Wild
West Fest X 2004
Through a suspect but lucky chain of coincidents
I was able to come and play at this tournament in Portland, Oregon.
There are some pictures are here.
Pregame:
RPII #5 Brandenburger Bridge
Setting a new record I
had a game going with Bruce Billet within 5 mins of arriving. Browsing
through scenarios the choice fell on Rout Pak II #5, Brandenburger
Bridge, and the dice gave me the Russians. The Germans were set up
relatively close to the bridge. Things were going quite well; the
German reinforcement were hold up pretty good with two AFV's lost to
the 45L AT and a Truck going down with the passengers. On the other
side the OBA arrived as soon as possible, but in spite of two
consequtive missions only eliminated the Hero. The Russian medals on
this side went to a LtMtr who eliminated three MMC by scoring CH's on
them in Foxeholse. The first wave of Russian reinforcements entered
and moved up to the bridge. Unfortunately they had entered on the
wrong board (oops) which niether of us detected. After one more turn
we paused for the night. Next morning Bruce had discovered the entry error
so the game was his and we played on for the fun of. In the end the
Russians prevailed. Good game with intresting events (one escaped
prisoner HS who picked up a DC).
Round 1:
WCW 7 Eye of the Tiger
First game of the tourney was with Rob Robertson.
Rolling dice for sides I got the Germans in WCW 7 Eye of the Tiger.
Rob set up most of his units on board #42 with some outposts. The
pre-registred rocket OBA arrived and and killed but a squad. All my armor
drove up agressively on the right flank and the Russians AFV entering
in their turn could not drive up to the Wall on the (non-) hill on #42 as this was
within reach of the Rocket OBA. I took a chance to correct the OBA toland on
three of his stacks but lost it to a red chit. My AFV's moved up to engage
the Russian ones and when not malfing the main armanents on boxcars (three of them,
including the Tiger) they hit Russian turrets. Some
maneouvering opened up the middle and a PSW 234 and PzIV got around
on the right flank to chase away the defending infantry there. The Germans managed to get the VC's on the last turn.Very
exiting game with some weird dice rolls! (1-0)
Round 2:
HS32 - A Few Rounds
Next round I had the pleasure to play
Sam Belcher. After a short scenario selection phase we ended up with
HS32 – A Few rounds. The dice gods smiled and I got the Germans
with their three (!) SturmTigers. I just love these and playing the
scenario did not change that one bit. Sam spent the evening setting
up so we could start right away on Saturday morning. Critical to this
scenario is the placement of the British 17 pdr AT gun which is the
sole AT weapon beyond PIAT range. This went into the brush on the
British left flank. The defending infantry set up to hit the Germans
trying to cross the Open Ground with some back in the Buildings.
While entering I spread out the SturmTigers to prevent running all of
them into the HIP 17 pdr. The infantry started carefully with a
handfull of colunteer HS's storming out over the OG, one of whom was
eliminated (I think) by Def fire. In his turn Sam decided to hold on
to the positions for one more turn, which were to prove costly as the
SturmTigers proceeded to prove that all tank Aces were not gone and
eliminated 5 squads and two leaders in 5 subsequent attacks! A KIA2 killed a
458, a KIA3 killed the 9-1, 458/MMG, next was a KIA3 for the 8-1 + 458/LMG, finally
two KIA2's for a 458/LMG and a 458! The first shot missing was on turn 4.
The remaning Brits (Squad + HS) had been pressed back in the Building
around the Ammunition Dump. The AT gun was revealed and managed to
killl two the SturmTigers before engaging in CC with a leader sent
their way to distract them. Final justice was made when the last
SturmTiger fired into the ammo dump and rolled boxcars... However,
the German infantry force was still mostly intact with two turns to
go so Sam decided it was time to throw in the towel. It was weird how
well the 380 mm rockets were hitting time after time just plucking
pieces of the board. Next time either of us play this one I am sure
it will play differently. Very nice and enjoyable play! (2-0)
Round 3:
HS 21 Hervorst Hell
Bill Hayward, being off from his night
desk management at ASLOK, was next. We selected HS 21 – Hervorst
Hell, another scenario with funky toys. I got the Brits with two
AVRE's, two Crocs and two Churchills and a nice Infantry support led
by a 9-2, or rather missled as it turned out. Countering this the
Germans have two 150 mm Art Guns each in a Bunker. Add one initial
mission of Rocket OBA and a 80 mm Mortar plus assorted late war
squads and some wire and AT Ditches to go with that. Bill set up
Bunkers in rear and closed of the British right flank with the
AT-Ditches along the woods. The wires were setup as a second line
behind the woods with one opening for his units to fall back through.
I put a the M3 halftrack, a Croc and an AVRE on my right and the rest
of the vehicles on the left side. The AVRE there was carrying
fascines – I just had to try that out! The infantry was able to
move up to the woods with little losses, a HS was removed from the
board. In his defensive fire the Rocket OBA did of course landed on
my 9-2 in the open, but just breaking him. Since he was surrounded by FFE
hexes he couldn't rout and was hit a seconds time, but survived with
the 458/MMG (both broken though). The Brits continued to press on and
Wild Bills' germans fell back as the second German OBA came onboard
closing the gap in the middle just on the intersection of the three
roads. One Croc decided to move through it (I mean it was just a
little OBA) to take out the Radio Observer, got hit by it and was
immobilized. The crew bailed and was KIA'ed. Ugh. The AVRE loaded his
fascine into an AT-Ditch allowing two Churchills to roll over it –
fascinating! :-) On the right side the second Croc decided to go
through the Woods as it would take forever to go around with 7 MP and
did not even Bog in the attempt. Well, when through the Woods the
Croc FT rolled boxcars on the first shoot ... The AVRE followed on
the trail and the Germans were pushed back again. The 9-2 had
recovered with the squad and moved up to the woods, got caught in the
seconds OBA as Bill adjusted it. Mr. 9-2 broke again. I captured two
buildings and got on top of the first bunker killing the crew in CC.
But it started to get critical, two multihexbuildings were still
needed. Rushing to get the rear one the croc moved to it, parked in
bypass with the plan to be abandoned in the last turn. A PF hit from
two hexes away changed that. I just barely got a leader to the upper
level to stop a broken German unit from routing upstairs and the 9-2
recovered in time to run past german defences and forcing the broken
guy to rout away from the Building. This was a really kewl scenario
with great replay value and we both had a blast. 3-0
Round 4:
FF10 Blackjack is Back!
Yehaw! Playing Robert Wolkey in the final. Another
name I knew from the mailinglists, and in an what to proved to be a very
exiting and fun game. I got the Americans. The
German needs to stop the Americans from getting 30 CVP, including
exit VP on three different roads. To do this Rob had two Panthers, a
StuG, 3 x 658's and handfull of 447's plus SW's. One HIP MMC + SW.
The Americans had 667's, one Pershing (with 9-1 AL), two M3A4 76(W)'s
and two standard Shermans. The right flank looked better with less
open terrain and less populated by Germans so the majority of my
Units entered there with a small holding force in the middle to slow
the Germans coming from the other halfboard down a little. Rob put
the StuG in the middle and one panther on each flank (the right one
behind a wall in the graveyard). After my first move the HIP guy –
a HS/PSK – popped up upstairs and point blank to the side of the
Pershing but unbelievable misses. The M26 turns its turret and breaks
the HS with a MA hit. Phew. The HIP had two more AFV's in range and
getting 1+ of these would almost certainly have cost me the game
right there. As it were my 9-1, 667/Baz, 667/MMG rushed up the right
flank and by getting CX passed the middle road now being behind the
German defence line. Having smoked the the defenders in the central
building next to graveyard I moved to get in there but was thrown
back and the Germans later reinforced it. In the second turn my AFV's
started aggressively with one 76(W) moving for a BFF shot at the
leftside Panther, rolling snakes to for a CH and killing it.
Encouraged by this the 9-1, 667/Baz put themselves two hexes awy from
the graveyard Panther for a side shot on the turret, and to keep the
Panther from looking their way the M26 moved up to two hexes away on
the other side of the Wall, stayed in motion (Gyro equipped is
nice!), the panther fired and missed, M26 fires back but hits the
wall, intensive fires and hits the wall again. In AFPh the 9-1
directs the Baz, but it also hits the wall. In his turn the Panther
hits the M26 and IIRC the first hit bounces and a subsequent IF shot
kills it. The StuG moves up to protect the other side of the
graveyard and aims for the Sherman behind the now burning M26, but do
not hit. A 76(W) rolls a boxcar on an IF and is recalled immediately.
The other Sherman also malfed its MA. Things did not look well, I was
far behind in the CVP race. In addition to the dead Panther I had
managed to capture 1.5 squads, but that was all. Rob moved to
consolidate the graveyard and building area. I sent the left side
76(W) & Sherman moved to attack the StuG from behind, as well as
a 667/Baz having a clear shot on the side. All three missed, and the
StuG killed the Sherman before being killed by the 76(W) in its turn.
The Panther killed the Sherman with the malfed MA, and my prisoner HS
could escape as the guards broke. I tried to collect them again with
a leader and a squad but the squad, broke and I had to select between
routing the Wounded leader with it or trying to eliminate the HS by
throwing a DC, chosing the later and missing. My remaining AFV, the
76(W) on the left flank, moved into the graveyard, stopped and rolled
TH on the Panther, missing. The following IF shot hit on 3 and and
needing 3 for effect rolled snakes to kill it. Calculating CVP's I
needed four more for the thirty, which was exactlty the 9-1, and
667/MMG on level 1 in a Stone Building two hexes from the well
cowered exit. Rob wanting to make sure this was impossible advanced a
leader and 658 in under it on level 0. They fired and broke both of
them, giving me a chance to capture them for the required CVP. In my
final turn the previousl broken 667 failed an unmodified non-DM
Self-Rally and as the 9-1, 667/MMG moved up to corner the broken
Germans the 667 was broken on a NMC thus making it impossible to
corner the broken guys. Very well played game by Rob and an earned
victory for him!
Thanks to Keith, Clayton & Bruce for
a very enjoyable tournament! To others: go there if you have a chance and enjoy
some nice games and players!