[Consim-l] Grav Armor scenario 1 replay

[Markus Stumptner]

This is a replay of my first game with Grav Armor, played solo the week 
before Christmas.   I will put up a version with images on my game page 
soon but here's the text version for now.  It's a bit detailed for a game 
that most people here probably haven't played but I didn't have the time 
to make it shorter. :-)


SCENARIO 1, The Relief of the 42nd.  In this scenario, the Lerlim Empire
forces (blue) have to defend a city in the center of the map with an
initially rather weak force (a reinforced battalion), massively
reinforced from the mapedge on turn 3 (four battalions with
support). The scenario takes place on a human-habitable
world. Interestingly enough, the lakes and seas are both usable for
infantry and better than being on flat ground (presumably the infantry
stays underwater in their space armor?).

The city of Ekud lies on a minor plain surrounded by mountains,
forests, and lakes.  Virtually all combat in this game is long ranged
fire; therefore it makes sense for the defenders to place outlying
forces in the surrounding defensible terrain to guard the approaches,
and hope that this will slow down the attackers until the reinforcements
come in. The Silon 6 particle-beam equipped support unit, the heaviest
unit available, will be placed in the mountains to the north so it can
sweep all of the open terrain there.

The Panhuman League (Red) decides to concentrate their forces in the south
and east, away from the Silon unit.  This will however require a
rather circuitous route to the east.

Turn 1 

The Imperials, happy with their deployment, stay where they are
awaiting the attack. The League troops cautiously bring some tank units
in range of the infantry in the forest SE of Ekud, out of range of the
personnel carriers' gatling lasers.

Turn 2

In the S, the League knocks out the Eta armored personnel carrier
unit in the southeast.  The Imperials send in a Siga light tank to
reinforce the infantry position, but it is taken under long range fire
by the infantry further east and also destroyed.  The Panhuman assault
vehicles in the NE target the Medium Militia in the mountains E
of the city and inflict severe losses; the militia quits the
battlefield. In the League movement phase, their forces move into
the mountains NE from the city and set up a major strongpoint next to
the infantry in the woods SE of Ekud.  The Silon targets the Ota
missile assault unit across the plain (5EW+7SP-4EW-3Def-2Terrain=3)
and destroys it.

[The combat description simply lists the modifiers involved: EW,
Strength Points (SP) for the attacker, EW, Defense value, and Terrain
for the defender, resulting in the CRT column.]

With massive Imperial reinforcements due on the next turn, the League
have caused some losses, but probably not nearly enough.  They are
poised to sweep the approaches to the city if reinforcements want to
get in, but they are not close enough to take it.

Turn 3

The Imperial relief forces sweep in from the western mapedge; the
League forces hold their fire to see what happens. The Grav cavalry
races to reach the cover of the mountains SW of the city, the armored
militia battalion goes further south to engage the armored battalion
there, while the support vehicles stick to a northerly route, coming
in over the lake.  With that approach route unthreatened, the grav
infantry SW of Ekud moves along the mountain slopes into the city. The
fighter sweeps around to the south, obviously to take a snipe at the
tank battalion in that sector before the militia's older tanks
arrive. However, it is shot down by the tanks before it gets to fire.
Its main effect has been to force the tanks' attention away from the
infantry in the forest guarding the southern approach.  That is now
attacked solely by the infantry next to it, so let's see how an
infantry close assault (from only 50km out!!) works out in this game.
Its enhanced EW defense gives the infantry a spectacular -15 modifier
(7 defense, 3 EW doubled, 2 for terrain), while the infantry attacks
with a fairly good 12 (3 EW+2 strength+7 "active defense") and the
APCs with 11 (3 strength+3 EW+2 gatling lasers at 1 range+3 "active
defense"). The infantry's -3 attack requires a 9 to hit (they manage
one 11, which results in a disruption) and the APCs miss.

With the loss of the Ota missile unit, the League has a single Nu
light tank unit in range to fire at the Silon or the city, and decide
to go for the Silon since its mag bolts would only damage one unit in
the city anyway. (6Str+4EW-5EW-5Def-2terrain=-2, requiring a 9.)  The
tank rolls a 10, destroying the Silon. Phew!  The way to the city is
clear.

The League infantry in the SE mounts its carriers, leaving one company
behind to deal with the Imperial infantry disrupted in the forest, and
moves towards the city. It braves defensive fire from the Eta in the
city (3S+3EW-3EW-3Def-2Ter=-2), and the first company is shot down,
the troops perishing in their carriers.  The infantry misses the
second company coming in. The Nu light tanks from the northern flank
are moved to support the tanks in the south.  The last infantry in
Ekud closes the turn by firing at the Eta APC two hexes away
(2S+3EW-3Def-3EW-2Ter=-3) and destroys it (DR9), but the infantry has
already disembarked.

Turn 4

The big question is, can the left-behind League company wait to see
whether the infantry tries to get out in the open, or should it fire
immediately? Let's see. Firing now would mean 2S+3EW+7Active
Def-7Def-6EEW-2Ter=-3.  Waiting would mean 2S+3EW-7Def-6EEW=-8.  So we
fire immediately. A 5 means a miss.  The APC
(3S+3EW+3AD+1Gatling-7Def-6EEW-2Ter=-5) misses as well with a 7.

The Militia tanks decline to engage the Zetas to their east and pull
back to the mountains SW of the city. The Grav Cavalry APCs fly to the
city and are taken under fire by the laser assault vehicles looking
down on the city from the mountains, going down in
flames. (6S+4EW-3S-3EW-3City=1, DR 9) Big mistake by the Imperials;
the two infantry units remaining are all that will now be available.
They fly the remaing light tanks into the mountains west of Ekud. (I
originally thought I'd move them into the city, but then realised that
they outrange the Zho assault vehicles E of the city, for which they
would still be easy prey even if they moved into the city.
(7S+4EW-2Def-3EW-3City=+3!)  So they don't. This leaves us with a Zeta
tank missing the SE outpost infantry at -5,DR4, the Zho assault
vehicles killing the Eta APC in the city (+2,DR10-miss!; +2,8-hit), and
the infantry next to the city (-10,7-miss).

The Imperial infantry outpost returns fire to knock out the Eta APC
that just missed, but fails to hurt the infantry. Non-militia infantry
in defensive terrain is appropriately tough and requires significant
effort to destroy. We'll se if the other three League companies coming
towards the city will be enough to dig out the defenders.

The 4-ranged Nu light tank barely fails to knock out one of the Zetas
in the south (+1,6), so does the Del next to it. The others hold their
fire. This places the League player in a quandary; his APCs are quite
vulnerable even to the infantry's missiles but with 5 turns to go he
cannot use 4 of these for a safe approach through the mountain chain
and forested foothills.  He decides to unload the infantry on the lake
so they can sneak into the forest on the next turn, avoiding two turns
of creeping closer through the mountains on the northern shore.
Missile fire from the city costs him one of the APCs.  Clearly I still
have to practice proper insertion of mechanised infantry.  They just
absolutely need to get out outside range.

The League Zetas are called north for infantry support; the battle
around the city will now become a slugfest from each side's mountain
positions.  Also, the League finally has its support vehicles in
place. (Lesson: always place your support vehicles well; they are slow
and with their Hover MPs they also cannot use the grav units's Free
Flight moves at 1/2 MP/hex.)  So we move the first League infantry
unit (four are left, total) adjacent to the city.

At this point I realised that I had made a massive error on the
Imperial side. The city by its high defensive value, also impedes
detection for friendly forces of enemy on the other side of the city.
The light tanks which I had placed SW of the city therefore were
actually unable to target the assault units in the mountains on the
other side of the plain.  (This can be justified by claiming that the
detection values are supposed to work via remote drones etc. that
probably would have a hard time passing through the fireworks going on
over the city even outside a major attack; anyway, it's how it works.)
Anyway, the tanks therefore unleash all their fury on the infantry
that has moved adjacent to Ekud, and manage to disrupt it. However, a
second disruption fails to materialise and the infantry in Ekud has
already fired, so there are no longterm effects on the disrupted unit.


Turn 5

Imperial movement. The League troops immediately pour a fusillade of
fire on the Imperial infantry still holding out in the SE. However,
four shots at -1 (needs an 8 to hit) and one at -3 fail to impress.
This would be great opportunity for the Imperial light tanks to race
close and get a shot at the League tanks but there is no good avenue of
approach. Racing across open country with the League infantry close by
seems like a bad idea, and even their MPs are insufficient to enter
the forest that their own infantry is hiding in. So they will stay in
hiding behind the city. The militia tanks will move north to
(eventually) get a free field of fire and be able to threaten the
League support units.  The League support units also pour fire over
the forest, but to no avail (there is one hit from the heaviest, the
Omi9 unit, but it ends up as no result). Better to have used the shots
to fire at the city. Oh well. The assault units fire at the city; also
to no avail. Probably will have to get them close, too.

League movement. No way around it - the league troops will have to get
close to the city. However, first the Imperial infantry gets a shot at
the league troops out on the lake, and at all the units stacked next
to the SE outpost. Let's do the outpost first. The infantry fires with
+12 the first unit (infantry with -15) and with +5 (since the Active
Defense only works against the first target) against -10 (for the
tanks). That gives us
-3,DR8-miss;-6,2-miss;-7,5-miss;-8,9-miss;-7,6-miss.  No damage done.

The infantry firing at the lake shoots with +5 vs -13 for the infantry
targets and vs -7 for the APCs. They target the APCs, and the missiles
will then also attack the infantry but only at the worst column. This
also gives no hit. I now realise this was actually stupid; I should
have shot at the League infantry next to the city. Oh well, can't be helped.

So the League infantry on the lake finally makes landfall, being
joined by two companies of Zeta tanks from down south. That's all the
League movement and so now the Imperial tanks fire down on the infantry
next to Ekud, with values of 10,8,8, and 7 against a defense of
-15. -5,5-miss;-7,3-miss;-7,8-miss;-8,5-miss. The Omi2 shoots at the
same infantry and almost hits on with -6,9.  Last, the Imperial Omi9,
now in position, will shoot a missile strike at the League assault
vehicles in the mountains. +12 vs -10,-12,-12, this gives
2,5-miss;-1,3-miss;-2,1-miss. Well, if they keep rolling like that,
the Imperial fortunes look dim.

Turn 6

Imperial movement.  The imperials bring their reinforcements closer.
The League waits to see where the promising targets are, then starts
firing.

The infantry on the SE outpost is shot at by 2 tanks, an infantry and two
faraway Eta APCs. One tank achieves a hit but the morale holds. League
infantry fires at the city, also to no effect. The Omi 9 sees that a
mag-bolt (range 4) militia tank is now in a position to hurt it and
destroys it (-4,8-hit) fires at another tank in the same hex
(+2,4-miss) and destroys the militia in the same hex (+2,7-hit,
11->9-destroyed).  The Zeta7 tank gets to choose between the last
militia tank in this hex or the Omi9 in the forest behind it (this is
a classic example of why detection in this game is not LOS!  he is
seeing a support unit placed in forest behind mountains), and goes for
the Omi9 (+2,10-miss!!). But the Nu light tank in the same hex goes
for the Omi9 as well and destroys it (+2,9-hit). The just-landed
infantry shoots at the militia tank instead (-5,10-hit). The assault
vehicles and remaining 3 support units fire at the infantry in the
city (-6,-5,-5,-4,-7,-7) but all miss. Need to get closer still.

League movement. The infantry advances adjacent to Ekud. Also time to
risk bringing the assault vehicles closer, although they will not make
it adjacent by the end of the scenario if they want to stay in
cover. The League infantry near to Ekud is fired at by a Silon5 with
-3,8-narrow miss, by the infantry in Ekud itself (which disrupts one),
and some of the old light tanks (Tau8) whose EW is not good enough to
see the tanks further east. Over their heads, the more modern Nu3 and
Int fire at the Nu and the Zetas further east: +3,9- the Nu is killed;
-3,4-miss on the Zeta.

Turn 7

Imperial movement. The shots against the infantry have no effect, the
Zeta kills the Titan unit the moment it comes in range (very lucky
shot, a 10 was needed), A massive barrage goes down on the city, with
one infantry unit actually ending up disrupted.

League movement. The League units finally break contact with the
bypassed outpost (should have done that much sooner!). The assault
vehicles move adjacent to the city. They are missed by the Silon5 but
are hit by a murderous barrage from the Omi2 (+3 -1,8-hit;-3,10-hit;
-4,10-miss;no hit on the inf) that kills the Chi and one of the Zho
units. AT fire against the Zetas is useless but the Tau8 light tanks
fire at the remaining Zho (0,11-hit) and kill it as well.  At this point
the League decides to throw the remaining two Eta APCs and the unmoved
Zeta into the fray. The remaining Del1 militia unit kills an Eta
(0,DR10), while the second Tau8 misses. What a round! The last shot
goes to the undisrupted infantry in the city which fires at the
neighbouring infantry (-3,11-miss! What misfortune to hit the "hole"
in the table so high up).  It misses all the vehicles but disrupts
another infantry with a natural 12.

Turn 8

Imperial movement. The easternmost League Zeta6 (+10) opens fire on
the stack of tanks W of Ekud, starting with the pesky Nu (-8) and
finally kills it.  However the missiles keep raining down on the Int
and Tau8 light tanks (+1,7-hit; +1,7-hit; 0,8-hit) - only the Del1
militia unit survives(-3,11-miss). An incredible barrage. The Zeta7,
now next to Ekud, targets the Omi2 support unit (+3,3-miss). The
support units now move to better firing positions, but everybody else
concentrates on the city. We start with the missile units since they
can score multiple hits - if a disruption occurs, everyone else can
then focus on the disrupted units.  Everyone, including the massive
support units, misses (some very narrowly), and then the last two
units to fire, the Eta APCs with a +1 for their point blank Gatling
lasers, score a disrupt - the second targets the same unit - another
disrupt and the infantry is destroyed.

There is now one infantry unit left in the city, the Del1 militia tank
next to it, and two support units. Perhaps I should have placed the
static militia in the city after all...

League movement. The southern outpost, believed bypassed, comes back
to the action by firing at the league infantry that just went past it
and disrupting it with a 12... One unit less to fire at the city next
phase.  The League tanks all come together in hex 0201. And the
barrage begins. The Silon5 kills the Zeta7.  The Omi2 disrupts one
infantry unit. Six units end the turn stacked next to Ekud.

Turn 9

Imperial movement.  There is only one unit for which it still makes
sense to move, and that's the Del1 militia tank.  The League decides
to let it enter the city; better to hope that it will be killed by
some barrage than waste missiles on it outside the city.

The fire begins with Omi9 (+12) firing (-4;10-miss!!;0;3-miss)
followed by the Silon4 (-4,9-hit!;0,4-miss). The hit roll is a 10
reduced to 7, disrupting the infantry. The Omi2's (+9) are next
(-7,6-miss;-2,3-miss;-7,9-miss;-2,4-miss), followed by the Zeta6's
(+14) (-2,7-miss;+4,10-hit;-2,7-miss). Now the Del tank is gone.  Left
to fire are the Eta APC and the two infantry units in the hex, with
the Eta firing first (-6,11-hit).  The Eta's hit roll is a 6, reduced
to 3, which is another disruption - the infantry is eliminated. 

League movement.  Everyone and their dog storms into the city
hex. Well, not everyone.  The infantry unit adjacent to the outpost is
again attacked and disrupted by the outpost infantry. However, that
still leaves three infantry and three vehicle units entering the city.
The only thing they have to do is to weather the fire by the two
Imperial support units in the mountains west of the city.
Fortunately, only one of them is missile armed; the other one will
only kill one unit in this turn. And the infantry does survive, though
all the League vehicles (both Omi2's and the remaining Zeta tank) are
eliminated.  The game ends with a League victory.

(The imperials lost 20 units to the League's 16; quite bloody.)

Markus

Last 3 games played: Abensberg/Eckmuehl, Star Viking, WW I
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