DAR as NVA: Battle of LZ Albany 11/17/1965 (No peeking Big Ivan!)

[Crossroads]

End of play for NVA Turn #10 sees us having killed five US strength points. Heavy casualties on both sides. I snipped the information box from Unit list too, I am running out of Supply points, as often typical in Vietnam. Supply in the Jungles is difficult, unless you have dedicated Supply capable units available, heading your way. Generals study Logistics, and all that. We just eat it.

I think I will stick to my plan on starting a retreat come turn 11. It will be brutal again, with his CAS, Artillery, Hogs, Direct Fire hitting my weary troopers.

Over to him! No sneaky remarks on email anymore. Why can't we all just be friends.

[berto]

This match is playing out rather like the Real Life historical engagement.

[Crossroads]

ORIGINAL: berto


This match is playing out rather like the Real Life historical engagement.

At this stage, I am too afraid to check the historical details as how it panned out. Did they walk back to another LZ, or did they clear out this one? They cleared out LZ Albany at the end, IIRC...

[Crossroads]

And with that, it is time for...

NVA Turn #11 of 12

Another replay, another 10 Strength Points blown to kingdome come... This time around one of the US artillery fire missions drifted on top of them, at least a retreat. Blue on Blue!

As it turns out, looking at the Victory Status as the very first thing again, no US losses on their phase. Their Objective Points tally keeps ticking down with my NVA soldiers securing the Landing Zone for this turn as well. So the objective does yield 10 points per turn for me, good news that!

What else? My artillery park is finally back, hooray!

[Crossroads]

So, let us try to do some damage, again. That isolated US position at their western edge looks so tempting. Maybe I can capture them come this turn? I don't have that much strength left, with Disrupted units unable to participate in the Assault. I have the Disrupted ones do the suppressing fire, then:

Assault!

Nada. I take one step loss to add an injury to insult.

[Crossroads]

ORIGINAL: Crossroads

So, let us try to do some damage,

... part two the sequel.

First, with my main assault completed, there's not much my depleted units can offer here. Again, I start cycling his units in each stack, firing at them, hoping for Disruptions.

I must say I quite like the new Enhanced Fog of War! Previously, you'd see which enemy units are disrupted, which ones are not. No more! Much more intriguing this way.

Among the round of firing I am doing, their Recon section scored a Retreat dieroll. It is quite vulnerable, I have the Direct firepower there to probably kill it, but let us assualt it instead!

Assaults are intimidating, everytime you hear the assault sound playing in the replay, you fear that your full stack is gone, next. This is just a Recon section, but here we go. Assaulting from severeal hex sides this time...

Assault! Captured! Looking at the Victory Status, it was just a depleted, one step Recon unit. Victory for People's Army, though! They will make songs about us in Hanoi

[Crossroads]

End of play NVA Turn #11

ORIGINAL: Crossroads

At this stage, I am too afraid to check the historical details as how it panned out. Did they walk back to another LZ, or did they clear out this one? They cleared out LZ Albany at the end, IIRC...

Here's the sitrep in tabletop view for a change, again, with Highlight Disrupted Units. Looking at my depleted units securing the LZ, I just know there's no way they can stand up for I am sure Big Ivan will just absolutely throw everything and kitchen napalm at them! CAS, Artillery, Hogs, Direct Fire.

Yet, I just can't call artillery on top of that hex, in case my men survive there (they won't). Instead, I plot the two thich US stacks there. Don't tell the Party or they'll have me shot next...

Sitrep to People's Army Headquarters: People's Army of North Vietnam continues victoriously against the imperialistic invaders. I can report 17 enemy helicopters shut down during this turn only, with eigth tanks and two armored cars destroyed, in addition. Our line continues to hold. Send us money. Political Officer Second Grade Xroads.

[Crossroads]

NVA Turn #12 of 12 - AND SO IT ENDS!

Watching the replay, as bad as they come. Artillery landing on my guys, then Hogs doing their things. No CAS though, he must have run out of them. Direct fire, lots of it. Ugh.

But what do you know, lots of noise, low casualties! Also, all my six Disrupted units recover, I have a full - albeit very depleted! - roster available for the last turn. One final push, lads!

[Crossroads]

What the replay was also showing was the 7th Cav bugging out. And why not, the last phase of the last turn has the advantage of knowing the game is ending, so can do silly things leaving his troops in positions otherwise not chosen. Something to keep in mind if you have the first phase of the last turn.

There's two US positions isolated there still, though. What to do? Assault! Assault is what we do!

No preparing fire available, just an all-in charge with those who are still standing.

Dang! Captured everyone there! Six Strength Points! A full platoon worth of men, in other words.

[Crossroads]

With that fresh in my troops mind, let us charge that another hex too, with all we've got!

And... Assault! Nope. Took a loss, looking at Victory Dialog immediately after, he too. Was a close one...

No rest for the weary 7th Cav though, I fired at him with units available, followed him as he scored a retreat dieroll, rinse, repeat.

Looking at Victory Dialog, no losses for him though. Someone's counting their blessings for certain.

And so it ends... Draw! Not bad, after all that's happened.

[Crossroads]

ORIGINAL: Crossroads

And so it ends... Draw! Not bad, after all that's happened.

... but for a one final surprise! I receive a report that due to losses caused for 2nd/7th Cav, I receive a 200 Event Point Award. That moves me and my brave troopers to Minor Win category!

Fire up those barbeque grills!



I will do a more thorough analysis later, for now, a most intense fight, with what seems to me quite a historical outcome. 7th Cav took horrendous losses, despite causing a 2:1 loss ratio against PAVN.

So, what do you guys think? Enjoyed this one? Should we do another one later on?

[Crossroads]

... over to Big Ivan's sitrep to read how this played from his view! Thanks for playing!

[devoncop]

Always good to grab a win on the very last turn....even better when the bonus EP were so unexpected [:)]

A nice reflection of the US sensitivity to a high casualty rate.

Given the VC had a much higher tolerance of losses it would maybe be appropriate if had the situation been reversed the US would not have gained to extra 200EP but though historically justified maybe that would tip the scales too far against the US.

[Crossroads]

Looking at US victory chances, should US keep the PAVN from recapturing Albany, there'd be no 100 EP for them, and should US losses remained below the 50% threshold, there would have been no 200 EP award at the end, either, So that's a 300 VP swing.

Should US held Albany they would have received one more 100 EP award, and of course, having looked at John's AAR now, Albany kept ticking the US side 20 VP per turn, instead of 10 VP per turn it was worth to PAVN. Then, the kill ratio, less US losses less penalties from there.

As a sidenote, I was testing the latest 1.01 RC executable just now, by taking John's last turn and ending the game to have a look e.g. at the new, tweaked Victory Dialog. Know what? Just ending the turn, no 200 EP award for PAVN. Somewhere among the 7 VPs I killed during the last turn the 50% threshold was met.

So, could swing either way!