FrF25 Yasouko's Tank Experience

[Houlie]

Finished FrF25 Yasouko's Tank Experience last evening as the dune defending Russians beach bums against Dave Reenstra's Jimi Hendrix Japanese Tank Experience sporting ten clinkity-clankity tin cans and 11x447 squads. The Russians have about 9x447; 3xT26 and 2xBA6 ACs. This plays on three desert boards and some overlays with a hammada = brush. This is a fast playing game that (amazingly) came down to the last half turn's adv fire phase. VC is no unbroken Russian MMC on the dune. I have never played desert before, so I knew this would be interesting.

First inning through the seventh inning stretch
The Japanese come on and lose two tanks on their left flank to the 37L. This proves key as the attack develops the rest of the game. Another helpful development was the 37L going on a rate and CH tear that whittles away a 447/9-0 leader. A key Russian loss is a 447/426 for FTR/NQ. A lesson learned of the desert boards - much more challenging to rout.

We spend a couple turns trading long range armor shots with the Russians taking out five more tanks (one to SMT stun=recall) to the loss of one BA6 AC. Two shocked Russian tanks recover their next rally phase.

Final innings
Both Dave and I thought the Russians had a lock on this on 2/3 into it, but an incredibly grizzly T4 Japanese DFire saw one of his lumbering Type 89 ChiRo tanks (ChiRo = Death Dealer) whack three Russian T26 tanks..."hit, rate, kill; hit, rate, kill; hit, burn": The Schrapnelator, Nitro and Caged Heat we no more. The Boys on the Dune were wide eyed at this spectacle of destruction. The Boys turn to take the weaselly 2 flats from an adjacent 237 grasshopper. NMC -- BREAK. Another 2 flatish shot on the dune - NMC -- BREAK. In approximately 5 minutes and 33 seconds, I was in a world of hurt and was dreading the status report I would have to give back at HQ. Heading into the last half turn, I had only three 447s, an 8-0 and 10-0 famous commissar Chukov Norrissovsky with enough Japanese assets to get me into CC. One 447/10-0 were concealed in scrub.

The Japanese final turn has Dave doing all the right stuff. Two 237s get a result on my 447/LMG/8-0. Leader breaks, 447 passes but pins on the LLTC. His three remaining tanks all pass their non-platoon TC and two get adjacent to the three remaining squads. These two are ESB-immobilized in their attempt to enter my hexes. Whew. But don't break out the Stolli yet. A few BFF PBF shots from the tanks. Fortunately for the defenders, they are unable to get a result. In my DFire my pinned 447/LMG roll a PTC on the 2x237s and they both pin. A key result as they are now unable to entered into CC. The advfire shots from the infantry do not get a result. With the inability to enter into CC on the left, the Russians gain a narrow win.

We both agreed this was a fun scenario and a nice change of pace from traditional terrain. We agree with only 4.5 turns the Japanese must play very assertively and pressure from all sides especially interdicting the Russian troops set up on the "other" sand dune. This is where the loss of the tanks on the Japanese left really hurt. I wouldn't mind trying this as the Japanese. Thanks to Dave for his typical solid game.

[dreenstra]

I think there are a few things the Japanese *must* do to have a shot in this one:

1) Drive your armor to the north and south ends of the VC sand overlay to get out of LOS of the likely Russian 45L ATG locations. Don't stop until your tanks reach these positions.
2) Use two tanks (maybe three) swinging around the south side of the sand overlay to interdict the Russian infantry coming from the south (or at least force them into the Wadi).
3) Take most of your initial infantry to the south end of the VC sand overlay, rely on the later reinforcements to apply pressure to the north end.
4) Preserve your leaders for the late game Banzai. With only two leaders for the Japs and all the OG, this is a bit tough.
5) Pray for some lousy rate rolls by the 45L ATG and the MMG to malf.

I tried to keep the armor and infantry together using AA to provide some cover, which was mistake one. Foolishly stopping my armor prior to reaching the flanks of the sand overlay was mistake number two and probably cost me the game. You might get away with one mistake when playing Houlie; the second mistake was one too many.

Thanks again for the game, Craig.

[Houlie]

Dave's points are spot on. Despite some tough luck early on the Japanese left, Dave played his typical tough game and it turned out to be pretty close at the end. I may actually put this on the replay list switching sides.

I'd chalk this one up as a good tourney scenario that plays fast. A nice change of pace from the usual east/west front fare.

[Phil_Draper]

Getting ready to play this in a friendly, did Vehicle Dust have any impact on your game?

Phil

[Houlie]

Hmm...we didn't play it with dust. We might have goofed that up(?).

[Ronnblom]

I remember using the vehicular dust for hiding my vehicles and protecting the infantry's approach. I found it very useful.

[Houlie]

Well, we obviously hosed that up. We must've thought it was "non-desert" for some reason, i.e. steppe terrain or something.

[Houlie]

Well, we obviously goofed that up. We must have thought it was "non-desert" for some reason, i.e. steppe terrain or something.

[dreenstra]

Yup, definitely a boneheaded play on our part, the conditions are there for Vehicle Dust to exist (EC are Dry and at least one desert board is used). Like Craig, I guess I was thinking Steppe Terrain or that there needed to be an SSR for at least Light Dust in order for Vehicle Dust to exist.

That would make it a lot easier to get the infantry to the Dunes.

I want a REMATCH, Houlie!

Dave

[Phil_Draper]

My work here is done.