Saturday, May 30, 2020

Tretten in Flames, Norway 1940

British prepare to defend Tretten
Following up on my five trials of Tigers at Minsk (TaM), Scenario 2 - Follow the Elefants transported to 1940 France, I have been tinkering with transporting the game to 1940 Norway where my primary interest lays.

Wanting to add weapons into my earlier pure infantry Scenario 2 exercise, I looked for small theater-specific scenarios that might fit the bill.  Having found a number of Norway scenarios among the pages of ASL Journal #3, I narrowed my search down to ASL Scenario J37, Tretten in Flames

Norm, the author of TaM, was kind enough to rustle up some weapon statistics for this earlier period.  Included in the request were stats for Panzer II, 75mm IG, and a Hotchkiss H39.  While the Pz II and 75mm IG will see action, the H39 will take to the field another time.
Germans prepare to attack
Situation: 23APR1940
After a disastrous start to the campaign, the Anglo-Norwegian forces find themselves on the losing end of encounter after encounter.  The allies decide to make a stand at Tretten.  With Norwegian troops managing to extricate themselves from the situation before the German hammer falls, the British, now alone, are determined to make a last stand in Tretten.  Elements of the 1/5 Leicesters, HQ coy of 1/8 Foresters, and 148th BDE HQ prepare for the attack they know is coming.  The German  attack upon the town includes elements of the 196th Inf Div, 138th Gebirgsjager Rgt, one Infantry Gun, and a single PzIIa.

OOB:
British: Morale Level = 5
7 x Rifle sections
2 x Rifles sections + LMG
1 x ATR

German: Morale Level = 8
9 x Rifle Sections
1 x Rifle section + LMG
1 x MMG
1 x 50mm Mortar
75mm IG and crew
2 x Gebirgsjager sections (with skis)
1 x Gebirgsjager sections + LMG (with skis)
1 x PzIIA

Notice that some of rifle sections carry an extra LMG.  In Squad Leader and ASL, squads are assumed to include the firepower of the squad-level LMG fire team.  TaM does the same.  With the extra firepower offered by these separate LMGs, I give these sections one additional D6 in firepower.  Stands with this extra firepower have an LMG stand attached.

Table Situation:
North is top.  British deploy first in the British Deployment Zone. Germans set up second in the German Deployment Zone and move first.  The German Gebirsjager start in the top right corner of the board.  The PzII enters at 1125 in the top right corner.
Snow is on the ground.  Deep snow is found on higher levels (L2 and L3).  Rules added for SNOW and DEEP SNOW Effects.
The IG may not change locations.
Gebirgsjagers are always in command.
Germans may make smoke.
Game begins at 1100 and ends at 1200.

Victory Conditions:
Germans win if controlling the two center BUAs and three of the five BUAs in the British Deployment Zone while sustaining no more than 50% stand losses (ending Morale Level greater than 0).

Are the victory conditions balanced?  We will see after I play a game or two.

42 comments:

  1. Superb.
    Igniting my interest in this early war period very much.
    Also - these rules for TaM have intrigued me for years. I really must try them.

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    1. Glad to provide a little inspiration, Darren! When you get a chance give TaM a try.

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  2. Thanks for getting this scenario geared up, an interesting setting and looking forwards to how it plays out.

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    1. You’re welcome! When I get around to the game, I will post results.

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  3. Fun sounding Early War scenario, Jonathan. Good gaming!

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    1. With luck, it will provide a good challenge without needing so many iterations of design.

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  4. Ahhhhhh, daaaaaaaaaaamitttttttt, you're killing me!!!!!

    I was so excited, seeing the setup, I thought it was the batrep! The stuff looks great, I really like the infantry, and I CANNOT WAIT for the batrep, please hustle up! ;)

    V/R,
    Jack

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    1. Sorry, Jack! I will hustle it along before you lose interest.

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    2. I'm not going anywhere, I've been waiting too long for this! ;)

      It's just that when I opened this post I didn't realize it was just the foreplay ;)

      V/R,
      Jack

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    3. Foreplay? That’s funny! I shared the setup since I have been busy with a lot of other activities of late. Played the battle this afternoon. Details, a reconstruction, and post-game thoughts begin work early in the week.

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  5. Looking forward to this one...

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  6. Looks great. Tough for the Allies I guess.

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    1. Thank you! A tough situation for the British but can they hold out?

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  7. An excellent set up Jonathan and really looking forward to the AAR. This campaign has always intrigued me, especially after reading Lunde's 'Hitler's Pre-Emptive War: the Battle for Norway'. Heavy going at times, but full of detail for actions such as this. From memory the Germans were able to turn most Allied blocking positions due to the ski and mountain troops moving 'easily' along the ridges etc.

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    1. Glad you enjoy the look of the game and the situation. I enjoyed Lunde's book too. There have been so many good books on this campaign of late. Perhaps there is a renewed interest?

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    2. Maybe the small scale of the actions makes it attractive for 'skirmish' level games, such as Bolt Action of Chain of Command'. Alongside this 80th anniversary of the conflict probably has kicked off interest too. Either way good to see it getting some attention.

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    3. Marketing, the driver of demand.

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  8. A nice looking little scenario to test out how the rules work for your projected Norwegian campaign Jonathon - look forward to reading how it plays out for you.

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    1. Thank you, Keith! With a freshly minted QRS in hand, I am about ready to begin. I look forward to giving the scenario a spin too!

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  9. This'll be interesting, keen to see how it will turn out.

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    1. I hope you DO find it interesting! Your recent Blucher walkthrough was very good. I enjoyed it!

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  10. Looking forward to this with great interest, Jonathan! I bought a hundred of those wooden hexes from the company you referenced to begin a project like this. Also please let me know how your QRS works.

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    1. Good! Are you satisfied with the hexes? Mine look great and a great price. The QRS is working well. I need to add one more clarification to it, another game, and then it should be good to go.

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  11. Sounds very interesting! I look forward to the AAR!
    Best Iain

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  12. I’m looking forward to seeing this...
    I have always found this early part of WW2 very interesting...

    All the best. Aly

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    1. The early part of the war is most interest to me as well. This scenario might take a playing or two to work out timings. Hopefully, it will be worth the wait.

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  13. Interesting looking scenario Jonathan!

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  14. A nice set-up Jonathan, and I'll be looking forward to seeing how this plays out. I hope the British AT rifle is positioned somewhere near the top of the board.

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    1. Thank you, Lawrence. The ATR was placed in the back of the deployment area near the center of the board.

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  15. An interesting game setup and I look forward to the battle report.

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  16. I got "6 Minutes in May" as it was recommended on the Norway Campaign and was very disappointed to find out it was more about Churchill than the campaign. I got enough out of it though to know it was a disaster.

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    1. I have not read that one. There are many other good accounts of the campaign that should not disappoint.

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  17. Great set up and sounds like an interesting scenario. 1940 Norway is such an off beat area of WWII to take an interest in. 😀

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    1. Thanks, Stew! I march to the beat of a different drummer...

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