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warspite
06-03-2007, 11:11 PM
Battle #11 Belorussia

Victor: Enc0re (Ge); remaining points: 104
Defeated: Warspite (SU); remaining points: 20

Summary: pitched tank battle early, but slowly went Germans' way as experience of 4 Elite PZIV's w/ captured T-34 triumphed over daring of 3 BT7's and 2 T-34's. Katyusha nearly turned tide turn one with salvo against Ammo Dump in corner, but adjacent Fort Defender made critical movement roll to clear defensive barbed wire, leaving Ammo Dump out of LOS and range of rocket salvo; sniper killed instead, and Katyusha fell to BMW. 3 remaining snipers killed advancing infantry in open. In the end, many tanks destroyed, but only a few Russians able to withdraw. Hopefully, Wehrmacht losses will be difficult to replace, and slow advance.

Battle #12 Baltic States

Victor: Warspite (SU); remaining points: 24
Defeated: Enc0re (Ge); remaining points: 15

Summary: 4 StuGIII's tried to hold line, but 4 Soviet Partisans rose up in rear of German forces, led by Hero of the Motherland, who tackled two StuG's himself before falling to a Grizzled Veteran of the Wehrmacht. The remaining two StuG's were outmaneuvered by 3 BT7's and a pair of PTRD's. Headshots from 2 snipers would aid in killing the 3 BT7's, though they would still kill a third StuG. 1 Cossack and 3 Polish Cavalry charged gallantly into the sniper nest near the objective, and though taking severe casualties, took them out. Came down to final charge of Griz. Vet past 2 Grenadiers to challenge the objective, while the PTRD's kept the last StuG pinned away from it. The Grenadiers gunned down the Griz. Vet in the open to preserve the win.

Battle #13 Libya

Victor: Enc0re (Ge); remaining points: 62
Defeated: Warspite (UK); remaining points: 16

British losing confidence in High Command. Outnumbered in land battle with inadequate air support led to unsurprising result (unlike Norway). Strong Axis armored formation, 2 StuGIII's and 2 Carro Armato's, with elite infantry support (SSPG, 2 Wehrmacht Veterans, SS-Haup, 2 snipers), repulsed Valentine and 2 Stuarts, losing only the Carro's. Attempts to drop paratroopers behind German sniper posts only killed one sniper, and lone Spitfire seen over the battle fell to sniper fire. Paratroopers managed to find their way back to friendly lines, but the battle was a fiasco.

Battle #14 Eastern Mediterranean

Victor: Seenadler300 (Ge/It); remaining points: 49
Defeated: Warspite (UK); remaining points: 56

Pyrrhic victory for Italian navy; successful tactical raid by Royal Navy. Carrier-borne aircraft engage sortie of 2 Italian battleships escorting 3 transports, with a pair of German destroyers. Though sustaining heavy losses to airwing, one Italian battleship is sunk (including 3 hits by a single squadron of Swordfish), and all three transports were shot up by Sea Hurricanes, before the British carrier was forced to withdraw to avoid being run down by the surviving battleship.

Battle #15 Danish Sea

Victor: Warspite (UK); remaining points: 90
Defeated: Seenadler300 (Ge/It); remaining points: 22

Hail Brittania! Outstanding gunnery success in duel with Italian battleship! Dodging islands to protect the transport on its way to its delivery, the Rodney hid until the Vittorio Veneto killed a Javelin engaging the Italians' sub screen of 3 U510's and an Ambra. When they found the range, both battleships opened fire. The Italian scored hits, but the Rodney was undeterred, and the return fire was devastating. On 15 dice, there were only two misses, for a total of 17 successes! The Vittorio exploded, blasted in two, and sank quickly. The transport made its delivery (to an island I placed just on the opponent's side of the map, next to the double-sector island for cover), and after achieving an objective, the Rodney withdrew. The remaining 2 U510s of the raider force pursued the Rodney, which was eventually crippled by two torpedoes and bombs from a squadron of Luftwaffe Stukas, but made it to safety. The Stukas dodged AA and interception by one squadron of Sea Hurricanes, but after scoring their one hit, were downed by AA from the Rodney. The Uboats, leery of 2 lurking British subs, and with no priority targets remaining, withdrew themselves.

warspite
06-03-2007, 11:26 PM
Some observations:

1) My German opponent has found a winning combo of 4 Wehrmacht Snipers, 4 Elite PZIV's, and an Ammo Dump. They pretty much kill anything they shoot at so far. When he hasn't taken that combo, he has struggled, and finally lost to a Russian force (not to mention 3 of 4 lost with the Japanese).

2) Communist Partisans are vital to Russian success at this point. Between CA'ing an Elite PZIV on turn one of Battle #11, and corralling 4 StuGIII's trying to protect an Ammo Dump from them in Battle #12, they wreak havoc on German plans. Plus, they're the best way to spawn a Hero behind German lines, for whatever reason. Without paratroopers or aircraft, they're also the only way to track down Ammo Dumps, etc. I nearly took eight of them, but felt I needed some extra AT rifles in Battle #12 (and I was right).

3) Both my land opponent and I are finding the defender's choices of Choosing Side and Exchanging a Quarter of the Map to be the best options. Whatever map is rolled, we choose the best side to defend, and put another open map quarter where the attacker has to cross, even if it leaves the objective in clear terrain. On a couple of occasions, we swapped a defensive map quarter to provide extra cover and movement obstacles (rivers, swamps etc.) It just makes attacking SOOO dangerous; it really constrains attacker unit choices. I nearly took a parabomb force in Libya, and following how it turned out, I should have, just to get into cover quickly.

Looking forward to 1942, and some bona fide AT guns for the Allies, to try to turn the tide in Europe. Elite PZIV's and StuGIII's rule for the Germans so far.

boersma8
06-05-2007, 01:32 AM
Some observations:

1) My German opponent has found a winning combo of 4 Wehrmacht Snipers, 4 Elite PZIV's, and an Ammo Dump. They pretty much kill anything they shoot at so far. When he hasn't taken that combo, he has struggled, and finally lost to a Russian force (not to mention 3 of 4 lost with the Japanese).

2) Communist Partisans are vital to Russian success at this point. Between CA'ing an Elite PZIV on turn one of Battle #11, and corralling 4 StuGIII's trying to protect an Ammo Dump from them in Battle #12, they wreak havoc on German plans. Plus, they're the best way to spawn a Hero behind German lines, for whatever reason. Without paratroopers or aircraft, they're also the only way to track down Ammo Dumps, etc. I nearly took eight of them, but felt I needed some extra AT rifles in Battle #12 (and I was right).

3) Both my land opponent and I are finding the defender's choices of Choosing Side and Exchanging a Quarter of the Map to be the best options. Whatever map is rolled, we choose the best side to defend, and put another open map quarter where the attacker has to cross, even if it leaves the objective in clear terrain. On a couple of occasions, we swapped a defensive map quarter to provide extra cover and movement obstacles (rivers, swamps etc.) It just makes attacking SOOO dangerous; it really constrains attacker unit choices. I nearly took a parabomb force in Libya, and following how it turned out, I should have, just to get into cover quickly.

Looking forward to 1942, and some bona fide AT guns for the Allies, to try to turn the tide in Europe. Elite PZIV's and StuGIII's rule for the Germans so far.

1.) Yes, when there's no unit limit and you play battles of more than 150 points, it's obviously a good choice to pick several snipers ( esp. for the Germans!), so you can headshoot numerous tanks....Well, personally to me that's not a lot of "fun".....The same goes for a large number of panzer IV's be it to a lesser extent....If your opponent likes it, he's entitled to that though!

2.) Yes, partisans are very important to take out those ammo dumps when you don't have any planes and/or paras.....Recently we've been leaving out heroes from our armies more and more, though, because they violate too many basic game principles, which actually make the game very good ( defensive fire, effects of disruption, vulnerability to MG's etc.). With a limit of just one it sure is managable, but lately we've preferred playing without them....

3.) Choosing sides and changing a quarter of the map are also they only two options I've ever used! They're the best choice by far! You can also "choose map" but A it counts as two choices and B you don't get to choose sides, which might actually give your opponent the better side of the map....Reinforcements also help the opponent ( He gets them too automatically). I would've preffered that to work only for the side taking those reinforcements ( so no reinforcements for the other side). However, each unit you lose from then on should count double the number of points'worth lost. Take the reinforcements, try to pull out a win after all, but in doing so you'll be using up precious reserve forces....

Grenzewolf
06-07-2007, 10:59 AM
Warspite,

Nice concise write ups on the campaign. Glad to see you guys are getting the most out of this. I doubt I would do as well against the two of you with a build force as I do in scenario play. It seems you have put alot of effort into exploring the potentials of different units and their dynamics against the expected oposition.

Thus far all my battles for the campaigns have limited the use of "Elite" and "Special" units to represent a broader range of common troops. The one exception was allowing the Russians the pathetic 45mm in the form of an enemic 6pdr (reduced attack). (historicaly the Russians brought field guns and used direct lay to good effect against Germans similar to the hastey employment of 88's in Afrika)

boersma8,

Totaly concure with your assesment of "Reinforcements". Didn't dig it,,,, tossed it out. Adding Points to each side just makes for a longer game,,,,,"and the point?" Your concept of application is much more sound though I think 1.5pts value may surfice as penalty. That said, I would not allow them to enter the field till at least round 3. Envisioning more of an available reaction force/Fire Brigade asset that must first be released to that engagment/sector.

Latro
06-07-2007, 02:26 PM
The good thing about the option for reinforcements is that it "shifts" the balance of the battle: you chose your reserve-force not until turn 4, which enables you to press your advantage or react to the advantae of the enemy.

Example:

I played a battle in which the UK had to assault a town defended by Germans, the armoured support couldn't assist effectively due to enemy AT-Guns covering the open terrain from the edge of a forest.

So I chose to set-up an HQ to have a better chance in winning initiative, which would allow my Bren Gunners to silence the AT-Guns and my armoured support to follow-up and take them out. An additional force of Veteran and regular SMLE's was marched to the front to reinforce the final assault on the town.

It allowed for a big tactical shift in the situation which had been a stand-of before.

(The Germans added an additional PAK and a StuG)


:cool:

warspite
06-07-2007, 03:11 PM
So far we've been studying the map configurations, and how to choose sides and swap the map quarter, but I'm sure the other ways have advantages if you understand them better. I'm sure just choosing Tiger Heaven or Urban Combat will be more than enough advantage for a defender at some point. I'm not as sold on rolling for extra terrain, nor moving the objective, as I tried that in Battle #1, and ended up cornered. That was also before they clarified that forces are built after all the map situations are resolved, and when I replayed it on my own, and did a forward defense rather than defense in depth, and found shooting up my opponent in the open just felt better. :)

I think there might be an occasion (soon) where the defender might like having 25pts of Wild units come to the rescue, when a certain unit type might not be available otherwise. (I'm thinking of some nastiness even now...)