Thursday, February 12, 2026

Red Factories: As close to balanced as I can get

After many years of play-testing, this is as close as I can get to a balanced Advanced Squad Leader (ASL) Red Barricades/Red Factories CG. Completely ahistorical. This CG borrows heavily from the work done by the gang from Sweden who produced the LHR rules. Designed for balance of play. Take it for what it's worth.

Interested in discussing? Write me at: dadecariaga33@outlook.com

CG Victory Conditions

Germans win upon controlling (even if Isolated) a majority of factory hexes on each board plus 18 (out of 34) Victory building hexes on either board at the end of any CG day. If the Germans do not achieve this by the end of the 15 Nov scenario, the Russians win. CG is potentially 30 days: 17 Oct – 15 Nov

ELR

German 4, Russian 3 

Exceptions:

·      29-30 Oct Ger ELR 3

·      31 Oct Rus ELR 2

·      1 Nov Ger ELR 3

·      2 Nov Ger ELR 2

·      3-6 Nov Ger ELR 3, Rus ELR 2

·      14-15 Nov Ger ELR 3 Rus ELR 2

SAN

Ger SAN 3, Rus SAN 4

Note: The SAN for both sides is reset at the beginning of each CG day. There is no SAN RG available for purchase.

German Entry Areas

·      RB board: A9-U1

·      RO board: A14-39

Note that these entries areas may be expanded by controlling board edge hexes on the western and/or northern edges of the map. However, the entry area does not automatically expand as it does in the original RB campaign. Russian entry areas remain valid, even if controlled by Germans.

Initial Forces

·      RB board: as per ASLRB CGI: Into the Factories

·      RO board:

Germans

Russians

Rifle Coy

Guards Rifle Coy

Pionier Coy

Engineer Coy

StuG IIIB Pltn

SMG Coy

StuG IIIG Pltn

76* INF x 2

80mm Mtr OBA (2 pre-reg hexes)

45LL ATG x 2

Offboard Observer

.50-cal HMG

15 CPP

Fortified Bldg x 5

 

228 x 5

 

FPP: 60

 

8 CPP

 

CG SSRs

1.      Scenario VICTORY CONDITIONS: There are no longer any conditions thatwill determine which side has won a CG Day. In essence, winning the whole CG is only what really matters (delete O11.32 & O11.6235).

2.      RG MaximumsAll RG (unless otherwise prohibited) are available for purchase up to the maximum number for that particular RG, without regard to board or CG being played. [EXC: players should respect the historical date of entry restrictions.)] For example, Germans may purchase a total of 2 A7 Pz IVF2 RG on EACH BOARD. Likewise, Russians may purchase a total of 2 A3 T-34 M41 RG on EACH BOARD.  RG must enter on the board for which they are purchased

3.     MIST: If Heavy Winds occur during Mist (either in RePh step O11.6241or during play) the Weather immediately becomes Clear for the remainder ofthat CG Day.

4.     NIGHT ASSAULT NA: Night Assault NA (delete O11.6234).

5.     FULL-STRENGTH RG: Each Infantry Coy/Pltn, Armor Pltn, and Gun Battery are received at Full-Strength (i.e., never Depleted).

6.     MMC BATTLE HARDENING TABLE NA: In rule O11.6112, line 5, delete "Each side also" and everything thereafter.

7.  MOL: All Russian 1st line and Elite MMC [EXC: crews] are awarded MOL capability versus AFVs (only). MOL have a range of 0-1 hexes and are treated as inherent SW. Russians must roll for availability for each MOL attack, as if it were a 1944 Pf check. However, a 6 on the availability dr results in the unit being broken and a Flame being placed in that unit's location (if burnable terrain). MOL attack results are as per the AFV TK table. There is no MOL RG available for purchase.

8.    BOOBY TRAPS: The Booby Trap Level C may never be increased and contrary to rule B28.9, units never take any type of TC, unless the TC DR may also result in something else other than triggering a Booby Trap attack (delete O11.6123).

9.    BURNING BARRICADES: No Rooftop Location can contain a Flame counter. Each time a Flame becomes a Blaze in the building Location directly beneath a Rooftop Location, a Blaze counter is also immediately placed in that Rooftop Location. There can never be more than one Flame counter per Location (i.e., a second Flame counter can never be created).

10.  IDLE DAY BURNING: When an Idle Day occurs and there are still Blazes on the map, then perform the following: roll for wind status (B25.63-.64), then for 8 Player Turns roll for Wind Change, checking for falling rubble, spreading fire, building collapse, gusts, etc. Then perform rule O11.609 (Extinguishing Blazes) with the following substeps O11.6091-.6097. Each AFV/weapon/unit that is confined to setting up in a specific Location and that remains on-board during the Idle Day is Eliminated if the Location is ablaze.

11.  ASOP: Blaze Spread DR is made before Flame to Blaze Spread DR.

12.  GUTTED BUILDINGS & FACTORIES: The MF cost for Gutted non-factory buildings is the same as before being gutted. A non-gutted factory has a cost of either 1 MF or 2 MF (in rule O1.2, line 2, replace ”3 MF” with ”2 MF”). Infantry enters a Factory hex that is Gutted or roofless for a cost of 2 MF (EX: on the Red Barricades map, from N15 enter O16, or 4 MF; Manhandling, or 1/2 MP; AFV).

13.  DEMOLITION CHARGE BREACH: A Placed DC that detonates create a Breach on an Original DR of 9 or less. When, a Breach is created no Rubble Creation is possible. Delete line 11-12 in rule O5.331 that reads the following: ”only one Gun (whether Vehicular or not) per Location may fire through such Breached hexside per Game Turn”.

14.  ENTRENCHMENTS: In SSR RF6, line 4, delete ”only to the RF Cellar (6.21) if it exists in that hex;” and in line 16-17, delete ”nor if entering/leaving a Cellar Location to/from such a trench, is the unit considered to be changing elevation for any purpose.”Each Entrenchment is treated as one building hex for Rout (towards and beneath it), and for Rally Bonus purposes. Units beneath an Entrenchment are considered to be in Concealment Terrain. A HIP unit beneath an Entrenchment that is removed would immediately be placed on-map unconcealed unless still in Concealment Terrain.

15.  STUKA: Purchased German Air Support arrive either in the form of three Stuka M42 with bombs (cost 1 CPP) or four Stuka M42 with bombs, Early Stuka; -2 drm” (cost 2 CPP). Stuka RG are limited to performing Sighting TC only on the board for which they are purchased.

16.  STUKA ACE: Upon the aircraft Turn of Entry, the German player make a DR on the Armor Leader Table (-1 DRM) and if he receives one Armor Leader, it is assigned (non-secretly) to a Stuka and act as a Stuka Ace that may use his Leadership for both To Hit and MG attacks.A Stuka Ace with morale 9 or 10, has a better Sighting TC chance, although the chance for a Mistaken Attack is the same as for any other Stuka.

17.  ERRATA: Reserve unit(s) must remain Cloaked even when a STUKA is within one hex, in rule O11.6194b, in line 8, delete ”(or enemy Air Support [SSR 9] is within one hex)”.

18.  OFFBOARD ARTILLERY: When attempting Battery Access for an OBA Module and no more than one black and/or red chit(s) have been permanently removed from the Draw Pile and the second permanently-removed red chit is drawn, return it to the Draw Pile instead, and that ends the Observer’s OBA actions for that Player Turn (i.e., the second red chit can only be removed from the Draw Pile if at least two black chits have been permanently removed from the Draw Pile for that OBA Module). An Original Contact/Maintenance DR of 12 does not cause the breakdown of a Radio or elimination of a Field Phone, although an Original DR of 12 does cause the loss of Radio/Field-Phone Contact. A Security Area line of hexes (C1.23) can be drawn to any non-Isolated Location and is never cut for any reason (i.e., the line can have bends and is never cut by FFE/enemy-DR-of-2).

19.  HIP OBSERVER ON ROOF: Each HIP leader in possession of only a Field Phone (or Radio) in a Roof Location remains HIP despite enemy LOS to its Location (i.e., as opposed to other units, see B23.82).

20.  OBA PRE-REGISTERED HEXESPlayers need not draw an extra black chit if all enemy units in the AOE of a Pre-registered hex are unknown to the observer. However, players may NOT add an extra black chit to their OBA chit pile when they purchase a pre-registered hex.

21.  RUSSIAN OFFBOARD ARTILLERY OBSERVER: Each Russian OBA Module purchased on 24th October and thereafter, has the option to have an Offboard Observer assigned to it (at no cost). The Offboard Observer is at level 3 of any east-edge hex, secretly recorded before German setup.

22.  SPOTTER PLANE: Ignore E7.6-.62 and use the following rule instead: A Spotter Plane is only available for non-Rocket OBA > 100+mm and is an Offboard Observer (C1.63) with the ability of LOS to all Locations [EXC:Sewer/Culvert] on the map and Hindrance drm never apply to the Accuracy dr. A Spotter Plane is immediately revealed when the Module assigned to the Spotter Plane has its SR or AR converted to an FFE:1 (place a Spotter Plane on the map, a Glider counter may be used). Only one Spotter Plane is allowed per CG scenario and may not be used in Overcast/Mist weather conditions.

23.  ARMORED FIGHTING VEHICLES: In rule O11.6133 (AFV MG Exchange) replace the word “may” with “must”. AFVs must attempt to Repair their Malfunctioned weapons during each RPh. Withdrawal of an AFV that belongs to a pltn never occurs (delete O11.6142 & O11.6143).

24.  AFV/WRECK LOS HINDRANCE: Contrary to D9.4, an AFV/non-burning-wreck inside (i.e., not in Bypass) a building/Factory/woods obstacle does not present any LOS Hindrance.

25.  VEHICLE CREW: As an additional option to rule O11.6131, each non-Isolated 1-2-7 crew on foot is allowed to enter any non-Isolated, non-Shocked/UK already manned AFV of its choice at the start of RePh step O11.6131 (that AFV is Abandoned by its [Temporary] Inherent crew to make room for the 1-2-7 crew entering it). Remove STUN counters from MMC on foot in RePh step O11.602 (Marker Removal), although any Armor Leader is still Eliminated (D5.341).

26.  DUG-IN AFV: Dug-In AFVs setting up HIP may do so for free (i.e., contrary to O11.6194c such HIP need not be separately purchased). Once, a Dug-In AFV has been revealed it may not set up using HIP again. A Dug-In AFV may not set up in a Front Line Location. Each time a DC is Placed/Thrown against a Dug-In AFV a hit location in the hull is considered to be in the turret instead. In the “DC POSITION DRM” table (C7.346) where it says “hull”, consider that word replaced with “turret” when a DC is Placed/Thrown against a Dug-In AFV.

27.  WRECKS: All Burnt-Out-Wrecks in rubble/building/Factory/woods hexes (including in VBM) are removed from play in RePh step O11.6097. Contrary to SSR CG7 (O11.4), a wreck/Burnt-Out-Wreck is removed from play due to rule D10.4 and can be removed per D10.42.

28.  LEADERS: In rule O11.6113 (Leader), delete in line 3 ”Each side” and everything thereafter, and in rule O11.6205 (Leader Determination), delete the last sentence (starting with “Each Infantry”). Delete O11.6114 (Promotion Out Of The Ranks). Replace rule O11.610 with the following:

29.  O11.610 WOUNDED LEADERS: Each player makes a dr for each of his currently Wounded leaders. On a dr of 1, the leader is Retained in his unwounded state, otherwise, the wounded leader is evacuated (or dead).

30.  8+1 COMMISSAR: Each time an 8-0 leader is exchanged (O11.6206) for a 9-0 Commissar, the Russian player makes a dr, and on a dr of 6 that 9-0 Commissar is replaced with an 8+1 Commissar.

31.  ASSAULT ENGINEERS: German/Russian Assault Engineers have an underscored Morale Factor, are exempt from Disruption, and an ELR of 5.Each German Pionier Coy RG (I3) receives two DC less (i.e., three DC, not five). The Smoke Exponent of German 8-3-8 squads is not increased by two (i.e., a Smoke Exponent of 3 during play, not 5).

32.  MILITIA COY Militia Coy RG consist of 15 squads (not 12 squads). No Militia Coy (I5) receives any SW (O11.6202).

33.  WEAPONS: Guns may set up as Emplaced in Paved Road hexes that also contain shellholes. Guns may always set up HIP if Emplaced and also HIP if non-Emplaced in Concealment Terrain (delete ”eligible per A12.34” in rule O11.4 CG SSR 5).

34.  HEAVY WEAPONS PLTN: Each 1-2-7 crew is replaced with a 2-2-8 crew.

35.  WEAPON REPAIR TABLE: All Malfunctioned vehicular armaments can possibly be repaired, while all malfunctioned non-vehicular weapons (eg. SW/Gun) are eliminated in the RePh.

36.  CAPTURED EQUIPMENT: Each Captured Gun and/or HMG is retained on a dr of 1-2. All other captured equipment is eliminated.

37.  WEAPONS OUTSIDE FRIENDLY SETUP AREA: All SW not within a friendly perimeter are perimeter determination are eliminated.

38.  FLAMETHROWERS: The Basic TK# for the OT-T#$ BF32 is 6 at one hex, 4 at two hexes, and 3 at three hexes range. Modifications of the Basic TK# (C7.2) apply.

39.  AMMUNITION: In 6243, lines 6-8, delete “at the end of that Player Turn provided both units become TI and remain in Good Order throughout that Player Turn”.

40.  SPECIAL AMMO: Russians/Germans are never Guards/Elite (C8.2).

41.  IDLE REQUIREMENTS: In the CG, there must be at least one Idle Day during each of the following five 6-day-periods: 17/10-22/10; 23/10-28/10; 29/10-3/11; 4/11-9/11; 10/11-15/11. Example: if during CG Days 17/10-21/10 there has been no Idle Day(s), then both players must choose an Idle chit for the next CG Day (22/10) since there has not been an Idle Day during that 6-day-period. If both players select an Idle chit for CG Day23/10, the next CG Day which must be an Idle Day is 3/11 (if there has been no Idle Day(s) during 29/10-2/11).

42.  62ND ARMY STAFF AD-HOC COY & AFV: If 28 October is a non-idle Day and the Russian player roll a reinforcement dr of 2 on the first Russian Player Turn, he receives an Ad-Hoc Coy & AFV pltn that consists of the following units: 6-2-8 squad; 4-5-8 squad; four 4-4-7 squads; four 4-2-6 squads; leaders 10-2; 9-1; two 8-0; two LMG; OT-34, two T-70 tankettes. The force must enter as per SSR CG9 (O11.4). each of 3-6, no reinforcements will arrive. On the next non-idle day the Russian must repeat this and make a new reinforcement dr repeat the process each non-idle day until a dr of 1-2 is made). RePh step O11.602 (Marker Removal), remove all MA/SA Disabled/# for Malfunction counters from the OT-34, unless it is under Recall (O11.6141).

43.  SPW 251/10: In RePh step O11.602 (Marker removal) remove any MA Disabled/Malfunction counter from each SPW 251/10 that is not under Recall due to D5.341.

44.  STUIG 33B PLTN: The purchase cost for the second StuIG 33B Pltn (A3) rule is only 2 CPP (i.e., the first pltn cost 5 CPP and the second pltn cost 2 CPP).

45.  FORTIFICATION  CG Max. RGs: There is no limit to the number of Fortification RG that may be purchased by either side.

46.  T34 REINFORCEMENTS: The CPP cost for the A3 (T34 M41) and A4 (T34 M43) RG is lowered to "4" and "5" respectively.

47.  STILL HIDDEN UNITS: Each still hidden non-Isolated unit in RePh step O11.602 not subject to O11.604 (Encirclement & Minefields) may remain hidden until RePh step O11.607 (if included in the exceptions) until the next CG scenario unless such a unit must either be used to determine the friendly Perimeter and/or to obstruct the non-friendly Perimeter. HIP units confined to setting up in specific Location(s), such as the possessor of a Gun in a Fortified-Building-Location/Pillbox may drop possession of its Gun and the inherent crew of an Immobile AFV may Abandon its AFV (D5.411 applies) in order to be removed from the map and lose its HIP.

48.  RECONNAISSANCE AND RECON INSPECTION NA: NA.

49.  LEADER DETERMINATION: Red October CG Leader Tables are used for Leader Determination (delete the RB Leader Tables).

50.  HEAVY MACHINE GUNS: Each HMG received in a German Coy or Russian Coy is replaced with an LMG.

51.  FANATIC BUILDING-NEST: During the first Idle Day in October and the first Idle Day in November the Russians must secretly designate one non-Isolated building as a Fanatic Building-Nest. For a building to be eligible for designation, the Russians must Control all Locations of the building. All Locations of the designated building are automatically Fortified. A maximum of two buildings may be designated and only one per month. The designated building remains a Fanatic Building-Nest for the remainder of the CG. Only Rubble that is in any of the original Locations of the building is considered to be part of the building (even if the entire building has been rubble) for the purpose of the fanaticism benefit. Russian units are Fanatic while in the designated building as per SSR CG11 (O11.4).

Friday, February 11, 2022

Had a thought this morning...


I reflected this morning on the impossible tale that has been my life, so far. All the sights and sounds. All the people encountered, the lessons learned. All the places I've been.

I supposed that, in the hands of a master novelist or great filmmaker, it might be possible to construct a reasonably interesting story arc.

A prideful fancy, I grant. 

Wednesday, February 09, 2022

Journal entry at 60


So foul and fair a day, I have not seen.

The world enters our third year of pandemic. Authorities now refer to COVID-19 as endemic. "Pandemic" is passé. In the new reality, COVID is just another danger in a perilous world. Like heart attacks and car wrecks.

The plague has swept the world, as it were castigating humanity for our profligacy and promiscuity. It is the greatest catastrophe visited upon mankind in my lifetime and may I never live to see such another. Everything has changed, is changing. 

War looms. Environmental degradation accelerates its world-ending career. Societies are falling apart. 

This is not without precedent. This is part of the human condition. Yeats expressed the mood perfectly, one hundred years ago.

The Second Coming by WB Yeats

No answers.

I'm 60 years old, now. Being a man of an analytical and introspective nature, I always make note of these mundane facts. I have a distinct memory of walking home from Shasta Elementary School on a warm spring afternoon in 1969, in Klamath Falls, Oregon, and saying to myself "I'm 7 years old, now." 

Back then, my own little ecosphere was falling apart and the world beyond was fearful and unknown. Fifty-three years later, equipped with the experiences of a lifetime, I still find it so. 

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

RB/RO CG: Fire on the Volga (Pt. 3)

Note to readers: This post won't make a lick of sense to anyone who isn't familiar with the Advanced Squad Leader game system.

Specifically, Stewart King and I are undertaking to play a modified CG that combines the Red Barricades and Red October boards and OBs to become a massive, all-encompassing campaign that runs for 30 CG days! I attached the moniker "Fire on the Volga" and undertake here to maintain a blog of the CG as we progress. Stewart is an old friend and has agreed to refrain from reading my blog until such time as I give him permission.


Feel free to leave comments. Let me know if you think my setup is crazy, or if you find my strategy hopelessly flawed. Just be sure not to reveal anything about my game to Stewart (nor vice-versa).



Aftermath of CG Day 2

Bleak, baby. Bleak. Like Yevgrev says in Dr. Zhivago: "Even Comrade Lenin underestimated both the anguish of that nine hundred mile-long front, and our cursed capacity for suffering." 

The attack on the Chemist's Shop mostly succeeded, but Stewart yet clings to hex Z10, the southernmost of the building. The riverbank hangs like ripe fruit before my eyes, but is yet ungrasped. Along the railroad tracks we met with only slightly greater success than expected. After all, a savvy Russian player is not going to fight too hard on the western board edge. It's a fool's errand.  In the factories, we took only what the Russians ceded. Behold, the perimeter!

Continuing with the previous day's progress 

Stewart fought tenaciously to hold the Chemist's Shop. My attack stalled  in the trench at the very door of the (thoroughly-fortified) building. I made a risky decision, moving my 10-2 kill stack from his position on the 1st level of N5 over to the rooftop of hex P6. There were 2 modules of Red 80mm mortar dropping nearby, but I found the gap in his OBA missions, got up there and, as 10-2 kill stacks tend to do, laid waste to the Russian defenses.

My retained forces are strong, especially with my battle-hardened 10-3, who will be directing machinegun fire very close to the front lines on the coming day. But my Sturm troops are reduced to a depleted company, which more or less dictates that I buy a Sturm Company with my allotted 17CPP for the day. Here's what I've got.

Retained forces: 
  • 10-3, 10-2, 9-1 x 2, 8-1, 8-0 x 3, 7-0 x 2
  • 548 x 8.5
  • 468 x 5
  • 467 x 26
  • 447 x 4
  • HMG x 3, MMG x 5, LMG x 4, Atr, x 3, Lt. Mtr. x 3

I've still got 2 full companies of rifle troops, which bodes well for the next few days. Since I'm compelled to buy a Sturm company, I will do so. And since I'm still fairly close to the board edge, armor is a good substitute for a second company of infantry. 

I suspect Stewart has set up some nasty Russian MG nests in the Commissar's House. But I've got a Mortar OBA module that will smoke up that observation point, should it prove necessary. My 10-3 kill stack is set up to move into the first level of the Chemist's Shop as soon as the opportunity presents itself, from which location he will serve as overwatch as my Sturm troops on to the wire and trench line that Stewart has developed on the approaches to the Commissar's House. (I have definitely noticed that, as per our CG SSR) the Russians have a lot more fortifications than normal. And while it may have slowed my progress on the map, the casualties so far have still been about what one would expect.)

Here's what I bought:
  • I3 Sturm Company
    548 x 12
    MMG, LMG x 2, DC x 2
    9-1, 8-1, 8-0
  • A4 PzIIIH Platoon
    PzIIIH x 3
  • O5 Offboard Observer (Hex Q1)
  • O2 80mm Mtr OBA
    Normal Ammo
Not much imagination to my assault, I'm afraid. Push to the river! Attack the Russian flank. These things write themselves...

Friday, November 01, 2019

RB/RO CG: Fire on the Volga (Pt. 2)

Note to readers: This post won't make a lick of sense to anyone who isn't familiar with the Advanced Squad Leader game system.

Specifically, Stewart King and I are undertaking to play a modified CG that combines the Red Barricades and Red October boards and OBs to become a massive, all-encompassing campaign that runs for 30 CG days! I attached the moniker "Fire on the Volga" and undertake here to maintain a blog of the CG as we progress. Stewart is an old friend and has agreed to refrain from reading my blog until such time as I give him permission.



Feel free to leave comments. Let me know if you think my setup is crazy, or if you find my strategy hopelessly flawed. Just be sure not to reveal anything about my game to Stewart (nor vice-versa).



Aftermath of CG Day 1

I'm very satisfied with the results of the day. Behold, the perimeter!

Perimeter, end of CG Day 1.
Not so impressive, eh? Yes, I did destroy his trench-and-wire fortifications, got across the V hexrow and, made progress toward the Chemist's Shop, but that's barely hitting par as the Germans on Day 1.

The real story of the day was the destruction visited upon the Russian forces. As I stated in my previous post, I thought the Reds were set up too far forward. Between that and Stewart's natural tenacity and stubbornness on defense (I've been playing him for years) CG Day 1 was a Russian disaster.

The CVP totals tell the tale. Germans suffered 20 CVP. Russians suffered 63 CVP. The Reds got tripled up! Despite their numerical superiority in the overall CG, that ratio is unsustainable. Stewart will have to find a way to adjust.

In a more or less textbook blitzkrieg manuever, I was able to use my armor to bust through his line at several points (the Workshop Warehouse and his wire and trench line in the U-W hexrows) and follow up with my infantry, cleaning up behind the maurauding AFVs. In that way, I destroyed a lot of his troops for failure to route. My MG kill stack swept his mortar and ATR troops off the rooftops, and I captured a Russian HMG in L5. Stewart mounted a successful minor counterattack from building Z1 and drove me back a couple hexes, and he threw me out of Building K10 in another. But his losses were severe.

The day was punctuated by a 7 CVP score on the last turn of the game, when my Sturm squad placed a DC, rubbling hex F13 which contained 3 squads and a 9-0 commie.

German losses consisted of a PzIIIL and roughly 2 platoons of infantry.

My triumph was somewhat mitigated when I rolled boxcars to have both of my armored platoons recalled. But, as per SSR #6 for this CG (see Prelude) I'm compensated 4 CPP for the next CG day, since the recall involved 4 fully-functional AFV. 

The Reds lost about 2 companies of infantry and a 45LL ATG.

The day that is to come

Although my perimeter does not extend as far into the board as I might have expected, I'm nonetheless pleased that I have established my entry area to the east of hexrow V, which opens up the approach to the riverbank.

As I see it, I've got 3 avenues of attack.

  1. Chemist's Shop and river bank.  This is my default choice. I've mostly destroyed his fortifications by the river and it makes little sense to lay off now and let him regain his strength. And while Stewart may well predict this attack, he's so weak right now that there is not much he can do to stop me from gaining the riverbank and probably even the Chemist's Shop. This will be my primary attack for the coming day.

    But I have enough strength to also mount a secondary attack as well, which will be either of the following two options, depending on how I perceive Russian strength to be deployed.
  2. Bust my way down the railroad tracks and make a grab for the Power Station. This is a safe attack. Reinforcements can join the battle immediately, entering from the western board edge, and any Russians any the area will be overwhelmed quickly.
  3. Into the factories. I don't want to fight in the factories unless I must. The Russian fanatic bonus makes even conscripts (which are sure to be there) dangerous. There is nothing worse than losing a Sturm squad to a Conscript in factory close combat. However, if I perceive the center to be overly weak, I will charge into the factories, if for no other reason than to stretch the perimeter.
My retained forces from Day 1 are these:
  • 10-2, 9-1 x 2, 8-1, 8-0, 8-0 (wnd), 7-0 x 2
  • 548 x 18
  • 468 x 2
  • 467 x 4
  • 447 x 2 
  • HMG, MMG x 3, LMG x 5, Atr, DC x 3
I've got 1.5 companies of Sturm troops, which means the German spear point is still honed and lethal. This bodes well for Day 2.

I'm awarded 17 CPP (remember, in this CG, Stewart and I are ignoring all CPP replenishment modifiers other than the historical modifiers), plus the 4 CPP I received for my recalled AFV, which yields 21 CPP for the day! My purchases are these:

  • I1 Rifle Company
    467 x 12
    HMG, MMG, LMG, Lt. Mtr. Atr
    8-1, 8-0
  • I1 Rifle Company
    467 x 12
    HMG, MMG, LMG, Lt. Mtr. Atr
    10-2, 8-1, 7-0
  • A5 PzIIIL Platoon
    9-1 AL
    PzIIIL x 3
  • O5 Offboard Observer (Hex Q1)
  • O2 80mm Mtr OBA
    Normal Ammo
Two Rifle companies for the day. I'll buy them now, while I can. In my experience, the Germans are rarely afforded such a luxury, and since I have it, I'm going to use it. In the later game, my purchases will be constrained by competing demands for support and manpower.

My AFV withdrawal reimbursement of 4 CPP goes directly to buying another PzIIIL platoon. The net effect of our new SSR, then, is that I came out more-or-less with a wash. Four AFV withdrawn, 3 purchased with the resulting CVP.

The tactics for Day 2 will be much the same as Day 1. Schwerpunkt, aimed at the Chemist's Shop. I'm hoping the momentum of my attack will carry me beyond my primary objective and on to the approaches of the Commissar's House.

And away we go!

Stewart is discouraged after the whipping he took on Day 1. But the Reds can recover from disaster. As the German advances across the board, he moves beyond the effective range of his offboard observers and increases the distance his reinforcements must travel to reach the action. That is, he becomes vulnerable.

When I play the Russians, I find it useful to think of the German forces as a vicious dog tethered to the western and northern board edges. Don't fight the dog inside his tether. Just stay in front of him, back up and nick him where you can. When he reaches the end of the line, which in my experience seems to be at about hex row V on the southern half of the RB board, lay into him with everything you've got.

And know that he still might shred you.

That's life in the Barricades, baby.

To be continued...