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.

John M. Atkinson