German Campaign using War Cab

[Imp]

Helps if I post the screenshot

[Imp]

Turn 4 Start

Nothing has happened so far apart from the Brits placing smoke last turn though I think things are about to kick off.

British smoke screen might provide minor benefit but is in fact more of a pain as stops me finding LOS. We have arty plotted in the North mix of HE & smoke in case something takes a shot at us, sorry forgot Shift3

All but 2 tanks are in the North did not want to use my smoke to come over the hill as it would need to be a wide screen & I think it will be needed later.

From the top
Expect to take fire when we move possibly from both hills here, this is our main avenue of attack.

Central units are to head for the trees & try to get LOS on the South side of the hill, I expect to use those central trees later.
If take fire on the way will probably just move on after locating rather than destroy.

Will not report or screen shot units below the line unless something happens they are supposed to be spotters later on for the main force as hopefully closer to firers. Hope is they do not need to fight to hard to get to position.

Used 4 Partisan Squads its not a biggie they are similar to what I should have bought, as suspected all trucks are 2WD.
Turned off timed victory hexes as do not recall us having an assault yet so if the battle is a meeting I will reload a couple of times to try & get one.

[Imp]

Turn 6 end

My arty plots with green line are fire for effect others are new plots

The little hill was easily dealt with HMG & tank support allowed Mech Assaults, 3 squads pushed off the rough there could be a fourth.

Crossing the splodge of mud across the road took 2 turns we could only fire on the squad position shown before crossing the mud which drew fire from others situated further back.
Things went surprisingly well especially as most British units initially held fire till around 350m before they all joined in.
Do love smoke its use was invaluable again & just realised Partisans don't have any which makes sense.
Lost 2 men for 2 Patrols killed but made good ground, need to this turn as well British Arty has been very quite so far.

Elsewhere all is quite after coming over the large hill our infantry will be at the woods edge in 2-3 turns.
We have spotted a M10 3in in the South as its open top & hopefully has a friend nearby plotted 17cm battery on it for full effect.

[Mobhack]

I generally retire/re-role any MG units in the core when past the desert and fighting in Europe. Generally not enough fields of fire to make them worthwhile. You want to be able to see past 600m (LMG range) with a decent field of fire past that.

In the Desert, and Russian open fields - well worth having in the core.

With a German campaign though, I usually change them to something else when being pushed back by the Soviets, but you do get occasional places they can be useful - however then only bought as support units for the one battle if it is flatlands or on a commanding height and good visibility.

They are wonderful tools for stripping off the tank riders the AI likes to use, especially on bunched-up lumps of them!

[Imp]

Never thought to do that, played as USA Armd Infantry a while back & that was overkill with 1 MG per platoon plus all the halftracks, crying out for regular squads most of the time.
Certainly cluttered terrain of Europe its hard getting the best out of them & its dead easy to make a good location useless by placing smoke. I would say on average only half make any real impact the others never really get position most times.

[Mobhack]

Armoured infantry may be the clue - you can use the HT to shift the things to a useful fire position quickly.

But leg-only ones on a typical cluttered European map are too much of a pain to find good positions with. Maybe buy some light trucks to zoom them around in, next time and see if that helps!

[Imp]

Turn 7 did not go so well in our haste to get eyes up North we ran into a 6Pdr ATG & lost a MkIV, however this tells me we need to look it wont be alone.
Two Spitfires also came in & immobilised another MkIV, AUX units paid for themselves & got 1 of the Spitfires. We also lost a truck to artillery & had first contact on the North edge of the woods.
Currently therefore we are 2 units & 8 infantry men down - the Brits are defending this hill in force we have killed 8 Squads plus the 2 Patrols from previously.

Arty plots are as it fell last turn apart from 17cm which is about to fire & hopefully get both M10's. 10.5 battery drifted way off was supposed to hit around the Vhex.
Had to keep moving top smoke plot as discovered more squads, it will FFE where it is. The plot that was firing smoke down the road is still there, bad luck with smoke fall most landed in the same hexes.
All but 2 arty are now back online had to move as Spitfire overflew them.

Turn 9 Start overview

Bit going on kill that ATG & should have eyes on the Northern area in a couple of turns, some units will head down the road to check the far area.
I feel crossing the mud was the first hard part taking this hill & coming over it are the biggest problems we will face. As mud splits it in two we kicked off the attack on its West face as attacking from the North is a few turns away.
Resistance has been heavy where we are now & 2 hexes to the East there were about 15 squads, two I think ran down the road the 10.5cm was supposed to land on them. Taking the hill is always an issue best view is from around the MkIV shown. Expecting arty there so now climbing the hill.

Partisan could not find the squad in the woods German Squad did & we forced a retreat before mounting up, the British squad will be in good order when we arrive.
Otherwise think its clear this side of the treeline so the MkIV is going to chance it.

South of the bottom road found another M10 hopefully both will die.
A MMG is moving up slowly by the road most other units will try for a good view however one will attempt to get to the treeline.
Poor Partisan is going to press on to see if anything is there & others can spot it, no smoke & out of support range so not to sensible.

There is a chance that the AI has set up a defence round the Vhexes & the flank is lightly or undefended.
We already have good views across most of the map, if a vehicle fires we should see it if its not in cover.

[Imp]

Turn 12 start
Due to nature of the map another overview I hope they are clear enough, should be able to go to closer zoom & a couple of screens from now.

Where to start been playing a bit fast & lose, right about now I would give anything for a Laser Range Finder we have a shooting gallery but the range is 1300m plus (25hex) but lets cover the last few turns.

Plane has been again killing a Halftrack & British artillery is really ticking me off the AI is very good at hampering operations with this sort of visibility & is predicting where I am going well. Halftracks & SP Mortar for example briefly entered LOS at nearly 50 hexes & are now all damaged, guessed exactly where I was headed.
We are taking out the on map stuff my arty is plotted on one if we force route the arty targeting tanks by Z including 17cm can shift to keep them running & hit the other - 17cm obviously failed vs M10's unlike the AI I am not having much joy with it this game even with eyes on target.
We should be able to deal with the one near the M10s with a MG once we have position.

We have lost nearly 20 men now & of course some halftracks & the MkIV - Killed 25 British units, all infantry bar the ATG

We will wrap up the search for ATG's shortly it has been hampered by the high grass & fields blocking LOS at ground level, killed the first there must be more? Managed to clear the hill while this was going on behind a smoke screen. Squads 2 PIAT Teams & a Mortar cleared out, my squads were surprisingly lax walking into both PIAT Teams.

Let the smoke fade this turn & the AA guns opened up, nobody at ground level can see them.
A consists of 2 Sturmpanzer targeting along with a StuG(i) & MkIV that can target with a 1 hex move. HMG there can also see them so hopefully enough to silence them. Chosen as hunting guns & infantry with MkIV if armour showed up.

Once we reach the field around X going to call it safe its taking to much time.
Some units need to go up the hill for VHexes & an option I will probably not take is move out from X to close on British armour, perhaps with a few squads again hunting guns & perhaps the HQ.
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Squads at C giving up on rear of hill for the moment, despite the smoke screen artillery is stopping play - will take out the Mortar.
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Moved fast through the woods several transparent trees & we want tanks there. Both ready squads there retreated & recovered. Squad B had to risk fast moving so trees screened it, going to find out if areas safe want the view from there.

We are going to try a few long shots from hexes at C as only visible to 3 tanks, probably just result in dischargers firing. Arty is also plotted on Churchill if we are very lucky we might force it to move. Mud makes attacking it from cover impossible.

The big question is what's around Y & are there any guns tanks we have not located. If we could clear infantry from near W there is a good chance a tank could get off a shot undetected so mass attack stands a chance. The question is how using smoke to close range with tanks could go badly wrong if it clears badly so maybe smoke & kill infantry then try from W.
I am at a bit of a loss at the moment on how to approach just know I want the arty gone as I do not want to end up pinned suppressed around Y.
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The Southern guys will probably have to throw caution to the wind shortly & see if anything is there the hard way.
Be a while but MG's are on the move 1 here the rest to W & the hill.

Should have had more of a plan for the South half of the map we are winging it now.

[Imp]

Turn 13
Reporting always top to bottom
Not moved in first screenshot finished turn in second.

Turns out it was 3 AAguns the MkIV took fire from the ATG which missed as finishing them off, it died under a hail of fire. AA guns were also overwhelmed so we emerged unscathed.
Assuming that's it & mounting up to go over the hill we are needed & this took longer than I anticipated. 1 Squad is checking a bit further East.

Panthers have hopefully paraded around in full view (low risk only 2-3 hex wide strip) hope is this will attract artillery allowing mounted units safe passage to the hill.
Expect them to be a prime target for the lone Spitfire so all AA assets are coming forward to support the advance, hope is to take it out while not engaged. High vis you would think it would be easy.

Ignore last post bit more sleep today Panthers & arty did not engage the Churchill its position is fine & more are now visible. Arty is still going after British on map arty before switching to area around A. Maybe we got it but Mortar fire on the hill has stopped so taking a tentative look. Squad that smoked drew fire from the British squad others seem hidden.

Units in the woods detected the Stewarts the MkIVs are going to try & engage. Bit rough when the enemies Light Tanks have a better armour package than your Mediums.

I was hoping to come up with something more elegant but as we have them the heavy lifting is going to be done by the units with a decent armour package.
By the numbers section off & clear the area advance, how it develops depends on what MkIVs encounter as move to B. If no ATG fire they are well positioned to lay smoke & help the infantry clear A.

Panthers will move to C under cover of smoke, move through means well within coaxMG range - the smoke needs to be in front of the mud so can lay more to right & move E-W behind it. Gives flexibility for Mech Infantry or lets us move to avoid artillery.

The only issue with this is if there are 17 pounders out there we have closed the range & hence hit chance so the Sturmpanzer's with their tough superstructure (13) have been asked to come over the hill in full view & see what flies their way. There gun is not particular accurate at range so they have the privilege of supporting the Panthers weak flank & providing smoke.
Can't help thinking there is probably some colourful conversation among their crews over those orders.

The Heavy Recon team down south are waiting on the MG but converging to battle formation. They will try to provide smoke cover for the armour if needed when it moves out. StuG(i) does not have dischargers fitted.

[Imp]

Side Note
The Recon team gathered a lot of useful information this probably would have played out quite differently in the modern era as you can capitalise on it better with enhanced speed & accuracy.

Assuming they can destroy each other at range & that virtually all modern tanks have turret armour that is better or equal to the hulls this could have been simple.

Stonk them with artillery then attack in mass from the hill. Once we are in the era of accurate ATGMs they could thin them out first. Of course return ATGM fire might cause a few problems.

For me it highlights on todays deadly battlefields Recon is more important than ever.
Also highlights if you are not up against a near peer force recon can turn it in to a Turkey Shoot.