German Campaign using War Cab

[sigeena]

Can you also show your targets for bombardments? That'll be a nice Ops plan then.

[Imp]

Originally Posted by sigeena

Can you also show your targets for bombardments? That'll be a nice Ops plan then.

Sorry missed this, will try to remember in future to use Shift3

[Imp]

Turn 9 end

Things are going better now we have managed to start engagements at range, wont last North Force is approaching the orchard, Squads only lost one additional man.
Losses to date 19 men, Halftrack (to ATG) + 1 immobile - 250/11gunHT the other is damaged no gun & MKIV no gun.
All vehicles are in South force which is now short on transport.
The British have lost 19 units including a Sherman. Getting LOS on it was extremely difficult but managed to get 3 on 1 in the end.

NORTH FORCE
Still quite here only contact so far is the routed PIAT team, smoke puffs tell us Sextons are about 10 hexes away from the lead squad. These can be a problem they normally carry AP ammo.

GROUP C
Discovered a platoon of Brits, leaving MGs to deal with them when force route, Arty & assisting forces should get them moving.
Squads are moving out now as North Force desperately needs more.

SOUTH FORCE
Both battles are nearly over here the 3 units on the hill slowed progress considerably in the field, trying to figure out where they could see was a major headache, a MG has finally taken up position on the ATG
Progress is to slow here & now we have a transport issue.

Artillery is probably inbound on C or the field & Brits get VHex points next turn.

[Imp]

Turn 14 Start

NORTH
We encountered several PIAT teams on the SW edge of the orchards along with a couple of Squads but have now started taking VHexes.
Along the N>S road we had surprising difficulty dislodging the squad there, 4 units for 2 turns & it was only when the sniper joined in that it became pinned.
Moving down the road the Sturmpanzer received fire from an ATG & smoked. We still cannot find it so artillery is falling here.
That & discovering the Honeys has slowed progress, ATGs are about to move into position. LOS is open here fairly sure no infantry present nearby unless armed with short range weaponry.
3 of the 4 Sextons are dead.

CENTRE
Just finished an encounter with several squads & MGs upon passing through the treeline. This went well as MG were to close & far easier to takeout. Got caught by 3in Mtr losing a soft halftrack & most of its MG passenger.
As suspected upon cresting the rise there are more Shermans there, the Panther should be okay against them so long as we do not let accuracy climb & an overpenetration shot happen.

SOUTH
Was going well despite moving quickly due to time then a Squad entered the road he the Panther is in now receiving fire from all directions.
Trying to attack from the South we lost 2 men to the PIAT team, smoked to let the 250/11 move up & route 2 squads from its location. Tanks had already laid fire on them.
We will head for the VHexes & deal with the remaining units here when they try to retake them.

We have lost another 12 men & the soft halftrack but have killed another 17 British units.

[Imp]

Turn 15 start


We are a bit bunched up as expecting artillery where we were, think only 1 3inMtr & the 2 6Pdr batteries remain so going to CB fire.
My arty plots are from previous turn, just plotting in front especially in areas where contact is expected at short range to try & get a bit of suppression.

GROUP A
Acting as spotters & on the hunt for British HQ. It only took 1 ATG to kill both Honeys, they will go after the next one shown. Group N can move past it without being seen as road is depressed.

GROUP N
They have nearly cleared the Orchard out now, found 2 ATGs not 1.
The units on the road killed the routers & will now spread out again, do not like being bunched like they are.

GROUP C
Play was stopped by a 17pdr ATG - it missed & Group S should eliminate it this turn allowing the attack on the Shermans. If the situation allows some halftracks will head here to speed the journey East.

GROUP S
Had a bit of a rough ride just West of the road, due to elevation changes adjacent LOS only then the squad to the NW joined in - killed 3 squads & a Mortar here.
VHexes - 2 squads will check Y - X is a problem all LOS is adjacent only so Pioneers taking up position for when the South Brits move on it. We will probably need to defend both these from what ever is in the area.

Big jump in kills mainly due to clearing orchard which now stand at 53 for 4 plus about 3 squads equivalent men lost.

[Imp]

Sorry turn 15 end arty to plot only - work interfered is my excuse

[Imp]

Turn 16 Update - turns out killing that 17Pdr was not a simple process.


The squad with selection hex round it moved into position expecting to exchange fire & let another move adjacent to the ATG (Sturmpanzers position) for the kill.
That obviously went out the window when discovered a scout in the same hex as the ATG & the AA gun opened up.

MkIV,s took out the Honey & tried approaching from SE - that resulted in taking fire from the East Squads & the one below the AA gun. Decided to smoke kill the scout & cause retreat status on the ATG.

Sent the Panther to deal with the AAgun only to discover the Churchill - 7 damage from 2 hits its not a problem anymore.
Other units here had to deal with the squad shown (near C) or take fire from multiple units.
Sniper at top left got LOS on AAgun & discovered hex had no LOS to Shermans so it & a MKIV forced the AAgun to retreat.

Sturmpanzer moved up discovering squad below Churchill & put a shot in it & the ATG & routing it.
MkIV & squad moved up below it killing the ATG & routing the squad above.

Panther took out the 2 Shermans & units there laid as much fire as possible at 2 visible units.

Fired a bit of smoke up there to finish so halftrack can move out, need a look see through those trees I bet there are more Churchills.

Squad going after unit in Orchard banged heads with a hidden squad there & came off worse. Will need to be 6 hexes to East of C for any chance of LOS.
Managed to take 1 Vhex

[Imp]

Turn 17 End The Brits started moving earlier than I anticipated.


NORTH
The Orchard is now cleared of the last squad & patrol & the Honey was destroyed, artillery did fall here as we expected.
Moved as far along the road as we can without exiting the depression, AT Teams near the front as anticipate Churchills.

CENTRE
Has nearly joined up now & squads have loaded on transports. As we had 3 tanks lined up capable of Z fire on hidden squad (C from last turn) decided not to wait. Z fire allowed Squad to move on it with no problems & its virtually destroyed now as is the other squad that was in the Orchard.
2 British squads also tried moving to Orchards edge here but were destroyed, one appeared at point blank range.

SOUTH
Armour is taking on the infantry to the East, a couple more squads moved here through the trees, also had to deal with another AAgun which is destroyed.
A sniper & scout will be in position to act as there eyes next turn.
A couple of squads & AT Team will head North searching for Churchills, we have enough forces here so the rest will move back to defend X & take Y.
2 squads have already been driven off from Y & we have placed some fire missions to persuade them to keep running or kill the remains.

If there are Churchills they are hemmed in only a area 5 wide so it will be an infantry attack at least initially. Way to risky to end in the tanks at that range & we cannot wait forces here need to move on & take the remaining Vhexes.

[sigeena]

Chimed in to see excellent progress. Maybe in the last turn AAR we should have a quick discussion if Group Centre was required. I kind of think they lag too far behind and don't really get to contribute.

But sometimes the road axes only allow so many units to travel. Too much bunching up increases vulnerability to EN arty fire.

I like your maps with the sectors of LOS. It takes alot of effort to go back to the game and draw on the maps.

[Imp]

Originally Posted by sigeena

Chimed in to see excellent progress. Maybe in the last turn AAR we should have a quick discussion if Group Centre was required. I kind of think they lag too far behind and don't really get to contribute.

But sometimes the road axes only allow so many units to travel. Too much bunching up increases vulnerability to EN arty fire.

I like your maps with the sectors of LOS. It takes alot of effort to go back to the game and draw on the maps.

You are right the centre group grew to big, the group with the MGs getting LOS on the Orchard were a good idea.
The group that entered the field could possibly have smoked & ignored it completely however I was tempted by being able to spread out & engage units at other than close range. Ended up committing more units here as there were a fair amount of enemy units & LOS turned out to be problematic. By the time I wanted to shift them artillery was falling on the road.
I expected stronger resistance along the road as well, luckily the AI put the Churchills & squads West of the road junction (units that counterattacked X).
If we ignored the field the game would have lasted longer as those dozen or so units counterattacked & my artillery would be at risk. Several only have a range of 48 hexes so they need to move up during the game.

With hindsight my initial thought of a large North force that could spread out in the open ground behind the VHexes would probably have been the best option. Discounted as expected a traffic jam but they made it along the road unopposed.

It probably would not have effected the outcome keeping the Brits to less than 500 points from timed objectives was a tall order given the terrain.
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In your AAR I know several of your battles are on open terrain which helps but you normally do very well at restricting infantry losses in firefights.
I go to 3 man platoons soon so going to start using some Italians as AUX after the next battle, odd set up platoons have 4 LMG but only 2 squads carry them. If anyone knows fairly common tanks used by Italian Social Republic I could sell a few of mine & use some.