Tanks, Mud, Streams, Mines and Blown Bridges

[jivemi]

Greetings folks. I just played a scenario (#70-SSsPZ 502 Attacks Kustrin) in which the five elements mentioned above were present.

To win, the Germans must cross a stream (-2 elevation) bordered in most places by mud. There's a single wooden bridge towards the south, but the (secondary) road approach and exit hexes are mined and infantry would get blown off by arty before completion of clearance. Attempts to move around the mines required going into mud, which caused tank (Konigtiger)immobilization almost every time. When I got lucky with the approach mine hex (moving the Tiger one hex into it, then waiting a turn before going onto the wood bridge) it got immobilized on the bridge! This exercise in futile frustration cost nine (of twelve) tanks stuck .

Another attempt to cross the stream a few hundred meters to the north succeeded in getting a Tiger stuck in a mud hex on the far bank (heck, at least he got across! ).

Finally, to the north, my two remaining Tigers plus a PzKw IV found a way over: There was a blown bridge interrupting a paved road that crossed the stream into a village. It was slow going, taking a turn each to move adjacent (a crater/road hex), then into the stream, then onto the crater/road on the other side. By that time Russian Guards infantry had already arrived with armor and most of my advanced infantry, pinned down without armor support, got shredded.

My question is, what is one to do in a situation like that? How can you cross the stream with tanks in a reasonable amount of time without risking immobilization either in the stream itself or the mud along its banks? Thanks for your kind attention.

[mkr8683]

Moving vehicles into that type of terrain one hex per turn helps. Plenty of overwatch, smoke, and artillery also helps.

[DRG]

Correct, the faster you are moving the higher the chance you will get stuck but moving 1 hex at a time is no guarantee you won't get stuck, it just makes the chance you won't, better.

Don

[Imp]

This may help http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/showthread.php?t=48276

Given that map there is no way to get your tanks across without most of them getting stuck unless you use a bridge including the destroyed one. Your only tactical choices are leave the tanks or cross using them.

[jivemi]

Originally Posted by Imp

This may help http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/showthread.php?t=48276

Given that map there is no way to get your tanks across without most of them getting stuck unless you use a bridge including the destroyed one. Your only tactical choices are leave the tanks or cross using them.

Much obliged Imp. Looks like mud is no-go unless you're absolutely desperate. Maybe I should've found high ground on the near bank and supported the infantry from there (although it would most likely be out of tank MG range). And I could've dedicated more infantry to mine-clearing around that wooden bridge. Maybe next time; where there's a will there's a way .

[Ts4EVER]

AI is pretty sluggish with the artillery. Unless the artillery spots are pre-determined, you might want to try attracting their guns at a different spot, then start clearing the bridge. Use some arty to smoke the crossing, the rest for counter battery. Could be worth a try.

[gila]

Having not played this scenario, at a glance it looks making crossing too soon would be a mistake and split your forces,expceially since there is armour moving in SE and an least an IS2 or two ,i would deal with that threat first,using the pzshrecks might keep the heavies at bay in the center and north,,"remember they have as chance as getting stuck also" the rail bridge in the south and the other one would be a way to consider a flanking move with the king tigers

[jivemi]

Finally solved the sucker: 4744 (including 717 arty overload) to l357, securing 540 points worth of objectives on the last added turn (26 of 25 originally) for a marginal.

SPOILER ALERT

Fairly unusual for an assault the defender's (Russian) infantry is better than the Germans'(who've got 50's and 60's experience or morale mostly, even for Pioneers), maybe 5 or 10 points higher for regulars while the Guards are mostly in the 80's. The 3 German Tiger platoons are generally good to go (usually in the 80's) and better off than the Russian T-34's, ISU-152's and IS-II's (mostly in the 60's).

What made the main difference was that this time regular infantry managed to survive artillery barrages long enough to clear mines either side of the southern bridge so 2 Tiger platoons and (later) one of HT's could cross. Unfortunately artillery kept pounding the less-than-enthusiastic infantry (plenty were decimated or routed, and even the Tigers took casualties and immobilizations) so the armor was pretty much on its own and 2 were blown away by 100mm ATG's. Lucky most HT's got through to take 3 objectives (including the central 240-pointer) on their own.

The 2 northernmost platoons (one of Pioneers) were balked initially by more artillery and a flanking MG. The regulars finally made it across the stream to take the nearest road objective while another south of the blown bridge was diverted north to take the town there. A platoon of pioneers along the northern road discovered and cleared minefields to allow the Tiger platoon closing in to take up firing positions--first on the road, then on the rail tracks, and finally along the western bank--to help beat back combined-arms counterattacks.

Two Tigers eventually managed to cross the stream and take the intermediate northeast objective on the last turn; by that time it was all the infantry could do to hang onto the town VH near the blown bridge and the one just up the (mined) road from there. After doing their mine-clearing bit the Pioneers crossed over to help defend the town VH. (Two late-arriving Mk-IV's and a couple truck-borne infantry platoons with ATG's hardly figured in the action; one tank got brewed up and most infantry didn't even make it to the town).

Without the substantial arty overload and added-turn gain of objectives it would've been a draw. A challenging scenario indeed. Cheers and happy gaming!