The Tsar's Infernal Machines ETO (id:#61576)
(Special Ops # 3 ID: O5)   [next]   [previous]
Pabianice, Russia 1914-11-21 ()
Designer: Ken Dunn and Brian Youse
Starter kit scenario?:    Deluxe scenario?:
 
Balance:
GermanRussian
44.444444444444%

Overview:

On 17 August 1914, the Russian Minister of Military Affairs summoned Colonel Dobrzanski of the Life Guard Rifle Legion and ordered him to form and equip an "armored automobile machinegun battery". This was quickly carried out using trucks modified by the addition of armor plate and various weaponry. In October 1914 the 1st Automobile Machinegun Company, with 8 Russo-Balt armored cars and a single Mannesmann-Mulag armored truck equipped with a 47mm naval cannon, was sent to the front to serve in the 2nd Army. This unit first saw action against a German attack on 21 November 1914 at Pabianice. . . . 1914 World War I action between Russian and German forces and features two new vehicles: the Russo-Balt armored car and the Mannesmann-Mulag armored truck. The infantry of each side is represented by Conscript MMC that are treated as Green by SSR and may use a version of the Banzai Charge to maneuver “en masse.”
Attacker: German (Imperial German Army)
Defender: Russian (2nd Army and 1st Automobile Machinegun Company)  
7 turns
    Players: 2     OBA: None     Night: No
Unit Counts:
Squads: A:18.0 D:10.0
AFVs: A:0
AFVs: D:5
Russo-Balt x 4
Mannesmann-Mulag

Guns: A:0 D:0

Victory Conditions:

Exit VP: Building Control VC: Area Control VC:
Unit Based VC: LOS Style VC: CVP Cap:
Misc Rules: Bldgs: Ground Level, Banzai Charges (G1.5), Commissars: N/A.
Overlays: NONE
Errata (source)
Players wanting to play this game/Request a match:

Scenario info

Last Played:
DateReporterOpponentBal.ResultTimeComments
2025-03-22(D) Len Kay vs Eric Zagdan-Gross German win
2025-03-15(A) Robert Oler vs Steve Slunt German winI found this scenario quite fun, and very unique. Both sides get to Banzai charge with even fewer restrictions than the Japanese, although with only poor quality units. There are a few SSRs and odd vehicle characteristics that require ongoing attention during play. The Germans have to take stone building locations. Overall I think my dice were better when it counted, and I managed to get more than I needed, forcing the Russians to try to take some back. By then, several Russian units were Disrupted, and there were just not enough MMC willing to get back in the fight. The Germans have no SW, but the five ACs (trucks, really) can possibly be immobilized by small arms fire (SSR), and one is OT. Capturing one of the two Russian MMGs would be gold here (AF 0), but I don't see that happening very often. The ACs are radioless and bog very easily if moved off road, so not the threat they might be otherwise. A cool SSR affects German 4-3-6/2-3-6s (the entire OB) by potentially causing them to Battle Harden, pin, or break if an AC gets within three hexes of them. By the time the ACs entered, I had two squads already Battle Hardened from HOB rally attempts, so they were immune. It's better to be lucky than good.
2021-04-03(D) patrick palma vs Jim Traver Russian win
2021-02-06(A) Jobbo Fett vs Hypnobeard German winSo far it's been pretty fun, with the vehicles having just arrived on map [Turn 3]. The Germans have to be careful, make good use of Banzai charges, and remember the limitations of all the conscripts on the map.

Post game edit: Its a tough scenario for the Germans, and I won mostly on an early mistake by the defender who left a flank vulnerable to penetration and subsequent exploitation to grab the necessary victory locations. The Germans have nothing to deal with the vehicles, for which there may be too many for them to be adequately dealt with.
2020-12-05(A) rene cote vs Ranger Russian win
View all or balance report
ActionDate
waaayback Added a playing2025-03-22 00:43:42
asl458 Added a playing2025-03-15 07:08:38
Hutch Modified the misc. rules2024-10-10 15:49:50
Jude Added a playing2023-02-21 00:51:16
Jude Rated the scenario2023-02-21 00:50:35
FileDescriptionUserViews
WW1 Russo-Balt armored car (ww1 russo-balt ww1.png)Imagehoxson11140
(ww1 germ-russ.png)Imagehoxson1848
VASLMap (O5-VASLMap.png)Map Imagebkemp011090
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WW1 Russo-Balt armored car
 
Statistics:
Avg Rating: 5.91Votes: 11
Views: 4651
To-Play list count: 2
Estimated Play time: 5.9 hours
Recorded Games: 9
Archive recorded plays:
German4
Russian5
Drawn:0

ROAR Data: (as of today)
The Tsar's Infernal Machines
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[A] German 6
[D] Russian 8
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