The Mighty Endeavor September 1-10, 1944

Sept 1-10, 1944 Turn 9   

Allies - Crossed the Siene by destroying a small training unit. Taking town of Rouen. 9th SS Armored Division destroyed (D3R3 Result)

Made a lot of progress to the East. Approaching Troyes, Shalon-s-Saone and Dijon.

I want the units near Shalon-s-Saone to move to the East to block supply for the units down South.

Down South the attack went … “south” and resulted in an A2 result. 1 Airborne Task Force destroyed. Aaaargh. This is going  to be a tough nut to crack.

Germans

2SS Armored rebuilt and sent to Paris. This will probably be the last turn i can use Paris to place replacements.

Movement, I fell back out of Paris. Let them have it. Otherwise I risk losing 3-4 units. I’m reinforcing LeHavre just to attempt to keep a port of their hands longer.

In the South, I’ve set up a 4 hex wide defensive line that will slow them down a bit.

The Mighty Endeavor August 1-10, 1944 AAR

August 1-10, 1944 Turn 6

Port of Lorient taken on the peninsula. Troops outside of Brest threaten the town for the next turn.

Rennes taken as well. St Brieue and Lannion also taken.

As allies I wonder how to keep the lines intact and the best way to split forces.

Looked at some books and maps for ideas. It looks like we’re ahead of schedule. Except for the attack in the South. I think I’ll attack two beaches in the South and one more up North to get more units and supply up there.

Need the citation for this map

I like the idea of using the Loire as a division line or extent of operations to set up a defensive line. In addition, I’ll use te Loire to point me in the general direction of of Troyes, Langres, Belfort to the Rhine. I’ll need to launch a Southern attack to draw some German defenders and to get more supply.

Need the citation for this map

Speaking of that - all my beach ports are gone next turn. Lorient comes into effect on Turn 11.

Anthony Beevor DDAY inside book cover.

Germans are looking at the Seine as the next line of defense. They’ll use the river that is 2 hexes to the West as the first line and then back up slowly. I’m a little more curious how to handle the big open spaces to the south between the St Nazaire and Orleans.

The allies will need to worry about supply in that part of France.

Brest defenses are OOS, but since it’s a fort, they won’t need to surrender the next turn.

The Mighty Endeavor July 21-31, 1944 AAR

July 21-31, 1944 Turn 5

Brits destroy 2SS. Caen taken back. 12SS Destroyed. 17SS destroyed. (German now rethinking strategy a bit. Kev, please send the book to Todd Reed 73….) 77 Inf Div destroyed.

Ami side of things: US 3rd Armored reduced and 28th Inf Div destroyed in failed attack against the stubborn 158 Inf Reserve Division. (Rolled 2 on a 6:1 attack - that’s an A2 result.) But fortunately the 353 Inf Division wasn’t so stubborn and went down south of Avaranches.

During exploitation, the Amis go after the 158 Inf Reserves and at 4:1 get an A2 D1 result, so 4th Armored is destroyed and they only lose a step. Wow.

Germans move back in the Commonwealth sector to the river just to the “West” of the Seine. 3 Pz SS divisions. There are a few infantry divisions coming up to slow them down a bit, but it will be just a bit. The Brest Peninsula is pretty barren as well.

Fascinating game. I’m usually quite good on defense. I’m not so good here as the Germans.

The Mighty Endeavor 2 July 11-20, 1944 AAR

July 11-20, 1944 - Turn 4

To make up for a missed move in turn 3, I moved that Lehr division and the 116 Arm Div into that 28.05 hole (I forgot to exploit.)Also moved 2SS up a hex.

Brits destroy 12SS, freeing up the Beaches a bit. Caen taken.

2 Canadian Armored in an expoitation is taken out by the 711 infantry div (who are also gone) but that’s a huge loss for what I got out of it.

Avaranches is taken.

2SS and 17SS are close to being surrounded.

Brits isolated units after an overrun in 28.08 and then suffered a D1r1 result. I took the loss to 11th Arm as a step and then eliminated them to ignore retreat result.

Need to figure out the supply and attack supply rules, this will come into play now. Just like in real life, supply will begin to be a stretch for the allies as they break out. Nicely modelled.

Basically Germans moved others into position to slow down the Amis from getting over to Brest and opening up another port too quickly...if that’s their plan... (which it is.)

Can’t decide as German if it’s best to slow down Allies by sacrificing Armor or if I should be pulling back. I’m thinking it’s best to battle them in the bocage. This may really hurt me.

Play note: this is tough playing such a strategic game solo. I’ve come up with plans generally what I’m trying to achieve like the Germans slowing them down in the bocage. However, as the battle spreads out now, I’ll need to make more complicated strategic decisions. For example, I’ve brought up the German 11th Arm from the south (based on a die roll) to slow down the Amis. When I came to a crossroads I rolled 2d6 comparing rolls and if the colored was higher they would protect the Brest side of things. Otherwise I would’ve taken them up toward Avaranches.

When it came to deciding if I would pull them up from the South, I decided it would happen on a roll of 5 or 6. It did and I moved them up.

SCS The Mighty Endeavor 2nd ED Western Campaign

Started my first game of MMP/The Gamers' SCS game, The Mighty Endeavor, 2ed, 5.1 Western Scenario.

June 6-15th Allied turn

Holy guaco, both US airborne divisions are gone. However, they did reduce the one lone German Beach division and then a small group in the bocage.

The US then took out the German resistance and took both beaches.

The CW forces landed SE of Caen and were able to take out the small garrison force and now hold Caen. The CW landing troops had no resistance.

In the follow on turn, the Allies brought out no trucks.

The beaches have a limit on the number of troops available to land on the beach and then have a larger number for the Shipping Phase (in this case 4) later on in the turn. Normally, only 1 unit is allowed to use a beach port. Now all three beaches have 6 units on them. At the end of their next movement phase, they need to insure they don't have stacking issues.

Middle of Turn 1 June 6-15, 1944:

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Bastogne Battle for Neffe, Mageret and Longvilly Dec 18 AAR

SCS Bastogne Scenario 5.2

Germans need to take the towns of Neffe, Mageret, and Longvilly in 3 turns. Plan is take the KG 902 Division
from Niederwampach to attempt a capture of both Mageret adn Neffe in Turn 1 before the airborne troops enter
in turn 2. The 77/26 VG will follow them to hold those towns as the KG will need to be used to take Longvilly in turns 2
and 3. 78/26 VG will hit Longvilly, mainly to threaten the town. I don't think they have what it takes to overwhelm the forces there.

Turn 1 18 Dec 1944
Germans - Success! Neffe and Mageret taken in turn 1. Wall of KG await the Airborne. During Expoitation, 7/130/902 was able to
begin whittling down the outer Western defenses of Longvilly. However, the 26VG attack to the North of Longvilly saw defeat as US
Arty did it's job of taking out a SMG Co. The rest of VG stayed a hex away to keep from getting barraged. Attacking will be tough
because you can only have 2 steps worth of units in a hex and all these units are attack of "1" and defenders are at least 3 or more.


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AFRIKA II Dec '40 - January 1941 AAR

December 1940
Axis - Just consolidating defense by trying to get some supply. As soon as  you get it, you use it.
use it.

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Allies - I forgot to mention that the Allies lost O'Connor to illness/capture/? (bad die roll).  Built up forces and just couldn't
wait to attack on the Allied left. Exploit units took out the 28 Oct and 2 Lib Divisions and began to weaken the Italian right.
Will keep building forces for more attacks.

January 1941
Axis - The new year brings some good news, an Italian exploit unit finally gets into the area of operations.
The 8 Brs/Ariete. We counterattacked the Allied excursion onto the right and destroyed thier 7th Support and
LRDG (for the 3rd or 4th month). We used the 8Brs to reinforce the right. Reports have it under good  authority
the Germans are landing soon. We'll see about that. They will no doubt try to take over operations.

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Allies
Blast, on the variable reinforcement table, the Allies had to withdraw two Brigades. Took out the just acquired KDG
Armored Car and 4NZ - both that had just arrived. Blast.
Ok, perhaps Allies are extending themselves a bit much here. See that supply in the wide open on the Allied
left? Not cool. Even though, they've succeeded in pushing all but two Italian units West of the Mussolini Line.
At what cost?

AFRIKA II November 1940 AAR

November 1940 - AFRIKA II, MMP
Axis - Pulled units back to make a defensive line. Destroyed the pesky Allied LRDG with our Camel
Group and a rebuilt 1Med Armored. However the Armored was destroyed beyond use and was
put away to the "dead" pile.
Will build more defense in depth and will bring in a 3rd line of defense in the Halfaya pass.

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Allies
Received some great reinforcements as we build up for our offensive to capture Bardia -
or course supply will be an issue. I want to build up some comfortable levels before attacking.
This kind of supply limits much in the way of "Blitzkrieg" style of attacks. Unless we're able to capture some
supply and ports.

Conducted a probing attack on the left flank with exploitable units and reduced a unit, while also
taking some damage. In addition, the LRDG is left in a very vulnerable spot and survival in
December is not likely.

AFRIKA II October 1940

October 1940
Axis - 11Hus destroyed again. Overrun took out the Italian 1Med Armored. However, the Brits had to retreat into Mersa, Putting the Italians right outside the city.

Thoughts after Allied turn. This is like banging my head against the wall. I may do, what Mussolini doesn't want,but that bloated fascist is far away in italy and won't know the difference: I may pull back, just one hex east of the Mussolini line and start building some box defenses so I can protect my objectives. Not very sporting of me, but this isn't getting me  anywhere.

Allies - Nice counter attack against the Italians outside of Mersa. Killed two units and moved back to buffer Mersa from the Italians by a hex. The units destroyed were exploit cable units.

I suddenly thought I'd satisfied the Auto victory conditions because there was now only one exploit cabable unit and not 3. However, Rule 6.1 says destroyed units "continue" to count, even if rebuilt.
This doesn't make sense to me. But it's what the rule says.

The LRDG is scoping behind enemy lines.

Still building up and may attack again, depending on results of Italian November action.

Game thoughts - Both turns have taken about an hour - this will increase when the Germans and
more allies roll in. I read one report where it took two players about 22 hours to play the entire campaign. Playing solo always takes more time.


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AFRIKA II Sept' 1940

I've started playing MMP's AFRIKA II. This game belongs to their Standard Combat Series (SCS) of games. Some say Beer and Pretzel, but it's a little involved than that - the rules are pretty simple, but I can see the underlying success factors will be a challenge.

Here are my thoughts after the first turn, Sept' 1940:

Axis - Cleared out 7th Arm out of Sidi el Barranni and pushed them 5 hexes back along the coast.

Plan for second turn, get supply and some more troops up. I hope I roll for a lot more shipping. I may have made a mistake in moving

units from the first Tripoli box to the second one because I may get some good shipping rolls. However, it may be ok, because I'm going

to need that shipping for supply.

 

Allies - Built up Mersa Matruh with layered defense. Goal is to build up more units to begin attacking and pushing Italians back across the Mussolini line.

Because of replacements, I was able to bring back the destroyed 11Hus/7Arm and got them up to help defend Mersa Matruh.

 

Game thoughts - Supply, supply, supply. This watching of supply so closely is a new concept to me. This is a nice introduction.

OCS can wait another day!

During the Axis turn, I forgot to use trucks and shipping during movement and used them retroactively later in the turn. I remembered

in the Allies turn to do this.

Remembering how many truck MPs I've used is also new.

Man, O, Man, trying to balance out which forces use which supply sources is a tough puzzle. Also, 3MPs is nothing to get supply across this

stinking desert.