Many Rivers to Cross CoC campaign Holland 1940 (updated 19 07 22)

[TacticalPainter]

After a break of a few weeks we're back into the campaign. The Dutch have seized the initiative and try to stall the Germans by mounting a counterattack. A very interesting game and not what I was expecting. The full AAR is here https://thetacticalpainter.blogspot.com/2022/07/many-rivers-to-cross-scenario-8-open.html

[vodkafan]

The crew of that Dutch armoured car had balls like planets! To sit in the middle of the road and trade shots with a tank. Great stuff.

[has.been]

The crew of that Dutch armoured car had balls like planets! To sit in the middle of the road and trade shots with a tank. Great stuff.

I heartily agree. Great write up & nail biting to the end.
I must admit in rooting for the Dutch. I always like underdogs.

[Daeothar]

Ooh; so close to achieving an unexpected victory, only to be cut off at the pass...

Another gripping installment, and for me also one that did not go as expected. At all. I thought it turned out to be a done deal for the Dutch, only for them to stumble in sight of the finish line.

And the engineers not showing up just adds insult to injury. But also the opportunity to play yet another game in this riveting campaign, of course.

Great stuff

[CapnJim]

Dang.  The Dutch were THAT close to pulling it off.  Oh well.  Great report!   

[gamer Mac]

Great stuff 
medals all round for the Dutch AC crew

[TacticalPainter]

Thanks everyone, glad you’re enjoying following this. Before we started we were a little concerned that the schützen squads with two MG34 were going to be too much for the Dutch to handle and this might prove a walkover for them, but as you’ve seen, this certainly hasn’t been the case. That’s made for a very enjoyable and far more balanced campaign than we initially imagined. The final table is not an easy one for the Germans, so that despite the delay with the Dutch engineers they are still in with a chance.

[CapnJim]

Yeah, I think the Dutch in those games acquitted themselves pretty well.  Even though they came out on the short end of the stuck, they made the Germans earn their keep.  Waiting for your next report...

[brunei35]

Good to read the AARs and looking forward to the next one. Thanks also for posting the museum visit pictures and descriptions on the blog.

http://thetacticalpainter.blogspot.com/2022/07/australian-army-infantry-museum.html

Very interesting and new facts for me to - Austen sub machine gun for one.

Cheers
Tony

 

[TacticalPainter]

The Germans take a second crack at taking the river bridge. This is a tough table for the attacker and they had no luck at all in the first game, can they do better this time? The Dutch engineers won't be delayed forever after all. The full AAR is here http://thetacticalpainter.blogspot.com/2022/07/many-rivers-to-cross-scenario-9-river.html

[Daeothar]

What a nailbiting conclusion to a great campaign!

All in all, I feel it perfectly captures the development of the actual invasion in 1940; despite a spirited defense, in the end a German victory was inevitable due to overwhelming firepower, better C&C and numerical superiority.

I really enjoyed following the campaign; certainly something to aspire to...

[jon_1066]

Great campaign and write ups as ever but ... play the period not the rules.  How can you launch a 150 mm shell into a terrace house with a friendly squad stood next to it.  I know there is nothing in the rules against this but it is somewhat unreasonable to not expect friendly fire casualties from such a thing.

This is a weakness of these rules in general actually.  As great as the narrative they generate there is no friendly fire considerations at all.  So you can amble within 1 yard of a mortar barrage and be perfectly safe.  Likewise you can have troops adjacent to 150 mm HE target and have no effect.  Stood behind a target being shot at with an MMG? - no worries!

What about something like this?  If a friendly unit is obviously in the firing line then for each 1 rolled on the to hit dice it strikes the friendlies instead of the target.  So the bigger the stonk the more likely you are to hit a friend

[.:Gunslinger:.]

Very enjoyable campaign once again! Huge thank you for these brilliant battle reports, it's such fun to read!

[has.been]

Should have dropped the building on the Germans by the road-block. 

[Grumpy Gnome]

Thanks for taking the time to share your gaming mate, I have enjoyed it. It has indeed been inspirational for me. 👍