Need advice as Axis player in Primosole Bridge Campaign

[Jack Dionne]

Any help as the Axis would be nice. We are starting next week and I want to set up this weekend. We are playing the long one, I think it's #1.
A list of do's and don'ts would be nice. I already know the part about roll low.

[asler]

Any help as the Axis would be nice. We are starting next week and I want to set up this weekend. We are playing the long one, I think it's #1.
A list of do's and don'ts would be nice. I already know the part about roll low.

I just finished this CG. Check out my blog at Primosole Bridge AAR

The last entry has a list of thoughts I had on the game. Briefly, I think the Axis should use at least two of the three attack chits on Day 14. You really want to push the Brit Paras as far off the board as possible so they have no strategic locations north of the river. Then, you essentially play a fighting withdrawal with the British as they re-enter the board.

There are also a couple good rules discussions/interpretations that are scattered around the board here. I don't remember where but check out the rules section and AAR section.

Chris

[Jack Dionne]

Thanks Chris,
Did you get all that Dwayne?

[Paul S NJ]

This is a good CG but a proper axis defense makes it unbalnced IMO. Gary Mei and I played it twice, both times the axis player won handily. For balance just prohibit roadblocks from the hexrow of the bridge and prohibit the germans from buildingenches within 10 hexes of the bridge. Then I think you have an awesome CG.

Axis advice (of playing as is),
Can't do much the first date except make the i-ties and convoy go down swinging.

Buy enough infantry to clear the brits off by nightfall and protect any -2 leaders you get.

I like the mines further than two hexes from all strategic locations so as to not reveal them for free in refit. Riverbank hexes near where the stream is one hex wide are excellent spots.

Once the paras leave, concentrate on building a trench based defense around the bridge. Put several roadblocks across the bridge road. Use ATGs and MG stacks in 'reverse slope' where their LOS covers the area around the bridge/ bridge exit from your side of the river, but they can't be hit by direct MG/tank fire from across the river. Use the trenches as highways for concealed halfnuts (with a leader to pick up any dropped sw) and deliver DC and FT on surviving brits crossing the river.

Defend against but don't worry too much about an infantry crossing elsewhere. The brit advantage is in vehicles and Bombardments. Unsupported infantry can't mkae good use of either of these and the ratio of infantry available is fairly close.

For balance just prevent roadblocks from the hextrow of the bridge and don't permit the germans to build trenches within ten hexes of the bridge. Then I think you have an awesome CG.

YMMV

Paul

[Jack Dionne]

This is a good CG but a proper axis defense makes it unbalnced IMO. Gary Mei and I played it twice, both times the axis player won handily. For balance just prohibit roadblocks from the hexrow of the bridge and prohibit the germans from buildingenches within 10 hexes of the bridge. Then I think you have an awesome CG.
For balance just prevent roadblocks from the hextrow of the bridge and don't permit the germans to build trenches within ten hexes of the bridge. Then I think you have an awesome CG.

YMMV

Paul

Thanks for the advice. Just to re-iterate your thoughts, if the Axis build trenches withing 10 hexes of the bridge and you mention roadblocks two player of equal ability will almost always have an Axis victory.
Does that mean unless there are some official rules changes to the campaign game you probably won't play it?
Thanks for taking the time to post.

[Dwayne Matheson]

Thanks Chris,
Did you get all that Dwayne?

Yes Jack, I am looking in on you!

[Paul S NJ]

Jack,

Yes, not sure if it's ten hexes. I'd say somewhere between 5-10 would be about right.

Having a trench line running to the pillbox and also 4-5 rows of trenches on the other side of the road (behind the first row of olive groves) makes it extremely difficult to attack across the bridge. Even with smoke, OBA, BB and massive MG/tank overwatching fire. It's just too easy for concealed germans in reverse slope (entrenched they are out of los) to run up (staying concealed and not sunbject to FFNAM due tot he trenches) with the plethora of FTs and DCs and hose anything that makes it over. Add in multiple at guns, 4-5 stacks of 36 FP/8 morale/negative leadership also in reverse slope and with excellent mobility due to the trenches and it's very, very tough.

German OBA/FB also makes it pretty tough to make a crossing in force but at least those will eventually fail/disappear.

Watch out for the limitations on the RCL guns. not being emplaced/entrenched makes them pretty worthless in the heavy OBA/BB environment.

Even without trenches and roadblocks it will take a lot of finesse for the brits to win the CG as they have to practically wipe out the germans with only marginally superior numbers (due to the brit inf co purchase limits).

Think it's a great, fun CG with an interesting mix of purchases. Both sides feel pretty desperate, which I think is a good sign of a fun game. I'd give it a go again with the modifications above.

Paul

[asler]

Jack,

German OBA/FB also makes it pretty tough to make a crossing in force but at least those will eventually fail/disappear.

Paul

Note: the German (and British for that matter) FB's can only be bought on July 14 AM/PM date so they really don't have an influence on the British crossing as that first day will essentially be the German counter-attack from the British landings during the night. If you are worried about the German FB's interdicting the limited British reinforcements on July 14 - then tie them up with a dogfight.

Having won as the British but considering what Paul's results were I would hazard to guess that a key element is whether the British can keep a set-up area in the village north of the river. If the British are not forced to withdraw after July14PM and can keep strategic locations in the village during July14N, then I think the British have a very strong position for the remaining CG game - especially if they have not used an attack chit yet. I was able to prevent the forced withdrawal (after 14PM) and keep control of the village through the night after which the Paras withdrew. This allowed me to keep a set-up area in the village and allowed me to purchase an on-board coy of light infantry that could start right in the village on July15AM. This nullifies any chance of the Axis putting road blocks on the road or even a trench line very close to the bridge. Also, since it takes two CG to create a trench line (the first one to buy/dig the foxholes, the second one to convert them to trenches), a decent Brit forces attacking out of the Village on July 15AM can really disrupt an Axis defence that starts too close to British lines.

CG

[Paul S NJ]

Chris,

Your approach points out why the 1st day is so important to the CG. Without the threat of the on-board purchase the whole brit para attack is pretty irrelevant. This makes the german buy infantry (which then goes away), rather than just a bunch of armor/OBA and other things to carry over to the next day.

NRBH but I thought the brit FB was limited to the first day while the german FB came only after the 1st day. Dogfighting is very cool, the furball of various types of air cover is one of my favorite aspects of Onslaught to Orsha.

Paul

[Jack Dionne]

Paul and Chris, this is an interesting discusion.