A Fine Mess... ETO (id:#63876)
Designer: Unknown
Starter kit scenario?:    Deluxe scenario?:
 
Balance:
FrenchGerman
34.375%

Overview:

On 15th May, 1940, the 1ère Division Légère Mécanique, then deployed in the Netherlands, with little success, received the order to rush to the Sambre to stop the panzers advance from the Meuse. General Picard, commanding the 1ère DLM, arrived to find a “fine mess”. His leading elements obtained contact early in the morning of 17th, however the Somua S35, his strongest tanks, were unable to get into action providing little results by the end of the day. However, Picard planned a large counterattack for the day after, mustering both task forces of his division, each with a tank regiment. The 18ème Dragons under Colonel de Beauchesnes initiated a reconnaissance toward the Sambre with part of Capitaine d’Ussel’s squadron and some motorcyclists. The captain received the order “not to rush in, but to reconnoitre” and to bring his tanks back for the counterattack... Formerly released as VV75 "Un Beau Petrin..."
Attacker: French (Elements 4th RDP & 18th RDP, 1st DLM)
Defender: German (Elements 6th Schutzen Regt & 25th Panzer Regt, 7th Panzer Division)  
6 turns
    Players: 2     OBA: None     Night: No
Unit Counts:
Squads: A:8.5 D:8.0
AFVs: A:5
S35 x 5

D:3
PzKpfw 38(t) A x 3

Guns: A:1
Mortier de 60 mle 35
D:2
3.7cm PaK 35/36 x 2
5cm leGrW 36

Victory Conditions:

Exit VP: Building Control VC: Area Control VC:
Unit Based VC: LOS Style VC: CVP Cap:
Misc Rules:
Map Board(s): 11 14
Overlays: NONE
Errata (source)
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Scenario info

Last Played:
DateReporterOpponentResultComments
2021-11-13(D) Will Willow vs R. Reinesch German winA dicing NTSO
2021-11-06(D) Rich Weiley vs Dave Wilson German winPaddington Bearz - November meeting, peculiar scenario given the victory conditions, still not sure what to make of it. Lumped most of the German infantry and the ATGs in the woods on the tight of the Level 1 hill. Seemed the safest way as any sort of forward defence risked isolation and destruction in detail, handing the French easy victory points. The Somua's were almost impossible to deal with as expected. I was incredibly lucky and managed to shock one with ATG, which was then KO'ed on the subsequent Shock resolution rolls. The other ATG and the light mortar each managed to immobilise a tank . Unfortunately in positions which still allowed them to play a major part in the battle, particularly in preventing my tanks to get into his backfield.

What to do with the German tanks was the most frustrating part of this puzzle. I finally decided to drive two onto board 14 to distract his remaining mobile armour and the third went up the right to help defend the two victory buildings at the foot of the hill. This worked too well as I figured having broken up the French AFV platoons the remaining two mobile tanks would have to fail a non-platoon movement task check at some stage, Well they didn't and they eventually managed to hunt down and kill one 38t.
Final result was the German fell short by one point, taking three buildings , capturing 1 halfsquad and destroying 2 tanks (the second falling to a pointblank LMG shot through the front (snakes required). Very lucky to get away this in retrospect as at one stage I had a malfunctioned ATG which I rolled to repair several times(eventually successfully) but disabling it would have given him the seventh point he needed for victory!

As an aside this was by first Face to Face game since June, following Sydney's latest COVID lockdown, It was great to get back to Paddo RSL, roll some real dice, fumble around in counter trays, knock back a couple of pale ales and see some familiar (and new) faces.
2020-12-12(A) Ric Hammond vs Fen Yan Draw
2020-10-09(D) Jason Wert vs Rich Jenulis German winvASLOK 2020
2020-10-08(A) Richard Jenulis vs Jason Wert German winvASLOK 2020 open play
View all
ActionDate
wwillow Added a playing2021-11-14 23:50:24
Rich Weiley Added a playing2021-11-07 00:37:16
Ric of The LBC Rated the scenario2020-12-14 17:24:47
Ric of The LBC Added a playing2020-12-14 17:24:24
RJenulis Added a playing2020-10-09 03:37:30
FileDescriptionUserViews
(!frenchgerm.png)Imagehoxson1258
(fine mess map.png)Map Imagehoxson1256
(FT266 A Fine Mess... Scenario Archive.jpg)Map Imagevon Marwitz191
(FT266 A Fine Mess... Scenario Archive.jpg)Map Imagevon Marwitz192
(FT266 A Fine Mess... Scenario Archive.jpg)Map Imagevon Marwitz191
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Statistics:
Avg Rating: 7.13Votes: 15
Views: 1905
To-Play list count: 1
Estimated Play time: 4.5 hours
Recorded Games: 11
Archive recorded plays:
French2
German8
Drawn:1

ROAR Data: (as of November 2021)
A Fine Mess [Confirmed]
[A] French 9
[D] German 13
All Rights Reserved Dave Ramsey.