Setting up a Defense

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How to Put Together a Defense - original Author: Jim Torkelson September 1, 2006 Defiance on Hill 30

This is an introduction to the process of putting together a defensive setup for ‘Defiance on Hill 30’, scenario #11 from ‘Paratrooper’. The basic steps are suitable for just about any scenario. This one is fairly simple.

Look at the victory conditions.

In this scenario, the Germans victory conditions have two options. First, the Germans win if they Control all four buildings 2T8, 2V8, 2W9, and 2W7 at Game End. If the Germans don’t have all four buildings, then they can still win by Controlling at least one of them, plus if they have amassed more Casualty Victory Points (CVP) than the Americans. If the American reinforcements are delayed, then the Germans need to get even more CVP. That means the American paratroopers have to hold onto those buildings, all of which are within three hexes of each other. The mission for the initial American paratroopers is to slow down the Germans long enough for the reinforcements to arrive and move into supporting positions. Ideally, the reinforcements will be able to get into the buildings.

Look at the forces on both sides.

The initial Americans are greatly outnumbered, but their paratrooper squads (7-4-7s with 3-3-7 halfsquads) have excellent firepower. Unfortunately, the range of these units is lower than their opponents. One bright side is that these paratrooper MMCs have a higher broken side morale. There is also one MMG that can add to a squad’s inherent firepower or possibly lay down a firelane. The Americans have the 60mm mortar as their highest rate of fire weapon. However, this mortar has a minimum range and cannot be fired from within a building. The other support weapons that these paratroopers have are the Baz 44s. These weapons are of minimal usefulness in this scenario. Designed to be fired against armored vehicle targets, they can be fired at infantry in buildings or behind walls. However, the backblast from these rocket launchers makes firing them from inside buildings dangerous. Then there is the 3 smoke exponent on these squads, 2 if trying for WP. This smoke is useful if the Americans need to counterattack to retake a lost building.

The American leadership stinks. Two leaders without any negative modifiers is not good. The only benefit to be obtained by stacking your leaders with the front line squads is the prevention of cowering. They are better off being used behind the lines as rally points.

The Americans get one bonus by SSR. They can use HIP for one squad and any SMC/SW that set up with it in the same location. Ordinarily, this can be helpful in setting a trap for the attacker. However, I will not use it here.

Next, the Americans get twelve concealment counters. These counters are the heart of the defense, without which the hordes of Germans would sweep right over these paratroopers.

Lastly, the Americans are the Scenario Defender, because all of the Germans are entering from off-board. That gives the Defender the ability to Bore-sight one hex for each MTR and MMG. It also enables the American player to put concealment counters over top of each real stack after placing everything else on the board.

The Germans have lots of good quality squads, three times the number that the Americans start with. Each squad has a longer inherent range than their American counterparts. In addition, the Germans have much better leadership than the Americans. Two negative modifier leaders will give German shots an extra boost. The number of leaders is an advantage for the Germans. With three leaders, their troops can move faster and get closer to cutting off the American reinforcements. The two MMGs plus four LMGs means that the Germans are much better at hitting over long range. The Germans also have one 50mm meatball thrower mortar. In most cases, this weapon is not very useful. But when the targets are probably in woods, the Airburst -1 TEM gives it more punch.

Look at the terrain.

What is the easiest way for the Germans to approach and fulfill their victory conditions? Count the number of MPh and AdvPh required for the enemy to reach the victory area. A stack with a leader can double-time up the 4L hexrow and get to the American setup area in _one_ turn! We can’t have that! What is the most covered approach? There are two covered approaches here, one through the 4J8 grain field and then into the woods at 4K9. The other is past the stone wall in 4P7, then the grain at 4O9, and into the woods at 4N9. Depending on how much is being carried and leadership, these approaches take two to three turns. Are there any positions within the American setup area that watch over the entire battle area? Yes! The second level hill hexes at 2S7/2T6, along with the other two level two hexes at 2Y6/2Z6, have potential. The position at 2Y6/2Z6 is inferior due to the woods in 2Y7 that blocks a large portion of the field of fire. So 2S7 can see most of the map area of importance.

So the probable battle will be one of delay, with the Americans using a skirmish line of MMCs in the woods-line from 2R8-2T10-2V10-2X8, falling back into the wooden victory buildings.

Figure 1. The Map. Germans enter from the bottom (east) edge. Americans set up within four hexes of 2V8. American reinforcements enter from the top (west) edge.

Check out the time limit.

See how long the Americans have to hold off the Germans to achieve victory. The game is 9 turns long. The American reinforcements will enter sometime between turns 3 and 6.

Start putting pieces down on the board.

Figure 2. American at-start forces

Start with the best and most important, and everything follows from there. Set up to use that long-ranged mortar. Then get a replacement crew ready. That mortar is too heavy for the owner to rout with, so it probably will be dropped as the owner runs away. And guess what? You have a foxhole to use for protection! Also, the mortar gets a bore-sighted hex. Did you write it down?

Did you stop that easiest approach mode?

Is there a good hexrow that would be perfect for a firelane? Firing the MMG from 4L9 to 4L1 is possible, but firelanes parallel the axis of enemy attack are not as good as firelanes perpendicular to said attack. The MMG also gets a bore-sighted hex. Did you write it down?

Figure 3. American setup, before concealment counters added.

Set up to strip German concealment. The worst possible case for the paratroopers is for concealed Germans to assault-move or advance adjacent, cutting paratrooper firepower in half. Set up to use that long-ranged mortar. Then get a replacement crew ready. That mortar is too heavy for the owner to rout with, so it probably will be dropped as the owner runs away. And guess what? You have a foxhole to use for protection! Did you deploy a squad? It is usually a good idea, but there are drawbacks. An alternative for the Americans would be to attempt to deploy another squad on their first turn. With only a seven morale, this is not guaranteed. And if this is done within LOS of a German, it is a concealment loss activity.

Figure 4. American setup after the OB given concealment counters have been added.

Figure out from where the bulk of the infantry will open fire. Ideally, you will be able to skulk [skulking is the term for a position where your unit will be able to Defensive Fire upon enemy approaching, but then during your player turn, your units will be able to Assault Move out of LOS of the enemy. Thus, the enemy will have nobody or at least fewer targets during their DefFirePh. Then during the AdvPh, your units will return to their previous positions. This forces the enemy to Prep Fire if they want to shoot, which prevents them from moving. An example would be the woods-line near 4K10] and stay sheltered. Eventually, your squads will have to hunker down in the nice strong wooden buildings, but the longer that is delayed the better. Check to see if your units have routes to rout back to your rally points, because somebody is going to need them. Check to see if you can cut off the attackers rout routes if possible (usually quite difficult).

Place your sniper. In some cases, like this one, you want your sniper to hit the target in the front of the advancing pack. In other cases, like where there is an OBA observer, having the sniper near the back to nail that guy instead is a good idea. Anyway, put your sniper near the middle of the board from where the Germans will enter. That way, when the random drift DR moves the American Sniper counter, it will either attack the guy in front or the German sniper counter. In any case, the SANs for this scenario are low enough that sniper activity is pretty much close to random. Hope for the best, but don’t plan on it.

Then the concealment counters are added to confuse the opponent.

Last, since the attacking Germans are entering from off-board, all of the American units can gain concealment. The foxholes as fortifications are HIP until the first German unit has line of sight.

Figure 5. Completed American setup.

To finish it off, the bore-sighted hexes should be written down. The MMG, starting in 4L9, will bore-sight 4L2, with a potential firelane application. The 60mm mortar in 2S7 will bore-sight 4H6, hoping for the Germans to enter the woods there.

German Options

Of course, the German player is going to do all he can to give you trouble. The mortar position on level 2 is going to eat a lot of long-range MG fire. Other infantry fire is going to be launched against the wood-line. Being concealed will help your defenders, as well as having several false targets, but somebody will probably break. That is why the leaders are there to rally. One reason why I chose not to have one squad HIP was that the Germans are able to recon by fire—fire at empty hexes in hopes of getting a result on a HIP unit.

A particular German goal is to move some infantry where they can put fire upon the easiest route your reinforcements will want to take from the top edge. If the American reinforcements can run along the 2V road, then a leader-led stack can double-time all the way to 2V7, adjacent to two of the victory buildings. Germans in 2S9 can fire at 2V5, potentially stopping that route. An alternative route for the Americans is across the hill, bypassing 2X3 and 2X4. Germans around 2Z9 can fire at 2X6. So count on the Germans doing everything they can, while you react as best as you can. Have fun!

All graphics were taken from VASL 5.3. Thanks!