Police Action(A106)

By Robert Delwood
(c) 1997, Wayward Publications

[Polish Stra t egies] [German Strategies]

For the Annual 97, whose cover story is dedicated to cavalry actions, Police Action is one of only two scenarios dedicated to it; the other one is a rehash of an earlier SL version. So much for variety. In this scenario, the combined German group of police units and an elite SS formation team up to attack Polish partisans attempting to escape the invasion. While one might think the Germans are the attackers, it is the Polish that move first. Interestingly, the game is divided into two portions. The first represents the Polish attempt to attack. It is a three turn window before the SS reinforcements arrive. Obviously the second portion of the game is the German counter attack, or just attack, should the Polish not take the opportunity to do so first.

Polish Strategies
The Poles are faced with a decision at the outset. They have the superiority for the first three turns. Part of the victory conditions allows the Poles to exit several units off the board, representing making their escape good. There is a lure of this strategy. They start close to the edge, move first and have the military advantage. Should the Germans not setup properly and leave a gap in their lines, the Poles can actually do this, ending the game in three turns before the reinforcements arrive. The serious drawback with this idea is if the attack fails, the Poles will be in such a bad position, they will get annihilated to the unit when the real German units arrive. The reinforcement is a cavalry formation should anyone be wondering what cavalry has to do with the scenario. I think the Polish attacking is a very bad strategy as well as a scenario design flaw. While that three turn portion makes a good small scenario idea, in the course of a big game like this, designers should never offer such a risky proposition into the victory conditions. Players always have the option to set up badly and execute poorly conceived attacks and that needs not be encouraged.

The other strategy is to run for the hills and dig in fast. The police units cannot mount any serious attack before the arrival of the SS cavalry, so the Poles have at least four perhaps five turns before the first assault. This is more than enough to run back to the hill, dig in and gain concealment. A hill defense offers many advantages. The woods nature of the hill allows for easy concealment. .Once the attack comes, getting concealed may not be that easy, so get it now and be consider carefully before voluntarily losing it. Another advantage is once concealed, the units may Assault move in the open. The Height Advantage provides the needed +1 to not lose concealment. In a tightly centered defense hub like this one, moving even one hex is often needed. Provide rally points in the woods behind the front lines. While the elevation differences might restrict complete freedom of routs, it only takes one leader to effectively rally many units. Place the HMG and good leader on top of the hill and fire as often as possible. When the Germans assemble their killer stacks, move it off the high crest into less prominent positions. That will make the Germans consistently moving around to get the shots, thus slowing the assault.

The Poles are faced with a low 3 FP, so obviously, they will not be engaging in any extended or long range fire fights. Generally fire only within three hexes; losing concealment .is hardly worth it otherwise. Look for the areas from which the German likely to assault. Two such areas come to mind. The first is the clearing on the Polish left and the second is where the woods touch the hill on the Polish right. Both areas are easy to defend. The clearing, of course, offers the open terrain, begging for -1 or -2 shots. That is hard to resist. While you might think no sane attacker would go through there, it does offer the German and very convenient assembly point for the a lot of troops; tempting enough that the German might get arrogant and do so. The second location is also viable for an assault but it is hard for the Germans to get troops in there and organized in any strength. The defenders then need to hold their concealment and let the German come to them. The combination of DF and the high ELR should allow the Poles to hold the line. They can even consider CC with their Stealthy modifier. Fortunately in either case, the Germans will have to telegraph their plans at least three turns in advance. There simply is no way to assemble an assault force without committing troops to one area of the other. The Poles need only to shift while the Germans are setting up their forces.

The partisan player might even considering scattering a unit or two in the woods out of the way. The Germans do not have the time to track them down. After the Germans have committed troops for the assault, bring them back into the playing area and let them interfere with rout, rally or even firing on the exposed units.

German Strategies
Initially the Germans must cover the exit area and therefore will be on defense. As stated earlier, the Poles can win, if they exploit a poorly defended part of the line and rush through it. Most likely, the Poles will fall back for the hills. The police units must chase them aggressively, not allowing the partisans to fall back intact. The game really begins when the cavalry reinforcements arrive.

What part the cavalry plays baffles me. Obviously, it way meant to give the Germans mobility but with the defenders in the hills, how much mobility does a side need? Certainly, they were never meant to the horses in combat. Even against a weak force like the partisans, the -2 DRM is formidable. So, the extra speed means the Germans can get to the staging area quickly then unmount, deploy and assault. As mentioned earlier, the Germans have two assault areas: across the open on the German right or where the hills meet the woods on the German left.

I used both, but the main assault came from across the open. While the open ground had little appeal, the Germans can have the time to engage a long range and attempt the break the front line. It does not take many MCs to break a section of the line and assault across it. It takes a unit one movement phase to cross the it. A leader might be needed or some of the units might need to double time. Once across, the advantage is clearly German. They have the higher morale and greater FP. Only the Stealthy modifier partisans have gives the German some pause.

The woods assault is trickier. Typically the Germans will be slightly weaker sine it is harder to stage units in the woods. The troops will also be the police units and hence lower quality troops. I used this attack as a diversion for the main one. Facing these weak troops should be concealed partisans, making the success of the attack even less likely. Nevertheless, press through and keep the pressure mounting. The Poles should not have uncommitted troops to react to the assault.

The two INF guns are oddities as well. With limited mobility, they fall far behind the main troops. I set up one near the entry area targeting the level three hill hex only. At least that denied the Poles the single best location for the HMG. The other gun supported the main assault on the German right, moving directly to the front line and unloading into position. Naturally it arrived later and a minor impact of the assault.

It was suggested by some to use the cavalry to run behind the hill and assault it from another direction. I dismiss this tactic. It seems like a logical move but consider that one or two squads have to be allocated along with a leader. This weakens other assaults. In addition, since the Poles are using a central defense, they have only to drop back a unit or two; chances are they same two partisans that would have faced the same two Germans but only in a different part of the line. I cannot see what it buys the Germans.

As always, I encourage discussion. If you agree or disagree, feel free to write me.
[Back]