[ASLML] J86: what do you think?

[Sam Belcher]

Regarding "Frontal Assault" (J86)

Roy Connelly wrote:

> >The Panthers are cool, but can't take the building, and the SS have a
> >Looooooong way to go and can't afford too many casualties.
> >
> >In our game, after crossing open ground for almost three full turns, with
> >minimal damage to the SS due to my ineffectual firing, they would have
> had
> >to almost sprint to get to the building and take it away from what
> amounted
> >to 6-8 British squads.  And they have to contend with OBA while they're
> >crossing the open.

And Brian Roundhill also said: 

> I also think this is very favourable for the British. Played this with
> Carl, and with one more turn, maybe he could have won. Our game was a
> little atypical perhaps - he had 4 MA malfunction during the game, I had
> 1 OBA mission because of constant loss of radio contact. My basic
> gameplan was concentrate on the infantry, because like .Roy said, the
> Panthers can't take buildings.
> 
> I'd like to play this against some of the better players and see what
> they do with the Germans, and there is some finesse required by the
> British in trying to preserve the Fireflys. One big question is still
> what do you do with the first turn OBA? Go after the vehicles? Go after
> the point of attack? Go after the victory hex since 3 of 5 British
> leaders are huddled up in there?

This is a tough puzzle for the Germans. I tried this last night against Eric
Henyey and I lost as the Germans... The problem isn't the -distance- you
only have to average 3 hexes per turn to arrive at the VC building the turn
before the game ends. The problem is that the ground is devoid of cover and
you have no smoke to speak of...

I brought the pregame "bombardment" down on 6 Brit Vehicles. I destroyed two
trucks and immobilized a Sherman. With the same DR's in a different sequence
I could have destroyed two Shermans, Two Trucks and immobilized a third
tank. Oh, well...

When I play this again, I'm think I'm going to try standing off with the
Panthers on turn 1 and just firing at Brit Tanks. (Pretty much what I did
the first time, but this time I'd leave most of my infantry off board on
turn 1). On turn two, the rest of the Panthers enter and form a "firing
line" out of Piat range. Infantry uses Armored assault to move on with the
Panthers (the only cover you really have.) 

OR the infantry goes up the left flank through the wheat fields. 

Still, I'm not at all confident that this will secure a win. Any other
ideas? 

The Brit has MORE infantry and OBA to play with. They are all in buildings
or foxholes so have +2 TEM. You have higher morale and firepower but have to
cross nothing but open ground. 

I'd be interested in hearing from playtesters and experts how the German
Wins this w/o very lucky dice. 

Sam "not that lucky - or skilled" Belcher