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

[berto]

TURN #32

The situation to the northwest:



The "surprise attack" has begun.

Initially, my recce units and infantry are leading the way. With the hot spot hex set at the lead Ferret squad, and with the Visibility toggle turned ON, you can see from the yellow hex highlights that I have a clear field of view to the east -- the intended direction of my thrust.

With two FV701 Ferret (armoured scout cars) units leading the way, and with two more coming up from the rear, I should have adequate reconnaissance for this developing attack.

My aim in this attack is not to hit Jenin from behind. Too costly. No, instead I hope to wreak havoc in Crossroads' rear areas, and pick off as many HQs, transports, etc. as I can.

So far, studiously observing the elevations and terrain contours, I have been careful not to reveal my tanks and RCLRs here. Hopefully they come as a big shock.

This has been a pretty good turn for me. Largely due to destroying those entrucked mortars early in the phase, my opponent's Total VPs have dropped from 305 back down to 260. The VP count rises and falls. I need to focus on forcing the latter, by inflicting enemy SP loss. Forget about retaking Jenin.

[berto]

That imperiled battalion HQ within the yellow circle two screenshots preceding: I am not too concerned about losing it. Just about all of its subordinate platoons are down to 1 SP, and virtually all of them are low morale and disrupted. No sense moving that battalion HQ anywhere, for there is no escape. It is disrupted, and can only move one hex at a time. It fights and dies where it now stands.

[berto]

Carnage!

[berto]

TURN #33

Tons of action this turn. Let's get right to it.

Shermans (turquoise circle) direct fire on Pattons (magenta circle), scoring 1 SP hit and a retreat.

[berto]

TURN #33

Jordanian Pattons (green circle) smash a 2 SP Israeli M3 Mk. D mortar halftrack squad (red circle) across the way.

[berto]

TURN #33

Nearer to Jenin, Israeli Shermans (turquoise circle) fire on enemy Pattons, forcing a retreat (to left magenta circle).

Pattons in that stack (green circle) opfire right back, scoring 1 SP hit, and forcing a retreat (to right magenta circle).



In near perfect replay, Shermans (turquoise circle) again fire on the Pattons, and again force a retreat (to left magenta circle).

And again, the remaining Pattons in that stack (green circle) opfire right back, forcing a retreat (to lower right magenta circle).

Note that the two Jordanian Pattons at the bottom of the screenshot don't opfire, because they had used up their APs in the previous phase.



On the other flank, Shermans reappear (turquoise circle), fire on a lone Patton, and eliminate it (red circle).



After that last action, the enemy Sherman scurries back out of Visiblity and LOS.

[berto]

TURN #33

Returning action to the south.

More Shermans appear (buried in the stack, turquoise circle), fire at opposing Pattons, reduce (1 SP) and disrupt them (magenta circle).

[berto]

TURN #33

Israeli mech infantry (turquoise circle) assault the Jordanian defenders at hex 34,39 (yellow circle), but fail in the assault.



More mech infantry (turquoise circle) assault that hex (yellow circle), this time from the southwest, and again the assault fails.



Still more Israelis charge forward, assault, and ...



... the third time's the charm. The Israelis take the hex (yellow circle), and force the defenders to retreat (to magenta circle).

[berto]

TURN #33

That contingent of Israeli tanks based in Jenin darts south (turquoise circle), direct fires at Pattons, scores 1 SP hit. They fire again, score another SP hit, and force a retreat (to magenta circle).



The Israeli tanks dart back into hiding again. Most aggravating! [:@]

[berto]

TURN #33

After the Israeli first phase moves, and following the Jordanian artillery fire -- fairly effective for a change -- Jenin and southward at the beginning of Turn 33, second Side B (Jordanian) phase, with Jordanian disruptions highlighted in yellow:



Jordanian artillery did better this turn, scoring several SP hits, some reductions and retreats, most notably from the IP hex 31,39 (lower magenta circle).

Crossroads' MGs (turquoise circles) continue to devastate my infantry south of Jenin. At such long range! I have no effective response to that.

In other action northwest of Jenin, Israeli infantry retake the IP hex 28,27 (turquoise circle), forcing the occupants of that hex to retreat (to upper magenta circle). Proving once again that Israeli infantry vs. Jordanian infantry, it's no contest, the Israelis will win every time.

Southeast of Jenin, I am in good position next phase to pick off each and every one of those Israeli Shermans on my right (yellow circle). If so, it will nice for a change not to have to worry about threats from that direction, so I can turn my attention fully back to the main battle in the center.

Overall, I am quite surprised at seeing so many Israeli units! The wily Crossroads was holding back, keeping his forces in hiding, perhaps anticipating my counterattacks. This is more of an even fight than I had expected. If I blunder, my opponent may yet manage to take The Crossroads.

Still, Crossroads (the player! not the Objective! [8|]) remains in Major Defeat range. His Total VPs have yo-yoed back up to 297. I hope to knock him back down again this coming phase.

And let's not forget the surprise I have planned for him to the northwest!

[berto]

TURN #33

I go for those enemy tanks southeast of Jenin.

A couple of Pattons (green circle) direct fire at the leftmost Sherman, and miss. Three more Pattons in that same stack fire at the Sherman and ... bag it (red circle).

One down.



A Patton (green circle) fires at the rightmost Sherman, and ... eliminated (red circle).

Two down.



A single Patton (green circle) fires from a different direction, and bags the middle Sherman too (red circle).

Three down!



At no cost to myself, I have just destroyed three Shermans and removed the threat on my right.

I can now breathe a bit easier.

[berto]

TURN #33

Several kilometers to the south, east of Qabitiya, A squad of Pattons departs from hex 34,46 (dark blue circle), moves northeastward two hexes, takes aim at some Israeli mortars across the way, and score 1 SP hit. Mindful of those Shermans lurking behind the orchards to the northwest, the Pattons retire one hex to the southeast (to the turquoise circle).

A second squad of Pattons (green circle) follows, fires at the one remaining mortar, and eliminates it (red circle).



Patton squad #2 retires to the southeast also, when suddenly...



... A hidden Israeli mech infantry platoon (turquoise circle) opfires on the retreating Pattons (yellow circle). Fortunately, no damage done. For now.

I subsequently move up a third Patton squad to that hex (yellow circle). It fires and misses.

Uh oh. I now have eight Pattons in that hex, with all APs expended. The implication being, when the enemy mech infantry fires back next phase; worse, when (not if) those Shermans step up to fire at the Pattons; I have zero left-over APs to opfire back. I am sure to lose some Pattons here. [:(]

[berto]

TURN #33

Northwest of Jenin, the counterattack begins. A bit cautiously at first.

I send out my FV701 Ferret scout cars to look around. I have literally no idea what awaits me out there.

Jordanian infantry assume defensive positions on either side.

Crucially, I have not unleashed my Pattons yet. Call me timid if you must, but I am leery of Crossroads' Shermans in and about Jenin.

I am betting that my opponent has no inkling there are Jordanian tanks here.

Off to the right, Jordanian infantry (turquoise circle) fire at the enemy holding that IP hex, scoring 1 SP hit, and forcing a retreat (to the magenta circle).

The Jordanian infantry to the right (green circle) are poised to take the IP.



Take the IP they do (green circle), firing at the retreating Israelis as they go. The Israelis are hit again, and are now disrupted (magenta circle).



For once, in a head-to-head matchup with Israeli infantry, the Jordanians prevail.

I don't imagine those Israelis will retreat westward. Indeed they can't, if they remain disrupted (because disrupted units can't move closer to the enemy). Even if they were to undisrupt and move one hex to the northwest, the units in the white circles would remain hidden.

In those white circles are 14 tanks, and 6 RCLR jeeps. Loads of firepower there, and many Jordanians itching to take revenge. (So just get on with it, why don't you, Berto? [8|])

[berto]

TURN #33

After my Side B (Jordanian) move (Side B is this scenario's second side), the overall situation at the end of Turn 33 (with my disrupted units yellow highlighted):



Far to the south, I am bracing to lose some Pattons at hex 37,46 (small yellow circle). But again, I lose a few, he loses a few, all the while the ratio of Pattons to Shermans continuing to trend in my favor.

At the large green circle, I have parted my forces. If Crossroads is keen to escape his left flank back to Jenin, I will not prevent him. Indeed, how can I?

I am rather concerned about my center (large yellow circle). My line is exceedingly thin there. If Crossroads were to move in that direction; indeed, with his forces reconnected, if he were to push again towards the Qabitiya Crossroads; I have little in the way to stop him. My command is hollowed out, my once proud infantry arm has withered near to nothingness.

The one thing I do have going in my favor is my armoured arm. Unless I am mistaken -- which wouldn't be the first time [8|] -- it seems to me that maybe Crossroads is down to a dozen or so tanks, with my tanks numbering more than four times that many. Of course, if he is smart -- which he is! -- Crossroads may have kept an armoured reserve prepared just in case.

My armoured force southeast of Jenin (large white circle): With a solid wall of infantry blocking my way to Jenin, I am disengaging that force for now. From its current position, I can attack Crossroads' far left from the rear, swing those tanks etc. back around to rejoin my far right, even hurl them northeastward in the hope of catching some enemy HQs etc. We shall see.

On the other side of Jenin, the "surprise" counterattack is slowly launching. I am so tempted to rush forward and try to blast those enemy artillery just north of Jenin (magenta circles). Only then likely to be blasted by my opponent's Shermans south of the city (turquoise circles), and a few other Shermans thought to be hiding east of the city. Must. Be. Careful.

At the hot spot hex 24,25, I have massed 14 Pattons (with 6 RCLR jeeps close nearby). The Visibility toggle is ON, so you can see from the yellow hex highlights where those tanks remain hidden to the enemy.

On my far, far left, northward around Kafr Dan, I know that there is a concentration of enemy in that area. How strong they are, I have no idea.

In terms of losses, Turn 33 was good for me. My opponent's Total VPs have sunk back down to 260. The battle of attrition continues.

[berto]

ORIGINAL: berto

TURN #33

Several kilometers to the south, east of Qabitiya, A squad of Pattons departs from hex 34,46 (dark blue circle), moves northeastward two hexes, takes aim at some Israeli mortars across the way, and score 1 SP hit. Mindful of those Shermans lurking behind the orchards to the northwest, the Pattons retire one hex to the southeast (to the turquoise circle).

A second squad of Pattons (green circle) follows, fires at the one remaining mortar, and eliminates it (red circle).



Patton squad #2 retires to the southeast also, when suddenly...



... A hidden Israeli mech infantry platoon (turquoise circle) opfires on the retreating Pattons (yellow circle). Fortunately, no damage done. For now.

I subsequently move up a third Patton squad to that hex (yellow circle). It fires and misses.

Uh oh. I now have eight Pattons in that hex, with all APs expended. The implication being, when the enemy mech infantry fires back next phase; worse, when (not if) those Shermans step up to fire at the Pattons; I have zero left-over APs to opfire back. I am sure to lose some Pattons here. [:(]

On second thought...

I misread the terrain contours. The whole point of the Pattons moving that one hex to the southeast was to move to a lower elevation (8). Those Shermans would have to move three or four hexes to the south and southeast before getting the Pattons in their LOS. It is highly unlikely that my opponent would risk that. I still need to worry about the Israeli mech infantry in the adjoining hex. But the Shermans I need not worry about too much here, I don't think.

[berto]

TURN #34

Israeli infantry movement across the way induced my hidden RCLR Jeeps at hex 28,35 to opfire, revealing themselves to the enemy. I had not set my opfire settings carefully.

Shermans at hex 33,41 (turquoise circle) blasted the RCLR Jeeps, destroying them both (red circles).



A very bad break for me. Those RCLRs -- in an otherwise excellent ambush position -- were the linchpin of my defenses in the center. I am now nearly defenseless in that 2 KM wide sector! [X(]

[berto]

TURN #34

After the Israeli first phase moves, and following the Jordanian artillery fire -- so so results -- the southern sector at the beginning of Turn 34, second Side B (Jordanian) phase, with Jordanian disruptions highlighted in yellow:



Another bad break where Crossroads' Shermans destroyed one of my loaded APCs at hex 27,45 (red circle).

My opponent chewed me up in the center, particularly at the magenta circle. The Israelis are making their escape.

A big hole in my center defenses (large upper yellow circle and beyond). If the Israelis were to push in that direction, I would be hard pressed to prevent them from taking the Qabitiya Crossroads.

In my immediate next phase, I have a good shot at bagging all three of those Israeli mortar batteries (smaller yellow circle). Good thing too, because my opponent's artillery continues to batter me senseless.

As luck had it, my Pattons at hot spot hex 37,46 (white circle) survived the Israeli mech infantry opfire unscathed. I still have plenty of tanks, but armour isn't everything. I am now way short of infantry.

[budd]

hey Berto on that first post of turn 34 are those shermans on elevated ground? Dont wrecks obscure LOS, thats a hell of a shot.

[berto]

TURN #34

The situation to the northwest:



Again, in the center, another view of my weakness (large yellow circle).

But my opponent has his weaknesses too. How to exploit them?

Those HQs at Jenin (smaller yellow circle) are tempting targets, but effectively out of reach, because protected within the orchards and city hexes there. There may be fewer easy pickings behind enemy lines than I had supposed.

I won't deny it. This was an awful Israeli Side A phase for me. A 70+ VP jump in Crossroads' favor, with his Total VPs now up to 332. With still another 10+ turns to go in this scenario, I feel my Major Victory is slipping away from me, and quite possibly Minor Victory too. Too cocky, too fancy for my own good I guess. [8|]

[berto]

ORIGINAL: **budd**

hey Berto on that first post of turn 34 are those shermans on elevated ground? Dont wrecks obscure LOS, thats a hell of a shot.

Precisely. That is valley in between. Yes, hell of a shot, hell of a loss. This is the most complex and hardest of terrain to fight over.