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Michael Dorosh
Canada
Calgary
Alberta
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Originally played in June 2002 or so, the Rumblings of War tournaments were a popular event at the battlefront forum. This was my playthrough of "Tiger Woods" by the "Boots & Tracks" scenario design team as part of the tourney - my opponent was forum poster "Bertram".
A requirement of the tournament was writing a short AAR of each scenario played; this was mine. I concentrated not on giving a detailed history of the scenario, overview of the map etc. because I knew all the others in the tourney would be writing AARs and the people reading this would be familiar with that info. I concentrated instead on describing some of the unusual events and moments of high drama that made the game so much fun.
The gist of the scenario was for the Americans to drive the length of the map and secure a path to the opposite side. I was the attackers while Bertram played the German defenders.
Tiger Woods
Turn 4
My set up for this scenario was designed to be conservative; the 1st platoon on the left would hang back as a reserve, 2 and 3 would leapfrog forward. The first enemy contact came on turn 4, when a half squad/scout moved forward and was spotted by an enemy bunker - about where the cloud of smoke is in the picture below. Luckily the rest of the platoon was up in place, directly in the woods behind him. The enemy bunker caused no casualties.
Turn 5
I decided to pull back the platoon immediately - my overall plan was to contest the near flag only, ignore the far one, and hope to inflict enough casualties that each of us holding a flag would cause the victory to go to the most casualty points inflicted. I ordered my 60mm mortar to fire smoke, and since I received a platoon of Shermans this turn, sent one of them forward to knock out the bunker.
Enemy mortar fire began dropping; one round wounded 2 men from my scout squad, unfortunately, but the others were to the right of the impact zone; I hustled them to the right, into the woods, and let his precious artillery rounds fall without hitting anything.
Turn 6
Mortar bombs continue to fall on nobody, but I get two sound contacts - at least 1 tank on each flank. My 1st platoon is exposed in open ground on the far left, so I decide to move my tanks that way, and hope the right flank can hold on with bazookas and rifle grenades.
It turns out that this scenario lives up to its original name; a Tiger on each flank.
End of Turn 6
Turn 7
Two Shermans are ordered to fire smoke at the gap in the woods on the left flank; the lead Sherman concentrates fire on the bunker, knocking it out after two shots. Picture above shows the situation at the end of Turn 6. Pictures below show the fighting that developed during Turn 7. On the left the Tiger was shrouded in smoke from my Shermans and a 60mm mortar, while on the right, my lead half squad discovered an enemy MG and infantry unit, as well as the Tiger revealing itself. The German squad fired a PF at my troops in the wood to little effect.
Turn 8
Seeing that the Tigers have advanced so far forward, I decide to take a risk with the fast turret traverse and stabilized guns; luckily the left most tank platoon has 76mm guns, and I decide to spread out in case the Tiger comes forward through the smoke. I also decide to play percentages with my infantry, splitting the 1st platoon into half squads and moving them forward. The bazooka stays in place in case he can acquire the Tiger again should he come forward out of the smoke.
On the right, I shift my two infantry platoons to the left, out of LOS of the Tiger, while keeping my bazookaman in place and HIDDEN should the Tiger try to come forward. I would as soon not attract attention to him by making him run from cover. The ploy works, he does not get shot.
Turn 9
The picture below shows the situation 40 seconds into the turn; a frightening moment when the smoke clears and the Tiger is backing up in clear view of two Shermans. No shots have been exchanged yet; the Sherman at right was maneuvering in hopes of getting a flank shot, but my opponent will have none of it. The first platoon moves forward, while the other two platoons hold in place. The middle platoon starts shifting over to the left: my Shermans are operating in deep woods with no infantry support - a large risk, and a large risk also rushing my platoons forward, but the enemy is thin on the ground and meet no resistance in these woods.
The situation on the right does not change, but the Tiger starts to back away, unable to see a target now. An unfortunate circumstance for him.
Turn 10
In my centre, I receive another platoon of tanks and a platoon of infantry which moves forward up the centre, on the left the Tiger continues to back away as does the left side Tiger. My Shemans start firing at infantry rushing forward to the centre objective flag, which I again turn my attention to.
Turn 11
Turn 11 starts with the centre objective flag in my control; conservatively, if I can hold this flag while inflicting more damage on the enemy than he on me, I can win a narrow victory with him still in position of the other flag. The turn begins with several units firing at a very slow HMG unit crossing the open ground.
The turn ends with both Tigers showing their ugly heads, moving towards the centre. My left most platoon has still not moved from its positions. My second Sherman platoon moves up towards the left of the map; if the Tiger decides to be aggressive, I hope to be able to concentrate a lot of firepower at it.
Turn 12
I decide to fan my infantry on the left out; the centre 2nd platoon moves back to the middle, to defend the objective flag, while the left hand, 1st platoon, was in the process of moving through the woods to be sure and clear it of infantry so that my Shermans could hook around to the left, around the woods, and hopefully engage the left side Tiger from the rear. One Sherman was ordered from the centre, to assist the infantry - and in the process found a Tiger in its sights. Luckily, its turret was traversed to the rear already to engage an enemy MG at long range.
....and in a brilliant "over the shoulder" shot while on the move....
...got a first shot frontal kill on the Tiger
Turn 13
The Shermans forge ahead on the left now, willing to risk infantry attack in hopes of getting a flank shot on the now exposed Tiger. The first shot bounces off the turret.
The annoyed Tiger slowly turns to face his attacker....
...but not fast enough, as the Sherman's second shot finishes him off.
The situation at the end of Turn 13 is encouraging - two Tigers killed for a loss of no Shermans.
The narrative can't capture the extreme anxiety felt each turn, not knowing what the Tigers might do or how exposed my Shermans might be; the knockout of the first Tiger was an accident, and by happy coincidence the Sherman's turret was already traversed to the rear when the Tiger was spotted. The second knockout was to be expected to a degree; the slow traverse of the turret was exploited by maneuvering to his flank. Had German infantry in the woods been able to stop the Sherman with PF, however, the story might well have been different.
Turn 14 - 15
Lulled into a sense of false security - aided by my opponents grumbling about it all being over - I moved my forces forward - half squads bounding to the next position of cover with the tanks and infantry MGs in support. One platoon rushed a platoon of Volksgrenadiers and overran them.
Turn 16
Just as the Volksgrenadier platoon is driven away, another Tiger shows up at the far objective flag. It achieves thee seperate hits on two Shermans - without a penetration! My luck is certainly good.
The fourth shot is the charm; my first return shot is no good.
Turn 16
My forward platoon that evicted the Volks platoon is now mortared, and a Tiger picks off another Sherman
To sum up the rest of the game - I was faced with the choice of sitting put on the one flag and leaving the two burning Tigers as mute testimony to my skill, and hope for a minor victory - or to risk everything and move forward on the second flag. I thought it prudent to try and take the second flag; with 5 Shermans left and both flanks to use, I thought it was at least worth trying.
As it turned out, I was able to use the lateral open ground to advantage to bag a third Tiger; the crucial part of the game was the last turn or two when I decided to rush the last flag. The last Tiger knocked out my last 76mm Sherman - had it gone the other way, the game might have been closer, but I would still probably have won at best a draw. Well played by Bertram.
Balance - Depending on the playing styles of the individuals, I would say this was an even matchup, perhaps 55-45 pro German. A wider map might have stopped the Allies from using the map edge as a secure flank, but as it stands, this is a very dynamic little scenario that at first glance the map seems unsuited for, but really isn't.
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Matt Ozzie
United States
Unspecified
Unspecified
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That is a freaking awesome AAR!!
I appreciate the detail and play-by-play. I haven't played this in years, but I am re-loading this back on my computer!
Great job again!
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