AAR: Balkans N. Africa Leg

[Imp]

TF> Not top gear more like a steamroller rolling slowly forward crushing everything in its path.
The village is under our control & the troops are engaging first mainly then tanks roll out & engage the guns, followed by mobelwagons going for the ones at longer range. AC & transport then expose themselves & shoot up enemy troops before my squads move out & send them to oblivion. Then it happens the attack has been so devastating overdrive is engaged & any form of transport is used to propel the force forward.
2 snipers are the only people causing any real problems & for very few casulties we have made huge advances.
Some smoke was used to stop taking fire mainly from snipers but one is visible, we have now moved to near the V in the mountain & some vehicles are vulnerable but all guns bar 1 were engaged. ATGs are gone, the infantry gun is Ok & both mountain guns crews are at half strength. Another 4 bunkers have been found but they are facing the wrong way & a JPz1 has started systematic destruction of the 10 or so now visible. About half a dozen new infantry units have been detected to & expect a few losses in AIs turn but a decisive move.

MF> MkIIIs kill 3 CVs & a pioneer & squad take on the ATG & kill it then the Northern woods is given a good working over. Only 2 men remain here But sure more are coming through it & the FOO there is begining to wonder if staying is sensible. MkIIIs are on the hill & will be engaging the gun TF has not taken on next go, infantry support will be limited as this is the only place putting up any real resistance & another sniper is lurking somewhere.
The tank & AC moved slightly back from the bunker & a squad & 223Fu with a total disregard for safety are trying to support them, they face at least a platoon in close proximity. A couple of other squads are chasing down runners.

BF> 2 squads make it to the high ground & the other forward squad heads for the road. The tanks move on HMG as he had arty dropped on him so is pinned & find the HMG they have been looking for & several bunkers. Transport is now getting some grunts back near the action. A bunker & the remains of a HMG are all thats visible here & a total of 7 flags are still under enemy control

AIT> Another mortar runs out of ammo but resupply truck is closing & its starting to be a unneeded luxury but my arty either got a sniper or helped him hide.
Greek arty got a truck but the offboard batts are firing miles back now.
Desperate brave or stupid feel the later they managed to kill a man & take out 231s gun but lost 20 odd men in the process. Did get a lucky break in MF when an AA gun opened up at halftrack for no damage, I had expected worse.

[Imp]

Well the big exitment is down by the BF especialy in the now small gap between it & the MF by the Bunker.
As well as the troops on the move it appears there are still quite a few dug in units. Yet more snipers HMGs & a few squads have made there presence felt, several men fell to this unexpected show of force. Armour in the area will hopefuly be able to help next turn but at present is pretty preoccupied with just staying alive, that bunker might well contain Gold Bullion or National Treasures the way they are supporting it.
The rest of the MF did not manage to mount an attack on the gun as the sniper has help & is proving an elusive SOB, finaly find him but he took a few good men with him.

At the Bullion Bunker & more so the BF Panzer crews are having a tense time holding back the surge. 6 squads ended there turn next to tanks & all rallied to pin status exept 1 who is ready to go, its getting a bit tense & shortage of transport is proving problematic. On that note with mainly truck transport exploiting crumbling forces becomes a slower or risky proposition as it only takes one shot quite often to cut the ride short.

MF> 3 squads & some armour are remaining in woods to protect flag there & can now give meagre support to the FOO if things get a bit heated.

TF> continues its onslaught & my snipers have taken over the driving seat taking the fight out of anyone they can see, progress is not quite as fast or devastating as last time but now only 2 guns remain & both have casulties, 2 vehicles are vulnerable if they retaliate. Enemy troops are mainly formed up along what one can only call a line of bunkers, 5 now remain & my troops have closed to within 100m from behind.
The woods here will soon ring to the sound of axes as hasty caskets are prepared for the dead & I wonder if undertakers give group rates, they are going to be busy.

AIT> Another of my mortars calls for ammo but resupply has arrived,
Greeks get a good hit with a battery but not sure where.
Another gun comes into play against the TF but his heart does not seem in it, all gun fire misses while tanks reign shells on them & the devastation continues.
Just checked FOO that had 24 units in sight now has 7 & we have discovered quite a few units since then, its becoming a massacre.



Unless somebody says otherwise going to give more sweeping reports & just cover the exiting bits in detail.
Brains overloading trying to remember what happened blow by blow & type at same time so think went a bit rubbish back there.
Sticking to a format like reporting casulties every turn does not help the creative process either, I ain't no writer.
If it all goes a bit naff again & it will say I will not take offence, honest.

[Imp]

So much for the middle force assisting TF there is a lot of activity on this little hill, briefly spare 2 tanks & a pioneer to dispatch the closest gun. Only a HT MKIII scout & 2 squads one retreating are left to greet them, another MKIII is on the way & any moves on the AAgun here have vanished.
A lot of tanks are running out of HE now making things harder.
BF incuding bunker area we have not made any ground but did not pull back & are trading shots at not much better than 1:1 as discover even more units coming my way, might have bitten off more than I can chew here. Found a gun down near the road, its not the original firer though.

TF> That arty fell here bunker busting JPz1 is now stationary, managed to kill last sniper & more guns have joined in. Concentrated on these & now only one is left & its routed with a crew of 3 left. The row of bunkers takes a short break & continues South found 5 more so far.
Perhaps predictably progress slowed a bit as Level5 woods just SW of mountain V cover 3 flags & now taking unseen fire from there.
HQ is at it again & is moving along L7 with a support squad for a looksee

AIT> BF & MF had a bit of a heated exchange not helped by 3 CVs showing up & distracting the tanks though got 2 of them. I think we won around the Bullion Bunker elsewhere was more of a mixed bag, a squad & tank at the front of BF are going to need some sort of rescue mission they have units admitedly pinned in 4 adjacent hexes

Setting the AIs forces to 20% more than mine certainly makes for a tough time they just seem to keep appearing this is after all an assault & theres more than 2 companies of men in the bunkers alone not to mention the arty & guns. Tis the price I pay for their lack of armour.
I have just realised the majority of the infantry are elite explaining there resolve
Evzoni, Rally 13 Exp 10 I can recomend there fighting pedigree.
Lack of a LMG is a problem in open terrain though the sniper offsets this & those HMGs provide good support. Close terrain these guys come into their own.

[Imp]

Firstly I am a Kronenbourgh man myself just refering to the sentiment.
Well the rescue mission was not so hard they were borderline routed so a bit of fire sent them packing, bullion bunker finaly died & think there is just the one squad in this area now. BF continues its painfully slow progress to flag & 3 mortars in the area but squad is quite far down the road & pops smoke to let a JPz1 catch him up. 2 MMG are in position to shoot at this gun & arty should hit it this go.
The battle for the mound seems to have reached a stalemate both sides reinforcing, the 2 MkIIIs & squad that dispatched the gun moved to help & found Greek reinforcements. Another 2 squads are making best speed to get there in HTs, luckily a Greek scout placed smoke as it withdrew cutting off an area covered by the AA gun, be nice to say I planned it More a case of what can I fire at without getting a major volley in return.

TF> Halftrack kills last ATG & HQ does a swivel, 2 squads sighted he stays to assist with spotting then heads off with his escort to intercept any routing units.
A couple of units move & we can see 6 squads there so 2 MkIIIs move up & fire then use dischargers, everyone that can catch a ride heads for the smoke, most were out of range. Smoke was placed to cover 3 squads but before trucks move bring everything I can on other 3 & send them scurrying.
This force is getting close to support range for the mound now.
AIT> They finaly seem to be folding, did not put up much of a fight that time.

[Imp]

The BF & MF had there best turn for a while, the fight on the mound just collapsed most remaining units pulling back off it. This has freed up tanks to go & pay the AAgun a visit next go.
The MMGs opened up on the gun by the road & to my surprise totaly killed it, squad & JPz1 were ready to make a move on.
Forces are generaly getting in good positions to find the other gun though a temporary halt has occured in the middle of this advance, caused by two persistent squads & a bunker. Further North made a hard move supported by 2 MkIIIs & found some runners attacked 2 mortars killing one then ran into yet another bunker.
The 3 squads that form the North part of MF & are protecting flags report contact & send him running.
TF> You have probably guesed, more bunkers further back near the mound & 3 squads behind smoke turns out to be 6 & a sniper. Bit of an effort but everyone is running exept the sniper. In fact they are running so quick HQ has had to jump in a truck to try & cut off the exit. Could not go as far as he would have liked as its unknown territory.
I am having to task the pioneers with assisting with bunkers still have over a dozen left & the two I attacked this turn took 5 point blank hits without effect.
AIT> There arty is strugling to keep pace again so totaly innefective. AI lost about 9 men for none 3 in combat rest as ran. One of the casulties of combat was the sniper taken out by a MkIII. Tanks fired another 6 or more rounds at bunkers up close & personnal like for naff all.

T24 Swatting flys
Well despite bunkers front armour being 6/2 14 shots later 5 with overpenetration of 4 or 5 as high hit chance they are unscathed b@$$%#£s.
Pioneer had better luck attacked 3 damaging 2 & killing the third
More shots vs bunkers JPz1 gets an instant kill & out of about 6 MkIII hits get a damage & also seperate kill 2 occupants, thats better & a good thing to I am running into more. Otherwise just finding mortars mainly.
AIT> Arty is targeting my MMGs that took out the gun, only one Greek fired & he lost 3 men for the privelage.

[Imp]

It seems just got some tough bunkers taking down normaly now, think only onboard gun now is 1 mortar, MMGs clear the battery fire alright.
Just chasing now really & HQ just bagged his 8th kill.
Took last flag but Greeks took one back down South in its turn, have a few units nearby. Still finding bunkers

T26 End game
It was a lone squad that took the flag, mine now, found the ATG have been looking for down South (BF) but MKIII lost its gun as it turns out there were three of them.
All succumbed in the closing stages of this battle.
Game ended Decisive Victory

8062 > 849 Points
269>1089 men
Just over a 1/4 of my 900 men perished.

Got most of the Greeks less than half a dozen units floating around & a few bunkers I had not got round to.
Had a quick look at Greek forces turns out he had 8 batteries not 6 & 10 or so inf companies plus all those bunkers & HMGs
Did get a bit touch & go in places & if arty barrage on bottom force had continued for a couple of turns think I would have lost close to 2 platoons of grunts. St Et HMG caused a few nasty moments to.
Overall caught me with my pants down as was not expecting such a tough fight.

T1 Welcome toTobruk
The game offered me a special battle but time for one of those later I wan't to go to N.Africa before the Eastern Offensive kicks off

No rest for the wicked we are assaulting again this time vs British forces at Tobruk, wondering if might see some air this time.
We have shiny new vehicles in dessert camo armed with the 5cm gun & our Pak group has recieved these as replacements to.

Force Changes
3x Pak 4.7 upgraded to Pak 5
Armour is now
3x 231(8rad)
3x MkIIf
20x MkIIIh
2x Ram
Will add more variety later when Stugs etc improve a bit
My view MkIVs are pretty duff there main role at this time is as infantry killers suppresors & MKIIs do it better, suffer from ammo problems though.
Also gives me 2 groups of 10 MkIIIs
Everything else as it was

Support
2 sIGIbs see if we can get them direct fireing vs the grunts
1 17cm Battery
2 Ammo dumps
2 Bf 110 D-2 to play with
1 Spotter Plane

Regenerated map 3 times but kept giving me the high ground & a few buildings etc so decided to mod a quick one & give them something to defend. We are in N. Africa so our first objective is a water supply & a nice place to stay in relative comfort.
The place is fortified so lets see what the AI makes of it

Flags
A group of 2 in both Likely AA Pos
8 around Unknown Facility & Bunker Entrance one in each of 4 buildings
4 In the Guest House
Rest at West point of Low Wall, it has a break in it for a gate here
Visibility came out at 51 so left it.

The plan, have a bit of fun but going to have to wait a bit as now looked may have snookerd myself a bit on the approach with the soft sand.

Just because might intrest someone all my core arty now calls in at 1.2 HQ rally is 85 sweet, troops ave exp mid 90s some might make 100 soon.
Armour high 80s but did not do well with replacements low to mid 60s
Map attached as I remembered

[Imp]

First the plan then a rundown of the first leg, not a lot happened for a while but here are my notes on the initial phases, should liven up shortly.
On the beer in a fit of insanity let the girfriend take my credit card on a trip to Knightsbridge. Still trying to figure out how she persuaded me it was a sensible idea women

Shows how long its been since I played thought Matildas would still be a problem should have looked before upgraded my tanks.
Turns out I have the advantage the 2 pounder is not a lot of cop except vs the light armour. The 25 pounder is a diffrent matter though I will need to treat those with respect.
I have to consider upgrading my inf howitzers for the real deal bought ammo dumps for but they just don't have the range. Only One spot where they can reach all likely targets & set up on a rough hex so the ammo dumps on it. This time we will try a major break through rather than dealing with mines all over the shop.
Pre bombardment will drop smoke & most of the force will move on North Location AA pos position then they can follow the train tracks.
Company B (inc 2 Pioneers) & a couple of mortars will move on foot spread out on the other AA location. They have 4 trucks that can be used safely for first 500m or so with them. Also my ATGs & there transport is here along with 3 MkIIIs & a FOO.
These are Main & Secondary forces MF SF respectivly & MF is not moving as one complete lump at start, no need to give arty more targets than needed they will come forward once mines found theoretically.
HQ has been told no more heroics but you never know.
As I thought there are a few areas with only a 1 hex gap in the soft sand so either exploit them or nice & slow.

T1
2 4.5inch & a 25pdr fired then my smoke fell nicely followed by the roar of 60 odd engines all hitting the gas hard in unison, we leap forward & theres no dust trail, whoops think I bodged the map a bit was not expecting that. Easier overall probably but now wishing had dropped more smoke we are going to end the turn with a lot of units visible to anyone in the NE just where a line of wire is. Only visible additional fortifications are 2 lines of wire just over 500m long on row 90 at each edge of the map. Those SIGs just came in handy 13 smoke each & managed to direct fire & give half reasonable cover.
Fast forward to the end of turn 4 the smokes nearly gone & the MF is ready to climb the rise to the North AA location. The enemy is deadly silent so far including his arty so it is possible no one is there. I have dropped arty on it for 2 turns. The SF has moved out but is keeping its vehicles back & hidden.
2 trucks took a shortcut through the soft sand & are stuck.
Am replotting most arty for a new smoke screen I will be fully visible ffom here on in so my only options to unload unseen is this or to drop everyone here & continue on foot. Mines could cause an upset to this plan but I am a beliver in most cases of pushing hard at the start with acceptable loses to give time for problems later & in this heat that water is tempting & my boys don't wan't to walk

Turn5+6 Holding Pattern
Looks like nobodys home I made the map full width to allow the AI to defend as it liked but most flags are set further back than normal so I may not meet much resistance till later on. Smoke fell badly so mainly waiting before move out & spotter finaly finds our first Brits a platoon of Valentine IIs on the hill West of the bunker entrance so things will finaly get going.
2 Scouts in bikes decide to move out as speed means they can take a path that makes best use of the smoke, all goes well no mines till he reaches the smoke . 2men lost as 2Pdr in the orchard opens up. Smoke fell around it but not well enough & a few units move to the top edge of the orchard pop smoke & unload.
Turn7
Visibility through the orchard is about 250m so the squads that moved up last turn took on the 2 Pdr killing it, a bit more smoke came down so units moved out towards it. I am keeping the MkIIs & AC back for the moment & the spotter overflew the other AA location spotting 1 squad. Lost contact with my plane, had placed it so could adjust onto any guns found but it went & attacked a Vali. It did see a 2Pdr though & no sign of any AAA yet.
Two MkIIIs have been moving slowly in plain view to see if drew any reaction, arty just fell behind them a bit close to my HQ who has ended up shadowing them
Turn8
Take 2 flags at AA location things are still pretty quiet arty is starting to fall in MF area & slightly worried for my AA but want them near just in case.
The 2 tanks out in the open are just starting to move round the bottom of the orchard. They have taken fire from 2Pdr which is acceptable at this range.
A couple of the tree hexes North of the orchard do provide cover Rams & a few loaded Ht are hiding there. Most transport is moving to open the range as the smoke is fading & there passengers are poised to move out of it next turn. Forgot to plot spotter.
Turn9
Seems I was wrong you can't hide there a2Pdr in the SE corner of the orchard took out a HT before losing 2 men & a couple more shots were fired at exposed tank, still cant see it. Looks like I may have been lucky MMG finds a mine near AA location, think they probably run North from there supporting wire as vehicles passed just South of. The arty immobilised one of my AA last turn so they have fallen back & vehicles realy have no where to go now so position is not to clever.
Turn10
Just realised not making much headway & forgot to think about soft sand for planning further routes.
Lots of fire exchanged again between tanks for no effect but another HT got caught up in it, vehicles that were supposedly hiding moved last go & arty fell where they had been.
SF> is about a Km from trenches but was fired on by Vickers HMG 500m further forward, MMG killed three men & 3 MkIIIs have now broken cover.
Spotter went for another fly by but never returned multiple Boffors AA about 1Km East of South AA position saw to that.

Things should start warming up soon me thinks
Thats all folks

[Imp]

Quiet game so far so summary of my path to the current balls up.
SF> Alls fine here they are poised to move to level 2 of Pos AA Local, 3 MkIIIs supporting broke cover a while back & are nearly with them. ATGs loaded up & are on the way to as are the mortars that have just set out. They have lost 2-3 men can see a routed squad & have killed 2 Vickers HMG & 2 ATR.
MF> Strange one this all was fine while we stuck to the plan but a minor deviation has lead to total disaster, this was about as long as any plan has ever lasted as it turns out I was amazingly lucky.
Half the force hides while rest progressed behind the smoke between the North Pos AA Loc & the olive groves (orchard). As the smoke clears tanks exchanged ineffectual shots before managing to enter little valley & move behind the ridge line for cover. bit of thought needed here due to soft sand but we move onto the hill & take out 2 Vals for 2 men, a good trade. Then we move on finally finding the other 2Pdr, it dies along with the other 2 Vals & the area is clear. A MkII was damaged in the exchange & artys getting heavier finally accounting for a few men stationary 231 destroyed HT & a few trucks all told.
This part of the force is to head SE round & over the hill.
The rest of the MF now breaks cover to go NE round the hill following the train track, it takes fire from A25Pdr at range which misses & those SIGs direct fire some smoke to cover. This force is currently working its way down the railway & level1 part of the hill with troops out front looking for that gun. Mine clearers are here as we have not hit any yet.

Now it all goes tits up & the blame rests squarely on the shoulders of my HQ, The tanks he was shadowing raced on while he plodded forward to find himself facing a squad 200m away. He is not detected so sits & waits turning his range down. This squad is a few 100m South of the olive grove but towards the West end of it, well back from my force. On reflection HQ should have backtracked but things are easy with hindsight my force after all is just coming round the hill.
Find a squad on the corner of the hill & take him out then we deviate from the plan deciding to head back to our lines. I expect that squad to have company & Mr HQ should spot any firers so we move out. Turns out there are 6 of them so far one off by himself to the South another mid way & 4 in a group by my HQ, one with an ATR. Attacking dug in units at range is never a sensible option you will lose & we do indeed lose a few men getting into position but HTs are ready to mount an offensive that should get half of them.
Well that was the idea but we are sitting in a minefield & going nowhere, the mineclearers are going north & worst of all I had avoided this driving into it on the way back to my lines. I can't now abort as have to see what my vehicles are sitting on, I take heavy loses to his fire & a few to troops that discover vehicles are on mines. Moving into mine hexes while under fire does not seem to be a good tactic, someone will become vertically challenged & launch himself skyward, chucking smoke grenades to cover, the first real exchange & boy did we mess up.

[Imp]

SF> Moves onto L2 seems to be 3 squads here & we dig out the closest one, the 2 squads furthest North find a FOO kill 1 man.
My thoughts are they could work over to MF problem as a sniper chimed in over there to. As this force has not hit any mines yet I am begining to think they may follow the railway so in view of this the MF is bugging out under cover of smoke & heading up the hill. Rams are on the way to help clear mines under vehicles but the area is bound to be hit with arty so not staying to fight on his terms, HQ pulled back & will keep watch.
A sniper & MMG along with stuck tanks are systematicaly working over the Brits & have nearly killed one squad, as out of range will do 1 at a time & planes are coming in to as no AA in the area
Turns out have to be a bit careful as tanks on hill are now recieving fire from a 2Pdr around the furthest NW trench near the oasis.
This is a fine mess I have got in trying to pick a path across the hill out of LOS of guns without getting stuck.
If I can make it to the copse of trees on the hill troops could unload & get close enough to find the gun, could be a big ask though.
As always more arty would help as could lay smoke.

[Imp]

MF> Planes attack & 2 nearest squads to HQ are routed with LOS to others obscured so he has moved to SMG range & is blazing away, not sure this is entirely sensible but as he caused the problem only seems fair that he sorts it out.
Looks like arty has done its job as a crew is spotted near 25Pdr local so vehicles break cover & we roll forward. Troops have made it on to the highest part of the hill but forces on its South face are not doing so well. There are at least 2 ATGs one is seen but a HT is damaged, somehow it is still mobile with 4D from two hits. Other HTs & AC are pinned down & MKIIIs are reversing up the slope to keep front facing ATGs.
A bit further & we are clear of the soft sand for a while at least, need to bring arty up as its working at max range.

SF> We lose a man in exchange for the FOO & now have 4 squads & 2 tanks on the hill facing 5 Brits, 2 more squads can give covering fire but several are trying to move on undetected as I feel that those AA guns could soon join the party. One does firing at MKIII which is fine by me, 2 squads are now out of there holes C>5 for 1. Another AAgun is seen & I have no idea what the AI is trying to achieve with its arty especially considering lots of my force must be vissible.