Overall a very nice solution and they certainly got the job done. Naturally it helps to have hot dice, as they sure did! Don't expect your artillery to be as effective as the Germans were in this attack.

I wonder whether it is a good idea to call in any Illum as the Germans. German artillery can be of some help, but the Germans also have initiative, mortars and infiltrating units on their side, and calling in that Illum was extremely risky. With hot dice it worked, but had the Illum scattered badly, much of the German force would have been illuminated, and the Germans forced to use their artillery and mortars for smoke rather than HE. [Ed. note: Series rule 17.7c notwithstanding, Lee's point is well taken. A five-hex radius for Illum still means that the infiltrating Germans may be lit up at they try to close.]

My suggestion would be to go strictly for a southern assault, using artillery only to secure the flanks, Bring in one platoon of the 725th on the east if you like and have it move to 35.09 in the east to blast British units in 33.08 and 33.10 with artillery. Bring eight platoons to assault the positions around 26.08 and 27.08. For this assault, use the prep bombardment then mortars, then move adjacent to the suppressed units with single platoons per hex, move a unit to 27.09 and then use remaining mortars to remove the units in 26.08 and 27.09. By surrounding them you'll eliminate them with SYRs, and next turn you can get a crossfire on them. Advance a platoon to bring down artillery on the northern edge (hexes 26.10 and 27.11), then seal off the flank with smoke around 24.11 to protect your advancing force from British Illum and artillery.

Removing the mortars first was the proper course of action, as they were vulnerable and they could no longer support the line troops. Be careful about direct assaults however using the 145th. The German morale would be at least 8 in an assault situation (base 4, multiplied by 2 for assault, +1 for night, -1 for partly protective terrain). Since the Germans check morale first, even if they have no losses they have less than a 50% chance of remaining in the hex after the first round (they are either paralyzed, SYR or even surrender!). If they have a step loss or are assaulting in the open, their chance of remaining drops to 15-25 %.

The Brits on the other hand have a morale of 3, and an effective morale in assault of 4 (3x2 = 6,-2 for dug-in, +1 for night, -1 for partly protective) so they do much better in assault combat. The Germans should probably use a few platoons from the 145th to bring in mortar fire, and then detail the 725th for any assaults, since with a morale of 3 they have a much better chance of success.

For assaulting the mortars or paralyzed troops, consider smoking them in order to reduce the effectiveness of defensive fire, since you only need to last 1 round to destroy the target. I still hesitate to assault at all though. By surrounding the Brits and infiltrating units in the middle of the box, you can surround the defenders before they can react and then hammer them with mortars and destroy the AT guns with AT rolls (a tactic you should never forget). A few turns of this and the box should be virtually neutralized.

So overall the thoughts to keep in mind with this problem are:

1) Limit British visibility by using darkness and then smoking lines of observation after your move to keep the Brits from using artillery effectively.

2) Suppress defenders through prep barrage, mortars, and perhaps a few infiltrating platoons.

3) Move adjacent to and surround a few British units where you want to make your penetration. Destroy them with mortar fire, SFAs next turn, or return Overwatch if they decide to fire at you.

4) With your nine infiltrating platoons, use a good mix of assault platoons from the 725th (better morale) and supporting platoons from the 145th. Units designated to Overwatch and fire should be from the 145th to call in their stronger mortars (eight in total) and keep them out of assault combat.

5) Destroy the British mortars before they can fire in support of anyone else. They are vulnerable, so get them before they displace.

6) Use artillery to neutralize the flanks, suppressing and attriting defenders and blocking lines of fire with good fire missions.

These principles are in the main nicely illustrated in Larry and Mike's solution and much can be gleaned from their approach. I look forward to future submissions from them and others for upcoming tactical problems (one for Frozen Hell is in the works and naturally Screaming Eagles, due out in November).

More Solution to Tactical Problem #5

Introduction
The Kroona Plan: The II Battalion 145 Regiment Battle Diary
Lee's Comments