SLIM vs Ithikial DAR (Ithikial Stay Out!)

[General Jack Ripper]

Not much to report, everyone is still moving towards their initial positions, although I have picked up the pace a bit more.

 

 

These guys will soon be able to put binoculars on the Hotel, and the surrounding areas. Other teams are also moving into positions to observe the other side of the river. As discussed before, LOS is spotty at best, and due to the rain sound contacts are unreliable. My hope is to put O.P.s in 4 different locations to get the best intel I can.

 

 

I also thought I would show you guys my basic infantry unit. I use the [Assault Team] command to split my squads. What that gives me is an A Team with MP40's, StG44's, G43's, and K98's. They also have the vast majority of hand grenades. Combined with this small team with lots of close-range firepower, I have the B Team:

 

 

These guys have my LMG's and the majority of the ammo. Most of them have a scoped rifle as well. This breakdown of teams makes exercising the four F's a trivial exercise.

The A Team Finds the enemy, both teams Fix him with fire, then the A Team Flanks him and Finishes him.

 

It sounds good on paper, but as my battle against Raptorx7 shows, expect the unexpected.

I'm going to stop making reports for a few turns until we get a contact. I don't want to fill up my Photobucket with screenshots with no explosions in them.

[Doug Williams]

What UI mod is that?

[General Jack Ripper]

JuJu's U.I. mod, not the newest version I'm afraid.

The newest version is here: http://cmmods.greenasjade.net/mods/5569/details

 

Every so often I grab a new mod and test it out, so the look and sound of things during this DAR might change a bit.

Edited August 29, 2015 by SLIM

[MOS:96B2P]

I also thought I would show you guys my basic infantry unit. I use the [Assault Team] command to split my squads. What that gives me is an A Team with MP40's, StG44's, G43's, and K98's. They also have the vast majority of hand grenades. Combined with this small team with lots of close-range firepower, I have the B Team

 

These guys have my LMG's and the majority of the ammo. Most of them have a scoped rifle as well. This breakdown of teams makes exercising the four F's a trivial exercise.

 

I first learned this squad split SOP from womble.  Very useful.  Do you have two or three fire teams in your squads?  It is cool when the German TOE (or any TOE) allows for three fire teams in a squad.  When I get three I usually split C-team off as the AT team.  (Unless I need somebody up on point then I make the scout split)  This gives more control over how / when they employ their AT weapons.  (Cause sometimes they just be crazy with them AT rockets )      

[General Jack Ripper]

I first learned this squad split SOP from womble.  Very useful.  Do you have two or three fire teams in your squads?  It is cool when the German TOE (or any TOE) allows for three fire teams in a squad.  When I get three I usually split C-team off as the AT team.  (Unless I need somebody up on point then I make the scout split)  This gives more control over how / when they employ their AT weapons.  (Cause sometimes they just be crazy with them AT rockets )      

 

No, it's just the two teams pictured. These Panzergrenadier squads do not possess native AT weapons, so there is no C Team to split.

That's why I went full-bore with my armor purchase, because aside from a few Panzerfausts, I have no hand-held AT weapons.

 

When I do employ Panzershrecks, I give them a 125 meter [Cover Armor] arc, so they do not fire except against vehicles they can hit, unless given a specific target order.

[Doug Williams]

That's why I went full-bore with my armor purchase.

As well you should. Take full advantage of every strength that you are presented with. Crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their women!

[MOS:96B2P]

When I do employ Panzershrecks, I give them a 125 meter [Cover Armor] arc, so they do not fire except against vehicles they can hit, unless given a specific target order.

 

What range armor cover arc do you give to a US Bazooka team?  My SOP has been 90 meters but looking at the range you give your panzershrecks has made me curious. 

[delliejonut]

What range armor cover arc do you give to a US Bazooka team?  My SOP has been 90 meters but looking at the range you give your panzershrecks has made me curious. 

 

With bazooka teams I try to keep them fire arcs between 50-80 meters, depending on the terrain. If they're just regular grunts 80 can be kind of a long shot, but I think the M9A1 variety has a bit more range.

 

This looks great Slim, I'll be following along.

[General Jack Ripper]

What range armor cover arc do you give to a US Bazooka team?  My SOP has been 90 meters but looking at the range you give your panzershrecks has made me curious. 

 

Usually 100 meters, but they're pretty iffy at that range. If they're emplaced in a prepared position or waiting in ambush I'll do 75 meters.

 

As well you should. Take full advantage of every strength that you are presented with. Crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their women!

 

We'll see what happens, but I like that attitude!

 

Welcome to the thread dellie! I think it's gonna be a party in here, especially with Doug hanging around!

[General Jack Ripper]

Another turn gone, some adjustment of waypoints, nothing to report.

Tanks moving slowly forward now, and I have binocs on the Hotel.

Still no contacts, but I'm not surprised by that given the weather conditions.

[General Jack Ripper]

 

The long spotting process begins... so too does the nail-biting tension!

[Doug Williams]

The long spotting process begins... so too does the nail-biting tension!

Time for some music!

[Rinaldi]

Taking the thorough approach. How many glasses do you have on enemy approach routes?

[General Jack Ripper]

Another turn down, my observers are getting into their positions, and the leading platoon of the attack company is almost at their first objective, the tree line near the Road Bridge.

Tanks have moved up slightly, but I'm not going to commit them yet, not until I spot enemy armor.

So far I haven't spotted anything, which is both a relief, and a source of worry.

 

 

Taking the thorough approach. How many glasses do you have on enemy approach routes?

 

Last turn I had one, this turn two, next turn four, and the turn after that six. If Ithikial was making a mad dash for the river, I'm pretty sure I would have seen something by now.

Two more HQ's are crawling into position, my Sniper Team is about 40 seconds away from his post above the Road Bridge, and my Scout Team is continuing to Quick Move towards the bridge. One of these teams is going to see something, I hope.

The only problem with my spotting is the Rail Bridge, my teams can see the ford, but not the bridge itself. Once the ATG is setup, I might detach an XO team to scout ahead.

 

Time for some music!

 

That's exactly what I needed, thanks Doug!

[General Jack Ripper]

Contact!

 

 

I finally spot one of Ithikial's troopers. He's running through the woods towards the hotel. I had already predicted this movement, and here is my first countermeasure:

 

 

Fire Mission, Smoke!

 

I'll lay down a smoke barrage in front of the hotel. I don't have any heavy guns on the line yet, so blinding the position is my first option.

The rest of the minute passed uneventfully, so at least Ithikial didn't target any pre-planned artillery strikes at the 5 minute mark. That was one thing I was genuinely afraid of.

[Doug Williams]

The rest of the minute passed uneventfully, so at least Ithikial didn't target any pre-planned artillery strikes at the 5 minute mark. That was one thing I was genuinely afraid of.

 

I believe pre-planned arty strikes when playing meeting engagements are generally considered verboten among most of the PBEM community.

[General Jack Ripper]

I believe pre-planned arty strikes when playing meeting engagements are generally considered verboten among most of the PBEM community.

 

That's good to know, I wouldn't have been opposed to it regardless, the two of us had not discussed any "house rules" to follow prior to the engagement.

 

My big concern was losing my O.P.'s to a sudden artillery barrage as part of a general attack I would not have been in position to receive.

I'm also trying to piece together some intel as to force composition, and the presence of any off-map artillery would have required trading for either infantry or armor.

Granted it's far too early for any assumptions.

[General Jack Ripper]

Shots Fired!

 

My overwatching HMG's spot what looks like a scout team moving into the hotel. They quickly prepare their well-reasoned reply:

 

 

"BRRAAPP!" They said. Sounds good to me. I would ask Ithikial's boys what they think, but they're too busy cowering.

Meanwhile, one of my mortars adds to the discussion:

 

 

All he said was, "BOOP!" Battalion HQ is still pondering the meaning of the phrase. Perhaps it has something to do with an explosion?

I've ordered my overwatch elements to area fire on the hotel, including a [Target Briefly] from my AT Gun. I figure while I spotted this one team, the two story part of the Hotel is a good place for an FO to setup, so I'm going to say hello with a couple of 75mm High Explosive rounds.

 

Meanwhile, my Scout and Sniper teams have gotten overwatch on the road leading up to the Road Bridge objective, and they immediately spot this guy:

 

 

Have you ever felt like there's a target painted on your face? Just ask this guy now that I've cancelled my sniper's cover arc.

 

Elsewhere, my StuG is moving to the head of my armor column. It turns out there is LOS to the Hotel from the road corner, so it's time to lay in some HE. I'll wait for the smoke mission to finish firing before moving up my StuG, then when the smoke clears I'll let rip.

After tomorrow's turn I'll post an overview of how things have shaped up.

[Rinaldi]

Nice tracer mod. Think your sharpshooters will make the shot?

[Doug Williams]

Nice. The action is starting!

[General Jack Ripper]

Nice tracer mod. Think your sharpshooters will make the shot?

Those are Vein's Tracers. The contact disappeared within a couple seconds, and the range is currently about 500 Meters, so no, my Sniper doesn't have a chance. There's no harm in trying though, I have a whole truckload of ammo on standby, so fire away I say!

 

Nice. The action is starting!

I'll have to tweak my settings down one more notch, but I'll start recording video too.

 

Would you rather have micro-sized video bits, or wait for a big video?

[Doug Williams]

 

Would you rather have micro-sized video bits, or wait for a big video?

 

Whatever you feel is appropriate for the action. I use an app called Handbrake (free) to compress FRAPS videos before uploading them to YouTube.

[General Jack Ripper]

I just use the new Windows Movie Maker, much better than the old version.

[General Jack Ripper]

A little more action this turn, we're laying down HMG fire on the Hotel until the mortars shoot their smoke,

meanwhile my AT Gun crew was a bit bored so:

 

 

You don't get paid to bring ammo home with you.

The shot lands in the ten ring!

 

 

Directly onto the upper floor of the Hotel. If Ithikial had an FO team in there, they're spending the next couple minutes picking shell splinters out of themselves. If there wasn't anyone there, that's fine too, I'm destroying the building anyway, so more High Explosive is hardly a bad thing.

 

Anyway, I said I would review the current situation, so here it is:

 

 

From Right to Left:

 

The first thing to notice are the enemy contact icons across the river. The one marked [scout?] was the initial spot I showed in my previous post. A single man with an SMG was seen, no other information is available.

The marker labeled [PIAT] is a solid contact just gotten this turn on a PIAT team deploying into the trees next to the VP.

Perhaps Ithikial was trying to prepare an ambush? I don't know his exact intentions, but if he plans to defend the Road Bridge, then he's probably not going to cross it.

 

Moving downward from there, you see the Green Line labeled [bridge Platoon]. These guys job is to observe and interdict the bridge crossing if possible. More detailed study of the terrain shows the bridge and ford are both in dead ground, none of the overwatching elements can actually see down to the bridge itself. Given this information, I've decided to create something for Ithikial to stare at while I move elsewhere.

 

Here's my plan for that: The StuG is moving up to the road corner, where he will have LOS to the Hotel, and he will destroy it. Once the Hotel is destroyed, he will re-deploy towards my Bridge Platoon. Once he's redeployed, he will conduct Area Fire into any places where enemy troops have been observed. He will also spray MG fire at random, pop smoke whenever he feels like it, and drive around in circles making a nuisance of himself. My intention is to draw Ithikial's attention away from the new attack.

 

The Bridge Platoon will be detached to watch the bridge, meanwhile, the rest of Attack Company, and the Armor Platoon will attack towards the town. The Panther will support the attack on the Town, while the Jpz, followed by the Support Weapons will advance on the Rail Bridge. The push on the Rail Bridge is not definitive at this time.

 

The battle has been running for 15 minutes, and aside from a few scouts I have barely seen anything from Ithikial. If he's not pushing toward the Road Bridge, he must be pushing toward the Rail Bridge. To that end, I have given orders to redeploy my AT gun down to the train tracks where it can see across the bridge.

 

The LOS on this map is truly garbage. I honestly thought my heavy weapons would be able to see more than they can, and I'm starting to get nervous about the lack of apparent activity. I have no choice but to push forward, and hope for the best.

[Rinaldi]

Digging the idea of demonstrating loudly with the StuG, a little bit of deception goes a long way.