The Crossroads -- 6/5/67 - DAR (no Crossroads)

[budd]

Berto hope you dont mind a question. Just noticed that some of crossroads counters have a gray nato symbol top left corner, looks like underneath the other counter, does that mean soemthing?

[berto]

That's some of Crossroads' work-in-progress unit eye candy. You'll see much more of that, and better done, in future updates and games.

[berto]

I am armour rich and infantry poor. My opponent is the opposite. He is also all too rich in artillery. Time to do something about that.

I need to reinforce my center ASAP. In order to buy myself time, I should distract Crossroads to looking elsewhere. Especially for that reason, but also to stop his artillery from wasting my infantry, I have decided to go after as many of the exposed enemy artillery batteries as possible. At least three to the south, at least two to the north (one off-map to the north of the preceding screenshot), I hope to bag four of them, possibly all five this immediate next phase. Even at the risk of exposing my tanks. Otherwise, what good are they for? Otherwise, what was the point of my counterattacks, the one that has fizzled out southeast of Jenin, and the new one aborning northwest of the city?

Note to self: After (presumably) taking out (at least) those two Israeli artillery batteries north and northwest of Jenin, if afterward things don't look promising, if Crossroads looks to be redirecting towards that weak spot in my line, consider withdrawing those tanks and wheeling them back around to support the center.

Okay, so I'm no Erwin Rommel here. Okay, so maybe I've got a yellow streak two kilometers wide running down my back. Indecisive is my middle name. [:)]

[berto]

TURN #34

Some rather poor shooting this phase. More on that later.

But first, the good stuff.

ORIGINAL: berto

... I have decided to go after as many of the exposed enemy artillery batteries as possible. At least three to the south, at least two to the north (one off-map to the north of the preceding screenshot), I hope to bag four of them, possibly all five this immediate next phase...

First I sent out scout cars to hex 28,22 (green circle) to make sure of my LOS from that hex.

From its lair at hex 24,25 (dark blue circle), 4th troop -- with APs reserved for firing -- darted up to hex 28,22, fired, and bagged the mortar halftracks (red circle)!

An entire squad of Israeli self-propelled mortar halftracks, worth 24 VPs -- I got 'em all!

[berto]

TURN #34

Can I get that other exposed Israeli artillery?



Nope. 1st Troop likewise leaves its lair at hex 24,25 (dark blue circle), slides along the ridge southeastward to hex 27,27 (green circle), takes aim at the Israeli mortars at hex 34,29 (magenta circle), fires, and misses! Retreat only.

[berto]

TURN #34

After my Side B (Jordanian) move (Side B is this scenario's second side), the overall situation at the end of Turn 34:



Lots of action to the south, where directed at that large white circle I brought to bear most of the Pattons you see in the vicinity. Although I did destroy four Shermans (red circle, magenta circle) and a couple of mortar SPs, I took so many shots, some of them at point blank range, but missed after miss. I really should have gotten everything there, Shermans and artillery tubes all. Poor marksmanship. Oh well, can't really complain too much.

I am trying to reinforce my vulnerable center (large yellow circle) as fast as I can.

The remnants of Motorized Infantry Company 61 (small yellow circle) are goners for sure. Soon, Crossroads will have a clear, unhindered path back to Jenin, if he chooses to take it.

To the north, I have platoons of Pattons and Ferrets (green circles) with clear Visibility fanning outward 7 hexes or so in all directions. I have finally showed my hand. But not all of it. At the hot spot hex 25,26 (with the yellow hex highlights showing Visibility to/from that hex), I have stacked 8 Pattons and 6 RCLR Jeeps. I could of course just burst forth with everything, throw caution to the wind. But no, once again, always and ever, I am playing the waiting game. Waiting for Crossroads to pull his Shermans away from the southern action to deal with this new -- and I believe entirely unexpected -- action to the northwest. When he comes back at me, I have more unpleasant surprises in store for him!

Crossroads plays his turn, I play my turn. Up goes his VP total, down goes his VP total. My mood falls, then rises. I scored 10 unanswered SP hits this phase, and brought his score back down by 56 VPs. His total now stands at 276. I am feeling somewhat good again. Until...

[berto]

Come and get me. If you dare.

[berto]

TURN #35

After the Israeli first phase moves, and following the Jordanian artillery fire, the southern sector at the beginning of Turn 35, second Side B (Jordanian) phase, with Jordanian disruptions highlighted in yellow:



Artillery fire, whether Israeli or Jordanian, had little impact this phase.

The Israelis are making their escape, heading back in the general direction of Jenin. I am happy to let them go.

Crossroads managed to nick my forces here and there in the course of his retreat. The remaining Jordanians blocking his withdrawal were captured in an infantry assault at hex 35,38 (red circle).

Incredibly -- incredibly lucky for me -- Crossroads shows no signs of moving against my weak "spot" -- more like a yawning gap (large yellow circle).

Crossroads' Total VPs are back up to 298. But I have plenty of targets, circled in magenta, to knock his score right back down again.

I am feeling pretty good about things again.

[berto]

TURN #35

The situation to the northwest:



In the earlier Post 227, I wrote: "Come and get me. If you dare."

It seems he didn't dare, maybe because he doesn't see the threat? Every one of the turquoise circled units would seem to be hidden from his view. One by one, I checked the Visibility from each of those hexes to verify that is so. For example, the tank squadron at the hot spot hex 28,22. His infantry platoon at hex 29,25 can't see the enemy tanks because of the intervening rough ground. They can't see the scout cars three hexes to the northeast, because the scout cars are at lower elevation. The scout cars to the east are too far away, beyond the current 6 hexes Visibility limit. To the north, northeast, east, and southeast, in that wide arc there seems to be no enemy units within view.

Crossroads may be blind to this threat to his rear! [X(]

I have some choices to make. Do I fan out to the north and northeast in the hope of finding some high-level HQs, transports, etc.? Thereby totally blowing the surprise. Do I attack Jenin from the rear, hoping to bag still more artillery pieces, HQs, transports, and other support units? But they can just withdraw into the safe confines of Jenin itself, placing themselves out of LOS. Or do I just bide my time, patiently waiting for more easy targets of opportunity that might blunder my way?

Hmm, what to do, what to do?

[berto]

TURN #35

A 3 SP Jordanian tank squad at hex 36,43 (dark blue circle, screenshot below) fires at a lone Israeli Sherman at hex 34,38, destroying it (middle red circle).

That same Jordanian squad fires at an Israeli mortar at hex 34,40 (magenta circle), forcing it to retreat one hex northward.

A second 3 SP Jordanian squad moves up to hex 36,42 (turquoise circle), fires at the nearby Israeli mortar, and eliminates it (lower red circle).

(Note that I have plenty of 1 SP tank squads in this sector. For taking out these high value enemy targets, however, I am trying to use my full-strength 3 & 2 SP tank units, in order to increase my chances for an outright kill, not just a disruption, less still a retreat, which might then put the target out of Visibility & LOS.)

One more enemy tank squad is in view, at hex 33,37 (upper red circle). I have a 1 SP Patton squad at hex 39,40 (green circle). It fires at the enemy Shermans (despite what I just wrote about using higher SP tank units), and scores a 1 SP reduction and disruption. (Luckily, no retreat.)



Can I get the other two tanks, also the remaining mortars? Stay tuned...

[berto]

TURN #35

(Back to taking high percentage shots.)

From hex 40,38 (turquoise circle), I move a 3 SP Patton squad laterally along the ridge to hex 39,40 (green circle), where it too can fire at the Israeli Shermans. The Pattons aim, fire, and ... eliminate them (upper red circle)!



Those same Pattons (green circle) fire at the stack of enemy mortars (lower red circle), eliminating two of them.

I move up another Patton squad. They fire at the remaining mortar, but miss. But a second volley succeeds!

This has gone spectacularly well. At no cost to myself, I have destroyed 4 Shermans and 4 enemy mortars. At phase's beginning, my opponent's Total VPs were 298. That is now down to 262. And my phase has only just started.

[berto]

TURN #35

After my Side B (Jordanian) move (Side B is this scenario's second side), the situation from Jenin southward at the end of Turn 35 (with my disrupted units yellow highlighted):



Around Hill 273 (large yellow circle), I carefully bring up reinforcements. Note the hot spot hex 23,39, where I have shifted six Pattons westward.

At hex 39,45 (small yellow circle), a blunder. The Israeli mech infantry platoon one hex to the southwest had been hidden from view. In attempting to rediscover its position, I draw my recce units in closer. But I didn't notice that the halftracks (yellow circle) are no mere recce unit; they are loaded with engineers! The Israelis of course opfire at the approaching halftracks, disrupting them, and killing 1 SP of their passengers. Oof!

Determined to rid myself of that menace, I call up several tank squads. I expect to incur losses taking those infantry out.

On my far right, with all due respect, I pull back in the face of the approaching Israeli infantry.

[berto]

TURN #35

The situation to the northwest:



I call up an RCLR jeep squad (green circle) to fire at the infantry infantry (magenta circle). It misses. The RCLR jeeps are now in plain view of the enemy.

But not the killer stack at the hot spot hex (turquoise circle), with Visibility to/from that hex highlighted. And neither the Pattons nor Ferrets that have fanned out to the north and northeast. According to the Visibility highlights, all of those tanks and scout cars would seem to be hidden from Israeli view.

I continue to play the waiting game. Patience, Berto, patience.

At turn's end, Crossroads' Total VPs: 256. Well within Major Defeat range again.

[berto]

TURN #36

ORIGINAL: berto

At hex 39,45 (small yellow circle), a blunder. The Israeli mech infantry platoon one hex to the southwest had been hidden from view. In attempting to rediscover its position, I draw my recce units in closer. But I didn't notice that the halftracks (yellow circle) are no mere recce unit; they are loaded with engineers! The Israelis of course opfire at the approaching halftracks, disrupting them, and killing 1 SP of their passengers. Oof!

Crossroads goes not for the vulnerable APC but for the Pattons!

The Israeli mech infantry at hex 38,45 (turquoise circle) fire at the Pattons to the north, and miss. A second volley destroys one Patton, and forces a retreat (to magenta circle), but no disruption:



Subsequently the Israelis withdraw one hex to the southwest. The Patton at hex 36,45 (green circle) opfires twice but misses each time.

I was very fortunate indeed here. Crossroads could easily have destroyed the APC (yellow circle), more importantly also its passengers, 2 SPs of engineers. My blunder, then his missed opportunity. Whew!

[berto]

TURN #36

After the Israeli first phase moves, and following the Jordanian artillery fire, the southern sector at the beginning of Turn 36, second Side B (Jordanian) phase, with Jordanian disruptions highlighted in yellow:



Artillery was effective for both sides this turn, but especially so for me. Israeli arty fire took its toll at the upper and lower smaller magenta circles, but Jordanian arty fire wreaked havoc on the retreating Israelis in the large center magenta circle, scoring a half dozen or more SP hits, also disruptions and retreats.

The Israeli infantry, in the center and to their left, are pulling back everywhere. Crossroads is clearly giving up the fight.

During the Israeli phase, I saw at least two separate Israeli tank squads dart down the main road, take a few shots, then dart back northward, outside my Visibility/LOS. Crossroads doesn't seem to have very many tanks left, but what few he does have are still a concern.

As mentioned in the previous post, it was fortunate indeed that Crossroads ignored the loaded APC at hex 39,45 (lower small yellow circle). I can now either unload those engineers, to join in the reduction of that Israeli mech infantry platoon, else take them safely far away.

At Jenin, tempting targets those (large yellow circle). But well protected within the city, so too costly to pursue.

Little to no action to the northwest, situation there basically unchanged.

Crossroads Total VPs: 243. Typically one side's VPs go up during its phase, then fall back down the next side's phase. His VPs fell during his phase. I like when that happens. [:)]

[berto]

TURN #36

After my Side B (Jordanian) move (Side B is this scenario's second side), the overall situation at the end of Turn 36 (with my disrupted units yellow highlighted):



The encircled Israeli mech infantry at hex 37,46 (lower small yellow circle): Six or more Jordanian units took shots at those Israeli infantry, from one or two hexes away, but without effect. After firing, in each case the Jordanians withdrew to a safe distance away. The Israelis there will be quite difficult to subdue.

On my right, everywhere an orderly withdrawal.

In the center, now reinforced, spreading out (so as to minimum the impact of artillery fire) and digging in.

To the north, I hid away the armour and RCLR jeeps again. I don't yet see a clear purpose for them. Failure of imagination? Lost my nerve? (As if I ever had it.)

What is clear is the futility, and danger, of going after those HQs and arty pieces at Jenin (yellow ellipse). They are too well protected within the city, in most cases inside BunKers, PillBoxes & Trenches. Instead, I direct my artillery fire at the Israeli infantry in the center.

Farther to the north, I am fanning outward my scout cars. Are there any targets of opportunity I might chase after?

Apart from the action to the far south, no other combat this phase. Maneuver only. The VP count remains unchanged.

Are we entering the endgame? Will this just be an artillery duel from here on out?

[berto]

TURN #37

After a widely scattered, unfocused, and mostly ineffective Israeli artillery barrage, and among other things, this:

Those two Sherman squads I keep referring to (turquoise circle) dart down the main road again, fire at the Jordanian armoured infantry across the way, and score 2 SP hits and a retreat (to magenta circle).



The Shermans dart back northward, out of view (to the blue circled village hex, I suspect).

Those Shermans are my nemesis. [:@] I don't know how to counteract them.

Not incidentally, how is it that my Pattons can fire at and miss Israeli infantry at point blank range (see previous post), while his Shermans can fire at my infantry from 2 KMs away and score devastating hits? The vagaries of war, life is unfair, I guess. [:'(]

[berto]

TURN #37

Life is also full of surprises:



From the north, unexpectedly, two RCLR jeeps suddenly appear. One (turquoise circle) takes a shot at my scout car, scoring a 1 SP hit and a retreat (to the magenta circle).

The wily Crossroads had kept some RCLR jeeps to the north in reserve, likely for this very possibility -- my attempting a break-out into his rear areas.

Having fired its first shot (meaning it still has at least one more shot available for opfire next phase), and subsequent to this, that RCLR jeep pulls back in hiding to the north. Then...

[berto]

TURN #37

A third RCLR jeep (turquoise circle) -- note it is 2 SP, while the other one is 3 SP -- appears from out of nowhere, fires at the one remaining scout car, and destroys it (red circle):



It is precisely for this reason; it is precisely my worry about something like this that I have played cautiously with my strike force up north. I could have rushed out oblivious to potential threats and ... been ambushed, and decimated.

Okay, this has suddenly become very interesting. Do I go after those RCLR jeeps? If so, how? Without losing more of my own forces in the attempt.

[berto]

TURN #37

After the Israeli first phase moves, and following altogether ineffective Jordanian artillery fire, the overall situation at the beginning of Turn 37, second Side B (Jordanian) phase:



In the center, the Israelis continue to withdraw northward.

Lots of tempting targets in Jenin, but no good means to get at them. Just fire all of my artillery in the direction of the city, and hope for the best?

To the south, I still need to vanquish that lone Israeli mech infantry platoon (small yellow circle).

To the north, opportunities to bag units here and there (turquoise circles), also hunt down and destroy those RCLR jeeps (hidden somewhere within that larger yellow circle). And in so doing put my own forces at risk.

So what, you say? No pain, no gain, right? Well, the way I see it, Jenin is lost; there is no retaking it. I need to focus now on preserving my VP advantage, to keep Crossroads well short of the Major/Minor Defeat threshold. I can do that by scoring SP hits, yes. But not if he scores right back at me more than I do.

At this point, it might be prudent to withdraw from view everywhere. Okay, so the battle ends in a (boring) artillery duel. An asymmetrical one at that. I know where to target him, but he is well protected within the city, and in his entrenchments. My forces on the other hand are out in the open, but widely scattered. So like his last artillery barrage, Crossroads can only wildly guess where to target me. Over the course of the remaining 8 or so turns, who would win such an artillery duel?

At decision points like this one, it is tempting to say "what the heck, let's just go and have some 'fun', never mind the victory conditions." Yes, but I like to play "realistically" too. In Real Life, in this situation, what would the Jordanians likely do?