Kiwis vs FJ in Italy – A Crossfire Scenario

We’ve played this a couple of times now so I thought I’d put it into my scenario format. This is a Crossfire scenario for a fictional battle between 2 NZ Division (Kiwis), including Kiwi Armour, and German paratroopers (Fallschirmjäger). It is primarily to play test my Balagan House Rules for Crossfire Armour (2nd Edition).


Mission

Setting: Italy; 1944

The Kiwis have to capture the two objectives. There are usually, but not guaranteed to be, in the village.


Map/Terrain

This was a small game so we used a 4′ table based on four Crossfire Terrain Cards (W3, R2, F1, V1) in a 2×2 grid. That gave us our terrain.

Table - Kiwis vs FJ - Crossfire
Table – Kiwis vs FJ – Crossfire

Key features are:

  • Red box is Kiwi Deployment Zone
  • Blue box is FJ Deployment Zone
  • Orange box is where the objectives can be placed

As a reminder from Type of Terrain Features in Crossfire (with slight tweaks because of the new armour rules):

Contour Lines/Hills: Block LOS if cross 2 contour lines forming a ridge. Higher stands can see over lower hedges (and walls), crests and fields (in or out of season); in this situation hedges (and walls) and fields provide protective cover as normal, but crests do not. Contour Lines can contain other terrain features. A standard Crossfire Hill is equivalent to a HTD Contour Line with Rough Ground on top.

Crests: Block LOS unless the spotter or target are touching the crest. Protective Cover from Direct Fire if target is touching the Crest and the Line of Fire crosses it.

Depressions: Invulnerability from all Fire from enemy outside the Depression – except from stands on Hills, or on the edge of the depression, which may see them and fire on them with no penalty. A Depression may contain other terrain features, which must be entirely within the Depression; such features do not block ground level LOS, except Woods.

Woods: Block LOS. Protective Cover from all Fire.

Rough Ground: Does not block LOS. Protective Cover from all Fire.

Fields (in season): Block LOS. Protective Cover from Direct Fire only.

Hedge/Wall: Linear Obstacle*. Target touching the feature gains protective cover from indirect fire. Target gets cover from direct fire if the Line of Fire crosses the feature. Hedges: Also Block LOS unless the spotter or target is touching it.

Buildings: Impassable to vehicles. Block LOS. Protective cover from all fire. May be occupied by up to 2 stands unless otherwise specified (PCs & FOs are not counted in the limit). Occupants do not see “over” intervening terrain.


Pre-game preparation

Each player places a terrain objective.

Germans deploy hidden.


German Player (Defending)

Objective

Protect the two terrain objectives.

Forces Available

The Fallschirmjäger get a weak company (two platoons) with some anti-tank ability and a StuG. They were seriously outnumbered but compensated by being hidden.

Fallschirmjäger

  • 1 x CC (+2)
  • 1 x HMG
  • 1 x Rifle Platoon: PC(+2); 3 x Rifle Squads; 1 x Early Panzerfaust (AT 6d6/2d6)
  • 1 x Rifle Platoon: PC(+1); 3 x Rifle Squads; 1 x Early Panzerfaust (AT 6d6/2d6)
  • 1 x FO for off-table 80mm Mortar (12 FM; 4d6 Barrage; 3 Smoke)
  • 1 x FO for off-table 120mm Mortar (12 FM; 4d6 Barrage; 4 Smoke)
  • 1 x StuG III F-G (ARM 1d6; AT 5d6; AP 5d6)
  • 2 x 7.5cm PaK 40 Aufgw 39H(F) ATG with optional tow (AT 6d6; AP 3d6)
  • Morale: Veteran
  • Command & Control: Good / German
  • Deploys: Hidden
  • Fighting stands: 12 including 1 vehicle worth 2

Deployment

Deploys first, hidden, in a 3′ deep zone. They have the option to deploy right up to the attacker’s deployment zone

Reinforcements

None.


Kiwi Player (Attacking)

Begins scenario with initiative.

Objective

Capture the two terrain objectives.

Forces Available

The attackers have a full company plus generous indirect fire support and three tanks. The tanks were hull number 16, 17, and 18 from HQ Troop, A Squadron of 20 Armoured Regiment, 2 (NZ) Division. So three different types of Sherman – howitzer armed (105mm), Firefly tank killer, and normal. This was both historical and gave me a chance to test out different types tanks in my draft rules.

Kiwi Attackers

  • 1 x CC (+2)
  • 1 x HMG
  • 3 x Rifle Platoon: PC(+1); 3 x Rifle Squads; 1 x Piat (AT 6d6/2d6)
  • 1 x 2″ Mortar (12 FM; 3d6 Barrage; 2 Smoke)
  • 1 x FO for off-table 3″ Mortar (12 FM; 4d6 Barrage; 3 Smoke)
  • 1 x FO for off-table 25 Pounder (12 FM; 4d6 Barrage; 4 Smoke)
  • 1 x Hull 16, Sherman IB with 105mm Howitzer (ARM 1d6; AT 4d6; AP 6d6)
  • 1 x Hull 17, Sherman “Firefly” VC with 17 Pdr (ARM 1d6; AT 6d6; AP 3d6)
  • 1 x Hull 18, Sherman III with 75mm (ARM 1d6; AT 5d6; AP 5d6)
  • Morale: Veteran
  • Command & Control: Okay / British
  • Deploys: Visible
  • Fighting stands: 17 including 3 vehicles worth 2 each
  • Breakpoint: 9 fighting stands

Deployment

Deploys second, visible, in a 1′ deep zone.

Reinforcements

None.


Victory Conditions

Terrain and Casualty (AD) objectives.

There are two Terrain objectives. The attacker places the first terrain objective and the defender places the second. Both must be placed in the rear 2′ of the German deployment zone. A player controls a terrain objective if their stand occupies the feature or was the last to occupy it, and the feature is/was not physically contested by the enemy. A player wins if they control both objectives when the clock runs out (1800 hours).

Casualty objectives are in use. Fighting stands include BC, CC, HMG, Rifle and SMG Squads, Tanks, Guns, but not PC or FOs. Tanks count as two fighting stands each. The Kiwis have 17 fighting stands, and have a break limit of 9 fighting stands (50%). Lose 9 fighting stands and the Kiwis immediately lose the game. The Germans do not have a breakpoint.

Special Rules

We agreed to use two HTD special rules:

  • HTD Special Rule 4: The Moving Clock is in use. The Scenario begins at 1200 hours and ends 1800 hours. The clock advances 30 minutes on 5+ at the end of each defender initiative.
  • Balagan House Rules for Crossfire Armour (2nd Edition) are in use
  • Bogging Special Rule: That means the Balagan bogging rule in use.
    • The bogging attack is treated like a Reactive Fire in all ways except there are no modifiers e.g. armour is ignored.
    • Easy terrain: roads; no bogging attack when the move action is entirely in easy terrain.
    • Moderate terrain: open, crests, fields and anything else not mentioned; 1d6 bogging attack when the attempted move action starts with a pivot in moderate terrain.
    • Difficult terrain: woods, rough ground, rock field, boulder field, bocage, hedges, walls, stream, and anti-tank obstacle (ditch, barricade); 3d6 bogging attack when a vehicle attempts a move action in difficult terrain.
    • Impassable terrain: Buildings; automatic bogging (Suppress) when attempts move action in impassable terrain.

Weapon stats

The stats for guns and vehicles are included in the orbat.


Variations

If you want to use a different map then pick another four Crossfire Terrain Cards and put them into a 2×2 grid.

If you don’t have New Zealanders, then any British will do. In fact any US or Soviet will do. If you don’t have Fallschirmjäger then substitute regular Germans.

Also all these troops are classed as Veteran. You can play the same game with Regular morale. on both sides, and not change the number of troops.

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