Con Report--NOVAGcon [Long}

Well, Sunday we (Dave Luff, John Wilkes who ain't on the list, and myself)
were set up to run no less than three DSII games. All these were on a 10x6
foot table. All were run with our C&C and Morale check house rules.

1)Destroy the CP! An adaptation of the classic Ogre scenario, we had
the short edges of table both frozen-over water, with a CP in the
middle of the board. Defending forces was a militia Tank Destroyer Company (18
TDs, 1xAPC as command vehicle) plus an Akritai LAV platoon,
2 towed HKP/3s, and 4 towed medium arty pieces.  TO&E and vehicle stats
as per my home page, I commanded the defenders. Attackers were an Ogre and a
Bolo (Scotia superheavy tank model). The Bolo also controlled three grav recon
drones (TNE Modular Cutter minis, size 1 Armor 0,
GMS/H) and two robotic heavy tanks (another pair of OGRE minis), John
Wilkes commanding. Dave reffed. Bolo, one drone, and the tanks came in on one
side of the board, Ogre and one drone came in on the other. The Ogre had a
rough first two turn. First I shot it up with an entire platoon of TDs,
causing a systems down result. It returned fire, destroying two TDs,
immobilizing a third, and breaking the platoon (green troops). Then the next
turn it got smacked with direct fire
from the 4-gun artillery battery.  We determined that I would pull
chits for each module for each gun firing. BOOMed the forward module, dead. By
now the TDs had rallied and the imobilized one had repaired itself, and they
chased down and smashed the drone. On the other end of the board, the grav
drone got into a slugging match with a section
of TDs--traded one TD for the drone.   The Heavy Tank also got swatted.
The Bolo rolled up, hammered that half platoon, and then the other half of the
platoon drove up and lit into the back of it, BOOMing the rear module. We
determined that it only destroyed that module, and the Bolo continued to roll
forward, now using the terrain to mask itself, the remaining tank, and the
reserve grav drone it had now launched. Eventually it started rolling forward
into the teeth of my
defenses--two towed HKPs, a six-TD platoon, and the Akritai, plus the
survivors of the shot-up platoon that had damaged it.  At one point it
rammed two TDs and we decided that a 10,000 ton Bolo hitting a GEV
produced the "Air Hockey Effect"--it bounced back d6 inches and pulled
on damage chit. One GEV got smacked 500 meters and lost it's
mobility--rather unsurprising.  Finally it took a hit a close range
from the flank which penetrated the forward module and end of game.

Lessons Learned: BOOMs are unforgiving. One Ogre destroyed, one crippled due
to these. To be as tough as the Bolo novels, Bolos need 'saving throws'
against BOOMs. Cybertanks are tough to kill, but not as tough as in the books
or in OGRE. Gotta mass these things same as
everything else--two can crush what one gets bogged down with.

2)Modern scenario with apropriate modifications as per our club Homepage
Moderns houserules. Chewed up UK company (now a platoon of
Warriors and a platoon of Challengers) and a US armor-heavy Company
Team with vanilla M1s and M2s are retreating, and are stopped by a damaged
bridge. Bridging assets were 'on the way'. I'm not sure about
the Soviet TO&E--I effectively destroyed 2 companies of tanks (50%
casualties in one, 70% in other), an AT platoon, 2 scout platoons, and
observed 2 MRCs. Here we had the principle of mass violated grossly. One
company of tanks attacked one platoon at a time, allowing the
Challengers to knock out 5 T-80s with no losses.  Plus they swatted two
Hinds with main gun rounds. On the left, where the Americans were, the Pact
commander spent a lot of time driving in circles and not attacking while his
ally was getting shot up. Obviously Poles or East Germans not too keen on
dying for Mother Russia. When they finally did, they
KOed one M1 but lost 7 T-72s and a pair of BTRs doing it.  We finally
called it on time because the Soviets weren't getting anywhere and we needed
to have the time to run the next scenario. Plus the Americans had gotten
artillery support and a pair of Cobras via the random events
table (same way the Hinds showed up--we just didn't lose 'em)and could
now launch an effective counter-attack with minimal losses, should they
so desire.

Lessons Learned: Don't piss on your opponents. Attacking in dribs and drabs is
pointless. If you are playing with more than one player on a side, Coordinate!

Will send msg regarding 3rd scenario later. Must run.