AAR: Balkans N. Africa Leg

[Imp]

NF> Two MkIIIs open up & kill VIcs the rest engage the closest A10s at about 700m, takes a few hits but kill 3 they all have riders. At least one A10 has made it behind AIs smoke screen. All but one tank closes range.
CF> takes on the middle group of nine A10s, if these had riders they perished along with 4 tanks. Would have been higher but platoon moving from area where MkIIs were discover the terrain there blocks the view so only 1 tank in the platoon gets targets. One of those anomolies height zero but restricts view from certain angles, could be drifting invisible smoke. The 3 MkIIIs that came South round the central hill & are engaging this group cannot move any further without giving flank shots to tanks further South, not droping smoke as hope to eliminate central force next go.
SF> Moving forward to try & get targets & both MMGs which do have targets hose down a few tanks, no riders.
AIT> A bit of arty but it does not hit anything, very close to one Flakwagen though.
Nice thing about quite a lot of WW2 tanks is you don't have to worry much about AP ammo as they carry loads so jst blast away. Shots were exchanged & a few MkIIIs were hit but all fire was from the front. Several A10s were damaged & one was destroyed in both the N+S forces. The central force A10Cs poped smoke. Its a shame AI does not maintain better force cohesion if all the vehicles arrived together things would have been a bit trickier.

Turn9
Vals are now visible in the North force & it consists of about 15 tanks. The first foot sloggers have come into view 3 flanking the central force & 4 moving towards S flags. There are also 4 squads that have lost there rides in the North group.
CF> goes first killing the 4 tanks there just the A10CS remains but its behind smoke, as it only has a pen of 2 Ram is coming out of hiding while MkIIIs move towards the North group
NF> Platoon here engages but range is still to great they kill 2 tanks but it takes several hits so they are closing by moving NW that way the MF is aproaching from a diffrent angle
SF> ATGs crawl forward trying to grt some space between them as grouped & MkIIIS take out both remaining A10s before continuing SE closing range, a platoon of them from CF is rushing to assist.
All troops do not engage as max or out of range but close on enemy troops, the front ones slow to 2 hexes. As centre is clear MKIIs 231 & HTs are heading for troops to hit them hard, arty has been told weapons are now free its show time. Half the mortars deploy this turn the others will next go.
AIT> Very little arty mainly 3"MTR around South flags, little to report from tank exchange but enemy troops took fire mainly from MMGs & a few tanks losing a bit over half a dozen men. Up North as suspected an A10 managed to use the now fading smoke screen to get behind my tanks. The southern Vals have turned for the flags increasing range from MkIIIs that were moving to support.
In the dessert my extra experience should pay dividends vs enemy troops, I should spot them easier & my long range fire all other things being equal should hurt more

[Imp]

NF> Closing the range is paying off tanks killed 5 A10s & routed a Vickers HMG, there are now 12 MkIIIs in the area & 10 of them continue to close after firing.
My troops are falling behind my tanks here but can see about a dozen ex riders & in range of the closest ones, they send 2 squads running inflicting about 8 casulties. The enemy is directly NE of flags within about 300m but some forces on foot that I cant see are North of them, my units near the flags are taking fire from scouts & a sniper. I have 2 scouts & a sniper there looking for them now.
CF> Ram kills A10CS pioneers lose a man but we get 5 or so & HTs are turning up, facing 9 squads so far.
SF> Five MkIIIs are now within 500yds of Val but it is still undamaged though the amount of shots at it might have him a bit hot n bothered.
Can see 9 squads here killed about 4 men for no loss routing the lead squad but some of my troops have now been seen as recieving fire, there is an ATR somewhere further South probably with more squads.
AIT> The Spits returned each baging a truck, 3 flak fired at to no avail arty landed on some of my troops
All troopfire is at long range still can't see North sniper & scouts they killed 3 men SF we got a couple for 1 but in the middle despite the range got about half a dozen.
NF> Get another 3 A10s including the one trying to head round the back which is why 2 tanks did not move up, more keep appearing though & target selection is getting hard as there are nearly 20 dead tanks here now blocking sight.
SF> KOs its first Val 3 left

Much more fun than last game but somewhat outclassed, winding up by turn 20 is looking a posibility as was my original goal.

[Imp]

NF> 3 M3s fire taking out 2 A10s & immob a 3rd whos crew bail out & are persuaded to leave the hex.
There is a line of half a dozen burning tanks which my tanks south of now take advantage of to close the gap on Vals
Tanks closing from SW take out another A10 & damage the lead Val, a M3 is damaged to so it falls back into the dust trail.
These tanks are in 2 groups of 6 the SW group are now close to the area hidden scouts & sniper are in. The search is on both scouts move forward then squads draw fire, detect 2 scouts & new pioneer LMG kill a man in each sending them running. The sniper here gets a man & it turns out has a restricted view so forces move forward killing both scouts & generaly putting the frightners on more distant targets.
Two squads take time out to deal with the rider of the lone tank that had tried flanking killing 4 & sending him scurrying for friendly lines.
CF> There is a sniper here to that remains elusive but find 2 scouts here also killing one. A couple of vehicles prep fire then concentrate all fire on units with ATR to let the HTs lose. They are suffering quite badly men droping here & there so 3 HTs move on South platoon shooting them up at close quarters.
What happened to Brit resolve & fighting spirit everyone is running so several HTs & 231s are heading to support SF
SF> MMGs fire at troops near Vals then 2 MkIIIs (M3s from now on) fire at remaining Vals then 3 others close for the money shot destroying one & immob the other, further hits damage it more. Squads then fire at nearest units routing while a scout moves towards ATR, its spotted & killed. Looks like the original plan was wrong we will be rolling up from this end first HTs are on the way & its time to let the air commence runs as some arty is visible
Flak is playing leap frog now & trucks are coming out of hiding heading for CF & SF, 223Fu breaks cover
AIT> 3"MTRs are landing on target at the front line but all 25Pdrs are to far back thoogh how a couple managed to miss my trucks is beyond me. Landed right in a group of them & just caused a few to button. Apart from in the South Brits are in trouble as 5 units or so return fire at any shot he takes, this resulted in the death of N sniper & the central one is now visible. The central force is pretty much routed but the other 2 are still fighting.
Tank battles did not achieve much but the other Southern Val was damaged.
3 more A10s are moving towards the centre but they are 2Km away.

[Imp]

NF> Tanks to SW go first most taking a shot then closing range, troops fire at any squads that fire at & another sniper is found. Two of the tanks take time to kill it the rest kill an A10 & send some fire at squads with ATR by Vals. Now the South tanks move as can get to within 100m but discover two ATR teams, troops & furthest tank take on & destroy. Tanks roll on & fire taking 3 Vals down leaving 4 known tanks. Troops move up they need transport as getting left behind & dust is causing problems. Should have thought ahead a bit AA here has to move as tanks have left there umbrella
CF> Northern part is mainly pinned due to enemy arty & it appears there is a scout out there but they still manage to inflict minor damage. Squad loads in a HT & heads towards the scouts area as does the damaged tank & MkIIs. Further South squad moves adj to sniper & says farewell others take shots but are calling for transport to as Brits are going backwards faster than they can keep up. Slightly South of this group a FOO takes pot shots so Ram scout & sniper lead the hunt then HT infantry roll up to the middle & South of this force decimating them. The 2 platoons here are reduced to about 30men in total.
SF> 5 tanks vs 2 damaged is no contest then others moving to the area find an ATR & 3 tanks gang up on him killing a man. All tanks now prep fire at the enemy squads, they are tightly bunched here & range is about 300m so casulties start to rack up. MMGs & ATGs get there turn & despite the range ATGs kill 5 or so. The Brits just have no answer when my squads advance only 2 fire + the ATR to the South which is quicly found & killed.
ATGs hop on trucks & my troops have never failed to move forward at least 100m. AA here elects to hold position.
AIT> All arty is falling behind now & a 3"MTR dies to my plane, it recieves light AA fire. Most of the turn is spent watching people run as any fire by Brit troops leaves a pile of cartridge cases round my men. They did have minor success however as a HT & 231 moving to SF are destroyed while moving South by a 2Pdr ATG, its just South of centre & nearly 1.5Km from nearest vehicles. Remaining tanks up North tried to mount an attack one perished & the others fire was very limited as they to are suffering from multiple fire at syndrome
Flags central have been ours for a while now & will finnish taking North ones next go. South we have passed so 233Fu is running down to take them.
On board 25Pdrs have been seen & air is targeting
Turn 13
NF> Troops here are having trouble finding targets but a few have started working there way North through the carnage at the West End.
Tanks killed last 5 armour here & are coming in from the East but now need eyes to catch up, even so the little foray so far has revealed several new squads there is more than a company still knocking around.
CF> Finding the FOO costs a man but he loses one to, have to be carefull here due to that ATG so some smoke placed to cover Ram & HTs while allowing MMGs to be brought up. Squads are nearly gone now & 2 scouts were found & engaged by sniper & a tank before being killed. Some of this force is heading North while the rest stroll East on foot.
SF> Just keep moving forward about 2/3rds of a company left here Ram & 231 have shown up so tanks are heading East gun hunting as decent armour, found Bofors AA already.
The North will be doing the same several breaking off as MkIIs take over infantry support roll. The seen ATG is under arty & what little smoke I have left has been plotted. Some infantry in transport will follow tanks in the dust trails so they can unload & be eyes when armour takes fire
AIT> Lose a truck to arty & plane fails to make its attack on 25Pdrs, did not see the gun as it became a fireball. Find a few more units up North an A10 appears through the smoke & is immobilised by scout then squad routes it

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Bob hows your 200 battle campaign going & a scary note.
Reckon I play quite a bit probably 2-3 turns a day average & started this campaign on 5-1 This is my 9th battle I think so managing a bit under 5 battles a month. At this rate with a few specials thrown in should finnish my campaign about this time next year
Kinda freaked me out that

[Imp]

NF> lose 3 men working through the carnage its slow
SF> Moving flat out troops killing closest while Ram & 231 & ATGs spread fire on the rest to keep there heads down
MMG & scouts are generaly breaking off & in transport to hunt guns
6 M3 have broken off up North to hunt but nothing so far, down South 9 are heading out & can see 3 2pdrs & 5 Bofors a 25Pdr fired to but not detected only took 2 shots. Not bothering to return fire just rolling till range is under 1KM which it is now for front couple of tanks.
In the middle troops are on foot with some vehicles due to smoke use
Spits came in again got a couple of men & a truck empty as unloaded thinking imminent, AA missed only 2 in area
Could have taken all flags but will put off for a couple of turns.
Turn15
NF> no casulties this time as mainly through the mess, units closing from West have sped up & FOO is acting as a scout circling at moderate range to see units when they fire. More units found its more like 2 companies here, concentrate on taking down Vickers HMG & ATR units. Relief from the centre is arriving so a couple of M3 are trying to work behind the enemy to see if guns fire at. Aim is to get some troops here to cut off the escape path as soon as pos.
South tanks fire then move on & clever use of dust & smoke he says going for braging rights lets central troops move up including transport. They find HQ & both forces fire have taken out 2 2Pdrs + a Bofors
Had not lost a man till arty fell destroying flakwagen truck & half its passengers. My remaining plane came in from a diffrent angle killing at least one 25Pdr

[Imp]

NF> continues to advance now cleared the wreckage can see there are more like 3 companys here being forced back. Maybe keeping a few more vehicles to lay down the love might have been wise thats a lot of people to keep running. A few tanks make it to cut any escape & they should be joined next turn, fire here is now mainly short ranged. Brit casulties are decidly unhealthy & some of my relief troops will be late as need to detor because of arty.
SF> troops are reduced to platoon level, tanks carry on attacking guns 4 Bofors are left 2 with reduced crews. MMGs are in place to join in & scout is heading for likely 3"Mtr pos. The 3 A10s in the middle are attacked by both groups of tanks resulting in a kill & immob result.
Having to move 80mmMtrs targets out of range.
AIT> The bloodbath continues as the net closes, HQ dies to sniper fire, arty missed but seems last turn also immob a HT & got 2 more trucks including half the passengers on one. North tanks recieving bofors fire one is seen.

Turn17
The SF ceases to exist & scout finds 2 3"Mtr kills + routes respectivly.
MMGs fire at boffors then tanks take over, one is ok but the other 2 are hurt bad so turn atention to A10s waving them goodbye before rolling ever forward.
Centre is running out of smoke but push forward to killing straglers & engaging another Mtr.
North tanks close range on bofors it seems alone.
NF> Vehicles continue to share the love as troops continue the kill fest, there is one MMG here & his blood letting is violent picking a squad surrounded by others he is hitting multi targets killing over 10 men in one turn. The tanks coming from the West have moved to the North so dust trails are not a problem, at the east end troops have deployed & have there hands full with the tide of men coming there way. A few can be seen who have already escaped the net but tanks can hunt them.
AIT> lost another couple of trucks to arty targeting central group. There are 3 bofors to the North visible now. NF is about 2 comp now & some are trying to slip the net by routing NE. Funny to watch but 2 pretty intact squads routed past a line of 3 of my squads shrinking then vanishing.

T18
Wow total devastation its like they are just melting the 2 companies are now 1/2 of one.
Awesome display of firepower probably the best kill zone ever.
2 bofors remain one is hurt & 2 25Pdrs both hurt taking flag & winding up not worried about getting bits & pieces we have a boat to catch for Russia
Spits make another run taking a HT & truck but one is not going home.

T19-21
Troops did not even get a chance to run just wiped out, a bofors remains & 25Pdr all my arty that can reach is on it as 6 A10s entered this go.
Troops furthest forward have to drop smoke to let there vehicles pull back safely.
Close range as quick as pos & manage to kill first 6 before game ends. They had riders that survived & more entered on turn 20 that never got time to engage.
Decisive Vic
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Sorry endings a bit short but the stereo decided to kicked into overdrive great mix of songs resulting in major volume boost, a trip down memory lane & some leapin about so forgot to write.
How is it my home stereo is 500w & my car is supposed to be double that but the house can blow it away on 4, sounds way better to.
Helena says its down to speaker size but I think she is being rude.

[Imp]

Adolf seems to think we need a bit more space to grow so its off to Russia for us spearheading the advance once more.
The boat trip & subsequent train ride to our start point means we have had little time to get new equipment, however we have managed to upgrade our offboard troop from 10 to 11.4cm & have recieved 2 infantry AAMGs to provide some protection for the artillery.
Additionally we have been informed that while most of Ivans armour is no match for ours he does have a few formidable toys, in view of this 1 squad in each platoon has given up his SMG for a Brandflasche & some AT capability.
The Lufwaffe have 4x 110s & 2x Spotters on call should we need them though as we are going at first light visibility is limited 21.

Terrain is mainly level 1 with some depresions mainly 150-300m wide, there are half a dozen clusters of light woods & a road running roughly E>W about 4/5ths the way down our area of operations which is centred on a rail line running SW>NE. There are a few very small settlements along the line & a road of little use at the extreme North.
Our objective is to clear the area past the rail line so engineers can begin the task of converting it to our trains gauge for supply route purposes allowing us to continue the advance.
Sorry forgot to save map
Morale is high 95 as a few units made elite status.
Company A with 10 tanks a 231 & some transport will head of down the Southern road. The rest will push off roughly down the centre. There are a couple of limited depresions transport might be able to drive into undetected though they do not extend very far East.

Pre bombardment 2 batts of 122 & 76 some hits trucks still mobile but 2 squads routed with 4 men lost, also a flakwagen takes 2 damage but can still move, could have been worse.
Moving out
SF>Comp A sets of down the road, if enemy has deployed forward it will become visible as it enters one of the biggest depressions, trucks HTs then tanks with riders follow. Trucks reach a bottle neck after this it opens up, the road heading NE exiting the depresion in about 500m. There is a line of trees slightly closer running SE that we can use, here the depression carrys on for another 500m ending in woods. The road runs through the North end of the woods but if I move to level 1 without scouting tanks are open to flank shots. Turn2 troops unload behind tree line & lead tanks drop riders further back so free to support but will be moving quick if needed as catching up.

CF> Comp C Taxis enter a depresion it runs SE for about a kilo, at the most northern part a bit over 500m away there is about 500m of L1 before the start of another depresion. It is long E>W & probably worth a scout looking at whats in it. Generaly though probably better to spend a few turns moving along & exit heading towards woods, due to shape have to check area 3/4 of way there as contact is possible Tanks here are running in open & could come ito sight next turn.

NF>Comp B is heading down 2 depresions, one small one just N of CF scout is ready to exit & this is mainly just that a look in force.
Further N heading down a depresion is most of the force it meanders slightly SE ending near a few buildings on the rail line. The trouble is its very narrow in the mid part (50-100m) so may not provide much cover. Also next go we have to cross 50m of L1 to enter the next part. I am guessing eyes will be on it.
Turn2 It turns out high grass restricts view quite a bit, scout had a look then bike picks him up heading further along, 4 trucks make it over as well the rest stacked behind it in the dip.
Battery is in CB mode & AI finnishes its pre bombard then silence
Most of mine is still mobile deploying next turn but 6 tubes ready target the N+S depresions, remember I have spotter planes so sending for a probe in the South.
Armour is split from N>S Light, ave, heavy

[Imp]

Turn3
SF> Scout enters tree line, 3 squads at 200m if vehicles use the bit of depression to North should be safe from ATGs so 231 introduces Germany to the Soviets, 2 Hts & M3 join in all pinned or worse so sqaud moves to trees routes them all but recieves fire. HT risks fire & pinns before moving behind trees, MMGs move up another 2 & he loses a man. One of these squads is on L1, tanks further back manage to rout him. this means we have been seen for at least one turn possibly 2. Other vehicles move up & we have all 6 running. Perhaps foolishly scout & a squad leave trees squad recieves fire from a squad to S & a Maxim HMG in E woods, not worried about squad several vehicles will fire at but remaining vehicles risk ATGs to engage HMG routing it to, lucky really all but one was moving fast.
CF> One scout is in position to see if its safe to continue along the depresion the other exits on his way to the next depression, a MMG & ATG will follow him
NF> Scout is out of the small depresion others will follow.
in the big depresion scout is tentativly entering where it opens up & has buildings in sight. Platoon unloads behind some trees ready to follow, rest are playing catchup tanks now 500m back but 2 squads are ready to move to L1 so we have some eyes there.
AA has gone as far as it dare for the moment, holding position as cover MF & some of NF
AIT> The squad & maxim both fire squad losing a couple of men.
AI drops smoke well forward of my NF arty there could well have been for nought.
Spotters come in & despite vision do an exelent job, one recieves fire from DT AAMG but is fine.
Turns out there are 8 squads at L1 covering the road & the same again S & E of my present position, may be more in woods that they did not see.
4 of the original squads are running.

[Imp]

SF> Scout enters tree line, 3 squads at 200m if vehicles use the bit of depression to North should be safe from ATGs so 231 introduces Germany to the Soviets, 2 Hts & M3 join in all pinned or worse so sqaud moves to trees routes them all but recieves fire. HT risks fire & pinns before moving behind trees, MMGs move up another 2 sighted, lose a man. One of these squads is on L1, tanks further back manage to rout him. this means we have been seen for at least one turn possibly 2. Other vehicles move up & we have all 6 running. Perhaps foolishly scout & a squad leave trees squad recieves fire from a squad to S & a Maxim HMG in E woods, not worried about squad several vehicles will fire at but remaining vehicles risk ATGs to engage HMG routing it to, lucky really all but one was moving fast.
CF> One scout is in position to see if its safe to continue along the depresion the other exits on his way to the next depression, a MMG & ATG will follow him.
NF> Scout is out of the small depresion others will follow.
in the big depresion scout is tentativly entering where it opens up & has buildings in sight. Platoon unloads behind some trees ready to follow, rest are playing catchup tanks now 500m back but 2 squads are ready to move to L1 so we have some eyes there.
AA has gone as far as it dare for the moment, holding position as cover CF & some of NF
AIT> The squad & maxim both fire squad losing a couple of men.
AI drops smoke well forward of my NF arty there could well have been for nought.
Spotters come in & despite vision do an exelent job, one recieves fire from DT AAMG but is fine.
Turns out there are 8 squads at L1 covering the road & the same again S & E of my present position, may be more in woods that they did not see.
4 of the original squads are running.

[Imp]

NF> Alls quite the depression is about 500m across with trees splitting, if the other side is empty will take up positions to exit across its width, if AI smoke is any indication may be enemy towards N end of.
CF> Scout can see part of next depression & is by it, a few units are taging along for the ride & 231s are exploring a line of trees as an aproach, slightly risky but high grass restricts view.
Scout at South end getsin place & a squad goes recieving fire, 233Fu routes him. Hes on L1 & we have some woods we can use, rest move up but will not be in position properly till following turn, my armour is closing fast to provide support.
SF> To many targets vehicles have to work some magic here or we will take loses, as it looks like no ATGs cover the depression concentrate fire here & once rout everyone troops move to see outcome. This produces another 3 squads one in the woods who by the end of the turn is the only ready unit.
Scout moves to level 1, big smile as discover grass & earth restrict nearly all view to 500m, order given & tanks roll up the road. My glea dies slightly when I realise half of the 8 squads here are using it as cover but we route2 & pinn 2. 4 tanks + same number of sqauds are at level 1 & we have taken no loses.
It is becoming obvious these Russians were not expecting this, no onslaught of fire is required they are folding easily especialy if we cast our minds back to the Greeks & how dogedly they continued to fight on. I am sure several will rally but they are only needing a little prompting to get their heads down.
spotters are flying NE this time for a look at if anythings heading for the smoke.
AIT> 1 squad loses 2 men but Russians lose there first squad