit the Syrian infantry in Improved Positions (only) at Saasa Ridge  :knuppel2:

Onward!

Campaign Series Legion | CS: Vietnam 1948-1967 | CS: Middle East 1948-1985

CS: Vietnam DAR: LZ Albany as NVA (South Vietnam 11/17/65)  
CS: Middle East AARs: High Water Mark (Syria 10/12/73) Me vs Berto | Riptide (Libya 8/6/85) Me vs Berto | The Crossroads (West Bank 6/5/67)  Me vs Berto

Boardgame AARs: AH D-Day | MMP PanzerBlitz2 Carentan | OSS Putin's Northern War | GMT Next War: Poland | LnL Against the Odds DIY

Crossroads

Israeli Turn #11 - Damascus Here We Come!

Back from hiatus... We had a new chance to provide Matrix Games with an updated 2.0 build, so did just that. Six new scenarios from Alan Arvold, among the last minute add-ons  :bd:

As for the Israeli Phase, not much happening.

No Syrian artillery. They must be relocating due to my counter battery fire. Good good!

My artillery does not achieve much either. I hit the forward Syrian trenches, and knock of one HMG step, but that's about it.

This leaves us with 303 points and a solid Draw at the moment: -53VP to slip back to Minor Defeat, while a whopping 97VP towards Minor Victory.

A cautious commander would play the remaining turns very carefully, sitting at a Draw ...  L:-)

Campaign Series Legion | CS: Vietnam 1948-1967 | CS: Middle East 1948-1985

CS: Vietnam DAR: LZ Albany as NVA (South Vietnam 11/17/65)  
CS: Middle East AARs: High Water Mark (Syria 10/12/73) Me vs Berto | Riptide (Libya 8/6/85) Me vs Berto | The Crossroads (West Bank 6/5/67)  Me vs Berto

Boardgame AARs: AH D-Day | MMP PanzerBlitz2 Carentan | OSS Putin's Northern War | GMT Next War: Poland | LnL Against the Odds DIY

Crossroads

Quote from: Crossroads on December 15, 2017, 10:39:15 AM

A cautious commander would play the remaining turns very carefully, sitting at a Draw ...  L:-)

Obviously, I am not that commander... Having finally secured Tel Shams height, and not just captured it, I have the troops there jump forward towards the Forming Up Place.

The lone Syrian unit remaining there - remember him from the previous turn - was quickly taken out of play in the crossfire of my two tank troops at the lower map edge.

Campaign Series Legion | CS: Vietnam 1948-1967 | CS: Middle East 1948-1985

CS: Vietnam DAR: LZ Albany as NVA (South Vietnam 11/17/65)  
CS: Middle East AARs: High Water Mark (Syria 10/12/73) Me vs Berto | Riptide (Libya 8/6/85) Me vs Berto | The Crossroads (West Bank 6/5/67)  Me vs Berto

Boardgame AARs: AH D-Day | MMP PanzerBlitz2 Carentan | OSS Putin's Northern War | GMT Next War: Poland | LnL Against the Odds DIY

Crossroads

Quote from: Crossroads on December 15, 2017, 10:46:37 AM

Obviously, I am not that commander... Having finally secured Tel Shams height, and not just captured it, I have the troops there jump forward towards the Forming Up Place.


... and from FUP, the units became the slow movement forward, having saved enough Action Points for Firing before doing that, each one of them. I may not be that cautious, but I am not suicidal either  :cowboy:

Note the Standard Operating Procedure in situation like this: first, Save AP for firing, then once that's done, Show Reachable Hexes for plotting the route forward.

For these tankers, this allowed the maneuvering as the left most unit in the vanguard.

Campaign Series Legion | CS: Vietnam 1948-1967 | CS: Middle East 1948-1985

CS: Vietnam DAR: LZ Albany as NVA (South Vietnam 11/17/65)  
CS: Middle East AARs: High Water Mark (Syria 10/12/73) Me vs Berto | Riptide (Libya 8/6/85) Me vs Berto | The Crossroads (West Bank 6/5/67)  Me vs Berto

Boardgame AARs: AH D-Day | MMP PanzerBlitz2 Carentan | OSS Putin's Northern War | GMT Next War: Poland | LnL Against the Odds DIY

Crossroads

End of Israeli Phase for Turn #11

And here we are, a good 1000 meters closer to objective, holding a tight formation, my right flank secured by the map edge, and left edge by the awesome power of the remnants of my armored formation. Or so I like to think...

I've set the Opportunity Fire for my tanks to engage Syrian Hard targets at Long range, and everything else at Short range. We'll see how that plays out. It is never a good option to rely on Op Fire, but I have not much other options as Berto is obviously carefully hiding his a full tank regiment in the natural defillades in his sector!

He has to have the courage to raise his head though, that's a lot of IDF iron heading his way!

There's two Syrian tank platoons visible near Saasa. I have three Airstrikes remaining, but I am not calling them out yet. I will wait a turn or two for a more target rich environment. Meanwhile, I have but one Artillery Battery available, I dedicate their two fire missions against the single Syrian AAA unit visible on the map. Good riddance, hopefully!

And that's it. Not a shot was fired so far, so the Victory and Strenght reports are the same as from the beginning of turn.

Over to Berto!

Campaign Series Legion | CS: Vietnam 1948-1967 | CS: Middle East 1948-1985

CS: Vietnam DAR: LZ Albany as NVA (South Vietnam 11/17/65)  
CS: Middle East AARs: High Water Mark (Syria 10/12/73) Me vs Berto | Riptide (Libya 8/6/85) Me vs Berto | The Crossroads (West Bank 6/5/67)  Me vs Berto

Boardgame AARs: AH D-Day | MMP PanzerBlitz2 Carentan | OSS Putin's Northern War | GMT Next War: Poland | LnL Against the Odds DIY

Crossroads

Israeli Turn #12 - Roughing It

Quote from: Crossroads on December 15, 2017, 11:03:30 AM

There's two Syrian tank platoons visible near Saasa. I have three Airstrikes remaining, but I am not calling them out yet. I will wait a turn or two for a more target rich environment. Meanwhile, I have but one Artillery Battery available, I dedicate their two fire missions against the single Syrian AAA unit visible on the map. Good riddance, hopefully!


Here we go again! My artillery fire missions did some damage at that AAA strongpoint near Saasa, Berto just moved some reinforcements there too, so there were even more targets now. The AAA gun still remains undisrupted though, so will renew the barrage for another turn here.  And why not, there's a ATGM-equipped IFV on the left, there, protected by a MG unit it seems, so would be a nice target for my airboys. Berto's taking good care to have AAA capable units spread out there, good job indeed.

But with just three turns remaining after this, I need to commit my airstrikes come next turn so that they have the time to strike in.

Points wise, I lost a Centurion disabled by Berto's artillery, while did some damage with my missions too. 319VPs, 81 to go for a Minor Victory. That, too, might be a Water Mark too High for me, having taken far more losses so far than what I anticipated for.

Here's the Saasa area beginning of Israeli phase in turn #12:

Campaign Series Legion | CS: Vietnam 1948-1967 | CS: Middle East 1948-1985

CS: Vietnam DAR: LZ Albany as NVA (South Vietnam 11/17/65)  
CS: Middle East AARs: High Water Mark (Syria 10/12/73) Me vs Berto | Riptide (Libya 8/6/85) Me vs Berto | The Crossroads (West Bank 6/5/67)  Me vs Berto

Boardgame AARs: AH D-Day | MMP PanzerBlitz2 Carentan | OSS Putin's Northern War | GMT Next War: Poland | LnL Against the Odds DIY

Crossroads

Quote from: Crossroads on December 29, 2017, 04:21:19 AM

Points wise, I lost a Centurion disabled by Berto's artillery, while did some damage with my missions too. 319VPs, 81 to go for a Minor Victory. That, too, might be a Water Mark too High for me, having taken far more losses so far than what I anticipated for.

Here's the Victory status on beginning of turn to match the above:

Campaign Series Legion | CS: Vietnam 1948-1967 | CS: Middle East 1948-1985

CS: Vietnam DAR: LZ Albany as NVA (South Vietnam 11/17/65)  
CS: Middle East AARs: High Water Mark (Syria 10/12/73) Me vs Berto | Riptide (Libya 8/6/85) Me vs Berto | The Crossroads (West Bank 6/5/67)  Me vs Berto

Boardgame AARs: AH D-Day | MMP PanzerBlitz2 Carentan | OSS Putin's Northern War | GMT Next War: Poland | LnL Against the Odds DIY

Crossroads

Quote from: Crossroads on December 29, 2017, 04:21:19 AM

My artillery fire missions did some damage at that AAA strongpoint near Saasa, Berto just moved some reinforcements there too, so there were even more targets now. The AAA gun still remains undisrupted though, so will renew the barrage for another turn here.


Looking at the Strength report, I notice I took one ZU-23 gun out of play, with two Arm'd Infantry and HMG step losses as well as a LMG step loss too. Artillery's been the king of the battlefield here, for both sides. As it often should be.

Campaign Series Legion | CS: Vietnam 1948-1967 | CS: Middle East 1948-1985

CS: Vietnam DAR: LZ Albany as NVA (South Vietnam 11/17/65)  
CS: Middle East AARs: High Water Mark (Syria 10/12/73) Me vs Berto | Riptide (Libya 8/6/85) Me vs Berto | The Crossroads (West Bank 6/5/67)  Me vs Berto

Boardgame AARs: AH D-Day | MMP PanzerBlitz2 Carentan | OSS Putin's Northern War | GMT Next War: Poland | LnL Against the Odds DIY

Crossroads

Quote from: Crossroads on December 29, 2017, 04:21:19 AM
And why not, there's a ATGM-equipped IFV on the left, there, protected by a MG unit it seems, so would be a nice target for my airboys. Berto's taking good care to have AAA capable units spread out there, good job indeed.


Time to move forward, next. Before doing so, I quickly checked if that pesky ATGM vehicle would be in LOS of any of my tankers out there, by toggling on the Visible Hexes option for a bit. Of course it wasn't.

Berto's placed it carefully so that I need to move to him, first. He likes to do that, he does.

Campaign Series Legion | CS: Vietnam 1948-1967 | CS: Middle East 1948-1985

CS: Vietnam DAR: LZ Albany as NVA (South Vietnam 11/17/65)  
CS: Middle East AARs: High Water Mark (Syria 10/12/73) Me vs Berto | Riptide (Libya 8/6/85) Me vs Berto | The Crossroads (West Bank 6/5/67)  Me vs Berto

Boardgame AARs: AH D-Day | MMP PanzerBlitz2 Carentan | OSS Putin's Northern War | GMT Next War: Poland | LnL Against the Odds DIY

Crossroads

Quote from: Crossroads on December 29, 2017, 04:29:46 AM

Time to move forward, next.

Moving forward, I toggle on the Save AP for Firing option, then toggle on the Show Reachable Hexes option, to see how far I can go with enough Action Points saved for firing. Not far.

I realise Centurions can't fire upon entering Rough terrain anymore, while Pattons can. So I moved the Centurions further forward, while had the mighty Magachs in place for covering fire.

I also noticed my mot Coy Leaders can't move to the Rough terrain, so they fall back, leaving the battle duties for my hardened tankers.

Here's the situation after the movement. Not much, at first look, but come next turn there's a good avenue forward on clear(er) terrain  :knuppel2:

Campaign Series Legion | CS: Vietnam 1948-1967 | CS: Middle East 1948-1985

CS: Vietnam DAR: LZ Albany as NVA (South Vietnam 11/17/65)  
CS: Middle East AARs: High Water Mark (Syria 10/12/73) Me vs Berto | Riptide (Libya 8/6/85) Me vs Berto | The Crossroads (West Bank 6/5/67)  Me vs Berto

Boardgame AARs: AH D-Day | MMP PanzerBlitz2 Carentan | OSS Putin's Northern War | GMT Next War: Poland | LnL Against the Odds DIY

Crossroads

End of Israeli Phase for Turn #12

My 1000th post here  :cowboy:

Here's the final unit positioning. Again, not much progress, and not a shot fired, but come next turn it should get interesting.

I've got three full batteries, so set them at that AAA position, and at that ATGM position too, and on the hostile frontlines on my route of advance. Most commanders on their soft vehicles have evacuated the area, but the Lt Col who insisted to tag along. Not a good idea, given the strong Syrian artillery.

No changes in victory conditions. Three more turns to set the High Water Mark as far as possible! It might not reach Damascus, but let us close in on Saasa Ridge at least!

Over to Berto  :)

Campaign Series Legion | CS: Vietnam 1948-1967 | CS: Middle East 1948-1985

CS: Vietnam DAR: LZ Albany as NVA (South Vietnam 11/17/65)  
CS: Middle East AARs: High Water Mark (Syria 10/12/73) Me vs Berto | Riptide (Libya 8/6/85) Me vs Berto | The Crossroads (West Bank 6/5/67)  Me vs Berto

Boardgame AARs: AH D-Day | MMP PanzerBlitz2 Carentan | OSS Putin's Northern War | GMT Next War: Poland | LnL Against the Odds DIY

Sir Slash

Still here and awaiting more hot tank-on-tank action.  O0
"Take a look at that". Sgt. Wilkerson-- CMBN. His last words after spotting a German tank on the other side of a hedgerow.