CS Middle East: The Crossroads (West Bank, 5 June 1967) -- DAR vs Berto --

Started by Crossroads, December 19, 2015, 12:46:37 PM

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Crossroads

IDF End of Turn #12

Quote from: JasonPratt on February 01, 2016, 04:18:07 PM
I've always been a big fan of the full-zoom mode in this series. But I appreciate the many different map modes, too.  :smitten:

Thanks Jason! Here's the turn overview, with a one zoom level lower focus of how's things going. Or not:

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At Jenin, I am bogged down in the face of difficult terrain, intense Jordanian artillery fire, and well dug-in troops. I take one or two hexes this turn, but at terrible cost. No option but to plough forward, while I believe Jordanian reinforcements are starting to arrive.

The 45th Arm'd Bde is paying a high price of their trepidation at the minefield too. Shermans, with a lack of infantry screening in front of them and identifying the Jordanian units, is being knocked out one by one. The tally is 17 burning Shermans vs 10 Pattons. My infantry is arriving in two turns, but I am slowly losing the initiative there too.

The plan was to move with a strong tight formation and to blow anything raising their head as encountered. I have not been able to stick to that plan. Initiative plays such a key role here. Need to think of something, and soon! Oh, but to have a couple of recon Helos buzzing above my forward units...

Having a good time here regardless. I think the best I can do here is a Draw now, and even that will continue to be an uphill battle. Over to Berto! 
Campaign Series Legion | CS: Vietnam 1948-1967 | CS: Middle East 1948-1985

CS: Vietnam DAR: LZ Albany as NVA (South Vietnam 11/17/65)  
CS: Middle East AARs: High Water Mark (Syria 10/12/73) Me vs Berto | Riptide (Libya 8/6/85) Me vs Berto | The Crossroads (West Bank 6/5/67)  Me vs Berto

Boardgame AARs: AH D-Day | MMP PanzerBlitz2 Carentan | OSS Putin's Northern War | GMT Next War: Poland | LnL Against the Odds DIY

Crossroads

 
IDF Turn #13

Quite a busy week behind, but finally had the time to look at the replay of Berto's turn #12 and the damage done. I was quite concerned about the piecemeal fashion I seem to be advancing, fearing if he'd have the strength he could tear one isolated spearhead apart one at a time.

After having watched the replay, bad it was but not quite so bad as I was afraid of:

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Climbing the hills towards Jenin while facing the strong artillery and small unit fire is costing me dear. Meanwhile, seems there's not that many Patton platoons (yet?) hunting on the flank, so maybe I can pull away from the tight space I am forced into as it is. The previous turn saw me dropping down a further 38 points to the red.

Me, worry? No, forward it is. Here's the plan of it, anyway:


  • Red arrows mark the direction to flank Jenin. I will make a couple of Coys available from 45th Armored to assist the hard pressed 9th Infantry facing the grunt of the fighting there
  • Yellow arrow mark the direction I am hopefully soon able to break out towards the Crossroads.
  • once there, I can hopefully finish off the remnants of Jordanian forces in the pocket, and claw back on points.
Campaign Series Legion | CS: Vietnam 1948-1967 | CS: Middle East 1948-1985

CS: Vietnam DAR: LZ Albany as NVA (South Vietnam 11/17/65)  
CS: Middle East AARs: High Water Mark (Syria 10/12/73) Me vs Berto | Riptide (Libya 8/6/85) Me vs Berto | The Crossroads (West Bank 6/5/67)  Me vs Berto

Boardgame AARs: AH D-Day | MMP PanzerBlitz2 Carentan | OSS Putin's Northern War | GMT Next War: Poland | LnL Against the Odds DIY

Crossroads

IDF Turn #13 - Kafr Dan

At Kafr Dan I am trying to keep up with the retreating Jordanians. I might need to give it up. Given the terrain lush with vegetation, it is stepping from one ambush to another one...

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Campaign Series Legion | CS: Vietnam 1948-1967 | CS: Middle East 1948-1985

CS: Vietnam DAR: LZ Albany as NVA (South Vietnam 11/17/65)  
CS: Middle East AARs: High Water Mark (Syria 10/12/73) Me vs Berto | Riptide (Libya 8/6/85) Me vs Berto | The Crossroads (West Bank 6/5/67)  Me vs Berto

Boardgame AARs: AH D-Day | MMP PanzerBlitz2 Carentan | OSS Putin's Northern War | GMT Next War: Poland | LnL Against the Odds DIY

Crossroads

IDF Turn # 13 - Jenin

At Jenin it is not going much better. I failed to take one single hex here. I now have my tanks in close support here, so hopefully can make a few determined assaults come the next few turns.

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Campaign Series Legion | CS: Vietnam 1948-1967 | CS: Middle East 1948-1985

CS: Vietnam DAR: LZ Albany as NVA (South Vietnam 11/17/65)  
CS: Middle East AARs: High Water Mark (Syria 10/12/73) Me vs Berto | Riptide (Libya 8/6/85) Me vs Berto | The Crossroads (West Bank 6/5/67)  Me vs Berto

Boardgame AARs: AH D-Day | MMP PanzerBlitz2 Carentan | OSS Putin's Northern War | GMT Next War: Poland | LnL Against the Odds DIY

Crossroads

IDF Turn #13 - 45th Armored

Having disembarked some of the infantry, I now have some recon assets finally in place. Advancing up the hill I am able to destroy the three (I think) Patton troops I encountered there. Minefields finally cleared, my Engineers come forward, but importantly so does my Mech Infantry, finally able to use their speed to advance towards the tankers, desperately in need for infantry in close support.

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So here we stand. Counting tank losses, I am now down to 20 knocked out Shermans, but there's 15 burning Pattons here now as well. Not too bad, given how outdated the Shermans were towards their more modern counterparts. Three lost M51s versus five Patton kills this turn.  :knuppel2:

I am paying a terrible price at Jenin, with number of infantry lost. Jordanians are losing men too, so I will need to keep the pressure on.

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And here's the Victory Dialog. Clawed back somewhat, but Jordanian turn 13# is to to follow, let us see how it stands out then.

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Over to Berto!
Campaign Series Legion | CS: Vietnam 1948-1967 | CS: Middle East 1948-1985

CS: Vietnam DAR: LZ Albany as NVA (South Vietnam 11/17/65)  
CS: Middle East AARs: High Water Mark (Syria 10/12/73) Me vs Berto | Riptide (Libya 8/6/85) Me vs Berto | The Crossroads (West Bank 6/5/67)  Me vs Berto

Boardgame AARs: AH D-Day | MMP PanzerBlitz2 Carentan | OSS Putin's Northern War | GMT Next War: Poland | LnL Against the Odds DIY

Crossroads

IDF Turn #14 - Kafr Dan

In this rather long 45 turn scenario events are steadily picking up phase. Not so at Kafr Dan though, where the Jordanians have pretty much vanished to hills and my Coy Task Force is regrouping to serve as some sort of an emergency rear area reserve, should Berto pull a suprise move to the area with his light mobile assets. Which I am sure he will  ;)

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With my 60mm mortar team I am wishing the vanishing Jordanian forces a fast retreat out of the area.
Campaign Series Legion | CS: Vietnam 1948-1967 | CS: Middle East 1948-1985

CS: Vietnam DAR: LZ Albany as NVA (South Vietnam 11/17/65)  
CS: Middle East AARs: High Water Mark (Syria 10/12/73) Me vs Berto | Riptide (Libya 8/6/85) Me vs Berto | The Crossroads (West Bank 6/5/67)  Me vs Berto

Boardgame AARs: AH D-Day | MMP PanzerBlitz2 Carentan | OSS Putin's Northern War | GMT Next War: Poland | LnL Against the Odds DIY

Crossroads

IDF Turn #14 - Jenin

The fierce battle at Jenin continues to heat up. Turn by turn, I manage to push further inside the city, but with a price. Turn 14 sees a key Pillbox next to the objectives fall to my brave infantry. As the Jordanians show no intent to retreating, I am hoping I can completely surround the area and pick up on the victory point deficit by slowly killing or capturing their full force here. There's more bunkers and improved positions than Jordanian defenders here, while my troops continue to jump from one such entrenched area to next one, avoiding the clear hexes for the strong Jordanian small arms and artillery fire.

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The fat lady has anything but sung here yet, though.
Campaign Series Legion | CS: Vietnam 1948-1967 | CS: Middle East 1948-1985

CS: Vietnam DAR: LZ Albany as NVA (South Vietnam 11/17/65)  
CS: Middle East AARs: High Water Mark (Syria 10/12/73) Me vs Berto | Riptide (Libya 8/6/85) Me vs Berto | The Crossroads (West Bank 6/5/67)  Me vs Berto

Boardgame AARs: AH D-Day | MMP PanzerBlitz2 Carentan | OSS Putin's Northern War | GMT Next War: Poland | LnL Against the Odds DIY

Crossroads

IDF Turn #14 - the 45th

Small pockets of Jordanians continue to pop up here and there among the steep hills where my Mech Bde is attempting to break through. It is looking more positive, but then again the visibility here is such I have no idea of Jordanian troops or even reinforcements in the area. I continue to pay for my slow advance through the minefields, but at least I am slowly being able to maneuver into proper positions here as well.

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Using the 2D Normal view I can actually see the lower part of the mapboard for the first time without reverting to zoom-out views. Yay for that!
Campaign Series Legion | CS: Vietnam 1948-1967 | CS: Middle East 1948-1985

CS: Vietnam DAR: LZ Albany as NVA (South Vietnam 11/17/65)  
CS: Middle East AARs: High Water Mark (Syria 10/12/73) Me vs Berto | Riptide (Libya 8/6/85) Me vs Berto | The Crossroads (West Bank 6/5/67)  Me vs Berto

Boardgame AARs: AH D-Day | MMP PanzerBlitz2 Carentan | OSS Putin's Northern War | GMT Next War: Poland | LnL Against the Odds DIY

Crossroads

IDF End of Turn #14

Pointswise this continues to be a grim story. The plan continues to be to hope for an encirclement of Jenin in a manner I can catch as many Jordanian units as possible, kicked out from their entrenchments into the open. Early days still, this will certainly continue to be a tough battle for those in the blue here.

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And over to Berto!
Campaign Series Legion | CS: Vietnam 1948-1967 | CS: Middle East 1948-1985

CS: Vietnam DAR: LZ Albany as NVA (South Vietnam 11/17/65)  
CS: Middle East AARs: High Water Mark (Syria 10/12/73) Me vs Berto | Riptide (Libya 8/6/85) Me vs Berto | The Crossroads (West Bank 6/5/67)  Me vs Berto

Boardgame AARs: AH D-Day | MMP PanzerBlitz2 Carentan | OSS Putin's Northern War | GMT Next War: Poland | LnL Against the Odds DIY

Crossroads

IDF Into Turn #15 (Night)

Having returned from a business travel there it is, the next turn from Berto at my mailbox.

Time to fall back. Jenin is yours for the taking., it reads. Oh oh.

Quote from: Crossroads on February 21, 2016, 06:04:24 AM
Pointswise this continues to be a grim story. The plan continues to be to hope for an encirclement of Jenin in a manner I can catch as many Jordanian units as possible, kicked out from their entrenchments into the open. Early days still, this will certainly continue to be a tough battle for those in the blue here.

So much for the Jordanian forces allowing them to get isolated, instead they're retreating in good order. Dang  :tickedoff:

Turn #15 introduces the switch to night time rules, so what better time for the hostiles to disappear into night than, well, night?

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Come night, the terrain tiles switch to darker ones as well, as gunfight continues in the dark.
Campaign Series Legion | CS: Vietnam 1948-1967 | CS: Middle East 1948-1985

CS: Vietnam DAR: LZ Albany as NVA (South Vietnam 11/17/65)  
CS: Middle East AARs: High Water Mark (Syria 10/12/73) Me vs Berto | Riptide (Libya 8/6/85) Me vs Berto | The Crossroads (West Bank 6/5/67)  Me vs Berto

Boardgame AARs: AH D-Day | MMP PanzerBlitz2 Carentan | OSS Putin's Northern War | GMT Next War: Poland | LnL Against the Odds DIY

Crossroads

IDF End of Turn #15

An orderly retreat is always a difficult thing to pull out, so hopefully I can close in at them before they manage to pull back to their next entrenched defensive positions. Playing this blind, and without any air recon assets, I of course have no idea if and where that might exist...

[spoiler]
[/spoiler]
Campaign Series Legion | CS: Vietnam 1948-1967 | CS: Middle East 1948-1985

CS: Vietnam DAR: LZ Albany as NVA (South Vietnam 11/17/65)  
CS: Middle East AARs: High Water Mark (Syria 10/12/73) Me vs Berto | Riptide (Libya 8/6/85) Me vs Berto | The Crossroads (West Bank 6/5/67)  Me vs Berto

Boardgame AARs: AH D-Day | MMP PanzerBlitz2 Carentan | OSS Putin's Northern War | GMT Next War: Poland | LnL Against the Odds DIY

Crossroads

IDF Status End of Turn #15

So lesse here then. With the capture of the first 150VP Objective (that has a Bunker in it), I am running with a positive point tally for the first time here. And since they are running away (retreat they say), I am in no rush jumping into open to capture the other 150VP hex, I am sure both of them are plotted for heavy artillery.

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Strength wise my 9th Inf Bde is paying dearly for their achievements, while the 45th Armd Bde is continuing its flanking move in a slow terrain with less infantry casualties but with 22 Sherman M51s knocked out against 15 Jordanian Pattons brewing up there.

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Tough battle, this.
Campaign Series Legion | CS: Vietnam 1948-1967 | CS: Middle East 1948-1985

CS: Vietnam DAR: LZ Albany as NVA (South Vietnam 11/17/65)  
CS: Middle East AARs: High Water Mark (Syria 10/12/73) Me vs Berto | Riptide (Libya 8/6/85) Me vs Berto | The Crossroads (West Bank 6/5/67)  Me vs Berto

Boardgame AARs: AH D-Day | MMP PanzerBlitz2 Carentan | OSS Putin's Northern War | GMT Next War: Poland | LnL Against the Odds DIY

Crossroads

IDF Turn #16 (Night)

Quote from: Crossroads on March 02, 2016, 01:24:48 PM
Tough battle, this.

Had a bit of a struggle with Real Life, hate it when it happens it takes over the more important aspects of life like wargaming  :tickedoff:

Regardless, here we go!

Been a bit of a tough ride to my Israelis so far, which was not helped my two battle groups getting out of sync with each other. As the night turns continue, all the hard work is slowly paying off, as Jordanian forces retreat from Jenin. Quite in an ordered fashion, too. I am happy to march on, and definitively would like to have a couple of turns to rearrange my forces.

Here's how the beginning of turn looks like, after having watched the replay and observed the friendly artillery phase:
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There was a couple of Jordanian Patton troops loitering around, the other one stopping still within my LOS. See if I can make a dent to their armor.
Campaign Series Legion | CS: Vietnam 1948-1967 | CS: Middle East 1948-1985

CS: Vietnam DAR: LZ Albany as NVA (South Vietnam 11/17/65)  
CS: Middle East AARs: High Water Mark (Syria 10/12/73) Me vs Berto | Riptide (Libya 8/6/85) Me vs Berto | The Crossroads (West Bank 6/5/67)  Me vs Berto

Boardgame AARs: AH D-Day | MMP PanzerBlitz2 Carentan | OSS Putin's Northern War | GMT Next War: Poland | LnL Against the Odds DIY

Crossroads

IDF Turn #16

Quote from: Crossroads on March 29, 2016, 12:13:47 PM
There was a couple of Jordanian Patton troops loitering around, the other one stopping still within my LOS. See if I can make a dent to their armor.

Here's the situation on my right flank. Having danced around in the dark, I manage to knock out one Patton off the platoon I spotted earlier. I bumped into another two Pattons in the dark as well, and in the midst of the confusion I am not sure if I managed to knock them out, or if they just retreated into the night. will need to check the Strenght Dialog at the end of the play before accepting any bold kill claims from my tankers!

[spoiler]
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Muzzle flashes mark the areas the tanks fired rounds at each other. That is a new wreck marker too, I believe!
Campaign Series Legion | CS: Vietnam 1948-1967 | CS: Middle East 1948-1985

CS: Vietnam DAR: LZ Albany as NVA (South Vietnam 11/17/65)  
CS: Middle East AARs: High Water Mark (Syria 10/12/73) Me vs Berto | Riptide (Libya 8/6/85) Me vs Berto | The Crossroads (West Bank 6/5/67)  Me vs Berto

Boardgame AARs: AH D-Day | MMP PanzerBlitz2 Carentan | OSS Putin's Northern War | GMT Next War: Poland | LnL Against the Odds DIY

Crossroads

IDF Turn #16 - Kafr Dan

At Kafr Dan I order my troops back to garrison the town. There's a long flank there to keep an eye on for any units Berto no doubt has sent sneaking around there... No hostiles in sight, I order a couple of random fire missions to shoo them off for good! I mean, what's the point of carrying those mortars with you if you're not going to use them?  :knuppel2:

[spoiler]
[/spoiler]
Campaign Series Legion | CS: Vietnam 1948-1967 | CS: Middle East 1948-1985

CS: Vietnam DAR: LZ Albany as NVA (South Vietnam 11/17/65)  
CS: Middle East AARs: High Water Mark (Syria 10/12/73) Me vs Berto | Riptide (Libya 8/6/85) Me vs Berto | The Crossroads (West Bank 6/5/67)  Me vs Berto

Boardgame AARs: AH D-Day | MMP PanzerBlitz2 Carentan | OSS Putin's Northern War | GMT Next War: Poland | LnL Against the Odds DIY