The Longhorns Meet the Crimson Tide.

A Headless Body Production
Location:  Phil's Basement

Event:         Providence Gamer's Game Knight
Game:         All Quiet on the Martian Front
Scenario:   Advancing on Shreveport.
Players:      Bruce Potter, Mark McConnahay, Phil Gardocki:   Texas Tank Corps, consisting of the Texas 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Armored Brigades and the 36th (Lone Star) Infantry Division.
                    Garth Parker and Jim Thompson: Mobile forces of Pod 16, Hive 3 (फली 16, हाइव 3) and Marvin's Martians.

For the animated crawl version (which does not seem to work on all computers, sorry): 

click here.

https://starwarsintrocreator.kassellabs.io/#!/BLe8qWLSK7yH2rUuStPT

Episode VI

Return of America!

With the triple defeats of the Martians

at Fort Worth, St Louis and Waukegan

It was decided to go on an all out offensive.

The army of St. Louis, recently reinforced by

five Land-Ironclads, decimated the 

Martian mobile forces of Arkansas and Kansas.

While in the north, General McIntyre

cleared all the Martians east of the Mississippi

and eastern Canada

Following up their victories, Arkansas 

was quickly recovered.  

General McCook, Hero of Fort Worth and Metcalf

is now taking his Texas Tank Corps eastward

to link up with the Army of Saint Louis.

 But, the Martians have not been idle

they have taken Shreveport 4 years earlier

and their hives have been multiplying steadily 

in preparation for the assault in New Orleans.

The Scenario, Double Envelopment:

The newly designated Texas Tank Corps, lead by General McCook has been directed eastward to better secure the rail lines supplying the greater Texas Army.  The Martians occupying Louisiana had been building up their forces for a renewed assault on New Orleans when the fleeing remnants of Hive 4 broke all protocol and entered their territory.  

Both sides have off board flank marches running.  The 2nd Texas Tank Brigade in the north, and 3 tripods in the south.

The Forces:
Texas Tank Corps: 6 platoons of Mk II's, 4 platoons of Mk III's, 3 Mk IV's, a Flame Thrower Tank, 1 company of motorcycles,  5 companies of infantry, 2 companies of heavy infantry, 2 companies of heavy machine guns.  A battery of Mobile Artillery, the Tesla Gun, an Anti-tripod gun, a battery of field artillery, and 2 command units
They have 27 units, and are demoralized if 14 are destroyed.  About 3,192 points. 

फॅम्त्ज्ल्न्प्व्च्-।ैक्थ्ळभ्श्रज्ञस् and Marvin's Martians: A total of 16  tripods, 9 Assault Tripods, 2 Scouts, 2 Grenadiers, 2 Scientists, and a Slaver.  Supported by 15 drones.
They have 21 units, and retreat if 11 are destroyed.  About 3,220 points

The House rules are at the end of the battle report.

Obscure references:
For the English speakers and non football types.  The Longhorns (est. 1893) is the football team of Texas University, and the Crimson Tide (est. 1892) is the  football team for University of Alabama as well as a double entendre for the red weed strewn about the board.

Our story so far:

The Southern Front has gone to hot war.  The Martians were decisively defeated at Fort Worth, and their reinforcement columns at Brad.  Subsequently one of their hives near Dallas has fallen, eliminating the threat to that city.  

General Funston is not going to give the Martian time to regroup.  With Dallas secure, he has ordered General McCook to attack eastward, to link up with the Army of Saint Louis, and cut off the Martians in Louisiana.  With Louisiana secure the threat to turning the Mississippi line would be removed, For all concerned, this is the first time any of them have entered a fully controlled Martian area.

General McCook and his staff observed the landscape in front of them.  It was a strange and alien sight.  He expected desolation, but not this, this, red weed.  The pictures he had seen were in black and white, and everywhere, the trees, the ground, were covered in a red weed from Mars. He felt like he was observing a different world. As the Martian came to dominate the humans, so to the red weed came to dominate our vegetation.  He continued to observed the wreckage of the rail line, the ruined farmsteads, and amidst the vibrant chaos, something interesting, "Spector, what do you make of that?"

Doctor Louis Spector, a biologist from Harvard, came down with a team to examine the hive captured the previous month, and then decided to join the 36th (Lone Star) Infantry Division on its liberation mission of Louisiana. His H.C. Whites slowly scanning the fields.  "Well General, we have plenty of samples of red weed. The stuff is more pernicious than kudzu.  Back east they are using flame throwers to eradicate it wherever it finds root."

"Look over by the ruined farmstead, what do you see?"

As one, all the staff equipped with glasses pointed towards the near by ruins.  Built out of stone, it was still unable to resist the heat ray that sliced it apart.  Red weed infested both the inside and out.

Commentary rose from the ranks.

"Magnolia ain't the state flower no more"

"That's one heck of a Crimson Tide."

"Are you sure were not in Alabama?"

"Is that", Dr. Spector paused, "Cultivation?"

"It must be, there are no mistaking neat orderly rows of planted crops."

"This is a discovery of the first order General.  We must get a sample.  We know nothing of the Martians eating habits other than feeding on our blood.  There must be something very necessary in those plants for the Martian to go to the trouble to grow them."

"Or, they could be their equivalent of cinnamon, but I see your point.  Colonel Percy, when we go by, have some men pick up some of those plants for the good Doctor."

"Yes sir general."

Captain Boone cried out, and then moved sideways.  "Damn red ants, I must have stepped on one of their hills."

Dr. Spector went to the ground where the Captain had stood, magnifying glass in hand.  "Solenopsis all right."  He got back up and flicked a few off of him.  "That is another discovery then."  He pulled out one of his specimen jars, and put on a set of gloves.  "We know that red weed infested areas tend to kill off all terrestrial fauna and flora.  To have fire ants survive is very interesting."  And with that, he dropped to the ground and began to collect samples.

"Colonel Percy, be sure to tell the men to watch where they step, we don't have the Comanche to scout for us any more."  Not that he could blame them for not wanting to leave their native lands.  Especially once they got their hands on a couple of tons of dynamite.  They trapped another war machine relief column in a ravine, and buried them.  After that, the hive he was besieging fell with only minor casualties, the remaining tripods were seen fleeing east ward.  I wonder where they..."

"TRIPODS!", shouted one of the observer.

General McCook pointed his Bausch and Lomb's eastward, "Ah, there they are."

==================================================================
फॅम्त्ज्ल्न्प्व्च्-।ैक्थ्ळभ्श्रज्ञस् gave a silent cry of annoyance.  His forward tentacle slapped his aft, and then he examined it.  Amidst the many small ruptures, there was another of the tiny red creatures.  A plague on them.  A plague on this land.  Water everywhere, ground so soggy the war machines would sink up to the second joints, and these creatures.  Black dust didn't kill them.  They thrived on the weed.  At first we thought they might have come with us, some undocumented science project to convert the planet. But now, they are an ever persistent affliction upon our efforts to colonize this region.

For 2 cycles फॅम्त्ज्ल्न्प्व्च्-।ैक्थ्ळभ्श्रज्ञस् had put up with this annoyance.  Building strength and infrastructure.  While elsewhere there was glory and conquest.  But now, the humans were coming to him.  Fresh blood to feed on, no more ।सउवदक डपसा for a while.

Victory Conditions:

Game runs for 6 turns.  Either side wins if they break the other.  The Humans get an immediate victory if they get 625 (unmodified) points worth of units off the east edge of the board within 12" of the rail line.  Partial units count full value for this rule.  Martians win if they prevent this by the bottom of turn 6, and have not been defeated.

The Board

The hills are more like low rises. 

The low hills are tall enough for human units and short (grenadier, scientist, slaver and drone) tripods to be unseen behind them.   Unseen units cannot shoot over the hill or be shot at.

The hills are short enough to allow Assault Tripods to be seen beyond them.

Assault tripods count hills as cover for +1 to be hit. (7+)  For the sake of argument a unit counts cover from the hill if its front edge is within 3” of the hill, or on the hill up to the crest-line.

Dead tree areas count as light woodland

                Infantry +3/+0, artillery +2/0, Vehicles +1/0, Tripods +1/0

The two ruined farmsteads count as low ruins for one infantry company. 

                Infantry +3/+2, artillery +2/1, Vehicles +1/0, Tripods +0/0

The board is strewn with red weed.  Red weed has no terrain effects.

One donated Christmas table cloth strewn with various flats with red weed.  Left is "South", Right is "North"

Too late.  Some of this stuff is already in the air filters.

Deployment:

The Texas Tank Corps will occupy the entirety of the long, west, edge of the 8' board.  The deployment zone is 12" deep. On turn 2, the humans will roll for the 2nd Brigade to arrive on the north (right) edge of the board per normal reinforcement rules.  The entire 2nd Brigade arrives as a whole unit.

The Martians  will occupy the entirety of the long, east, edge of the 8' board.  The deployment zone is 12" deep. On turn 2, the Martians will roll for each of 3 Assault Tripods to arrive on the south (left) edge of the board per normal reinforcement rules.

The view from the "Tree of Woe"

The north edge of the board.  It is difficult to see the low rise which the two scientists and their drone swarms are hiding behind.

For reasons known only to him and God, Marvin takes center point.

On the south edge, a slaver and his drone swarm.  The Martians are playing defense and are taking advantage of the woods and the low rise which is hard to see and so is circled.

3rd and 4th Brigade, ready to advance.

If all this red is getting to you, then you are not alone.  The background text is getting washed out, and my eyes are having green after images when I shut them.  Time for more coffee and eye drops. 

The center is taken by the 36th, "Lone Star" Division. 

The North is held by the 1st Brigade.  The 2nd Brigade is off board on a flank march and can come on with a successful reinforcement roll.

Turn 1:

America wins the initiative and elects to move first.

With orders from division command, two companies of infantry double move to the abandoned farmsteads.  Each count as low ruins.

Early shots from the 4th Brigade find a defect in the Martian armor, a Scout Tripod explodes, bringing down another a Grenadier Tripod with it.

A long range barrage from the field artillery brings down a 3rd tripod.

Emboldened by their luck, the Americans order a general advance for their second move.

The air is full of noise from the 2 stroke engines of the Harley Davidsons.

Racing ahead, the 4th Brigades tank platoons.

Supported by the 3rd Brigade.

There was an offer tendered to the Martians for a redo of turn 1, which was honorably declined.

The Martians also have command points to spend, and invest a farmstead with their Scorpion drones.  They make short work of the infantry in the ruined farmstead.

An Assault Tripod moves into the woodlands, and routs a tank platoon.

Martian heat rays reach out, stabbing at the tanks on the ridge line.  But range seemed to be an effect, and only paint was blistered by beams. 

In the center, the heat rays ineffectively sweep the farmstead.

To the south, the Martian awaits their reinforcements.

Turn 2:
It was a great turn for the Americans, and as they go into turn 2 with a +4 on the initiative roll, there is high hopes for another amazing victory.  But it was not to be.  The dice were 3 to 10, and so the Martian gets to move and strike again.  The first thing to do was roll for their flank march, and they succeed with all three tripods.

Heat rays reach out, routing a platoon.

The mysterious Red Martian, code named "Marvin", seems almost totally inactive.  His heat ray reaches out, but almost in a desultory manner, as if he is targeting things only he can see.

On the north flank, the 1st Tank Brigade loses another platoon.

It has settled in on the human commanders that the first turn was just dumb luck, and a real fight was now underway.

4 inch guns fire at Marvin, but fail to score any hits.

The Martian flank march has arrived, more Red Martians, code named Huey, Dewey and Louie, survivors of Metcalf Gap.  They are shot at by Mk III's and IV's, all of which bounce.

But in the center, Tesla's sorcery is invoked and another Tripod explodes.

4 tripods are down, 11 are required to defeat the Martian.

In the north, long range heat rays find and rout another tank platoon.

Turn 3:

The bottom of turn 2 had a question, leave the Tesla where it was, and charge it up, but take a chance on the Martian keeping the initiative and destroying it before it can fire.  OR hide it behind the rise, which means it will not shoot again until turn 5.  Mark decided to hold it on the line, then out rolled the Martian for the initiative.

The 2nd Texas Tank Brigade, which is running around the flank, failed to come on the board.

With two dice charged, the Tesla fired.  Not at the fallen tripod in this picture, but an assault tripod 7 inches away.  The Tesla hit, and penetrated causing minor damage.  The lightning then arced to the nearby Scientist Tripod (above), which collapsed to the ground.  Then to the a drone, and another, and another.  In the end, taking out all 6. 

The Martian north side forces have not been obliterated, but have been unhinged.

Two drone clouds maneuvering through the wreckage.

In the center, a command point is paid, and the "Rough Riders" charge and engage Marvin.  Scoring 2 tow cable "Hits", then as per the victory conditions, race off the "east" edge of the board.

And, in an act of irrational exuberance, The 3rd Texas Tank Brigade continues to close in on its assault.  The Martians are down 9 tripods, two more and they will retire.  But there are 4 fresh assault tripods in this corner against 3 American tank units, and those are not good odds.

Turn 4:
Despite the initiative die roll advantage, the Martians win the 4th turn. 

The 3rd Texas Tank Brigade pays for it's folly.

Marvin's heat ray stops it's random splaying and vaporizes the farmstead defenders.

In return, the entire 36th Division focuses it's fire power on Marvin.  With support from 4th Brigade's mobile artillery and command tank.

Shells fall everywhere around Marvin, but all fail to touch him.

In the north, the 2nd Texas Tank Brigade arrives!  They rolled an 8, and so arrive too late to actually shoot.  But facing 8 platoons of just offers too many targets for the Martians to shoot at.

The Martians have 9 points towards their demoralization level of 11
The Americans have 6 points towards their demoralization level of 14

A damaged tripod enters the woodland, and shoots at the Flamethrower tank.  For this tank, on any hit, roll again, and if a 10, the tank explodes, throwing 1d5 hits on all within 6".

The result is catastrophic.  Directly destroying or routing 4 units, plus destroying the tripod itself.

Other attacks lead to the routing of the entire 2nd Brigade. 

When the dead were counted, the Martians have 10 points towards their demoralization level of 11
The Americans have 13 points towards their demoralization level of 14.

But the clock had run out as well.  And a dice off was made for next turns initiative, and the Martian won.  And so the Pyrrhic victory was awarded to the Martian.

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

From his hilltop, General McCook had a near ideal vantage to watch the action.  But what effect he could have, was limited at this point.  The axiom, once battle is joined, the only decision the commander has is to commit the reserves, was true here.  But still he had to try.  Runners were lined up ready to send his commands.  Two flag stations were constantly fluttering, translating his words into signals.

He knew his losses were great and climbing, but so to the Martian.  But he didn't know what else was in front of him.  He had grown to rely on the Comanche as scouts, and that dependence is now coming back at a great cost.  But, he thought he had the measure of the enemy now, but needed time.  His orders to withdraw were already in the air before the 2nd Brigade arrived.

Another explosion, overwhelming all the other sounds of the battlefield.  But this one was not of a tripod explosion that they were now all too familiar with.  He spun his glasses northward, and witnessed the chaos.  Burning vehicles and men, and it looked like the entire forest was leveled.  Men were no longer advancing but either huddling the ground or in full flight.  But it looked like the Martian was not pursuing either. 

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

General Funston read the report.  Well, his luck had to run out sooner or later.  Later would have been better.  But the news wasn't totally bad.  The Tesla gun was working better than earlier reports would indicate.  But that Flame tank was a menace to both sides.  Still, it had potential.

"Regarding the Flame Tank, agreed it should only be manned by volunteers.  Denied volunteers should only be from a pool of men that have already fathered sons.  Accept that volunteers should only be from men that have lost wives and children to the Martian."  Funston. 

=====================================================================
Five War Machines, just five returned.  फॅम्त्ज्ल्न्प्व्च्-।ैक्थ्ळभ्श्रज्ञस् glowered at the viewers at the returning forces.  त्ज्ल्न्प्व्च् was not a fool, but is second, रज्ञस् was.  Now both were so much pulp and ash.  The reports were the humans were calling down lightning from the heavens.  His hive mates entered the doors of the hive, while the 4 survivors of फली 14, हाइव 1 remained motionless outside.

What to do.  Clearly the standards of फली 14, हाइव 1 had varied from the norm.  It was reported they fought, and event defeated their local foes, and all of them survived.  He ran hi resolution scans over their machines.  Numerous pits and scratches, all indicative of recent combat.  All in the front of the machines, none behind.  I can find no fault with them.

He got on the microphone to the outside and blared, "Welcome, enter and be refreshed."


=====================================================================
House Rules:

Beyond 6” Martian Tripods are not visible if deeper than 2” in or beyond Towering Ruins and Dense Woods, and any terrain type designated as a “Hill”.

            Note: The above is does not count if the hidden units have fired their weapons this turn or last.

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

Fortified zones have a cost:  25 points for a zone large enough to hold a company of 3 elements  200x60mm.  It deploys with two hidden movement marker units, only 1 can be real.  8 points for fox holes, 60x60 mm, and can hold 1 element.  (MG, field guns).  There can only be one hidden movement marker per 3 fox holes.

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 Land Ironclad is increased to 1,500 points.