Recon In Force

Dco2US · **Dco2US**

Recon In Force

Two identical maps, whatever configuration you like, are set up with a sight barrier in between. The Defender randomly determines his force size by rolling 1d6, then chooses his forces and sets them up anywhere on the blind map except the first four rows of the recon entry edge. The Recon player selects his forces and enters them on the other map. At the end of a recon unit move in the movement phase only, it may make a recon roll and if successful expose all defenders within range 4 and LOS. Defenders are automatically exposed when a recon unit moves adjacent or when they attack a recon unit. Defender units are transferred from the blind map to the recon map whenever they are exposed. During defender move and assault phases their units may maneuver and attack as normal but if they expose themselves they are placed on the recon map. Moving a defender unit does not expose it unless it moves adjacent to a recon unit. Once defenders are placed on the recon map, they remain on the recon map for the remainder of the scenario. The scenario ends when the Recon Force retreats all its units off the map edge they entered and makes its report on the size of the defending force. Recon losses are compared to defender losses and if losses are acceptable and the recon report of the defender strength is correct, the recon player wins.

Recon Force
100 pts.
Only tanks with speed 5+
No TD’s, AG’s or Arty
No indirect fire units
No trucks
Any other vehicles available
No Aircraft

Recon Rolls:
AC’s w/ Exp. Recon SA 3+
Spotters (exp recon) 3+
Commanders 4+
AC’s, Tanks, vehicles & Soldiers 5+
If a vehicle is transporting a soldier they make only 1 recon roll (best one), even if the soldier disembarks.

Defense Force:
Roll 1d6
1 or 2 50 pts. Screen
3 or 4 100 pts. Line
5 or 6 150 pts. Defense in Depth
The defense force may consist of any units available except Aircraft.

Defenders Revealed:
When a recon unit moves adjacent
When a recon unit makes a successful recon roll
When a defender attacks a recon unit
(If the attack is from an indirect/spotter combo then only reveal the indirect unit)

Victory:
If the recon force correctly identifies the size of the defending force, and
recon force losses are no more than twice the defender force losses then the recon force wins.

Notes:
I wanted to keep this as simple as possible, without a lot of special rules and conditions. So, no Aircraft and let the defenders move without trying to check all LOS’. What a pain that would be! Of course, whatever you don’t like – Change.

Bean965 · **Bean965**

This looks like a VERY cool concept.

I need some clarifications, though.

Are the two players starting on seperate, identical maps?

Does the defending player know where the recon forces are such that when the recon roll is made, the defending player determines which defending units are IDed?

If so, is there anything to stop the defending player from using the strategy of staying away from recon units, especially if the defending player has the weaker force?

Have you playtested this? If so, what were the battle results?
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Dco2US · **Dco2US**

Are the two players starting on seperate, identical maps?
Yes

Does the defending player know where the recon forces are such that when the recon roll is made, the defending player determines which defending units are IDed?
Yes. The defender sees everything the recon does and the recon cannot look at the defenders map. You must trust the honesty of the defenders or get a ref.

If so, is there anything to stop the defending player from using the strategy of staying away from recon units, especially if the defending player has the weaker force?
This would be a legitimate tactic.

Have you playtested this? If so, what were the battle results?
Yes, we played it the other night.
First, we had two teams, with 2 Allied recon players and 3 German defenders so we increased all force sizes by 50%. The map we made had a lot of open terrain with clumps of brush or forest or hills and one road running down the middle. We used maps 14 and 16.
The defenders rolled a six and created a "defense in depth" force. A varied mix of soldiers and vehicles.
The recon force had three chafee's and a whole bunch of jeeps loaded with bazookas, flamethrowers and 1 ranger and some others. Oh and they had the FO Jeep too.
The recon force came on, made some recon rolls and missed some. A few of the jeeps ran into defenders.
The defenders chose not to manuever the hidden elements and eventually the recon saw all but 1 halftrack of the defenders. By the time all recon forces had been withdrawn from the map the recon force had lost 75 points of units and the defenders had lost 55. So, the victory went to the recon force for correctly reporting the size of the defending force and for damaging the defenders sufficiently to justify the expense.

general Hoth · **general Hoth**

Very interesting concept! Very Happy

I'll have to try this out.
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Scenarios?:
http://aaminis.myfastforum.org/forum3.php.