"A Duplicate Bridge Too Far" Tournament

[shawnt63]

Hidde gave me a good old thumping! He played cautious until he took out a couple of my tanks and then hit me like a ton of lead! Well played on his part.

On another note does Sleet EVER lose! Does anyone even come close to beating him? I played him once and it was such a shellacking that I hope to never have to again

[Sleet]

Hidde gave me a good old thumping! He played cautious until he took out a couple of my tanks and then hit me like a ton of lead! Well played on his part.

On another note does Sleet EVER lose! Does anyone even come close to beating him? I played him once and it was such a shellacking that I hope to never have to again

I have lost games for sure. I can see it happening soon as the next scenario is not my fav..

[SailingGuy]

[Crestone]

Sleet and CharlyG must have had opponents that charged out into the open. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it!

In my case that wasn't my story. About the opposite, in fact. I had played that scenario against some axis opponents before and had done OK with a defensive approach. It seems that often it's the case that players using the big, powerful Axis tanks just can't wait to get them out there and start pulverizing the opposition, and secondly, they seem to think that because it's a King Tiger or a Panther, it's invulnerable.
Both of those mindsets can be very helpful to an Allied player who is patient and knows what his own units can and cannot do. So I tried my patient, cautious approach with Der Sleet and got my head handed to me. I got only one or two flanking shots because the Axis wisely guarded their flanks, and so they were rarely ever exposed -- and as for getting behind Axis armour, forget it. That never happened until the very last two or three turns of the game when the Allies were basically whipped and no longer a serious threat. The heavy stuff that the Axis had only showed up in the company of the medium and light Axis armour, and so most of my fire on them was usually not good flanking fire, but towards their front (and that is not a good idea) and returned by two or more Axis units. Sleet consistently sprang my ambushes by using his infantry & apcs to expose my hidden units who were hopefully, patiently holding fire so those didn't pay off for me as they have in the past. I personally feel that this scenario is a very tough one to win for the Allies, so my hat is off to those Allies who have done exactly that! and to Der Sleet who so skilfully disposed of this Allied casualty.

[LOGAN5]

I agree with Crestone, This map favors Axis. I made a few careless mistakes that cost me the game.. had i been a little more careful during my turns .I would not have been ambushed keeping at least 1 square away from the forest and then using troops to clear. I did not think my panther would be killed in 1 shot from a Sherman FF so I turned the corner right into a sideshot from the FF on the hill. Allies have no chance to advance on the side of the maps, Axis can put troops in the forest and see everything that is coming. So in other words, I think we blew it!

[PirateJock_Wargamer]

Against CharlyG I miscalculated. I'd moved a lot of armour up my right flank thinking (i) not too much was exposed and (ii) anything coming that way would get blasted and at least surpressed. CharlyG threw the curve ball by moving both his Panthers and Panzers over very quickly along with infantry, and that along with at least 1 good airstrike killed off both TDs as well as the Firefly, AA and a couple of others. I think my game was lost by the end of my 3rd turn. There was no way back ...

[shawnt63]

Sleet - I hope you know I meant that comment tongue in cheek? I just think you are a tremendous player and was really blown away at how well you control your troops!

[hidde]

My impression is that this is a fairly balanced scenario. I have played both sides twice and won all four games
Can't say I remember much from the earlier games but that it was about as difficult to win with either side.
I'm happy we have left the desert and are in Europe. I've never lost any of the four last scenarios.
...just trying to play some mind game with my upcoming opponents before we continue

[Crestone]

As there is just one match still in play for round three, may we move on to the next round?

[SailingGuy]

I think it is safe to do so. I'm sure their game must be wrapping up.

Round 4: Along the Road
(Axis player listed first)
Acererak vs. SailingGuy
CharlyG vs. thesharpend
Sleet vs. PirateJock
shawnt63 vs. Crestone
LOGAN5 vs. hidde
junk2drive vs. Arminius

As always, Axis player to set up the game and PM the password to his Allied opponent. Good luck.

[Acererak]

Actually taking a bit longer than usual since we don´t seem to ever be around at the same time. I would say we are half way thorugh it more or less.

But we will catch up, no worries.

[Crestone]

Shawnt63 and I have finished our game. The results are:

Axis: 3 flags = 30 pts. 13 kills = 26 pts. 21 losses = -63pts. Total = 0

Allies: victory = 30 pts. 6 flags = 60 pts. 21 kills = 42 pts. 13 losses = -39 pts. Total = 93.

The Axis made an early effort to break out on their left flank, but were stymied by heavy flanking fire as they emerged on the road. On both sides, positions taken up in the first few turns were held throughout most of the game. The Allies enjoyed the good defensive positions
that this map tends to offer them and the Axis probed and sought to find weak points. The middle game was the proverbial "Mexican standoff" and the last five turns or so saw the Axis fiercely attacking and scoring kills, but suffering losses themselves as they tried to move forward. They did seize two flags briefly which were then re-taken by the Allies. The Axis Tiger took several hits and eventually was suppressed and killed as it retreated. Both sides sent a runner into the rear areas in an attemp to snag an unguarded flag and both were picked off.

My thanks and hats off to Shawnt63 for a tough, well fought game.

[shawnt63]

Thanks Crestone, that was a good game at the beginning and end, it was just too difficult to move anywhere for a while, hence the "mexican standoff" excellent use of the terrain in the opening two turns by the Allied left a dent in the German armour that was hard to recover from - I particularly liked (not really) the long range flank shot from your Cromwell that took out my MK IV on turn two!

Great game and thanks again!

[SailingGuy]

[Acererak]

Game from Round 3 between me and thesharpend finalized :

Axis : Victory (30 pts) + 9 Flags (90 pts) + 33 units killed (66 pts) - 23 (69 pts) units lost = 117 pts

Allies : 23 units killed (46 pts) - 33 units lost (99 pts) = 0 pts


Even if final victory went for the Axis this time, the battle ended with just two tanks, two infantries, one Puma and one truck surviving...bloody fight bravely fought by Allies.

Bravo thesharpened

[SailingGuy]

[PirateJock_Wargamer]

Update incoming ... and it's a big one 216 MB! Wonder if there'll be any effects on the ongoing games. Fingers crossed!

[Crestone]

Speaking of ongoing games .... any word from our friends and foes "Along the Road?" Battle reports?

[hidde]

Speaking of ongoing games .... any word from our friends and foes "Along the Road?" Battle reports?

Me and Logan should be finished soon. I'm leaving town tomorrow and hope that my PC at the other place can run well enough to do the last few turns that remains.
Last I used it for BA it crashed a lot.
Anyhow, I will win. All his tanks are gone and only 4-5 other units remain. The question is if I'll manage to reach all flags...I think I will

[Acererak]

Speaking of ongoing games .... any word from our friends and foes "Along the Road?" Battle reports?

The night is coming to and end and sun is about to rise...over a field full of Allied empty burning wrecks this time, I am afraid...

Sorry Captain