AIW2 - 1/26/73 - DAR (solo vs. A/I)

[berto]

Due out soon as another Open Beta (and then as an official release we hope in June), the ME 1.02 Update will include several dozen new scenarios, among them the 24 scenarios in the Alan R. Arvold Ode To Arab-Israeli Wars mod.

In my continuing quest to find a simple scenario for extended A/I study, I have decided to give the AIW Scenario #2 a try.



As befits the original Arab-Israeli Wars board game, this scenario is listed as H2H. Nevertheless, I will be playing vs. the A/I.

Since Side B is the first side, I have decided to play the Syrians.

The initial force dispositions:



(I confess to having played this scenario several times before already. The initial Israeli force reveals differ with each scenario retry.)

My forces, the Syrian 112th Motorized Infantry Brigade:



Force detail, from the Unit Viewer:



To recapture the look and feel of the original board game (which I never played), for this playtest I have opted -- using the bundled Jonesoft Generic Mod Enabler -- to apply the following mods:



(This will look somewhat different in the finished public release.)

I have decided against applying the Ode to Arab-Israeli Wars Terrain Mod. I like the look of the standard ME 2D terrain graphics much better. [8D]

Let's begin!

[berto]

TURN #1

In this scenario, the opposing Israeli armour is exceedingly powerful, more than a match for my Syrian T34s.

I have three AT-3 Sagger Teams, but they are easy marks for the opposing Israeli Sho't Meteor tanks. As are the hilltop Syrian D-44 85 mm AT Guns, which are immobile. Better fire them all as quickly and as often as I can before the Israelis get their chances to destroy them.

Alas, in Turn 1 Phase 1, the three sagger teams (turquoise circles) and AT Gun battery all fire and miss!

[berto]

TURN #1

Taking care to avoid opfire from the Israeli tanks across the Cease Fire Line in the center, and from the left and the right, under cover of rough terrain and orchards, 2nd Tank Company approach the PillBox hex 12,11 from the southwest and south. The Israeli infantry (turquoise circle) opfire at the opposing tanks (magenta circle), reducing by 1 SP and disrupting 3rd Platoon:



The Syrians (turquoise circle) direct fire back, reducing also by 1 SP and disrupting the Israelis (magenta circle):



Rather than duel it out with the Israeli armour across the way, the SU-100 tank destroyer company backs off the hill, then protected by the Rough terrain on its right, moves up to join the fight for the BunKer. From two hexes distant, they fire, and they miss.

1st Platoon (turquoise circle) is much luckier. The Syrian tanks attack the fortified Israelis (magenta circle), scoring 2 SP hits:

[berto]

The fight for the PillBox, in 3D:

[berto]

TURN #1

The situation at the end of Turn 1, first Side B (Syrian) phase:



I'm up 14 Total Points. Could be better.

[berto]

TURN #1

Next phase, Israeli armour at hex 19,17 (turquoise circle) direct fire at the exposed Syrian ATGs (magenta circle), scoring 1 SP hit and disrupting them:



No other firing, and apparently no Israeli movement.

At the end of Turn 1, first Side A (Israeli) phase, the picture is little different from previous.

[berto]

TURN #2

As Turn 2 begins, the two sagger teams to the left take aim, fire, and miss. The right sagger team are better shots. They (turquoise circle) direct fire at the Israeli tanks across the Cease Fire Line, score 1 SP hit (magenta circle), and force a retreat:



The saggers get just one shot per phase. The ATGs get two. Unfortunately, with their retreat, the Israeli Sho't Meteors are now just beyond the range of the Syrian ATGs:

[berto]

TURN #2

1st Tank Company (turquoise circle) direct fires at the Israeli infantry at PillBox hex 12,11 (magenta circle), scoring 1 SP hit and a disruption:



Together with the SU-100 tank destroyers, 2nd Tank Company (turquoise circle) finishes the job (red circle):

[berto]

TURN #2

The T34s move into the PillBox hex and the village just beyond. By means of the Visibility toggle (hot key 'v'), I check to make sure that all tanks remain out of LOS of the Israeli foe.

The situation at the end of Turn 2, first Side B (Syrian) phase:



40 Total Points. Not bad. But it will be very tough to Draw this fight.

[berto]

TURN #2

Next phase, Israeli armour at hex 19,17 (turquoise circle) again direct fire at the exposed hilltop Syrian ATGs (magenta circle), and again score 1 SP hit and a disruption:



The ATGs can't return the fire, because the Israeli Sho't Meteors are just beyond range.

If my sagger teams can't take out those Sho't Meteors, I'll have to throw my T34s at them.

[berto]

TURN #3

As Turn 3 opens, the leftmost sagger team (turquoise circle) reduces (by 1 SP) and disrupts the Israeli armour beyond (magenta circle):



The middle sagger team (turquoise circle) destroys the tanks (red circle):



The right sagger team cannot fire at the commander, because a soft target, it is out of the saggers' range. If you look at the Unit Viewer comparative range tables in Post #1, you will see where, for soft targets, sagger ranges are quite short.

Hard targets that distant are beyond the range of the hilltop ATGs, but soft targets are within range. I fire the ATGs, but they miss the commander, twice.

Looks like a job for the T34s.

[berto]

TURN #3

3rd Platoon, 1st Tank Company leaves the safety of the orchard, advances (blue circle), fires, and kills the Israeli commander across the way (red circle):



Advancing was risky, because (referring to the screenshot above) they exposed themselves to possible opfire from the Israeli tanks to the left (yellow circles, screenshot above).

Fortunately, the Israeli tanks did not opfire, and 3rd Platoon was able to retire unharmed back to the orchard, where again they are out of LOS of the enemy:



With no more targets in the center, 2nd Company will stay put for now. If 2nd Company were to occupy the remainder of the town, much more so if they were to surge forward, they would become visible to the Israeli armour, and invite opfire both left and right.

[berto]

TURN #3

Then, a major blunder.

Those Israeli tanks in the rough ground to the left are able to fire on the hilltop ATGs (yellow circle), who are unable to respond because the opposing tanks are beyond their range. It's useless leaving the ATGs exposed like that. Aha, I observe: I have trucks nearby to transport the otherwise immobile ATGs off the hill rearward to safety. I order the trucks to the hex 20,8 (blue circle), but rather than move hex by hex, I let the A/I take over. Which sends the trucks to hex 21,8 (red circle), where -- BAM! -- the Israeli tanks over yonder (turquoise circle) opfire, destroying the trucks! All six of them!!



I hate when that happens! I never learn, do I? [:-]

[berto]

TURN #3

The situation at the end of Turn 3, first Side B (Syrian) phase:



Before losing those trucks, my Total Points were up to 57. After, Total Points have fallen back down to 45. I can kiss goodbye any thought of Drawing this scenario. A Minor Defeat is now assured.

I know that there is at least one Israeli artillery unit out there somewhere, and probably one or more HQs also. But where? How do I find them, much less destroy them, without exposing my armour to murderous Israeli tank fire from left, right and center? I have good reason to believe that the Israeli Sho't Meteors have longer range guns than my T34s. They are sure to gun me down before I can draw within range.

There's nothing more I can do. Except to see my points total continue to fall, as the Israeli tanks pound those hilltop ATGs. There is little prospect that the Israelis will shift to the attack, because in the previous two turns there was no evidence of any enemy movement. The Israeli A/I appears to be inert.

So, I decide to end the scenario here.

This scenario is probably unwinnable as the Syrians. Probably the Israelis stand a better chance at winning.

Is this a good scenario for further A/I study? No, not really. Especially without any objective hexes, there is really nothing to guide either side's A/I. The quest for a good extended A/I study scenario continues.

This scenario is short and sweet. Without all the screenshots and commentary, I was able to do each play through in 20-30 minutes. Although I never owned or played the Arab-Israeli Wars boardgame, I did own PanzerBlitz. The AIW mod plays much like the original PanzerBlitz. Is there any better recommendation than that?