German Campaign using War Cab

[Imp]

Interesting map hopefully - it came with all those fords though impassable terrain limits there use.

Placed Vhexes to hopefully have fights round areas A + B & tempt AI to go to combat mode there. 1 in US rear so we need to push on.

They have taken one VHex near the road hopefully a scout vehicle meaning timing about right.
Of if anybody goes Mech infantry its the US we will find out.

Deployed to try & fight in these areas as look more fun - scouts, & ATG are leading the way followed by infantry then tanks.
Pz Gren are waiting till contact to move - only one arty plotted.

Tanks roughly split MkIIIs in North with A Co & Grenadiers due to the bridge.
This left B Co in the South with no transport so borrowing A Co 2 trucks to ferry them to the stream. They might get stuck if attempt a crossing.

No plan just quick deployed though the top force should hopefully make faster progress & swing round as its semi mobile. Now looked at congestion in area A could make it a prime spot for US artillery.

My arty will need to move up at some point, finding safe spots if the US move faster than I think was not that easy.


Turn 3 start going to full speed now. Screen is a big stitch together hope its clear.

[Imp]

Turn 6 Start


Well this is going to be fun the idea sort of worked though the AI took off really hard & fast.
I did not expect them to get quite so far but they did unload before we could hit any halftracks - got 3 empty ones.
I know there are more scout had to pull back pronto.
They even grabbed the VHexes by the buildings which was not really expecting at this point, wonder where they will head.

Have to fight our way out of a box before the arty arrives & it looks like both sides mech infantry are on a collision course.

Advance was so quick other scout had to pull out so sent him to get a look at the back of the hill the units crossing the ford will need to take. Needs another elevation to see which is not going to happen, in trouble again.
Did not think would need to smoke Ford crossing but that's blown AI will have a lot of info for arty by turn end.

If you have never used US Armoured Infantry they have a scary amount of firepower for the day.
Right map & they are the king of assaults in WWII & the forerunner for todays formations.

Only weakness perhaps is squads have a SMG rather than a LMG but in human hands that's okay due to the amount of firepower.
Each Platoon has
3 Squads - Rifle, SMG, Baz
Baz Team
Decent ATG
7 MGs including the halftracks
Self Propelled Mortar.

My Armour Commander is more worried about them than the tanks, infantry can be pinned or chewed up & spat out fast to if they are not careful.
Tanks need to take out the halftracks so infantry can engage at range & find the AT weapons otherwise vehicles tend to go bang.

AI is getting 60 points a turn from VHexes already we need to get cracking.

[Imp]

Turn 7 start
Have moved scout & MG for a look as shown, ATG going there.

Jumping straight in with no plan may cost me now looked I think the South force will be the arty magnet.
Its pretty wide open so guessing AI has eyes that can see vehicles at least.
No transport to quickly relocate so it misses is going to be a problem, still it will take the heat off the top force & let them do their thing.
South force is only just clearing the fords apart from the scouts, truck made it over the ford but ended up wasting smoke to block MG fire at it. Other is going to collect FOO & MG I think he will be needed West of the stream.

Air strike killed scouts 250/11 here hence think it has eyes on me.
The Aux scout & his Kubelwagen are trouble magnets they were the target of the other airstrike.
Was worried about air have been using AA to help break out of the box need to stop now. Did manage to damage one Aircobra in the attack 21% hit way to go.

Exiting the box up North went better than expected - high grass blocked vision from the tanks situated there.
If the Armoured Infantry had unloaded here instead we would be in real trouble.
Lead squad took a hit for the team to place smoke & let the tanks operate, Pz Gren's swooped in to protect in AI's turn.
Unloading sniper there was an accident he is probably dead.

ATG did well killing & damaging the M10s, StuG in woods took out the other - only tank there that could short move.
Rest helped the group SE of the trees take out the ATGs & other units there.
Purple lines show only units with LOS apart from to underlined squad who obviously has a lot of heat on him.
MkIII did try to take out an M5 but they bounced. 15 range which is about the max I think for any chance of damage.

US tanks MG can see were hit by arty & are M3's so engaging as gun pen is only 8, others are M5 lights.

Using MkIII 5cm compared to MkIV,s as reminded of their issues in my view.
Ambush machines really 14 hex (9 once the APCR) is gone against most targets - less for reliable damage.
Benefits - Accurate gun & higher ROF (3 have 5 shots) means more accurate overall at short range - helps the ambush role, better armour package.
Downsides - Medium > Long range can only kill transport & armoured cars, poor infantry round & no smoke round.

I can see the smoke being a real issue tanks were only issued with 3 rounds on average. We might have to take a leaf out of the US playbook & risk bringing the SP mortars up for direct support later.

[Imp]

Turn 8 Start
SOUTH

This does not look so good Sherman's are coming & we are still clearing the ford.
An AA unit is the one with a LOS so had to move, some halftracks have vanished think they are heading for the Fords then South.

NORTH
Not a lot of movement group exiting the woods is stuck another M3 & leg infantry have turned up. They shot at the M3's getting one before pulling back but one tank lost its Coax Mg in the exchange. they are proving more of a problem than the M10's.
Lack of progress was due to having to kill those Baz teams before we can move out.

Arty fell in the woods did not get 1 ATG out in time, he is OK for now but it took out his transport.

Really do not know how best to tackle the group of Arm Inf as surrounded by woods but some of my Pz Gren's have remounted.
The problem is those Baz they all have them, lucky shot by a MG at a cluster of killed an AT team I could not see with splash fire.

Wow War Cab says we have killed 30 units for 6 losses already, did not think it was so high.
Say half a dozen Baz teams, M5's, Halftracks - 2 M10's, ATGs an M3 & a scout jeep, that's 24 no idea what the rest were.
We have lost mainly transports so far.

[Imp]

Turn 9 Start
I hate planes think there were 7 of them we damaged one, some strikes shown.
Waste of time saving my ATGs planes took a strong dislike to them, lost a few halftracks to one was loaded.
Both sides lost 6 units that turn but I also have several damaged now.

NORTH

Not a good turn overall the first MkIV that attempted to break out got taken out by an ATG before it saw it. Managed to take it out & an M3 then discovered the new group of Sherman's that have vanished.

Pz Grenadiers have made minor progress but I am guessing they are about to be reinforced.

SOUTH

Not going well here either that M3 popping up was a complete surprise.
Looks like the M4's are moving to join them after making a brief showing on the hilltop, nothing hit in the minor exchange here
They definitely have eyes on us from a hill to the NW placing smoke but to late.
Times like this make me wish I had an off map battery that fires smoke.
Those 3 bottom VHexes are the only ones not under US control now.
At the moment I will be happy if we get a draw.

[Imp]

Turn 11 start
Now that's a problem a lone plane just took out the AA unit best located to defend the North Force. The South one manged to get stuck crossing the Ford.
The main airstrike will probably be inbound in the next couple of turns so want to move vehicles as little as possible & put some distance between them & the infantry if possible.
Need to try & get a couple especially the Airacobra that cannon really hurts, rest should be down to just MGs after this pass.

NORTH

Turn before most of my infantry was pinned due to the airstrikes & my pioneer, Pz Grenadiers were about the only infantry that could move.
They moved on Armed Infantry & made quick work of them as my arty had been hitting the area hard for a few turns. StuG moved into this area & dispatched an M4 down South.

Tanks took position to try & take on Sherman's, unsure which way they would go N or E.
Drew fire from A which proved easy they were moving slow but could not hit a barn. Two still had shots when MkIII broke cover at 3 hex range from behind causing panicked fire.
Infantry at the top of the map were unsupported while this was going on so took a few hits including a sniper down.

SOUTH

This lot I think were moving faster but could not hit a barn either, I think during both exchanges they only managed to hit one target. Checked experience is 65 but do not remember them being this bad in the past.
Progress here is slow due to incoming forces tanks have being bounding advancing - half stationary while the rest move then swap.
As we have no transport probably going to end up doing this all game.


Decided unless we get a good map next assault will be a large affair on a urban map to mix things up & see how the Sturmpanzer's get on. More infantry some flame halftracks & borrowed Italian Assault Guns plus air if it allows.
Not Italy but close enough European layout rather than city blocks.
Maps here if you want a try so can relate to the upcoming battle.
http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/showt...979#post847979

[DRG]

Originally Posted by Imp

Now that's a problem a lone plane just took out the AA unit best located to defend the North Force.

$HIT happens..........

[Imp]

Turn 12 end
Currently we are at 71 kills for 16 losses, only 1 tank down & 1 damaged - transport has taken a beating around 7 halftracks lost.

Lets see if the air arrives next turn done what we can.
Most vehicles remained stationary though about 5 moved in the South including the 250/11 to kill the Sherman.
Tanks where possible are by smoke or fired some to rear in an attempt to make target lock difficult.
Will count the Airacobras this time they are the threat top hit or any facing bar the front can take out a tank.
Otherwise not worried as we are not engaged unless they attack the StuG I expect to reaction fire.

NORTH

Clearing the area then moving out as shown, there are SP Mortars to our West & VHexes to SW. Made reasonable progress this turn on all fronts.

SOUTH

Clearing to the West, took a look over NW hill but pulled back as only a couple of units currently there.

Have to say from glimpses of distant units I think the AI is having a few problems deciding what to do.
On reflection not surprised really I have had problems deciding what to do with some units.

Bet the air does not turn up or hits the artillery.

[Imp]

Airstrike came 7 planes 4 of which were Airacobra's, we damaged one plane & hit an Airacobra though don't think it was damaged.
They hit the arty park taking out most of the transport & resupply units & another AA unit. Not a bad result apart from the AA arty was not targeted this run.

The M4 stayed where it was & unloaded a Baz Team, A M3 appeared by the buildings & got destroyed by a MkIII. Most of our infantry heading for the buildings & the South hilltop have been pinned by arty, conducted our first CB mission against it

[DRG]

John. Is this a generated campaign you are playing ?