AAR: Balkans N. Africa Leg

[Imp]

T3
Living dangerously here but don't really expect anything in woods they have a little look then some get back in bikes running down road & entering woods on either side, looks like no ones home, a scout is sitting on road halfway down the woods. Should be able to have a little look next go. The platoon of trucks that risked setting up near the bridge are at the woods entrance to, others will reach it next go but armour can't keep up. have a feeling it will arrive just as the arty does. I only have 4 arty 2 firing this go at buildings just ahead on either side of the road. 1 plotted to fire on known units the other is dropping smoke down the road as there is a nice spot for an ATG.

T4
They drop smoke North of my position, are they planing on coming through the woods? Had planned on being bold & moving vehicles into there loaded as a bit bunched up if everyone comes down the road. Woods on either side are not that easy to enter as most hexes have rough to. Also need to make sure clear as my mortars will set up around here. My arty drifted missing buildings but landed right on top of known units only 37ATG is visible.
>> Bikes take a risk run empty to either side through the woods the one going South I misjudge & can be seen from out of woods retreats man down to a maxim. Both seem clear not worried about South but want to expand North & palce a FOO in woods there to. Woods are mainly level 2 then it falls away to the SE its mainly level 1 to the NE goes to ground level after about 500m. Area here is fairly self contained 100m of open by the road then falls away, want smoke to block the view before move so spread out ready to go sniper finds a maxim & a few units route him to level 1 out of sight. Start sending vehicles NE into woods then like an idiot send one not thinking about short route & it goes straight down the road looks like no ATG but there is a maxim & squad in building north of road arty was supposed to hit. As we have cocked it up may as well take advantage I can get 6 HTs in range so launch an attack getting both running, consider poping smoke but just hope there is not a ATG in the building. Should be able to get out of here before arty strikes now.
Have 5 mortars on line now & realise replacements have call time of 2.2, its pointless placing that smoke now so plot smoke to block off square & on bread factory as heading that way. Want to follow road round to SE to but first need to see whats in the clearing to our South, I know maxim is there to my cost & placed arty is shifting to hit.

T5
No arty one maxim dies as it runs others disapear down the road. 37AA has a LOS to one halftrack at 5hexes it must have been hit by my arty as badly pinned only 3 shots all miss.
>> It folds to squads first shot so its decision time decide I am going to risk running the armour into the woods esp as so far only light arty guns have fired. Pick up last arty & start moving reserve to there start point.
Before we can go any furter need to see whats in the open area the maxim fired from, 2nd squad to enter building recieves fire from maxim, can also see another routed & 2 crews so arty got the units I knew about. Grass means LOS is not great but luck is really holding for me so far, first shot at 350m kills 4 hes running if I can keep this up won't need the reserve. A few more shots gets both maxims down another man, now we either pussy foot about & get hit by transport killing arty or take a gamble & head out as most people are still loaded. Way my lucks going choosing option 2. Remaining squads on foot do the following.
2 move into woods they can see 1 hex of bread factory & building at end of road not that far away plus the other dodgy building. These are the most dangerous locations I can't do anything about a surprise assault from the roadside.
The other proceds east & turns the corner, road goes 250m then heads North again but this is fine as building at the end of the road is at a lower elevation, see the 2 runners here from earlier & kill maxim. Most roads to start reasonably open just buildings on mainly one side. 4 HT make it round the road towards the bakery, they can hide & unload there between buildings, one has a MMG on board. Then send one down East road & its fired on through the gap by 45ATG in maxim clearing. Can't believe it did not see the other HTs anyway it missed & the other squad in the clearing sees it, my guys have been at the practice ranges one shot 3 dead need a scout over here to check things out. Anyway he drives round the corner with another HT going into the trees, from here they can see the other running maxim goodbye. Everybody goes as far as they can going any further in vehicles is really pushing it though a few will normally stay loaded to exploit any thing or just for mobility, squads unload & kill everything but one maxim squad & crew both are pegging it. Slightly surprised how far we have made it so far & lead tanks are through woods, all riders bail out just incase arty comes calling.
Advanced much faster than I thought so arty is useless its targeting me, letting it fall on the bread factory & the smoke plus placing smoke halfway down E>W road.
Having everything bunched like this has highlighted something, swapping 251/10s for 250/10s mainly because they look a bit diffrent but must admit also because scouts can use & can rescue crews at a pinch.

Of note to those of you that hold having trucks in your core is a waste you are so wrong. The truck that blundered down the road survived the fire at it meaning its passengers did to. High exp means they do not run at the first sniff of arty & the drivers seem to develop skills avoiding them & swerve out of the path of incoming fire much as a high exp crew in MBT attempts to evade that ATGM or indeed planes do.