The Third Battle of Sheboygan Part 2

A Headless Body Production 

All Quiet on the Martian Front After Action Report: The Third Battle of Sheboygan
Location: Phil's Basement
Game: All Quiet on the Martian Front
Scenario: The Third Battle of Sheboygan
Players: Garth Parker and Bruce Potter: Marvin's Martians.
                   Phil Gardocki, Jenny Parker, and Steve Turn: American Armored Forces Midwest.

This is part two of this battle report, if you haven't read part 1, click here: 
The Third Battle of Sheboygan, Part 1
The Forces: A battery of Field Guns, Mobile Artillery, an Anti-Tripod Gun, a Tesla gun, 4 platoons of Mk II Steam Tanks, 4 platoons of Mk III's, a clamp tank, Patton's Mk IV, 2 Troops of Rough Riders, 2  Machine Gun Squads, 4 Infantry Squads, 2 Armored Infantry Squads.  Fixed defenses include a mile of heavy chains, pots of smoke and 4 fixed turrets.  Total value 3,170 points

A total of 18 tripods,  11 Assault, 2 Grenadiers, 3 Scouts, a Scientist, and a Slaver, supported by 9 Drones.  About 3,200 points. 

House Rules:
The clamp tank does not count as a unit for the purposes of human demoralization.

Units brought back using American Industrial Might count as additional units.  Effectively each unit brought back raises the human demoralization level by .5.  They must be successfully brought onto the board for this purpose. 
 
The Towering Ruins are passable to human vehicles, at half speed, but remain impassable to Martian Tripods.
Humans in Towering Ruins have their defense against heat rays and shock canisters improved as follows:
              Infantry +5/+3, Artillery +4/+2,  Vehicles +2/+2

Humans in Towering Ruins have their defense against green gas  and black dust improved as follows (wind tunnel effects):
              Infantry +2/+2, Artillery +2/+2,  Vehicles +1/+1

When in assault combat, the defenders do not get a bonus for terrain advantages for the "to hit" roll, but do get the terrain armor advantage, if any.

Macadam roads give a movement bonus to tripods.  

Dirt roads give a movement bonus to humans only.

The cost of a Tesla Gun is reduced to 175 points.

The cost of a Land Ironclad is increased to 1,500 points.

Smoke areas:  Human defenses can contain areas of canisters designed to throw up a large amount of smoke.  Units within the smoke and up to 3 inches behind the smoke are have their defense to heat rays increased by +2.  (Grenadier bombardment, Green Gas and Black Dust ignore this effect)  Beyond that the Martians elevation allows them to shoot and be shot at normally.

Chains obstacle:  Any Tripod crossing the chain obstacle rolls a d10, on a 1 or 2, the Tripod is entangled.  The roll to disentangle on subsequent turns is a 4+.  While entangled, Tripods cannot move, and have their to hit number reduced to 5+.  They may shoot normally.

Tower guns:  Tower guns have the chain obstacle sited in and get an additional +1 to hit a Tripod that is entangled by the chains obstacle (4+ to hit).  Tower guns are well camouflaged and cannot be targeted until they first shoot.  After which the normal 3+ is required to hit.

Scenario Rules: 1 Grenadier and 6 Martian Assault Tripods are on a "Flank March" on the north edge of the board.  They can arrive when the Sheboygan River becomes passable.  This occurs on a roll of 9+ on turn 2, 8+ turn 3, 7+ for turn 4 etc... 

The Board: The center of the city of Sheboygan.  Once a great industrial center, it is now in ruins after the Martian attacks early in '15 and '16. 

Our story so far:  The Martian frontal assault on Sheboygan has been met with heavy resistance.  The Americans have kept the initiative for every turn and have used that to their advantage.  The dam of the Sheboygan River is blown, and the reservoir is rapidly draining into Lake Michigan.  

3 Tripods are down, 2 of them spectacularly.   4 American tank platoons are out, and several others reduced to 1 tank.  

===============================================================

Major General Frank McIntyre, DSM, scanned the cityscape with his Bausch & Lomb Binoculars.
His thoughts turned to the axiom, "Once the battle is joined the only decision the commander can make is when to commit his reserves" 

He turned to his telephone-man in the east face of the Henry Wessel Building and ordered,  "Tell them to move out."

The river was dropping rapidly, with more Tripods to come.  But the frontal assault had just about petered out.  Some fresh troops, and they could collapse, then maybe he'll have time to face the river Martians.

For once he had tanks to spare, but the crews were lacking.  So for the battle, he had cooks and clerks manning his reserve tanks, with only 2 trained men per just so they would be heading in the right direction.  But, more is more.  No doubt there were survivors in the wrecked vehicles that littered Sheboygan, but there was only so much you can ask of a man.  To leap from a burning tank and into one that was going to be burning.  

Still, there were only 4 of the larger Tripods in the field now, and all of them were acting weirdly.  One had stopped firing, 2 stopped moving, and then there was the red one.  That one always behaved differently.

Turn 4:
The Americans keep the initiative and elect to move first.

On the north front, one tripod has been immobilized by 3 tow cables by the Rough Riders.

A fortuitous set of shots and another tripod collapses to the ground.  That's +2 for the initiative roll for next turn.

The Scout Tripod has a mobility hit, but as it's using its illuminator for the Grenadier Tripod, it doesn't need to move.

Marvin and a Slaver tripod dance around the chain obstacle.

The Towering ruins provide ample cover for the Americans.  As ordered, another platoon of MK III's deploy from around the ruin and into the fray.

The Martians need a 7+ to cross the rapidly draining river. And they get it.

With a mighty ululation, 6 Assault tripods race across the drained reservoir. 

One lone Mk II, in rout since turn 1, and within reach of the board edge, is picked off by the advancing line.

The Martian player has had a tough game so far, and has been taken a lot of lumps with the spirit of good sportsmanship.  It is now time for him to gloat.

Heat rays sweep out, destroying the mobile howitzers (already picked up) and routing the newly arriving Mk III's

Another Tripod turns right, to strike at another platoon of Mk III's, but misses.

Without any serious Martian presence in the south, Patton carefully backs his Mk IV through the ruins of the Henry Wessel Building to get to the other side.

With all the focus on the Assault tripods, a Scientist and his drones make it to the trench lines.

To the north, Marvin, the last truly effective Assault Tripod, and a scientist advance behind another cloud of drones.

Turn 5:
The Americans win the initiative roll and elect to move first.

The Rough Riders first attempt a tow cable attack on the green gas assault tripod, and fail, then back up and spread out for another attempt.

Many shots fired, but despite needing only a 3+ to hit, this tripod only took minor damage.

Scads of fire here, but the flanking tripods take a total of one hit.

The view from the east.

The line to repel the northern flank tripods is forming up.

The Americans needed to drop a few more Tripods this turn, but only scrounged up minor hits.

Drones, armed with wrenches and screwdrivers, dissemble the Harley's of a Rough Rider.

Handing their riders over for study for the scientist.

Marvin and friend destroy a pair of Mk III's in the ruins. 

Green Gas permeates the area, but somehow, the squads survive.  The Infantry in the trench line are not so lucky.  Drones invest the trenches and rip man and machine to shreds.

The flanking Martians are doing their job very well.  Tanks and guns are destroyed with abandon.  The Americans are reaching their break point.

Note, the tanks and howitzers in the upper left, are not on the board yet. 

Turn 6:

Muttering now or never, the Tesla gun fires again, and for the third time, rolls a one.  This is why we value this weapon at 175 vice 350 points.  Armored infantry fire their heavy guns, but fail damage any of the incoming drones.

Newly deployed, and ineffective, two Mk III's are burning.  The third races off, to where?

The American rear area is virtually clear of humans.

The immobilized tripod pops a tower gun.

In a spectacular display of motoring skill, the last Rough Rider avoids attacks from four drones.

An event not shared by the the trench bound infantry.  Another company is ripped to shreds.

Marvin sweeps and decimates the Machine-guns in the tower.

And is seen doing a victory dance.

And that is quickly that.  The Americans started the evening with only 4 units destroyed and a break point of 11.5, with 3 units being brought in to bring that point to 13, while the Martians had 3 tripods down, and losing another almost immediately out of 9 required for their break point.

Suddenly it just fell apart.  Unit after unit took hits and failed morale.  The total was 11 coming into the last turn, and the Martians took that up to 15 without even sweating.

=========================================================================
General McIntyre trotted southward with his aids and communication team.  Cringing every time heard the sound of a firing heat ray, and but also wishing it would find and take him away.

It was a rout, no doubt, but one long prepared for.  Demolition charges set off bringing down the towers throwing up piles and debris while hiding troop movement in thick dust.  Numerous traps designed to trip up tripods have been laid as well, which should slow any pursuit.

Turning, he saw the approaching bulk of Captain Patton's Mk IV.  Men clinging desperately to it.

The tank stopped, and Patton threw a sharp salute, which was half heartily returned. "Get on General", he ordered.

General McIntyre couldn't see a square foot of space that he could ride on the tank and just nodded.  "I'll not take a seat from a good fighting man."

With that he turned and continued to walk south.

From behind him, there was a bellow, "THAT'S ENOUGH OF THAT!".

The stones crunched, as Captain Patton hit the ground.  "General, you are the most important man on this team.  Just how many more of these magnificent bastards will die because your lack of leadership."

"I get it General, I really do, we got our asses kicked and damn it to hell, we will again before we are victorious.  NOW GO GET IN MY SEAT, AND I'LL JOG FOR A WHILE!"

"sir", he finished his rant, then ran General McIntyre towards the access hatch of the Mk IV.

"Charlie, he yelled to his driver, try and keep up with me, will you?"

General McIntyre, having regained some of his composure, and looked down at his running Captain.  "Hey, George!  Where are we going?"

Patton looked up at his general, and gave him a half smirk, half smile, "Waukegan!"

Our story continues in the next chapter, "Baited Trap, Waukegan, Illinois."

The Third Battle of Sheboygan Part 1

A Headless Body Production

All Quiet on the Martian Front After Action Report: The Third Battle of Sheboygan

Location: Phil's Basement
Game: All Quiet on the Martian Front
Scenario: The Third Battle of Sheboygan
Players: Garth Parker: Marvin's Martians.
               Phil Gardocki, Jenny Parker: American Armored Forces Midwest.

The Forces: A battery of Field Guns, Mobile Artillery, an Anti-Tripod Gun, 4 platoons of Mk II Steam Tanks, 4 platoons of Mk III's, a clamp tank, Patton's Mk IV, 2 Troops of Rough Riders, 2  Machine Gun Squads, 4 Infantry Squads, 2 Armored Infantry Squads.  Fixed defenses include a mile of heavy chains, pots of smoke and 4 fixed turrets.  Total value 3,170 points

A total of 18 tripods,  11 Assault, 2 Grenadiers, 3 Scouts, a Scientist, and a Slaver, supported by 9 Drones.  About 3,200 points.  


House Rules:
The clamp tank does not count as a unit for the purposes of human demoralization.
Units brought back using American Industrial Might count as additional units.  Effectively each unit brought back raises the human demoralization level by .5.  They must be successfully brought onto the board for this purpose.  
The Towering Ruins are passable to human vehicles, at half speed, but remain impassable to Martian Tripods. 
Humans in Towering Ruins have their defense against heat rays and shock canisters improved as follows:
              Infantry +5/+3, Artillery +4/+2,  Vehicles +2/+2

Humans in Towering Ruins have their defense against green gas  and black dust improved as follows (wind tunnel effects):
              Infantry +2/+2, Artillery +2/+2,  Vehicles +1/+1

When in assault combat, the defenders do not get a bonus for terrain advantages for the "to hit" roll, but do get the terrain armor advantage, if any.
Macadam roads give a movement bonus to tripods.  
Dirt roads give a movement bonus to humans only.
The cost of a Tesla Gun is reduced to 175 points.
The cost of a Land Ironclad is increased to 1,500 points.

Smoke area.  Human defenses can contain areas of canisters designed to throw up a large amount of smoke.  Units within the smoke and up to 3 inches behind the smoke are have their defense to heat rays increased by +2.  (Grenadier bombardment, Green Gas and Black Dust ignore this effect)  Beyond that the Martians elevation allows them to shoot and be shot at normally. 

Chains.  Any Tripod crossing the chain obstacle rolls a d10, on a 1 or 2, they are entangled.  The roll to disentangle on subsequent turns is a 4+.  While entangled, Tripods cannot move, and have their to hit number reduced to 5+.  They may shoot normally.

Tower guns.  Tower guns have the chain obstacle sited in and get an additional +1 to hit an entangled Tripod (4+ to hit)  Tower guns are well camouflaged and cannot be targeted until they first shoot.  After which the normal 3+ is required to hit.
 

Prologue (I am being a blow hard again, so if you want just the battle report, scroll down about 3 pages)

U.S. Army Headquarters, Sheboygan, Wisconsin.  Major General Frank McIntyre, DSM, stared at his maps, then at the stack of dispatches on his desk.  Damn, we always knew they were intelligent, but now the Martians were playing smart.  They have us with superior weapons and metallurgy, while we have them on numbers and thousands of years of military history.  He picked up the dispatch, but this, this smacks of military genius.

Martians were pushing into eastern Ontario, and the British sent the HMS Agincourt to assist their beleaguered ground forces.  And it was a trap; it had to be a trap!  As she traveled the narrows between Gros Cap and Mackinaw City, a sunken tripod gutted her.  It was literally just bobbing under the surface.  No Martian had ever done that before.  Out of 1300 men, only 12 survived the explosion.  The damned tripod didn’t even have the decency to be destroyed in the process, as it was spotted about an hour later coming ashore on Mackinac Island.  There it seems to be standing watch like some grotesque lighthouse. 

At least the USS New York wasn’t damaged; she is just inconveniently unavailable right now for lack of coal.  In about 36 hours she will be back in position.

On the plus side, his ground forces have been made good, and then some.  More of those tanks were coming in daily.  He managed to reuse turrets from some of the disabled vehicles for fixed fortifications.  The best news is his men.  They stared at the Martian and spit in its eye.  Giving as well as they got, and then some. 

But the Martians seemed to have made good their losses as well.  But we have more tricks up our sleeve.  As long as they come frontally, we should be able to hold them.  The spring had been wet, and the Sheboygan Dam was keeping any Martians off of his northern flank.

He pulled out his watch, 0500, time to greet the dawn.  He grabbed his Warner & Swasey Field Glasses and nodded to the sleepy private in front of the elevator.  “Take me up son”, he ordered. 

The Private saluted and began pushing buttons.  Off in the distance, machinery was heard winding up.

It was the tallest ruin still standing.  He got used to taking a stroll around the ramparts.  The watch standers have long since gotten used to his presence.  The black of the sky gave way to the purples of the morning. 

“Good Morning Captain Standish, what is the overnight report?"

“Nothing spotted overnight sir.”

He fixed his own binoculars and slowly scanned the horizon.  Unfortunately, there were areas that the Martian could be hiding not visible to them, even from this height. 

“We should have an airplane in the air shortly, sir”

Off to the north, there was a flash.  One of the watchers looking in that direction gave a curse, 5 seconds later, the building started vibrating, as if from some long distant explosion.

Other men started cursing, and then off in the distance there was a loud explosion. 

“Tripods, Tripods!” shouted an observer on the western rampart. 

General McIntyre scanned the west horizon, still dark in the early dawn.  Other watchers started confirming the sightings.  Then movement, too much movement.  He ran to the phone talker and issued orders.  “Get the men into positions, they are coming.”

The elevator down took forever.  He berated himself for allowing the pleasure of watching the sunrise, when he needed to be in the bunker, giving orders.  About 5 seconds before the doors opened he had a thought, an awful thought.  What was that explosion to the north?  With the spotting of the Tripods attacking from the west, he almost forgot about it.  Now he was pretty sure what it was, and he was afraid.

His staff assaulted him with questions before the door even opened.  He shouted them down and asked the only question that mattered, “What is the status of the dam?”

The Board: The center of the city of Sheboygan.  Once a great industrial center, it is now in ruins after the Martian attacks early in '15 and '16. 

Opening Shots:

Sheboygan, 1916, the view taken 9th Street.

The Americans were caught napping, but not unprepared.

Ten Tripods advancing.  Fire pots are lit, obscuring their vision.

The Clamp tank is hiding in the same spot as before.  It worked last time.  In the ruin is a new-fangled Tesla gun.  The Boffin is swearing vigorously in some Slavic tongue trying to start up the generator.

Mk II's are frontally deployed supporting a large number of stealth counters.

In the background, are the Mk III's ready to pour fire into the lead tripods.

Turn 1:
Off to the north, are sounds of massive amounts of earth moving.

The Humans win the initiative and elect for the Martians to move first.

The Tripods advance down the line in an orderly fashion. 

Through smoke and trees, their heat rays find their targets and melt their hearts.

Steam tanks pull into firing position and return fire.

The infantry hides in deep holes, while steam tanks climb the berms to engage the Martian at long range.

The Scout develops a mobility problem.  One of the lead Assault Tripods has a couple of hits.

The southern most Tripod also picks up a hit.

Turn 2:
The noise of from the north has abated, but it be just masked by the shouting of men and the firing of guns.

The Humans win the initiative and elect to move first, and so get to double strike the Martians.
The first to shoot is the Tesla gun, charged to 2 dice.  But it rolled a 1, missing it's target.

Hope is kindled, as one tripod collapses under a fusillade of hits.

Another Tripod takes a hit.

Late to the show, an ambush is revealed, long range field guns.  With reserve Tanks standing by.

Another steam tank is destroyed.  It's two companions fail morale. 

The heat ray attempts to destroy a steam tank, but sets fire to the barn instead.

The clamp tank is standing by.

Marvin hasn't remained alive this long by leading the assaults.

The Martians are on Taylor Drive.  The chain appears to be no obstacle to them.

The Tripods are running around the coal station, finding and destroying a MK III Steam tank.

A Scientist and its drones, like a mother duck and her ducklings.

Turn 3:
There are reports that water levels in the lake to the north are dropping rapidly.
The Martians win the initiative and elect to move first, getting a double strike.

Black Dust settles in the trenches.  The Armored Infantry is proof against it, and prepare to assault.

The Steam Tanks prove to be vulnerable to the black dust, the crews of two will succumb to the horror.

The Green Gas Tripod reveals a squad of infantry.  But as it has a weapons malfunction, and elects not to shoot.

A Tripod leers over the damaged buildings.  Several Stealth chips are revealed to be nought.  It raises it's heat ray over the barn for a clear shot at the hiding steamers.

One tank is destroyed, the morale of the platoon fails.  The Tripod then keeps moving forward making this platoon a clean sweep for the Martians.

Not all stealth markers are decoys.  From the wood emanates the sounds of many two stroke engines starting up.

Marvin and K-9, a Martian and his drone.

The Humans are winding for counter attacks.  I don't think I have ever seen so much infantry ready to go.

In the way back, a tripod turns the corner, and destroys two more MK III's

More tanks destroyed.  The Martians appear unstoppable. 

Artillery continues to bombard the invaders.

Another Stealth unit is revealed, the Anti-Tripod gun.  However, in their exuberance to shoot, they seem to have borrowed the Tesla's firing tables, and roll a 1 to hit as well.

On the other hand, The AT gun is shooting through a whole lot of burning tanks.

The Martians have crossed Taylor drive, time for the next phase of defenders to come out.  A platoon of Mk III's, Machine-gunners, and a stationary gun all shoot at the lead Tripod.

While the daring young men on their Harley-Davidson's wrap another tripod in tow cables.  All three are successful!  This Tripod is not going anywhere soon.

Tell me that this doesn't look like a double exposure.  A tripod has turned the corner, devastating two platoons of MK III's.

Patton's MK IV, peaks out of the ruin, guns blazing.  Destroying the Tripod, and unfortunately all but one of the remaining MK III's

Next on "Survivor, Coaling Station!"

Between 11 guns, artillery, and 6 MG's, the center Tripod also explodes!  

The view again from 9th Street.

A better tactical view.

A Patton's eye view.  Or the view of Patton's eye.

Turn 4:
The Humans have a +3 on the initiative roll for when we continue the game.

Status report.
Martian Tripods lost: 3
Tripods inconveniently damaged (mobility or weapons) 3
Effective Tripods (includes two grenadiers off board, but in range) 6
Drones  10
Tripods Off board, waiting for the water to recede, 6
........................estimated value 2850

Steam Tanks lost (II/III)  11/5
Steam Tanks effective (Clamp/II/III/IV)  1/4/7/1
Steam Tanks in reinforcements 3
Guns lost/still firing  0/8
Fixed turrets lost/still firing  0/4
Infantry  lost/effective  2/23
........................estimated value 2690


Continued in Part 2!